Review Kioti CK27 HST

[charleyfarmall]

I thought that I would write a review on the CK27 for people who may be shopping to read.

Earlier this year I bought a CK27 HST with the new skid steer attach loader to use as a general utility tractor on the farm and around the house. I have two other tractors for bigger work including tillage and hay. The rear tires are loaded with fluid, and I had a single remote added.

I bought the Kioti for a couple of reasons. First, the price was great and I took advantage of the the free loader offer. Second, I really like my dealer and wanted to shop with him, and they sell Kioti. However, I would have bought elsewhere if I felt that another tractor was going to be a lot better. Third, the Kioti has some weight behind it and I wanted the traction for hauling firewood, and using the backhoe, and moving stone.

NH didn't have anything that worked, particularly in the size and dimensions that matched our needs. Deere has nice stuff. I just couldn't justify the price. Case is like NH. I did like the Kubota B3030 but it was $6,000 more, and half the weight.

Up front I will tell you that we ( my wife uses it quite a bit) really like the tractor and are VERY satisfied with it.

We have about 35 hours on the tractor now and have used it for a wide variety of tasks: Mowing ( Caroni 5 ft hydraulic shift flail mower - Agrisupply.com), Loader work including moving compost, manure, and pea gravel, back blading/ landscaping, 3pt backhoe, unloading pallets, hauling carts/ trailers to and from the vegetable field.

This is the only open station tractor we have ( not counting the Farmall's). I bought the HST specifically for mowing and light loader work. I was initially concerned that I would regret it because we have a couple of very steep hills that I occasionally go straight up on my way back to the house. Also, I wasn't sure that the 27 would be adequate for the Caroni.

I was wrong. It handles the 5ft Caroni in high grass without a problem. The combination works extremely well. The tractor can handle the steep hills fine. The HST is great for mowing and loader work and for what we use it for, I am much happier than I would be with a manual transmission.

 

[charleyfarmall]

Continued: I installed a 600ft water line using my 7-1/2 foot 3pt backhoe. Hooking up the hoe is easy with the extendable links, everything is accessable. Not so easy on my cab tractors. The open station is great for backhoe work because you are always getting on and off to use the hoe as you move forward. It proved to be a very solid platform. The 3pt hitch on the Kioti is very substantial. Filling the trench with a back blade and the loader using the HST was pretty simple.

The loader is very good for this class and I have been able to FILL the bucket with pea gravel and transport it to the horse's run in shed. I have moved tons of rock this way. Very happy. Quick attach pallet forks are a god send. Unloading the back of a pickup truck is easy.

The seat's easy to adjust, the rops folds easily for mowing under trees. The loader control is convenient. I leave the tractor in 4wd most of the time. The diff lock is easy when needed ( and yes, I have used it plenty. I have not needed to take the loader off this tractor yet but with two pins and the hydraulic couplers conveniently placed it too should be easy. On the other tractors I do it routinely. Once you do it the first time, it doesn't seem to be a daunting task.

 

[charleyfarmall]

Last part. The things I don't like:

1. The fuel filler is in a stupid place on the hood with the loader lines in the way. You can't fuel from the ground with a 5 gallon can. It looks spiffy though. The solution is easy, get a really big funnel and fuel from the platform. Not too big a deal but someone wasn't thinking.

2. The hydraulic remote is a detent type and is annoying because of that. Also, the lever is way too short. That I will fix by welding a new rod on to extend it.

Uh, that's it. Solid tractor. As a large yard tractor, it's probably overkill, but as a utility tractor and for people with horses and small farms, highly recommended. If we just did horses and vegetables, it would be fine as our only tractor.

 

[IXLR8]

Last part. The things I don't like:

2. The hydraulic remote is a detent type and is annoying because of that. Also, the lever is way too short. That I will fix by welding a new rod on to extend it.

First welcome and thanks for the write up.

I think you will find that it is the detent type due to the BH. How else would you hold it in position while you were trying to run the BH? I would think that bun-gee cords, as others have to do without the detent, would be more annoying.

Whose 3pt BH are you using? In general 3pt BH are not recommended as they put strains on parts that were not designed for them.

 

[charleyfarmall]

The BH is a Taylor Way made in Italy. I realize that manufacturers will tell you that you shouldn't use a 3pt backhoe - especially if they offer their own. However, if the the 3pt is a fully rated ( to the actual international standard) hitch then it is fully capable of handling the small backhoe. Like everthing, don't overload. The Kioti ( in particular) has a very beefy rear end too.

If I was a contractor or used it everyday, i would use a frame mounted hoe, but this gets used as needed for odd jobs around the farm ( footers, water lines etc). Plus, I can put it on any of my three main tractors.

 

[jimmyj]

Great review and thanks.

I have a CK30 and agree with you about the gas tank location. Like you said, the solution is pretty affordable and easy.

 

[mrutkaus]

It's pretty easy to fuel by lugging the 5 gal blue can to the hood or above the guage hood, then using a $4 kerosene syphon pump going from the fuel container into the fuel tank opening. I think I posted a picture of this here.

You can also get a $15 or so battery powered (2 D cells) similar looking kerosene pump from which you should be able to set the fuel can on the rubber floor mat and pump right into the fuel tank. Might have to put a foot or so of extra delivery tubing on the battery pump, maybe not. Much easier to put the fuel can on the rubber mat than high up, and the electric pump (or the syphon pump) is much neater than the big funnel bit.

Here's the electric pump I'm talking about, there are two sizes, I think only the bigger one would be practical (I have the big one for kerosene, haven't tried it yet on tractor):

Kerosene Heater Battery Siphon Pump - eBay (item 350174767475 end time Jun-04-09 08:09:45 PDT)

Mike

 

[jimmyj]

Thanks for the tip, I didn't know about pumps like that. I can setup a filling station down back, it will be very convenient.

 

[Gittyup]

I thougth I'd try one of those self priming siphons for $10. I like that it doesn't require any batteries. For you guys that have the battery operated: How long do the batteries last?

 

[Navy GSCM]

New to this site, but I'm glad I ran into it. I'm getting ready to buy my first real tractor and was seriously looking at this same tractor in the 2012 model also with the free FEL.