Archives: Blogs

It’s almost officially summer and you know what that means: longer days, family cookouts, and hot afternoons working outside. No matter what part of the nation you work in, that summertime heat can drain your energy and if you aren’t careful can send you directly to the hospital. So how can you stay cool while you get your work done? We’ve got your back.

One of the most important things to know is the warning signs of heat illness, which can quickly turn into heat stroke if you are not careful. If you start feeling weak or confused, dizzy, nauseous, or have cold, clammy skin with a fast heartrate, you need to take a break and drink some fluids immediately. If you ignore these signs, you will start showing heat stroke symptoms. They include a lack of sweating, vomiting, being disoriented, and rapid heartrate and breathing. If you or someone you know starts showing these symptoms, call 911 and move them to a shaded place immediately.

Now that you know what to watch for, let’s talk about how to avoid that and stay as cool as a cucumber. The best way to stay cool is to avoid being outside during the heat of the day, usually from noon to about 4 PM. Sadly, your work won’t finish itself so sometimes that is not an option.

If you have to be outside, wear loose, breathable clothes and a wide brimmed hat. Avoid dark colors and any heavy fabrics. Be sure to bring lots of water with you, along with an electrolyte replacement fluid if you will be sweating a lot. Finally, don’t be afraid to take a break every hour to let your body have a chance to cool down.

Another great way to beat the heat is to purchase a tractor with an air-conditioned cab and you’re in luck! Here at LS Tractor, our MT3 Series and higher are available with AC equipped cabs so you can take whatever Mr. Sun throws at you. So, crank that A/C and get to work so you can be grilling out poolside while your neighbors finish up their chores at night. If you’re nice, you can use your LS (which comes with a FREE front-end loader, by the way) to dig them up a pool to help stay cool but just remember: those burgers and brats won’t grill themselves.

A person’s worth isn’t by how much they accumulate, but instead by how much they can give back to their community and those in need. At LS Tractor, we believe that corporations and businesses should be judged the same way, which is why we are proud to announce our newest local program.

 

When Kawtar Lourhraz first started working at LSTA in Assembly as the Product Management Engineer, she noticed that we had a box problem: mainly that we had too many boxes and nothing to do with them. You see, whenever we get deliveries of implements or attachments, they come in wood crates. These wood crates would then sit at one of our assembly plants until a disposal company would come pick them up to recycle. However, Kawtar saw an opportunity to both help open up much needed space in the warehouse AND help out people in the Battleboro community. She realized that the boxes were the perfect size to be repurposed into garden boxes.

 

After doing some research, Kawtar contacted the Conetoe Family Life Center and talked to Reverend Richard Joyner, the Chairman of the Board and a local commissioner. After a few emails, they both agreed that the boxes would be a perfect fit and started planning the program.

 

Rev. Joyner used his contacts within the community and placed several boxes around the city for free community gardens. He also reached out to a local nursery who agreed to help modify boxes if needed and who would supply recipients with free plants so they can grow their own food. He then opened up applications for these food and garden boxes to anyone in the city and has gotten overwhelming positive feedback, especially from schools and the seniorcitizen population, who may not be able to bend over and garden.

As the growing season continues, we will keep you posted on how the gardens are doing! Special thanks to Kawtar for putting this community project together and for thinking about ways to help our community. We want everyone in our community to know that no matter what happens, LS has your back and we look forward to starting more community initiatives soon!

Being a first-time buyer of anything can be stressful. In today’s world, everything is divided up into categories that offer customers a variety of choices. Do you want the HD TV, the Ultra HD TV, or the 4K TV? Do you want the Ranch house or the “could be haunted but let’s risk it” Victorian House? Tractor buying is no different. There are many different categories for you, but which one do you want? Lucky for you we’re here to help.

Category Levels

Tractor categories start at the lawn level and go all the way up to the agricultural level. Each manufacturer plays with the horsepower some, but at times you will find the same HP in every category, give or take a few outliers.

Lawn Tractors

Lawn Tractors are the babies of the tractor family. You may know these by their more familiar name: lawn mowers. Usually, these tractors don’t have a ton of HP and really do not offer many attachments. Their main function is to mow grass. It’s really cut and dry with lawn tractors: if you are just looking for something to cut grass with, these will be perfect. However, if you want to use implements, have more power, or be able to pull anything worth pulling, you may want to look at our next category.

Sub-Compact Tractors

So you looked at the Lawn Tractors and think you need something a little bigger. Welcome to the Sub-Compact category! Sub-Compacts offer the smaller size advantage of a lawn tractor but with the ability to use a wide range of implements or attachments. Here at LS, we offer our MT1 series in the Sub-Compact range. The MT125 has 24.7 HP and can lift over 1,000 pounds in it’s (currently free!) front loader. You also have the option to add a mid-deck mower, a backhoe, a snowblower, or any of our other range of implements!

Compact Tractors

Need more tractor? Then look no further than our next category: Compact Tractors. Compact Tractors can range in HP from 25 to 57 HP and are able to use even more implements. They also come with more options, such as factory installed cabs! Compact Tractors are our bread and butter at LS and we offer several different series to help with whatever you need. The category starts with the MT2 series, which ranges from 24.6 to 40 HP, and includes the MT3, which runs from 45 HP to 57 HP, depending on the model.

Utility Tractors

Finally, our last main group is the Utility category. These tractors are the hard-hitting workhorses you see on farms. We start out with the MT4 series, which comes with a cab or a ROPS, whichever you need! The MT4’s has a range of 58-68 Hp. Next up, we have the MT5, which weighs in at 73 horsepower. This beauty comes with a standard cab and climate control, so you can be comfortable in any climate. Closing out the Utility group is our flagship model, the MT7. It can lift over 5,000 LBS thanks to its 100.6 HP engine and durable frame. Your chores won’t stand a chance.

Find your New LS Tractor

Now that you have this cheat sheet for tractor categories, go see your local dealer and tell them what you will be using your new LS for. They can point you in the right direction and you can test drive a few models to see which one fits you best. If you want a more in-depth discussion about tractor categories, check out our first episode of Beyond the Cab by clicking here or by searching us on any major podcast platform!

Dads, it’s time to break out those (formerly) white sneakers and rejoice: it’s almost lawn mowing season! We know you probably already have your old trusty mower that has lived through five different presidents, but this year why not finally retire it and upgrade to a mower that can do so much more than just cut grass?

Our Subcompact MT1 Series or the larger MT225s with available mid-mount mower deck can make lawn work a breeze. Not only can you keep your yard in picture perfect picnic shape with it’s 60” cutting width, but you can also haul away limbs and help put out a fresh layer of mulch by purchasing your tractor with our ever-popular front loader! (Did we mention the front loader is currently free with any tractor purchase? It’s true!) Need to plant some greenery while you’re outside? Check out our backhoe attachment as well to help with all your digging needs. All our mid-mount mower decks come with adjustable cutting heights, three blades, and include a comprehensive warranty backed by our legendary LS Service Team.

Using any of our mid-mower deck equipped tractors is easy due toh our hydrostatic transmissions. Just put the tractor in the range you need and press the pedal to go forwards or reverse. Now you can let your older kids do the yard work and not have to listen to the excuse that they can’t drive a manual transmission! It’s really a win-win.

Is your lawn in need of some hard work? Bring in the big guns with our pull-behind finishing mowers. Our finishing mowers have a cutting width of up to 84” so they will have no problem cutting any mowing job down to size.

So your grass is cut but now what do you do with all of the grass clippings? Don’t worry friends: LS has you covered there as well. Ask your dealer about our available grass catchers so you don’t have to worry about the clean-up after doing your chores.

Look, we get it: your old mower has been with you through thick and thin. But why should you use three machines, a wheelbarrow and a shovel when one LS can do it all. As an added bonus, you can keep those white Reeboks clean and impress all your other friends at the local hardware store. Buy your LS for cutting your grass, keep it for everything else. And trust us: you’ll find all kinds of ways to use it.

Ah Springtime: the birds are finally chirping, the days are finally getting warmer and longer, and (at least if you live in the South) everything is covered in pollen. It really is such a magical time. Spring also means it’s time to start getting ready to plant your garden and lots of home gardeners miss an important step: tilling.

Why Should you Till?

So what exactly is tilling and why is it so important? Tilling is basically the process of loosening the soil before you start planting. This process helps re-oxygenate the soil and helps get it ready for your veggies to live their best life. It also has the extra benefit of reducing weeds! Every winter, weed seeds lurk right below the surface: just waiting to spring up and overtake your garden. Tilling chops those seeds and roots up, making it harder for those weeds and easier on your back.

Before You Start

Before tilling, you need to make sure the area is clear of trash, rocks, or anything that could damage your tiller. You also want to make sure that the ground is warm and dry enough for you to till. Just because it is 70 degrees outside doesn’t mean that the ground is that warm. A good test for soil warmth is to stick your finger about 2-3 inches into the dirt. If your finger gets cold after about a minute, then it’s still too cold to till. If you till before the ground is ready, you’ll actually do more harm than good. Tilling is also a good time to introduce fertilizer or compost to your garden! Spread your nutrients of choice on the ground just before you till. Then, when you loosen the soil, you also add back very important nutrients so your garden can get the food it needs. It’s a win-win!

Tilling Checklist

Let’s run over our checklist one more time: We’ve made sure the area is free of any rocks or trash, we’ve made sure the ground is both dry AND warm, and we’ve spread helpful nutrients over the plot of land. Looks like we are ready to go! You can till the old fashioned way: with a shovel, rake, wheelbarrow, gloves, and the needed trip afterwards to your local chiropractor. If that doesn’t sound very fun to you, you can also use a mechanical tiller! Here at LS Tractor though, we want to make things easy on you. If you have a tractor, check out our line of PTO powered tillers. Just hook it up behind your tractor and off you go. Easy Peasy.

After Tilling

Once you’ve tilled, either by hand or by tractor, make sure you wait a week or two before you plant your garden to give the soil enough time to absorb all the nutrients you just fed it. Just make sure you only till at most twice a year in order to help control erosion. Then this summer when you have the best garden in town, you can kick back and watch everyone else wonder how you did it. Some experts say that jealousy is the best fertilizer for a small garden and now you are set up for the best bounty of all: bragging rights.

Did you know LS Tractor has been making tractors since 1977? It’s true! In 1977, Korea Heavy Industries and Construction Company began production of a new line of tractors in Gunpo, South Korea in collaboration with Fiat. Then, in 1983, LS Mtron acquired KHIC’s tractor division and LS Tractor was officially born. In 1997, LG Machinery took the next big step in becoming a worldwide company and started exporting machinery overseas.  In 2003, LS Mtron spun off the LG Group, which is known for their electronics, and became the best-selling tractor in South Korea in 2013. Tractors are made in our state-of-the-art factory in South Korea and then shipped overseas to plants in Brazil, China and right here in America.

LS Tractor USA, or LSTA, was founded in 2009 and we quickly signed an OEM, or Outside Equipment Manufacturer, agreement with Case/ New Holland to provide tractors for their lower HP lines. Once all the paperwork was finished, we chose Battleboro, North Carolina as our new North American Headquarters and main assembly plant.

Once the tractors arrive from South Korea, they head to one of our three assembly plants: North Carolina, Louisiana, or California. Once at their respective plant, our assembly team works tirelessly to get the tractors ready for their new home. Our assembly teams do everything from putting on the needed tires, to installing cabs or ROPS systems, to adding any extra accessories, such as our front-end loaders or mid-deck mowers. Once the tractors are ready to go, they are shipped to your local dealer where you can pick up the newest member of your team!

Finding a dealer in your neck of the woods won’t be a problem either! LS Tractor USA has a dealer network of over 350 independently owned and operated dealerships across the United States and Canada, so chances are you have a friendly face right down the road who can answer any of your LS Tractor questions. If there isn’t a dealer located near you, don’t worry! We are constantly adding new, qualified dealers who can provide our legendary LS Service.

LS Tractor USA also has a robust parts network for your local dealer. Our parts department, headquartered just a few miles away from our Battleboro HQ, prides itself on quickly getting your dealer the parts they need to keep your LS Tractor in top shape.

Although most of our full-time staff works out of our Battleboro HQ, in 2021 we opened a new Sales and Marketing Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, just minutes away from RDU Airport and the famed Research Triangle Park. This new location allows us to recruit new team members from areas such as Duke University, NC State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and from the many tech companies that call the region home.

As you can see, with dealers in every state and throughout Canada, a parts network that ensures your tractor stays ready for whatever you need it for, and assembly plants across America, LS Tractor USA is well equipped to help build America’s future: one project at a time.

We all have one of those people that is in your circle of friends. You know: the people who constantly ask to borrow your truck or your lawn mower, invite themselves over for dinner on steak night, and who somehow always ends up at your house on Game Day without having the decency to bring any snacks. We’re talking about the freeloaders in your life.

Here at LS Tractor, we can’t do much about those freeloaders, but we can help you out with a free loader! All this year, when you purchase any of our tractors you get a free loader. It’s just that simple!

Yeah, you read that right: ANY of our tractors. Maybe you want to get the MT125 to help out around your home garden. Or do you, much like Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, need more power? We have tractors all the way up to the 100 Horsepower MT7 to help you with whatever issue life sends you. And with lift capacities up to 5100 lbs (depending on model), chances are you can just lift that problem out of your way.

Are you a first-time tractor owner? Your friendly neighborhood dealer will be glad to show you the ropes so you can have the confidence you need to get your work done (and to not run over your neighbor’s prize roses). For even easier operation, check out our models with hydrostatic transmissions: just push the forward pedal to go forward and the reverse pedal to back up. No clutch required.

So what are you waiting for? Go to lstractorusa.com to find your closest dealer and join the LS Family today! Just a fair warning though: getting an LS Tractor with a free loader will cause more freeloaders in your life, but now you can just move them out of your way.

 

Disclaimer*

*Front Loader included with purchase of any qualified tractor from a participating dealer. Offer expires December 31, 2023. Excludes taxes and fees. A $200 assembly fee may be assessed. Value of offer is calculated depending on model. Offer only valid upon purchase of a new qualifying tractor from a participating dealer’s in-stock inventory. Subject to dealer participation and participating dealer inventory. Subject to availability and based on credit approval. Some exceptions apply. This material is for descriptive purposes only. LS Tractor USA, LLC disclaims all representations and warranties, express or implied, or any liability from the use of this material. Offer may not be valid in all states or situations. Residency restrictions may apply. All promotions and terms may change or end at any time without notice. Additional terms and conditions may apply. See participating dealer for details.  For complete warranty, disclaimer, safety, incentive offer and product information, see participating dealer.
**While supplies last.

Here’s what you have to look forward to:

Once a week, come right back here to get caught up about current tractor offerings, learn some helpful tips and tricks for your home projects, peek behind the scenes to see how your tractors are made and more!

Be sure to check out our monthly podcast for a more in-depth look at some of our biggest topics. You could learn how to up your home garden game, meet LS Tractor Employees, or maybe catch up with a NASCAR driver or a college coach. You’ll never know who might turn up!

Finally, stay tuned for a revitalized YouTube page where you can learn some maintenance tips, see new product updates, and watch how to use some of our most popular tractor features. You may also see some familiar faces pop up, so be sure to subscribe to our page so you don’t miss a thing!

Don’t forget to follow us on social media as well to stay up to date with the latest content and possibly even win some fun LS Tractor Merch! Thanks for being a part of the LS Tractor Family and we can’t wait to grow with you!