25 HP vs 35 HP

rngrrymd · Jul 24, 2018

Geotech said:
Thanks for the great comments. I was pretty much settled on the Kioti CK3510HST...BUT, I'm also now considering the LS XG3140H. For about $1,200 more than the Kioti, it has 5 more HP, and about 300 lbs more lift capacity. Dealers for each tractor are relatively close to my property and they're both pretty good from what I can infer. The LS dealer is closed on Saturdays, but would meet me on a Saturday to make a sale. The Kioti dealer is open half a day Saturdays. I am typically only going to be at my property on the weekends, so those Saturday hours might be the deal maker/breaker since I'd like to have some tech support part of the time I'm using the tractor. I need to get a third function and grapple, a box blade and a rotary cutter. So there will be some room for the dealers to be creative with package deal pricing.

Geotech, I'm not so sure that the LS Tractor has better loader specs. If you read the Kioti specs it says "lift capacity to full height @ pivot pins" - LS only lists as "lift capacity @ pivot pins". So, the question I would ask is whether the lift capacity given by LS is full height or only overall carry height @ 50.9". There is only 200 lbs difference between the tractors (LS heavier) and I have a hard time believing that translates into 354 lbs more lift capacity. Case IH lists loader specs for my tractor at both max height and 59" lift height. I wonder if LS is cheating by not clarifying which height they used for their lift capacity. The LS has a little better dump and rollback angles but the Kioti has higher lift height (98.4" vs 94"), longer reach at maximum height (28.1" vs 18.6"), and way better clearance in dump position (79.1" vs 63.9"). Having a dealer open Saturday hours if you need to just run in and get anything (not just that u can get tech support) could be a big plus for you. The only time I had to shop for tractors was on Saturday and I'm really surprised that the LS dealer closes that day. Most of the dealers I visited when trying out tractors(all brands) were hopping at the counter on Saturdays. Some thoughts.

Let's Talk: Loader LIES! How specifications can be manipulated. - YouTube

cphilip · Jul 25, 2018

I think that video points out a very valid misconception too. Often if not always, your lifting twice that rating at a much lower hight to do your work. Moving gravel, sand or dirt etc does not require full height and it often ends up being at least twice what that full height rating is in real life. Ive moved full 60" buckets of gravel with ease with my little loader. And its not really anywhere close to the max rating. Its like 3 times over that. But its well within spec since I only need to lift it like 3 feet to move it into the place I want it. And this is when weight of tractor and frame and any counter balance becomes very important. Not the lift capacity of the FEL.

prof fate · Jul 25, 2018

moving...what does that mean, really?

I move manure a lot - back scrape into a pile, scoop and dump on a compost pile. The bucket has to be a good 30" off the ground to dump - ON the ground...fine if you're spreading the contents, but if you're piling it up like I do then no - a 4' tall pile means you gotta get 80" in the air to dump on top of the pile. If you're loading a truck..even a pickup, you need lots of height with the bucket in the full down/dump position. My F350's bed sides are 5' off the ground - add in the bucket in the down mode and I'm using just about all the height I can get.

The longer reach is great and very useful.

And I don't use just a bucket, but forks as well and as much lift height as possible is handy to have.

I've not had the bucket 'not lift' but a couple of times (deep into the compost pile) - usually the rear of the tractor will raise up before the loader runs out of power.

Handloader109 · Jul 25, 2018

I'll say one more thing, I keep having uses for forks on my fel. Lift capacity, actual lift capacity makes a big difference. I find I'm always near my limits and want more. Get larger machne

4570Man · Jul 25, 2018

prof fate said:
moving...what does that mean, really?

I move manure a lot - back scrape into a pile, scoop and dump on a compost pile. The bucket has to be a good 30" off the ground to dump - ON the ground...fine if you're spreading the contents, but if you're piling it up like I do then no - a 4' tall pile means you gotta get 80" in the air to dump on top of the pile. If you're loading a truck..even a pickup, you need lots of height with the bucket in the full down/dump position. My F350's bed sides are 5' off the ground - add in the bucket in the down mode and I'm using just about all the height I can get.

The longer reach is great and very useful.

And I don't use just a bucket, but forks as well and as much lift height as possible is handy to have.

I've not had the bucket 'not lift' but a couple of times (deep into the compost pile) - usually the rear of the tractor will raise up before the loader runs out of power.

It’s pushing my loaders lift height to get a decent load on my dump truck. I’d like more height and definitely wouldn’t want less.

rScotty · Jul 25, 2018

prof fate said:
moving...what does that mean, really?

I move manure a lot - bucket in the full down/dump position. My F350's bed sides are 5' off the ground - add in the bucket in the down mode and I'm using just about all the height I can get.

The longer reach is great and very useful.

And I don't use just a bucket, but forks as well and as much lift height as possible is handy to have.

I've not had the bucket 'not lift' but a couple of times (deep into the compost pile) - usually the rear of the tractor will raise up before the loader runs out of power.