Compact against Utility · same LS Tractor lineup
LS MT242 vs LS MT345E
| Spec | LS MT242 | LS MT345E |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $32,056–$35,757 | ~$33,713 |
| What that price is | dealer list, not MSRP, spread across dealers | dealer list, not MSRP |
| Size class | Compact | Utility |
| Transmission | Hydrostatic | Gear |
| Engine hp | 42.5 hp | 45 hp |
| PTO hp | 34.8 hp | 36 hp |
| Loader lift | 2,506 lbsmeasuring point not recorded | 2,360 lbsmeasuring point not recorded |
| Three-point lift | 1,808 lbsat the ball ends | 2,910 lbsat the ball ends |
| Hydraulic flow | 11.7 GPM | 13 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Yanmar | LS |
| Weight | 3,294 lbs | 3,724 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 10.6 gal | 13.7 gal |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | No |
| Hydrostatic | Yes | No |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr powertrain | 6 yr powertrain |
A highlighted cell wins its row on the rule named above the table: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price. A lift row is left unwon whenever the two makers measured in different places, or where either of them did not say — a figure quoted at the pivot pin and one quoted 500 mm ahead of it describe the same loader and differ by roughly a third, so ranking them against each other would invent a result. Prices are typical list and move with dealer packages.
From owner discussion and long-term write-ups
What owners of each one say
LS MT242
What they like
- Four-cylinder 133.6 cu in naturally aspirated common-rail engine, so it runs smoother than the three-cylinders below it without adding a turbocharger
- 34.8 hp at the PTO is enough for a six-foot rotary cutter or a mid-sized tiller with margin left
- Only 84 lb heavier than the 31.7 hp MT232, so the extra power does not cost ground clearance or turning circle
- A factory cab is catalogued on the same frame at this hp point
- 6-year limited powertrain cover with parts and labour and no deductible
What they complain about
- No published LS price, and the dealer spread for the open-station build ran from $32,056 to $35,757 - shown as a range because 12 percent is a real disagreement, not rounding
- Loader lift and 3-point lift are both unchanged from the MT232 at 2,506 lb and 1,808 lb, so 11 extra horsepower buys nothing in capacity
- 11.7 GPM total flow is the same as every other MT2, so hydraulic cycle times do not improve with the bigger engine
- 1,808 lb of rear lift is thin for 42.5 hp - LS's own MT3 series doubles it for the same power band
- LS publishes no loader measuring point and no emissions aftertreatment detail at this hp
LS MT345E
What they like
- 2,910 lb of Category 2 lift on a 3,724 lb tractor is more hitch capacity per pound than anything else at 45 hp, and it takes full-size implements that a Cat 1 machine cannot
- The L3C19-T is the same turbocharged 114.7 cu in three-cylinder LS puts in the dearer MT347 and MT352, so the value line is not running a de-rated engine
- Priced several thousand under the MT347 despite sharing the engine block, which is the whole argument for the E line
- 36 hp at the PTO from 45 gross through a gear box, and the HST version actually reads higher at 38.2 hp
- 13.7 gal of fuel is more than the cab-capable MT347 carries in ROPS form
What they complain about
- ROPS only - LS builds no cab on the MT3E frame, so this is not a winter machine
- The 8x8 synchro shuttle still goes through the clutch on every direction change, which is felt on loader work
- 2,360 lb at the loader is below what the MT347's LL4106 manages, so the hitch is stronger than the front end
- LS states no measuring point for the loader figure, unlike its own 3-point rating
- LS publishes no price, and the two dealer lists found for this model are a model year apart
- No cruise control, and the value line drops the integrated features the MT3 gets as standard