Buying Advice HST or Manual transmission

[Toucan1007]

I am going to buy a new tractor and am looking at the Kioti. I will be using it on our vegetable farm here in Florida. Either a DK45 or DK50
My question is: I need very slow ground speed when planting vegetable plants, basically a crawl. Would I be better with a HST or manual shift transmission? I would prefer the HST but need some advise.
I also need the power when making the beds and tilling this is why I am considering the 2 models. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[namesray]

get the hydrostat transmission (HST). you won't regret it. not only will you have EVERY speed you need for working conditions, it also saves on the tractor's clutch, brakes, and more importantly...you the operator. no clutching all the time for speed and gear changes. it could even save you money in the long run as not needing the clutch as much or brakes, it will be longer before either need replaced. i have run both hst and geared and i don't think i will ever go back to a gear tractor for my needs.

 

[Toucan1007]

Thanks for your input. I have a Golden Jubilee which is a manual and a small Kabota with HST. I have to admit I love the HST, but I just didn't know which would be best at very slow speed.

 

[IndyIan]

You can get a creeper option on the gear version, that doubles the number of gears and I believe gives you something like 4 gears below 1 mph at PTO rpm. I've seen a chart with the speeds but I can't find it. Your dealer should be able to find it.
The HST does burn 1.5-2 PTO HP as well. You should try the HST in the dealers lot to see if the cruise will hold a low enough speed in low range for you, I think it will but I've never tried to see how slow my tractor can go with at full rpms with the cruise on.
If you're not going to do alot of loader work then the HST is sort of optional and if your just going to use the tractor at a constant 0.6 mph for almost all of its hours. Maybe the gear + creeper is better and will save a bit on maintenance.

 

[Martian]

I'm not a Kioti expert, but, if the Kioti has car style cruise control then I'd go for it. Where instead of keeping RPMs steady and the speed varying through terrain, the speed stays the same and it will increase/decrease torque to the wheels. I was given this as an option when I got my Deere but I wasn't doing any vegetation work as you describe so I went with the standard cruise. If it's not the auto style, I think the creeper may be a better option, but you really would have to try it out.

 

[creekbend]

If you haven't ever used a tractor with HST before, why not go to the dealer and try one out? A good neighbor of ours has a JD with HST and he swears by it. The HST is definitely a plus when performing loader work. Two of the benefits are less fatigue and increased operator comfort. When I purchased my Kubota L4400, I decided on the gear- drive shuttle transmission. I have a pro thesis on my left leg below the knee and working the clutch does not pose any problems, but getting on and off the tractor is somewhat problematic at times. Wishing you the best. :tractor:

 

[Toucan1007]

Actually the transplanter I am getting is not PTO operated. It was just that I didn't know about the constant slow ground speed with the HST. I haven't been to a Kioti dealer yet as I have been studying all the posts on this list as each one of you use your tractor for different purposes and it has been very educational as to each one's opinion of the Kioti models.
I for sure will get the loader but haven't decided on the model for sure. I would need at least a 45 hp but not sure if I would need the DK55. The closest Kioti dealers are about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs away.
I wanted to know a little about what size and model I wanted so as not spend the salesman's time needlessly.

 

[charleyfarmall]

We used a Kioti with an HST to do a lot of tilling and planting. It will work very well for what you want. The argument about using geared transmissions to put the most power to the ground for ground engaging implements is a little outdated. The 1-2 hp lost in the hydrostatic transmission should be irrelevant if you buy the right size tractor and modern HST's are designed to take the heat of full use. HST's are pretty hard to beat once you learn to use them right.

 

[VictorW]

I only have the CK30hst, much smaller than you're looking at, but in low range, I can make it go as slow as a caterpiller moves. As far as the cruise, it just locks the pedal and isn't speed controlled like a car. If you came to a hill, you'd need a little more rpms or more pedal to hold the speed which might be the same as a gear when the engine gets more load on it. The other nice thing is no matter what your rpms are, your speed can go from 0 to max for that range. This should be similar as your Kubota. Some believe a gear pulls better than a hst because you're not mechanically driven by the gears but rather hydraulics. My hst does well and I've stalled the engine if I haven't picked the proper range for what I'm doing.
Considering you're spending a chunk of money, I'd try each at a dealer and see if the hst does what you want. The hst sure does make loader work nice.

 

[Not Retired Yet]

I've got a little Kioti CK27 hst. It can certainly go at a snail's pace, it's easier for me to keep a constant super slow speed in low. I have stalled it a few times pushing on trees recently but it was my own fault for picking on trees a little too large.:laughing: I've never driven a gear tractor but absolutely LOVE the hst for close work, bucket work, or grapple.