An upgrade?

[mudcat47537]

I've been seriously thinking about swapping my nearly 4 year old CK30 for a bigger frame tractor possibly the DK50.
The CK has 600 hours on it and I've had zero problems with it. It does ok but I need a little more loader capacity. I can handle round bales ok dry but if they sit outside and get wet I cannot pick them up with the loader. I mostly use my tractor for pasture, trail and right away mowing, 6 foot mower. Plowing the garden with a 2 bottom and a John deere 660 tiller. I pull logs and load to maintain a wood lot. The tractor does fine except for the loader needs more grunt.

Any problems with the DK series? Any idea what my tractor would be worth? Is the DK going to be enough tractor?

 

[DieselBound]

I believe that the KL5510 is the loader on the DK50:

KL551 | Kioti Tractors

Your CK30's loader is spec'd to lift 1155 lbs?

 

[IslandTractor]

Be careful about mixing up Kioti model number and loaders. The recent DKse series is very different from the older DK series and uses different loaders. I'm pretty sure that all the DKse tractors use the KL401. The older DK series may have used the KL551 but hasn't been in production for about five or six years.

 

[IslandTractor]

I loved my CK20 and upgraded to the DK40se about nine years ago. I'm still on the original battery on the DKse and it has never failed to start with first turn of key. It has a very powerful loader (2700+lbs lift) and has been a great tractor. I'm still convinced it is the best bang for the buck in the CUT world.

Only problems I had were a seatbelt retractor that exploded the first time I used it and a fuel bowl that leaked after three or four years. The tractor has never needed to go back to the dealer for anything.

The DKse line is identical except for bore and stroke of engines. All great. Highly recommend a DKse as upgrade to any CK. Ignore horsepower comparisons, it's the frame size and loader that makes it great.

 

[mudcat47537]

I'm not worried about horsepower, I've not really needed anymore but will probably go with the 50 if I jump.

 

[IslandTractor]

I'm not worried about horsepower, I've not really needed anymore but will probably go with the 50 if I jump.

Just be aware that there is a significant premium for more horsepower when buying either a DKse or NX tractor from Kioti even though the tractors are all basically identical except for HP rating. You get the most bang for your buck with the DKse40 and the NX4510. If you really haven't had any issues with HP with your CK30 I can guarantee you won't have issues with the DK40se.

 

[mudcat47537]

That's good to know Island Tractor.
There may be a possibility of using it for a baler in the future. I currently have my baling done on shares but as my herd grows I may need to keep more of my hay. I have a few years to start acquiring some equipment if I go that way. That is the only reason for the 50.

 

[IslandTractor]

That's good to know Island Tractor.
There may be a possibility of using it for a baler in the future. I currently have my baling done on shares but as my herd grows I may need to keep more of my hay. I have a few years to start acquiring some equipment if I go that way. That is the only reason for the 50.

Baling certainly requires PTO power and most folks do it with utility size tractors but there certainly are some square balers that can be run on bigger CUTs.

 

[mudcat47537]

I'm still waiting for my dealer to call me back. They've always been real fast to return any calls before and very helpful. But the dealership changed owners last year after the owner retired. I hope the service didn't retire too.

 

[paulfun9]

I have a DK se series myself and know a few others with them. None of them have had any problems worth mentioning after the first few years of ownership.
The new DK--10 tractors are slightly different than the older DK and DK se models but seem to be well built tractors as well.

 

[mudcat47537]

Thanks for t he replies everyone, I appreciate the info.
Still no return contact from my dealer. I don't think he will be my dealer any longer. We've bought 3 new tractors from them in the last 4 years.

 

[holeycow]

The new DK series are way more than slightly different from the old DK series. Way.

 

[liberty2701]

I have a 2014 year DK50 SE tier 3 and absolutely love the tractor. I just hit 450 hrs of hard use. I cleared 1 acre of raw land which involved removing some 30 cord of trees. I skidded logs, grinded stimps 5ft diameter, dug stumps, grappled brush, graded land and whatever else you so to turn raw land into pasture. Lets not forget I am in New Hampshire were rocks are everywhere. I dug out my share of rocks that the backhoe could not lift other than move across the ground. I had the rear wheels off the ground more than I could remember. I had the loader catch on the corner lifting one rear wheel off the ground many times. I thought I would of bent the loader and I have not. This tractor is built like a tank. I love the fact that when it is zero degrees out side it starts with one glow plug cycle. Prior to this tractor I had a MF built by Iseki and was leery of going to Kioti. My MF hated starting in the cold. Best decision I ever made was to buy a KIOTI. Only issues I ever had were during dealer setup and a couple of errors on my part. One warrantied item replaced were both inner tier rods at 100 hrs.

 

[DieselBound]

I have a 2014 year DK50 SE tier 3 and absolutely love the tractor. I just hit 450 hrs of hard use. I cleared 1 acre of raw land which involved removing some 30 cord of trees. I skidded logs, grinded stimps 5ft diameter, dug stumps, grappled brush, graded land and whatever else you so to turn raw land into pasture. Lets not forget I am in New Hampshire were rocks are everywhere. I dug out my share of rocks that the backhoe could not lift other than move across the ground. I had the rear wheels off the ground more than I could remember. I had the loader catch on the corner lifting one rear wheel off the ground many times. I thought I would of bent the loader and I have not. This tractor is built like a tank. I love the fact that when it is zero degrees out side it starts with one glow plug cycle. Prior to this tractor I had a MF built by Iseki and was leery of going to Kioti. My MF hated starting in the cold. Best decision I ever made was to buy a KIOTI. Only issues I ever had were during dealer setup and a couple of errors on my part. One warrantied item replaced were both inner tier rods at 100 hrs.

I'm thinking that you're not washing and waxing your tractor.

Another example of someone working their tractor hard, and smart.

 

[liberty2701]

I'm thinking that you're not washing and waxing your tractor.

Another example of someone working their tractor hard, and smart.

I am unsure if my tractor has ever been clean other than new. I usually get dirt or grease on me anytime I go near it.

 

[DieselBound]

I am unsure if my tractor has ever been clean other than new. I usually get dirt or grease on me anytime I go near it.

:laughing:

I knock debris off mine, blow out from all the crevices from time to time, but have never (in over 6 years) washed my B7800. With my Kioti I'm sure that I'll look to clean the cab windows and the interior (a bit), but it's unlikely to get washed (let alone waxed).

 

[DK35vince]

:laughing:

I knock debris off mine, blow out from all the crevices from time to time, but have never (in over 6 years) washed my B7800. With my Kioti I'm sure that I'll look to clean the cab windows and the interior (a bit), but it's unlikely to get washed (let alone waxed).

Every fall/winter my tractor gets pressure washer front to back, top to bottom (including the engine).
I touch up the paint and it gets waxed and serviced.
What ever it needs it gets.
Still looks great after 15 years.

 

[DieselBound]

That would only last a day for me!:laughing:

Yesterday I hauled out a couple of bales of straw to my critters, took down an old light pole, moved around a pile of gravel and then bladed around in a bunch of mud. My B7800 rests very little. My NX5510 will tend to see less action during the (extremely) wet months here, so, and when my garage is constructed, it may tend to get actual cleanings.

If I were to wax something it would be, as someone once suggested, the hood, because that's what you see when sitting in the driver's seat

 

[DK35vince]

I have most of my big projects done, so I probably only average 80 hours per year now.
When we were getting ready to build the house (12 years ago) there were a several years I was using the DK 200+ hours per year clearing our overgrown property, digging/spreading rock to build a driveway, digging/installing water line, electric line, culvert ditch's, drainage pipe, landscaping, digging the foundation for a pole barn, Etc., Etc.
My 2001 DK 35 has been a good one. Never any problems. 2040 hours so far.

 

[DieselBound]

2,040 hrs, that's awesome!