45 vs 50 hp

[whitmerlegacyfarm]

I have the Dk50 se hyd. and i just love it. I have used it this summer to make over 1000 small hay bales this year. Pulling/runnin a 9ft haybine and also pulling a baler and half loaded wagon on some moderate hilly ground. Im am very pleased with it. I think you would be happy with any of the three. Im sure you can do alll youu need even with the 40 seems the 45 is most popular. I always like bigger but reason i went with the dk50 was the deal they gave me cause it was a demo with 42hrs on it. Im up to 209hrs right now and baling another couple hundred bales this week. Good luck and enjoy

 

[Pdog]

I got the DK SE Hyd new back in December 12 my birthday was a nice cool day in Vale, N.C. Me and Pop only had on a light jacket, I had the dealer to add a 4n1 bucket I added wheel weights later so with a Box scrap I move a lot of dirt pulling the two axle dump with my Duramax diesel, the 41 HP Kioti in low range is a Mule on steroids has really made me very happy, I travel around the farm in M range because in H range the unit rocks back and forth excessively on unlevel ground and doesn't have enough power to maintain speed up a hill like the gear models, just saying I really enjoy this tractor a lot !!!

 

[CJONE]

I do alot of loader work, a couple of hours last night in fact. If I could get another 10 hp in this tractor I would, I lug it down quite a bit. Would a 40HP work, yep you bet but just not as fast. So if speed is important to you then go with the best deal vs HP you can get. My 50 was I think $600 more than the 45 so it was a no brainer for me. I have alot of hills and when the dealer dropped it off he said the 50 was a good choice because of that. I also blow snow and HP is king for that. CJ

 

[IslandTractor]

If each 5hp increment in horsepower cost only $600, I don't think there would be much argument. The list price difference last time I checked was in the $2000 range per 5hp. That is pretty pricey considering the cost of manufacture is close to zero difference. The fact that they can lower the cost to $600 is pretty good proof that it is must a marketing ploy to upcharge. Nothing unique or evil about Kioti in this regard as they learned the marketing technique from the US auto industry years ago.

I think consumers just need to understand that there are very few operations that really can use more than the 41hp of the DK40 and that adding an additional 4hp (DK45) or 9hp (DK50) is something they should do only if the particular deal is worth it to them. I personally just don't see that any loader work, any backhoe work or any work where traction is the limiting factor would benefit at all from the extra hp. I always add the exception for cab tractors in the summer where parasitic loads from the A/C probably justifies adding 4hp or so to what you would normally need for a task. If you are running a bush hog or three blade plow at max PTO and lugging then yes extra HP will do you good. I almost never run my DK40 at full PTO power as it is so it just doesn't seem necessary to add extra. I also do a lot of loader work but find rear ballast, traction and the relief valve are my limitations, never the engine power which I rarely raise above 2000rpm.

The savings applied to a set of good forks or a grapple or extra rear remotes and topntilt or Ratchet rake any other specialized implement is far more likely to improve capability and productivity than just plain extra horsepower. YMMV.

 

[Pdog]

IslandTractor, very well stated !!

 

[CJONE]

Thats why everbody needs to shop, once you find a dealer that is not trying to make a killing on a new machine and wants your business for the long haul you have found a good dealer! Everybodys needs and wants differ, I remember hauling 10 yards of dirt with a 283 gas engine in a dump truck, would it do the job, yep but I much prefer hauling with a 400+ hp diesel!!