Thanks again for all of the input. I have decided on a used Kioti CK30 HST that I am going to close the deal on this week. I believe this will be the perfect size tractor for what I need (I would have loved to find a good CK35, but at this price, I couldn't turn it down). Hopefully all will go well.
CK30/35 HST problems?
- Thread starter jlbrewer
- Start date
- Views: 14260
LeTempt
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2008
- Messages
- 55
- Location
- Alabama
- Tractor
- John Deere 5065E Cab, John Deere 316GR skid steer, and John Deere 1025R
I grew up on a farm in IL and operated all kinds of equipment like tractors, combines, bull dozers, backhoes...but never had a HST. We bought a new CK30HST with FEL on 11/11/08 and finally had an opportunity to use it today. We are buying 3 acres and wanted to use the tractor to improve the lot and use it for lots of different little tasks. Today we (me and my wife) used it to pull out trees and I used to FEL to dig up and push down some trees. For about the first 1/2 hour I had a little trouble getting used to the single pedal HST control, but after that I found it very easy to use. All of the controls seem very well laid out. The single pedal HST was the only feature that concerned me about the Kioti (or Bobcat), but I am very happy with how it works in practice. For FEL work the HST is PERFECT. It is much faster than having to clutch and shift, I could not be happier with the HST. If you were doing a bunch of mowing where you just put it in gear and do not change speed or direction, the gear shift might be better, but you always have the cruise control on the HST.
I did stall it out a couple times today, but that was mostly operator induced and I was not running it very hard. The operator's manual tells you to take it easy during the first 50 hours, so I did not run it above 2,000 RPM. My wife loves the HST transmission with the single pedal. She did not grow up around equipment (city girl!!), but within about 2 minutes she was operating it like a pro. She is not good with the FEL yet, but that will just take some practice.
Our chihuahua puppy even loves they tractor. She road inside my wife's jacket for a couple hours this afternoon and was not scared even a little by the tractor (she is pretty timid like most chihuahuas). The tractor is nice and quiet and very smooth. With 4 hours of work time on the hour meter, I am happy so far.
Jeff
Enterprise, AL
Kioti CK30HST
I did stall it out a couple times today, but that was mostly operator induced and I was not running it very hard. The operator's manual tells you to take it easy during the first 50 hours, so I did not run it above 2,000 RPM. My wife loves the HST transmission with the single pedal. She did not grow up around equipment (city girl!!), but within about 2 minutes she was operating it like a pro. She is not good with the FEL yet, but that will just take some practice.
Our chihuahua puppy even loves they tractor. She road inside my wife's jacket for a couple hours this afternoon and was not scared even a little by the tractor (she is pretty timid like most chihuahuas). The tractor is nice and quiet and very smooth. With 4 hours of work time on the hour meter, I am happy so far.
Jeff
Enterprise, AL
Kioti CK30HST
