Sub compact tractors, new to me

[Ricn]

Owning two very old tractors and one old crawler, I have thought of buying a sub compact to be used for small jobs, moving dirt or just anything I need moved within the bucket lift limits of course! Besides hauling, I'll do some field mowing in tight spaces around trees, along fences, buildings, gardens etc. using a 48 inch brush hog and also a PTO log splitter for all my wood needs. The small units look to be ok for my use but are just to small for comfort considering my large frame and height. Have only sat on two, the Kubota 2370 my neighbor owns and also the small Kioti, forgot the model number. JD makes small units that I haven't looked at yet or the NH Boomer series. The Kioti guys showed me a larger Kioti model CK2510 that fit me pretty well and after looking it over, noticed it is much like a larger tractor having what looked like a bell housing where the little Kubota and smaller Kioti was put together in like two pieces. The three units I speak off all have forward reverse pedal so are hydro I believe. The Kioti dealer told me that small tractors, those made in what I'll call a "split configuration" are good for light work but don't break one, as their repair costs are high. The heavier made Kioti and perhaps Kubota has one its equal, looks to be what I want but my big question right now is, will the CK2510 really hold up running for maybe 3-5 hours each use? I liked this tractor from its looks and from the seat space but then I haven't checked everything about it; looking is often dangerous, much like when looking at new trucks, we don't see the small things that become a nightmare latter on so need to do my homework if getting real interested. My JD's after 50 plus years are still running so I wonder now will these South Korean or Japanese units be doing the same? Kubota owners for the most part, rave about their little tractors as does my neighbor but this CK2510 weighing in at 2200 + pounds looks like the tough guy on the block, but is it as durable machine as it looks? There is cast iron made in Asia then there is cast iron much like my old JD's but are they equal in strength? Many small tractors I read have aluminum and plastic but this Kioti in question looked to be mostly Cast but with plastic hood and metal fenders? The dealer also sells Mahindra and Massey I believe. - Anyone here have one of these CK2510 Kioti tractors and how is yours holding up? What would be a comparable unit from Kubota? I'd like to here from owners if possible concerning this.

Thanks for the responses. - Ricn

 

[Grandad4]

Welcome Ricn. You're probably going to get a bunch of opinions regarding this. I think you'll find all of the major manufacturers offer good quality equipment. Those little BX type subcompacts are very handy for light work and seem to hold up well, although they're obviously not intended for field work or logging, etc. Any dealer of any of the brands ought to be able to show you the different size equipment they offer; I think the Kub similar to a CK2510 would be a B2650.

From everything I've seen, the Japanese equipment is very well engineered and manufactured, although they will look light in comparison with old school farm equipment. Probably something similar to comparing a recent Honda or Toyota to a 1960's Ford or Chevy. The Detroit iron is way heavier but not many of them lived beyond 100,000 miles; while many of the comparative panty-waist imports will see 200,000 miles. The Korean makes are giving the Japanese ones some real competition and there is a great selection of very good equipment available today.

Don't know if these new tractors will live for 50+ years like the good old American iron, but there are a lot of 30+ year old Kubotas out there and they seem to hold their value pretty well. My equipment is more than 10 years old and has never let me down or been to the dealer for repairs. Only part that failed was one sensor (although a couple things got banged up due to operator being clumsy).

As for running them for 3-5 hours each use, that's easy stuff for these tractors. Mine happily will outwork me from dawn to dusk and be ready to do it all over the next morning (unlike me!). They don't want a lot... regular fluid and filter changes, air in the tires, keep the radiator from getting clogged when mowing, safe operation. Size the tractor to the job; conventional wisdom is to get one size bigger tractor than you think you need.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck in your shopping.

 

[paulfun9]

The small tractors with aluminum housings are made by JD.

From everything I looked at when I was shopping and the performance so far with My DK40 I would have no problems going with an other Kioti. I have owned Kubota and JD as well as others and just couldn't find anything not to like about Kioti. They are built very strong and solid and when I was looking they offered way more bang for the dollar, which was a nice bonus!

Like you most of us will miss a few things things when we start looking that is why its wise to look at everything several times and take notes and pictures to review when at home.

Have fun shopping!

By the way I was most comfortable on the Kioti, TYM and JD units in the 25 to 50 HP tractors, the others all left something to be desired for me each one having something I didn't like or would need to modify to be able to operate it for hours on end.

 

[chim]

Welcome aboard. Last time I was shopping was in 2012. I wanted to replace a good little tractor with something a little bigger and a few more horses. I narrowed the search to Kubota, Kioti, Mahindra and Bobcat (white Kioti with a slightly different loader). Any of them would have been a good choice.

 

[EJP1234]

I have a kioti ck30hst... I'm not going to bash other brands, because I just don't know... What I will say, my CK30 is a bad mamba jamba...

I just brought a 20' trailer home from a job site loaded down with trees that we cleared... I used the FEL and Backhoe with thumb to pick them off and move them to a pristine stack in the side yard to get ready to process for firewood for a few winters out... It didn't stress one time... These trees weren't tiny either.

I know the CK2510 is smaller, but it's not by much.

I say rock on!

 

[gladehound]

Everything today seems to be built more cheaply than it was 50 years ago. So who knows how long any of these tractors will last. That being said, I see no reason why Kioti's wouldn't last as long as any others. I have owned 2 Kioti's. a 19hp LB1914 which is set up like a miniature ag. tractor, weights 2300 pounds and was a little brute. It was a 2004 model and I had it from 2006 to early 2015. I only put about 500 hours on it. It ran perfect all the time. I had one part break. It was a cast iron steering arm that got a small tree pinched between it and the axle when I was in tight woods and when I turned it cracked the steering arm. A local Kioti dealer overnighted the part and I replaced it myself. Part was $50. Overall, my experience with that tractor was top notch and it certainly looked to be built as well as the John deere Model A I grew up with.

My second tractor (Kioti4510HS) I bought new in Dec 2014 after looking at closely at Mahindra and John deere and less closely at other brand. I found the bang for my buck with Kioti to be much better (but I don't have LS in my neighborhood and that is another good bang for the buck brand). The Kioti seems to be a stout tractor however, there are some differences compared to my older Kioti. The metal body work is thinner than on the older LB1914 and the hood is plastic instead of metal like the older tractor. Other than that, it seems stout. The draw bar tonque weight rating is 1600+ pounds which is substantially more than the small John Deeres which makes me thing the casting in the rear must be thicker. I've had some large branches fall and bounce off that plastic hood with not even a mark on the hood (I think they call it composite, not plastic... what's the difference?). I only have 150 hours on the larger tractor and no issues which is what you'd expect.

I recently found a CA engine certification on the web for one of the new TierIV kioti engines and the emissions cert listed the useful life at 8,000 hours. I believe this means they expect it to remain in spec for emissions for 8,000 hours. From looking at other emissions certifications versus actual lift of the engine before it dies, an engine can continue running long, long after the hours on the emissions certification have been used up. Based on this, I think they are building them to last just as long as any other tractor.

I have not owned other brands. Before you buy whatever it is you're going to buy, do a search here on that specific model. You can find out a lot that way both about the model and how the company handles issues. Good luck.

 

[Ricn]

Thanks fellas, for these positive replies. My thoughts on size of unit needed is this; the CK2510 is perhaps larger than my needs but not opposed to the next one up either. Being semi-retired (electrical engineering and construction) seat comfort for bigger than average males, overall unit weight, and what looks to be lots of cast iron is why I like this tractor so far. What about manual vs hydro in the CK2510 as I see it comes both ways. Hydro would be nice due to the amount of forward/backward use I would give this tractor but can't help being concerned about breakage, mostly because of having no experience with them. If keeping the fluids and filters maintained properly, would/should this system give the same life as gears and manual clutch? I plan to look this tractor over very, very closely if the dealer will allow for that, especially the undercarriage and how it is put together front to back. Anyone know if Kioti offers structural/schematic diagrams for these tractors to include the hydro system design? something else for my ask the dealer list perhaps.

Thanks again,
Ricn

 

[gladehound]

hydro transmissions are reliable these days. My guess is that a dry clutch would require replacing before you would need major work on a hydrostatic transmission. For your use I would thin HST is the way to go.

 

[fried1765]

I too have some VERY old tractors. A 1951 8N, a 1970 Ford 3400 TLB (nice old cemetary unit), and a new to me, 1988 Ford 1920 FEL.
The 1920 is yet to be truly tested. Though it has only 1067 hours, I have stripped it of tin, and am into the repainting process. Put a new clutch in too, just because I am almost 75 years old, will be too old do that at 400+ more hours down the road.
Got LOTS of money in this machine though, more than I should have.
A neighbor just bought a brand new (35HP?) Boomer, with beaucoup attachments and he absolutely hates it.
It has only 60 hours, but has already had 3 warranty repairs. He says that the next time it quits he will dump the blue, and get some green or orange to park in his yard.
I love my old Fords though

 

[whizdbiz2]

If buying subcompact and you have a dealer near to you, don't overlook Mahindra. Most of the small ones are built by TYM, Daedong (aka: Kioti) and Mitsubishi. These mfgs. have built for the likes of New Holland and Deere for years, in fact may still be.