CK 30 vs LK 3054 XS

[bluecarpenter]

This trying to find the right tractor for my needs is driving me nuts. Been looking hard at the branson but had to stop and look at the kioti again. got steered towards the 3054 xs TLB package. not a bad little unit. The dealer told me that is was a strong built BH unit. I like the way it is attached. BUT! when I talked to the manufacture they said that it would take an hour to get access to the 3 pt hitch. Not good. I want ease of use. I want to be able to use the backhoe and then unhitch it and hook up another emplement to the 3 pt with out to much trouble. In that aspect it doesnt' look good???
also the platform is not very roomy even with the gear shift on the collum. I have size 13 feet and they get hung up on things. I can see my nose hitting the ground before my feet. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
I did like the way the bh operated in his dirt pile.
I went to another kioti dealer today and got to play on a ck30 hst with bh and loader. NICE unit. nice roomy platform. Have never like a hst till this one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif no dirt pile but did run tractor at 2000 rpm and played with the bh with out digging. If the 3054 TLB is suppose to have more hydrolic power I could not tell it. ck 30 seemed to run about as well. An the ease of getting the bh off was NICE. this would be nice if i had to trench any amount. my wife could sit on the tractor and pull me forward little by little as i run the bh.
the dealer also said that it might be a little underpowered to run a 14 in. 2 bottom plow??? I'm not sure about things like this so I would like some input. there just seems to be more things on the ck 30 that are a bit better. I like the smaller size than the 42 hp branson that I have been looking at. it would get into peoples yards better I think. at least for plowing, digging or what ever I can dream up.
Any comments or HELP!! would be greatly appreciated.


thanks Mark

 

[KiotiJohn]

I don't understand the comment </font><font color="blue" class="small">( BUT! when I talked to the manufacture they said that it would take an hour to get access to the 3 pt hitch. )</font>.
That BH has a one-lever system for removal, and sits on some hooks at the bottom. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to get the BH off, and ready it for 3pt. usage. Who the heck told you that? What are you supposedly doing for one hour? NO WAY.

Did you notice how convenient the moveable control box is? Being able to move it to you, or away from you makes it really comfortable to use.

The CK30 and the LK3054XS are both excellent tractors in their classes. I like the sloping hood, telescoping arms and stabilizers, curved arm loader etc better than the square LK, but both are quite capable. The TLB package 3054 seems an excellent choice, and I suppose it would be a hard decision between them. Bottom line is, if you want HST there's no question. But the CK30 has a great synchronized shuttle (no need to stop moving to shift F/R) model as well, while the 3054 is mechanical shuttle (have to stop before shifting F/R).
I love my HST, but I believe the shuttle shift will pull a plow better in the long run, and I think either model would probably pull a 14" 2 bottom, but I haven't tried it, so take my comment with a grain of salt and go to the dealer and have him set up one for you to try. It's my belief that you should be able to try out the implements most important to you before buying. After all, if you get it home, and it won't do what you need, you're lost.
I'm no help here in your decision, but that TLB sure seems a sweet piece of working equipment. The CK30 may fit you better though with it's flat platform, and easily accessible controls. John

 

[bluecarpenter]

Yes I did see the single lever to undo the bh it was nice. but I was informed by some service tech at kioti corp. that to use the 3 pt It would take a while to get ready to go. I didn't like that.
Your right I think the CK30 would fit me better. the bh subframe seems plenty stout. I didn't know that the shuttle was synchronized. I havn't seen one yet. just the hst. The 3054 was a bit hard to operate with the shuttle it had. I will probably rule that one out for that reason and not enough room on the platform. But they were sweet running little tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Ron3054]

I'm still a newbie at tractors as well as this forum but I can attest that on my new 3054TLB I have removed the backhoe and installed the 3PH only one time and it only took me about 20 min. and that includes putting the arms on backwords the first time, looking at the manual to figure what was wrong and doing it over the correct way. I am quit certin that an once experinced I will do it in about 5-10 min. tops. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Ron3054]

I did want to mention that the draw bar appears to be a different story. It appears to be much more work to install because it has to be bolted up rather that pinned on. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

I was talking to the southeast sales manger for Kitoi today, and he made the point that the TLB model was really designed more as a dedicated TLB, but that the one lever BH set up should not take that long. Someone just misread their own information at Kioti and told you wrong. It doesn't take long.
To install, simply back the tractor close to the BH, hook up the hoses, and you can back the BH to the tractor using the joystick, drop the bottom into the forks, and then lower the top into the bolt holes, bolt it up and go. Reverse the order, place the hitch arms, and go.
I have to agree, I love the platform on the CK30, but I could easily get used to the 3054XS setup.
John