Looking at a LK3054

[Golfgar4]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It's a tough call, with the LK3054 having more power, weight, and a more powerful FEL, but a more cumbersome transmission system. )</font>

ToDoChris,

Excuse me for saying this, but at the point that you're at, what difference does it make? If I'm reading the information that you posted correctly, you've never driven any of these transmissions for any length of time. Is this correct?

If that's the case, then whichever version you ultimately select will be the one that you will become most comfortable with and the most skilled at operating. I mean, you can't miss something that you've never had, right?

Please don't take this wrong. ALL transmissions are GREAT! (how's that for being diplomatic /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif). But a person needs to decide which "style" suits them best, regardless of whether it's because of ease of use, the cost factor, or the fact that you like the shape of the knob at the end of the shaft.

Don't go assuming that just because many other people tell you something is true that it is true. Many excellent tractor operators would not have anything but a straight manual transmission, and certainly would not consider them as being cumbersome.

You need to buy what fits you best, and once you make the decision, you'll become an extremely skilled operator of that particular style. Then later on, you can tell some "NEWBIE" about the advantages of your tractor based on your experiences.

Oh yeah, I did mention that I haven't purchased my tractor yet, didn't I? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

Chris, there aren't any more controls to operate with mechanical shuttle VS Synchro Shuttle. There is one lever to move back and forth in addition to gear selection. I don't think you'll find it all that cumbersome, and within no time, you will have your own rhythm for using the loader and probably won't even notice the quick stops you'll make before shifting the shuttle lever to the opposite direction. Unless you're going to be doing a lot of commercial work where time is of the utmost, the stopping isn't going to be that much of a bother in my opinion. John

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

I have little (less than a hour) experience with a shuttle shift so I will limit any comments about them.

I have many hours on a JD750 with FEL gears no shuttle, and a 8N gears no shuttle. And a few hours on hydros, a JD2210 with FEL and a Mahindra 2615 with FEL.

IMO gears are good for ground ingaging work, fair at mowing, and poor at FEL. Put a plow on the 8N and you can make quike work of turning a little ground. The FEL on the 750 is a PITA to operate.

The shuttle should make a geared tractor handy for FEL work, good at ground ingagement and still fair at mowing. Go into a pile in a low gear, fill the bucket, shift quikly into reverce and back out, shift to forward and dump load.

The hydro is good for loader work. It excells at mowing. And is below the others in ground ingagement.

A larger heaver tractor will almost always do more work than a lighter tractor, no matter the transmition. A 3000#, 30hp hydro will do more work then a 2000#, 30hp gear. The one exception I can think of where heavier is not nessecarily better is mowing. That is were HP is king and weight is somewhat irrelavent.

 

[To20Chris]

Thanks for all the info guys, it has been very helpful. I have just finished the deal for the LK3054. In the end, the deciding factors were:

1. Weight & power. I looked at the stuff I want to do, and it really seems that bigger is better. It will help for the digging, and some of the stuff I want to clear will get pretty heavy, including a lot of downed tree trunks from some past very sloppy logging.

2. I figure I will learn to use it. Like an 8N, my old TO20 is not so handy at some things, like the auger I just used to put in 120 fence posts! But then, it did it too.

3. I will not be mowing with it much. It may run my 5' Dixie Cutter sometimes, but mostly that will stay on the Ferguson - just cause I like it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

4. It seemed like a good deal at $2k more than the CK20HST.

For reference, I will be getting an LK3054 for the same price as a Kubota B7610. For my use, I would have bought the CK20HST over the B7610 too, and saved money too. If I were mowing & transporting, I might have gone with the Kubota. On the other hand, when you grab the fender handle on the B7610, you can feel the fenders bending, and you wonder how it will look in 20yrs. Would have liked the longer warranty though!

At the outset, it was not obvious what all the differences were between these tractors. While the process was agonizing, I have learned a lot, mostly from this board & by pouring over specs & lit from mfr web sites. A LOT of late nights! I was VERY close to buying the B7610, but I am comfortable with this decision. I should have it for the weekend - gotta go check the weather!

 

[Golfgar4]

Congratulations on your decision! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'm sure that you won't regret it. And I bet the only thing that you'll consider cumbersome, is the time you have to spend away from your tractor! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

We want pictures this weekend too!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[virgil]

have you ever been stuck behind an old man opperating a road grader? He goes so SLOW ! The experanced old man goes so slow for a reason.... He is putting every little pebble and grain of dirt in the correct place the first time.
The young man running the same machine will be going at least twice as fast and really making a mes out of the deal. He worked hard all day and did half as much work!
Morral of the story.... Slow down, get it right the first time. its easier on the equipment and the operator.

 

[Jim_in_Omaha]

If you look through the press releases from the www.kiotitractor.com site it talks about some improvements on the 3054 in 2001.

http://www.kiotitractor.com/newsnshows/np.asp

I just got a used one with 42 hours on it from a private party. So I have like zero experience so far. I've driven it around some and compared to the old stuff I used on Dad's farm it sure does drive and shift easy. The main gear shift can be shifted while moving. After reading about the new XS model, and if I was going to pay a new price I would get the new XS. Being that it is another step of improvement.

I have changed the oil in it. And after giving it a good look over and checking everything out its made very good. Very simular to working on a Toyota, Kia, Nissan in terms of how things are finished and put together.

thx
Jim

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm sure that you won't regret it. And I bet the only thing that you'll consider cumbersome, is the time you have to spend away from your tractor! )</font> Golfgar, I don't think that could have been said any better! TO20Chris, you're going to LOVE that tractor. Congratulations. My brother loves his TO35 as you do your 20. Still going strong after all these years ( the tractor, not my brother /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) John

 

[To20Chris]

Well, I got it! What a nice machine! It rained quite a bit today - so naturally the first thing I did is take it into the back field and get it (almost) stuck! Boy, did I make a mess of that!!1 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Oh well, I'll fix it later - modifiying the drainage in that field is one of the reasons I got it, but it looks like I'll have to wait untill it dries out a bit. Surpisingly, an LK3054 with a Rhino 2408 FEL & 65A BH & filled R4s doesn't float too well! Took me an hour to clean it.

So far I am delighted with it, and am glad I got the Rhino parts, they look very well put together. Two issues that I think are corrected on the XS are the vertical stack, which I'm worried will snag on a branch one day, and the steering arm above the clutch pedal. It's real easy to hook the toe of your boot under that arm if your foot slips on the clutch pedal. But I didn't want to wait for the XS, or pay more, and I'm very happy with the deal I got. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow!

 

[lablovers]

To20Chris,
Boy am I envious. I probably will not get my 3054 until next week. Unfortnately, I have to travel Tuesday thru Friday. Guess you will know where my mind will be. I hate to say this but today would have been a perfect day to play with ,oops, work with the tractor. It was about 65 degrees and just a perfect day. Spend it inside Arco Arena watching High School playoff basketball. Another great way to spend a day. Saw some great hoop with our both our boys and girls teams winning their section championships. One game for both then the State championships if they win. In a small town, this is a big deal.

Sorry to digress, I am looking forward to pictures, it makes me feel better when I see someone else's tractor and know my day is coming.

Lablovers