ck20 in two days!

[gorillab]

I have watched this forum for a very long time, knowing that eventually the 2wd Cub Cadet garden tractor and my aging back weren't going to be up to the tasks I wanted to get done.

Took a brief look at the JD and NH CUTs, and very close looks at the two orange ones. My closest and oldest dealer carries Kioti and Kubota, and I've done enough research to know that the HST ck 20 and B7510s are both good tractors. So, like any experienced husband, I brought my wife down to the dealership and had her decide. She drove both, operated the FELs, compared their "robusticity" and declared her preference for the Kioti. I sure as shoot wasn't going to argue!

We've already got two tow-behinds: a brush hog and a tiller (from the days when I thought the garden tractor would do it all OK), so PTO power isn't too vital. No MMM needed either (the 48" deck on the cub cadet works fine for lawn mowing). I had to pay a little more to get the newer, stronger FEL put on the Kioti, but no hassles. It'll come with a tooth bar, box blade, brush guard and canopy.

I've got 10 acres of pasture, woods and blackberries (about 1/3 each) and need to clean up what the 5 goats can't get to or won't pick up.

This forum was extremely helpful as I gradually zeroed in on the ck, and has got me thinking about the grapple I'll get soon. I also hope we can increase the already respectable flow of Kioti information on TBN.

 

[NEFirewood]

I have watched this forum for a very long time, knowing that eventually the 2wd Cub Cadet garden tractor and my aging back weren't going to be up to the tasks I wanted to get done.

Gorilla, your situation seems very close to mine. I have in the past gone through several "garden" tractors (troybilt, simplicity, craftsman, and now a cub cadet). Although the cub cadet is actually very good at mowing, to be honest, I don't think it's capable of much else. So at a state fair last year I stopped to look at a compact tractor. I almost fell over backwards when I saw the prices, but I figured they looked a heck of a lot sturdier and more capable than the cub cadet.

So I read this forum, reviews online, and saved some money. After about a year I figured it would be either a Kioti CK20 or a Mahindra 2015HST. Now keep in mind, this is a woman owned tractor so after riding it, I decided on the Mahindra, only because it seemed easier to me, and I liked the way it looks.

Before the tractor I had all kinds of stuff. A tiller, a tractor, and a snowblower. Last winter while using the snow blower, I started getting sick when I was doing my driveway, so that was the point when I decided i would rather sit than stand. I've only had the Mahindra about a month so far, but it seems to be really well made. Tonight I was able to clear my driveway, my neighbors driveway and rescue another neighbor when thier Blazer skidded into a snowbank. I thought for certain that the Mahindra wouldn't pull their SUV out of the snow, but I was actually amazed at how easily I pulled it out of a snow bank.

I hope it works out well for you. I never realized how handy a front end loader would be until I finally got one.

 

[Dmace]

Welcome to the Pack!

I am shocked that they still offer the old style loader and charge more for the newer style.

Anyways, it sounds like a decent set-up, post some pictures when you get the new animal.

 

[IslandTractor]

So, like any experienced husband, I brought my wife down to the dealership and had her decide.

Man, you have either got this marriage thing completely figured out or you are a very brave man. No question that was ultimately a very smart move. I would have been too anxious to entrust the choice of my new toy entirely to my sig other. Not that she doesn't have excellent judgment in general (she chose me right?) but she does operate under a different set of priorities.

Good luck with the CK20. I loved mine and miss it.

 

[gorillab]

Firewood,
Thanks for your reply. I know that the Mahindras are good (and pretty) tractors, but my wife never got near one. The local NH dealer (10 times more distant than my orange dealer) also sells the M.s, but when I went there to get a feel for the establishment and their products, the sales guy just told me the Mahindras were good, but then worked hard on getting my attention on a gear TC30.

Derek,
I didn't mind paying a little to get the stronger loader moved from one new ck onto mine. It's the peace of mind thing.

Island,
I've read many of your posts; you write well and with purpose: Thanks! I really wanted to get a single-arm bucket grapple put on before delivery (tomorrow!), but decided to wait a while. I'm hoping the the toothbar will suffice for grabbing the walls of blackberries I'll be dealing with.

 

[IslandTractor]

I'm hoping the the toothbar will suffice for grabbing the walls of blackberries I'll be dealing with.

I'd use the other end of the tractor if I could: just bush hog the beasts into submission and dig out the roots later with the toothbar or grapple.

 

[gorillab]

It's here!

The orange canopy was nice to have on the soggy delivery day.

I started with a little sodbusting with the box (also orange), then moved some large cedar fence posts with the FEL, attacked a 10 year-old patch of blackberries with the toothbar and concluded my drippy 2 hours by ripping out the larger bberry rootballs with the rear rippers. Man,to think of all the hours I have spent over the past 20 years, digging those suckers out by hand!

21 horses seems enough; none of my projects need to be done in a hurry.

The toothbar worked well on the berry canes, but I can see that a grapple will really help.

I'll get the brush hog out on a drier day.

My daughter is home from college, I'll post some pics soon with her help.