Which would you pick and why?

   / Which would you pick and why? #1  

jordanh

Bronze Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2004
Messages
86
Location
Ashland, Missouri
Tractor
B6100 4WD gear shift
I am close to making a deal with our friend Jon at Depratt Equipment.....and I can't say enough good things about him by the way.

I need to make up my stupid mind. I've about driven him mad.

I'm down to either a CK25HST or a CK30 Shuttle Shift. Both are 4wd and have a loader.

I'm using this to prepare an acre or less of ground for an orchard then will use to mow and spray once the trees go in come spring. It will also be used to push snow, prepare garden plots and food plots with plow and cultivator and disc, and probably some light landscaping/dirt work. So there will be need for power and weight for ground engagement although that will not be the primary purpose. The initial brush hogging of the ground to get it down for planting will be some thick rough stuff but it will get easier over time with repeated mowing and improvements.

Really it comes down to trading 5hp for HST or giving up HST for 5hp gain. Seems to me I should go for HP and forget about HST. I drove a 30hp hst model and was pleasantly surprized....I've hated all the HST's I've driven before but this one was not bad in responsiveness. I still prefer the connection you get with a gear drive.

Would resale be better on a smaller hp hst tractor?

cripes.....I hate out thinking myself on things.
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #2  
Either go 30hst or 25 gear.

If you would settle for or prefer a gear drive.
Buy a 25 gear and use the money left over for more goodies.
If you want hydro step up to a 30hp Hst.
Of course the 25hst really isn't underpowered it does a good job....
and the 30 gear is real nice.....

Now you have me confused LOL

The 25hst will do all you want, just a little slower depending on the size of implement you use.


BTI
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #3  
I'd choose a CK20HST;) so the CK25HST would be my second choice. Nice added weight with proportionate increase in HP. FEL on the 25 and 30 are the same. HST is very nice for mowing which is what you will be doing mostly once the land is prepared. I think resale will always be better on an HST unit.

I'm not knocking the 30, it is a very fine tractor but I personally think HST is worth more than 5 hp.
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #4  
Id have to agree with BTI here, if your going to be using the tractor for plowing and boxblade work, get the 25 gear or 30hst.. You will lose a couple hp going with the hst , therefore id recomend the ck30hst based on what your planning to do if you really want a hst.. Good luck
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #5  
I love my 30HST, wicked fast maneuvering and less wear and tear on the joints, mine that is. :D
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #6  
I second (third?) BTI's reply re: 25 gear or 30 hst simply because I struggled with the same decision last May. I heard much the same advice then and chose the 25 gear and so far haven't been disappointed. Seems to have all power it needs for the 5' bushhog, 5' box blade, KL130 loader and 2365 backhoe. I bought the box blade with the $$ difference.

Tough choices but probably no bad one! Pull the trigger . . . . -WSJ
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #7  
Looks like most are in agreement: 25 gear or 30 hst. spend the extra cash on attachments. I have a CK25 gear, and I love it. If my primary task were mowing, then I'd get the hst. CK25 HST will do fine for you as well.
 
   / Which would you pick and why? #8  
One acre of land, or one acre portion of your much larger parcel to be used as an orchard. A 25/30 size machine is overkill for an acre or two and you'll be glad to have the smaller dimensions of a CK20 when working in and around those expensive trees. I have a CK30HST and love it for 15 acres, but would sell it for a smaller machine if faced with only a couple of acres.

As to your question, I would gladly give up 5 HP for HST. HST is extremely nice for mowing around trees and no problem for tillage. There are plenty of threads throughout this site comparing the merits of HST and gear drive tractors if that is your core question.

Enjoy the choosing.
 
   / Which would you pick and why?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
LOL! okay....ck30hst was NOT given as an option.....LOL. Thanks guys.

Looks like the majority support a CK25HST over the CK30Gear....hmmm.

Its an acre or less of ground for the orchard which will be built up over the next 4 year or so rather than putting the whole thing in the first year. The total acreage of my property is only 2.5 acres.

However, my parents live about a mile from me and have 3.3 acres. They are wanting some fruit trees put in as well and have a pond dam they want maintained and mowed.

I also have some food plots that total about 10 acres at another location about 20 miles away that involve discing and cultivating and rough cutting.

Lastly, I hope to use it for snow plowing my own place, my parents and the neighbors in the winter as well as some side jobs grading gravel drives, maintaining ditches with the 3 way blade, putting in gardens for folks to help make some mad money and off set the expense of the toy...er...tractor.

So that is why I ruled out a CK20...plus I was not comfortable on it....hated the seat compared to the bigger 25 and 30....and did not like the cramped operators platform with the controls. 75% of the time it would probably be sufficient....but I have already suffered with not enough tractor with a little bitty kubota....so I'm erring on the side of more size and power this time.

At least that is my story. Heck...I could get a cheaper deal for a smaller tractor in a JD 2320 or a Kubota. But the weight is not there for efficient ground engagement in my opinion.
 
   / Which would you pick and why?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
What I really want is a 25-30 hp 4wd tractor, position control 3pt, live pto, decent operator's area with comfortable seat, tilt wheel, R4's, decent (10gpm or better) hydraulics, a loader, high amperage alternator for accessory electrics and about 2500 lbs on the tractor.

The CK25/30 is the closest I get only its about 500 lbs heavier than I really want. But I can live with that.

The Kubotas and JDs are all about 500-700 lbs too light and that makes no sense to me in a tractor where power and traction are the name of the game.

:^D
 
 
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