Comparing the 'orange' machines.

[IslandTractor]

Among other things, my size 12 boot did not have "wiggle room" between the treddle peddle and the brake lever/peddles, and leg room just wasn't there, my knees were almost directly above the peddles instead of the "strectched out" postition I have gotten used to....... Maybe the CK20 and CK30 are arranged differently?

I can believe that the foot placement felt odd. I also wear a size 12 boot. I did not have trouble with the space between the pedals so much as one rarely uses the brake on an HST. I initially had trouble getting used to the treadle style HST however. I seem to remember that I kept my heel outboard of the treadle and just pivoted my toe to go forward or pivoted my heel to reverse. It got to be perfectly natural but I do recall it feeling odd in the beginning.

You should look at the DK35 if you want bigger and something that is pretty close to the L3400 in price (probably a bit more). Compared to the Kubota and even the CKs it has lots of additional features and power (38hp). Electric PTO and 4wd are very nice and even Wilt Chamberlain would be comfortable on the suspension seat and roomy operator station. It uses two separate HST pedals and the brake is on the left. The parking brake is a Kioti quirk and is in the same place as on the CKs.

 

[canoetrpr]

When I tried the CK30 after having had my L3400 for about 20 months I too found it smaller. I don't believe that it is less capable but it *felt* smaller.

In general, I am biased to the fit and finish of the Kubotas. I cannot tell whether this is just a result of me having been used to what the Kubota feels like.

Today I drove a DK45Se. I carefully looked it over and I didn't think that I could identify any fit and finish type of things that I could rationally say were better or worse than the Grand L Kubotas. I will say that the Grand L Kubota *felt* more right.... again it is possibly just because I am biased given my existing machine. The Grand L feels more like my existing machine than the DK45se does. Didn't help that it had been out in the weather and the throttle and the seat adjustment were very sticky vs. the Grand L I tried recently... which was probably just out of the crate and assembled. The DK45SE had 200 odd hours on it.

I found that the DK45se was a MONSTER! It is way bigger than I thought it was and felt that I really would loose out in maneuverability in a few areas around my farm. Chances are that it is too big for me. At about 50 hours per year, I'm not looking to get things done quicker!. I think the loader specs are impressive.

I have to admit that the loader cracks issue has had me and many other Kioti tire kickers worried. I don't think that I have heard of any problem of that magnitude in Kubotas. I've only been following this stuff for a couple of years.

I'm not suggesting that corporate not dealing with it is what I see as the issue - corporate of all companies just employ bean counters to do what they think will cost them less after taking into account all factors including loss of a few sales.

I will be honest that the fact that it existed at all concerned me adequately that I perceived there to be a quality difference between Kioti and Kubota. Is this perception accurate today?... I don't know. I do know that what have been perceived as the widespread issues with my model (L3400 HST) of Kubota, pale in comparison to teething problelms other brands have had from time to time. The only one that has truly been widespread has been the jerky 3PT valve and there are the odd others.

All brands and models have some issues - after all we are dealing with machines here. However, Kubota certiainly seems to the mindshare in this department. It may well be the case that there are equivalent issues with Kubotas that I am unaware of.

All that said, my mind is not made up at all. I like the Kiotis. I like their price. I like my current tractor and there is no imminent need to move to another. I really like the new Grand Ls but would probably confine myself to a L3540 or L3940 there as well for the smaller size... but I hate the price in Canada.

Chances are that I'll just stick with what I've got for now and think about adding a hoe at some point. Shopping is waaaay too much fun. Saw a couple of used Woods BH70X, BH80X on the Kioti dealers lot today with subframes which might actually match my tractors size.! Will enquire to see what I kind of a deal I can get there.

 

[IslandTractor]

Canoetrpr, that is a very thoughtful summary. As someone who lived through the loader cracking issue with a CK20 I finally made peace with the fact that the Kioti Customer Service policies stunk but that the tractors themselves were great values. The lack of faith in customer service should discourage some potential customers but in my case the availability of a dealer who goes to bat for his customers overcame my negativity and because I had reason to trust him, I made the leap. I'm happy with my DK40se but I'm sure I would also be very happy (though considerably poorer )with an equivalent Grand L or JD.

 

[IXLR8]

IT- I took your advice and contacted Rick about a machine... he had some interesting numbers for me. I am still looking to find a machine with a bachhoe on it. How smooth it operates is important to me as I have some work around the foundation to do. The machine I rented was too abrupt for me to even consider taking it within 10 ft of the house. The local dealer I went to didn't have any machines with a BH on them. There was a BH behind one of the CK30's, the dealer told me how easy it was to put them on... but he wouldn't bother to put it on for me to check to see how it operated. Actually he wouldn't even bother to get something to wipe off the wet seat for me to sit in and see how I fit it. Going out to dinner after... needed to stay reasonably clean. I had a PM from a guy in NH to come check out his 3054... he was more encouraging than the dealer. Still looking.

 

[canoetrpr]

Something that I meant to add in my last post.

It has impressed me that Kioti includes a few things on the DK that are options on the Kubotas.

For example a remote and draft control.

Something else that impressed me about the CK vs. my L3400 is the factory remote setup on the CK looks like a real factory remote with hard lines etc. On the L3400 the factory remote is bolted on to the ROPS like an aftermarket unit. I can see not including a remote with the L3400 as it is an economy tractor but it would be nice to be able to add a factory setup that was a little neater than a ROPS mounted unit. None are huge deals to me and they certainly would not change my mind one way or the other if I was comparing a CK30/35 to an L3400.

 

[jim_n_nh]

Hello there, I am the guy in NH with the LK3054xs. My impression of it after 3 hrs of ownership is this. It is an old design that is built like USA tractors of years ago. What I mean is they used a sliderule and a heavy padding factor over a computer and a small tolerance for error. It is a nice tractor that does things in 2wd drive that my previous two tractors would not do in 4wd. I had a ford 1710 and a MF 1428V that did not move the rocks that this one does. If you want to mow your lawn and use the loader only as a wheelbarrow this is not your machine, otherwise it has impressed me greatly. Please feel free to ask questions here or in a pm. If you are close, come by and check it out.

Jim

 

[albmn10]

Hello Ix, your on the right track.. I looked at the same tractors when i was looking for a tractor.. If you looking for a tractor that is light and has good horsepower where most of your tasks involve mowing, the b series kubotas are nice machines, both the b7800 and the b3030, the b3030 will have all the bells and whistles.. If your looking for a machine where ground engaging work and the addition of a backhoe, then the Ck30 and Ck35 are your best bet out of the group youve mentioned.. The L2800 and L3400 are fine basic tractors, but the ck models have much better ergonomics ,are about 500lbs heavier, higher 3 point lift by 300lbs,and higher hydraulic outputs, are wider and will have a lower center of gravity on uneven terrain.. The Kioti Lk series is an older design and is a much closer comparison to the Kubota L2800 and L3400 tractors. If I were looking at the new machines in this class your looking at id get the new ck35 with the new Woods LC102 loader and youd have one heck of a machine..If you wanted a backhoe id add the Woods 80x and id bet youd be very pleased with its performance. Good luck.

 

[canoetrpr]

Not having operated either of them on a hill I can't say that one would be more stable over the other - CK30 vs. L3400... but from driving them both I highly doubt that there would be a differnce.

I can't really see a good reason to buy a CK35 though instead of a DK35 if someone decides to go down the Kioti route. There isn't much if anything that a CK30 won't do that a CK35 will and for the price difference between the DK35 and the CK35... it's a no brainer to me.

 

[IslandTractor]

I can't really see a good reason to buy a CK35 though instead of a DK35 if someone decides to go down the Kioti route. There isn't much if anything that a CK30 won't do that a CK35 will and for the price difference between the DK35 and the CK35... it's a no brainer to me.

I agree but it is a slippery slope...I know because I started out looking at the DK35 and ended up with the DK40se. The loader was the real difference.

For what it's worth, I think the real winners in the Kioti small to medium CUT line up are the CK20 then CK30 then jump right to the DK35 if loader capacity is not critical or the DK40 if it is. Nothing wrong with the tractors in between or slightly larger but the bang for the buck IMHO is in those models. I have never used the bigger ones so don't know that part of the line up.

 

[IslandTractor]

I am still looking to find a machine with a bachhoe on it. How smooth it operates is important to me as I have some work around the foundation to do. The machine I rented was too abrupt for me to even consider taking it within 10 ft of the house.

Check out the Woods BH 80X or 90X. They have a valve you can adjust to dampen the swing rate. You could also put reducing bushings on the other fittings if you really wanted to but just practice should make the hoe easier and more predictable to control. I quickly learned to feather the dipper stick and boom controls but I always disliked my KB2365 swing rate as it seemed to go from 0-100mph awfully quickly. The dampener valve is a great idea that to my knowledge is only on the Woods 80X and 90X.