Kubota vs Kioti, hydro vs gear trans.

[nc redneck]

I have 06 Kioti 45 SE, HST. Just about to hit 900 hours. Never spent a dime on it other than regular maintaining and follow factory guidelines. It is a great machine and a great value. My only regret not getting a 50 or 55 with cab. HST is the only way to go.
I also own a Kubota and was previous Kubota owner for 15 years. Also great machines but over priced compared to Kioti.
If buying today Kioti would be by far my first choice.
Good Luck
Scott

 

[murphy1244]

I like the Orange one.

 

[94BULLITT]

I think for most people a hydro trans is the best way to go in a CUT.

 

[Fallon]

A HST is 15% less efficient (less power to PTO/wheels) and costs $1-2k more than gears. The convenience & utility factor are so worth it in my opinion. A power shift or glide shift (gears that shift & clutch on their own) blur the lines, but at a similar price point.

 

[brewdog]

I would lean toward the Kubota with Hydro, mainly because the work I do requires ease of operation and lots of forward and reverse movements. Shifting and clutching for the work I do would slow me down considerably and put much more wear and tear on the clutch.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Huge spread on the HP thing. Suggest first you try to narrow that down based on your intended uses. HST is dependable. Gear is fine too, and there different kinds of gear: straight, shuttle, power shuttle. If you are not doing field work (plowing etc), HST is probably your best choice. There are many HST vs gear threads. Do a search and read away.

+1. If I was going to be pulling a plow around a field all day, I'd want a gear tranny.

But for loader work, HST is the way to go. 2nd choice for me for loader work would be a hydraulic shuttle (sometimes called a power shuttle), which allows you to change direction from forward to reverse (and vice versa) without using the clutch.

 

[jenkinsph]

+1. If I was going to be pulling a plow around a field all day, I'd want a gear tranny.

But for loader work, HST is the way to go. 2nd choice for me for loader work would be a hydraulic shuttle (sometimes called a power shuttle), which allows you to change direction from forward to reverse (and vice versa) without using the clutch.

I agree with you for the most part but would say that the majority of small tractor owners spend a minimal amount of time plowing a field. Mixed uses that include fel work, moving trailers, finish mowing, hauling firewood and others seem to be the normal work. For the limited time spent plowing a little extra fuel costs would seem to be a reasonable expense in exchange for the advantages of hst.

I do more box blade work than most here I suspect and have considered a powershift transmission as another option. It seems most of the landscape loaders are set up with the powershift transmission.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I don't disagree on the HST being the best choice for mixed uses.

I just remember driving a tractor for 10 - 12 hours a day as a teenager plowing fields - running a moldboard, chisel plow, offset disc, etc. The old gear tractors we had were perfect for that.

 

[94BULLITT]

Why is a gear better for plowing?

 

[motownbrowne]

Plowing is a power intensive operation. It is slow and takes a lot fuel. Gear transmissions are more efficient, and they produce less waste heat. Hydro transmissions are more likely to fail due to overheating.

For plowing a few or a dozen acres, no problem. Start talking about much more, and the extra power and efficiency of gears would be a must.