CK25 is a dirt digging beast
Model Year: 2006
I was looking for a small tractor that was well suited for ground engagement work (but not field plowing). I originally wanted a Kubota B26. Found that the Kioti was a good substitute for far less money. Pulling: Tractor is gear to maximize HP for pulling. It pulls incredibly well for its size. Dragged 3000 lb stumps across the ground. Pulled the Woods 7' scraper so easily that when the blade caught on a root, the tractor didn't even grunt, but the blade did bend. Pulls a very heavy Gannon 6' box blade good too. Though haven't yet tried with the ripping teeth fully engaged. Loader: The original KL130 loaders were problematic with the notorious cracking problem. But, the KL130B redesign like I have is really quite impressive. I've moved over 700 tons of dirt and rip-rap with that thing. Many times with it loaded way out on the tooth bar. The weight of the tractor combined with the loaded tires makes it very stable, even on hills. A rear counterbalance isn't really needed with the loaded tires. Break out force could be better. But, it's as good as any other in its class. I Like where the loader control is. But, the locking screw that keeps the lever from spinning could be a better design. Mine comes loose often. But, if I took it apart and put some locktight on it, it'd probably never happen again. The point is that Kioti should have done this, or designed it so it doesn't happen. Using the loader as a digger.... well they aren't really made to do that. Also, would prefer if the bucket were flat bottomed like a skid loader to make flat forward-scraping easier. The front end seems to want to lift off the ground whenever there is any resistance while forward digging/scraping. Pushing into piles though it does excellent. Easy to get a full bucket. Loader also lifts nice and high, but could use a little more reach. Backhoe (Rhino brand 7.5' not Kioti). I bought the Rhino instead of the Kioti BH because at the time there were a couple of guys reporting problems with their Kioti BHs and I just didn't want to chance it. The CK25 handles this backhoe extremely well for it's size. The outstanding flow rate drives the backhoe nicely, and can be real fast once you get proficient with it. The weight of the tractor, especially with the loaded tires keeps the machine pretty well planted why digging. The backhoe comes off easily, but requires that it be very level in order to get it back on without a lot of work. There is probably no more than 3/4" allowed for error, side to side and that's hard to hit if not level. The weight of the backhoe does make the front end real light and the tractor maneuvers better with more traction without the BH. Mine uses the rear remote kit, which is very nice. But, if you leave it engaged without the BH, and don't put in a loop-back hose, you'll burn up the Hydraulic pump. Kioti should have a fail safe mechanism built so this can't happen, as some models do. To make matters worse, while the detent position is easy to operate with the backhoe, it's extremely hard to get it out of detent when using it for other purposes. 3PH: Love the telescopic arms and nice sway bars. Hooking up implements is easy. No quick change device really needed. Front tierod could be higher. With the weight of the tractor, if you roll up onto a boulder with the tierod, it'll bend pretty easily. I think they have made it heavier duty on newer models. PTO: I've used a post hole digger and chipper/shredder. The PHD was unstoppable, even through big roots. And the 2 stage clutch worked great with it. Chipped branches up to about 5". At that size if you feed too fast, the engine would bog a little. But, all in all it performed very well and plenty fast enough for me. Hydraulic dust caps on the loader are very poor quality. Pretty much crusty crumbs at initial delivery. In contrast, those for the rear remotes are very nice. Service and maintenance is easy. Power steering and manueverability are excellent. Nice split brakes on right side. Overall build quality is very good. 2WD/4WD lever can be real stiff if not kept lubed and the knob isn't meant to take the strain. Headlights are useless with a loader. But, pretty simple to add your own lights using one of several power connectors. Kioti should offer this as an option. I like the backup light that came on mine too. Problems I've had: Original loader cracked and became unlevel. Injector pump failed at ~300 hours. Dealer and mfr backing has been excellent. They made good on all problems. Final Opinion: If you want an outstanding ground engaging machine without breaking the bank, this is an excellent choice.
Pros: hydraulics, weight, value
Cons: loader reach, breakout force