Kioti CK30 or Kubota B3200

[Scraper1]

I live in Marion NC. I could never buy from the marion dealer. I bought one M7040HD-1 from Mt Airy NC, and 1 M7040HDC-1 LOADED from Barlows in KY. Barlows in Kentucky beat the heck out of Marion Equip prices... I also ordered two other pieces at the same time from barlows because he was so much lower on the prices with a NO-HAGGLE attitude... Also Marion only carries small attachments.... For instance, I bought a 9' blade from barlows and an 8' rotary cutter built like a tank that were in stock. He gives you the selling price the first time. No use in trying to deal with him Steve is the best. All his tractors are FRESH because of the large volume turnover. Marion tractors set on lot two years or more. And good luck trying to get the year model out of the Marion dealer. However, if you know what you're doing, you CAN get the year the tires were manufactured from a code on the tires. Also you can get the date that the tractor was first put under warranty if buying used. Otherwise, the tractor year models are TOP-SECRET?. Kubota is ZERO financing for 60 months for now on most models. Don't buy small tractors Its better to grow into a tractor than to grow out of one. If you want a little tractor got Lowes LOL. :thumbsup:

 

[Yota_85]

Weight will not stop a tractor from climbing a hill, these little tractors will climb a vertical wall until they lose traction. If anything, you want the heavier tractor for steep roads as that means you'll have better traction. A lighter tractor might do it faster or in a higher gear but once it loses traction, it's not going anywhere.

True, but keep in mind that even though the weight won't stop the tractor, it will require you to shift into a lower gear, thus decreasing speed.
'bota 3200 32 hp/~1800 lbs = 1 hp per 56 lbs
Kioti CK30 30hp/~3000 lbs = 1 hp per 100 lbs (almost double)

To keep up to the 'bota the CK30 would need 53 HP ! (to equal the 1hp per 56 lb)

Traction is a concern. but only in a low traction scenero. (wet ground/mud) On a driveway, or mowing a grassy (dry grass) field, traction is not really an issue. Esp in 4 wd.

For grunt work, you want all the weight you can get.
For going up hills though, remember you have to move all that weight UP the hill. That requires either more HP, or lower gearing. (even on a hydro tranny.......you may have to shift into Med speed)

 

[Dmace]

To keep up to the 'bota the CK30 would need 53 HP ! (to equal the 1hp per 56 lb).

True, if your drag racing the tractors. Last I checked, I really didn't care how fast my tractor went but more about how much "work" it performed. A Ferrari has about 1hp per 6 lbs, but I bet it couldn't pull a box blade through beach sand let alone any real tractor work. :laughing:
HP per LB comparisons in tractors is about as useful as comparing the number of cup holders.

 

[Yota_85]

HP per LB comparisons in tractors is about as useful as comparing the number of cup holders.

Only if you think brush hogging a field at 3 mph is the same amount of "work" as cutting it at 5 mph. I'd rather cut it at 5mph, then go on to doing something else. Your tractor needs the HP to pull you, your mower, your tractor, and your loader UP the hill at that speed....while having the PTO HP to cover the width of your mower.

And besides, I think comparing cup holders is a valid thing to consider on a tractor purchase

 

[IslandTractor]

I haven't used either the CK30 or B3200 but I would expect them to go the same speed while mowing in mid range. No one floors the pedal while mowing so if the CK pedal needs to be pressed a little harder than the B there is still plenty of reserve left.

Traveling up a hill in high range I would imagine there would be a difference especially in responsiveness and possibly top speed.

Low range I cannot imagine that anyone could tell the difference in acceleration or speed.

 

[art]

Sorry Island, If the tractor is to heavy to pull itself up a grade it will have to slow down or gear down.

Compact tractors for years with muti functions in use have been around 70lbs to 80lbs per horsepower.. Once you get close to 100 we are looking at tillage tractors in our industry and once you get past 150 then you hit the real TLBs.

To have some room with weight you can add weight where you will recieve the best benifit for it for the job and not support your local oil company.

 

[IslandTractor]

Sorry Island, If the tractor is to heavy to pull itself up a grade it will have to slow down or gear down.
.

I think it is fair to conclude that the B would win a hilly road race as that would be testing high gear max speed and the lighter tractor would have the advantage. However, most of us don't do field work or mow in high gear. I imagine road travel doesn't account for many seat hours for most of us either.

In midrange I doubt there would be any difference in speed though so they would mow the same. If it was hilly the CK might burn more fuel but I'd guess in the range of a dimes worth/hr.

The trade off for those cents/hr would be the weight advantage in ground engaging or FEL work.

Both are excellent tractors and I cannot imagine anyone owning either would feel disappointed.

 

[Yota_85]

Here's a list I had from a while back when I was looking around......for my DK35se
It just has Botas & Kiotis because those were the only ones I was considering. Some of the larger machines are there for comparison sake.
(sorry for the messed up formating.....I just pasted it in from a spreadsheet)
Notice the B3200 is at the top. (least lbs lugged per HP.)
I previously owned the B7610. (2nd lowest on list) It would climb up a tree in Hi......or up my steep driveway at full speed with very little drop in rpm.


Tractor weight HP (GROSS) lbs per HP
B3200 1764 32 55.125
B7610 1374 24 57.25
B7800 1741 30 58.0333333333333
B3300SU 1929 33 58.4545454545454
L5740 3902 59 66.135593220339
B2630 1786 26 68.6923076923077
L4740 3671 49 74.9183673469388
DK50 3935 49 80.3061224489796
L4240 3671 44 83.4318181818182
DK45 3924 45 87.2
L3940 3627 40 90.675
CK35 3114 34 91.5882352941176
DK35se 3668 38 96.5263157894737
CK20 2138 22 97.1818181818182
L3240 3395 34 99.8529411764706
CK27 3117 28 111.321428571429

 

[art]

I have 40 acres in NC mountains with 8-10 acres flat land to mow, a 1/4 mile gravel driveway to maintain, and food plots that require a trip up pretty steep logging roads with a mower or tiller. I also will get a FEL for hauling firewood and trash mostly. Is the Kioti too heavy to get up steep roads? Would I do better with the lighter Kubota?

For what you are asking for the optimum would be a Grand L!! I'd be looking at least 35 horsepower, that would work well with at least a 72" brush hog as well as tiller unless you bought a smaller one with side adjust. I would recommend rear weight on the wheels as well as on the three point.

The trasmission with essentually six ranges makes climbing easy and they also would give you quick speed adjustment if you are using the manual cruise control. The hydro fits a lot of what your requirements are.

Lighter is better in the woods so industrial tires would be to you advantage do to low pressure foot print as well as there sidewall strength. To be only occasional in the woods ag tires are the best for traction virtually any where off pavement.

 

[TripleR]

I am not familiar with the Kioti, but like art, would go with something like the L3540 over a 3200. I was going to buy a B3200 until I spent some time looking at it and comparing specs. I went with a 50 HP, but have different needs or would have gone with the L3540.