DK35 shredder/box/disc widths

Grassdaddy · Mar 11, 2004

New guy here. Thanks largely to a month of reading tractorbynet, I'm planning on getting my grubby mittens on a DK 35 (35 engine hp, 28 pto hp, 4x4, ~3,600 lbs for non-Kioti folks) by the end of the month. Chores include box blading about a mile of road, annually shredding about 20-40 acres of Kleingrass (~3-4 foot tall bunchgrass, reasonably thick), and discing and planting about 20-30 acres twice a year (fine sandy loam). In addition I plan to get a single shank subsoiler to promote infiltration on moderately clay-based rolling country. No FEL needed.

My questions to you guys:
1) I'm torn between the 5' and the 6' shredder widths. I've got no trees to circumnavigate, so extra width couldn't hurt... BUT would the six footer bog down the engine in taller grass (best guestimate is about 2,000 lbs dry matter/acre). How about 1/2-1" thick scrubby brush?

2) I'm torn between the 5' and the 6' box blade widths. With the tines digging into about 4" or so of caliche road, will the 35 handle a 6' box? Is it possible for the "bucket" to be "too heavy" for the 35 to pull (think I know the answer to that one /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

3) You guessed it, the 5' or the 6' disc harrow. With 20 or so acres planted twice a year, obviously wider is quicker. Will the implement sink down in this soil type (definitely not "sugar sand") and hurt my new baby? Will the tractor struggle in higher gears, straining the engine, possibly reducing the lifespan of the 35?

4) How deep would a single-shanked subsoiler (the kind DKVince bent on a stump /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif ) run? Assume clay-loam soils... dry conditions. Would a double be better, or not enough hp?

Almost forgot. I saw mentioned on another thread the idea of cigars for tractor arrivals. Any suggestions on a $5 smoke? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Thanks so much!

Glenn9643 · Mar 11, 2004

If my memory is correct, a subsoiler generally requires about 40HP per shank. Depth that you would pull it depends somewhat on your ground but again "generally" about 18".

virgil · Mar 11, 2004

If you are the type person that can operate in a SLOWER gear, then the 6 foot stuff will work ok.
If you have your heart set on mowing 100 mph, then you need the smaller one, plus a good chyropractor.
As far as groung engament implimants, be careful not to overload the machine. Grab a slower gear.
With no F.E.L, you will most likely need to properly "ballast" your machine. That means, add solution (weight) to the rear tires, then inflated to about 8 lbs... Inflate the front tires to the max, and add weight to the front of the machine. This depends on how aggressive you want to be with your disking operations, how much moisture is in what kind of soil, and how good a job you are willing to do.
It takes a lot of horses to run a sub-soiler very deep and keep it there. There again, grab a slower gear, pay attention to what your machine is telling you, be prepared to stop in a fraction of a second because you do not know for sure what is below the ground.

sl3uth · Mar 11, 2004

Regarding a sub-soiler, I have read ~35 to 40 HP per shank, but I went down about 14" in clay with an LB1914. In sandy loam, I would think that a DK35 would handle at least 2 shanks fairly well ??? My sub-soiler has a more curved tooth than some of the others I have seen...so that might be the reason I can pull it...

Another comment about the FEL. I don't have one, but a friend of mine swears by his when shredding. Not only does it perform well as ballast, but he runs it just a couple inches off the ground and it alerts him to large hidden rocks, dropped fence posts, etc.. He shreds others' land as a service, so he never knows what he'll get into...maybe it's not significant if you know your own land.

Sam

DK35vince · Mar 11, 2004

I run a 6' King kutter brush mower with no problem so far.
My land is fairly rough and my mowing speeds are determined more by bumps/comfort level than power.
(when mowing heavy/high brush or grass, don't forget to clean out the radiator fins/screen on occasion)

Go with the 6' boxblade

6' disc's should be no problem.

KiotiJohn · Mar 12, 2004

From what I've seen of the DK35, 6' implements should be no problem whatsoever. I have the CK20HST, use a 4' mower even though my manual says I can use a 5', and I'm sure I could as I have no problem with lugging even in high stuff with the 4'. If you were to find that the stuff is too high for a 6', you would simply raise the mower for the first cut and then lower on the second. You should only have to do that the first time as I'm sure you wouldn't let it get that high again, right? The 6' Boxblade should be OK too, but I myself would go with 5' because I think I could actually do it faster because I wouldn't be grabbing so much space at once. I don't like going really far out beyond my tires anyway. Let us know what you do. John

Grassdaddy · Mar 12, 2004

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! I'm now leaning the 6' route for all three. With the shredder, I can either take John's advice and use the raise/lower method or I can cut only 5' of grass at a time and leave a foot hanging out. I'll probably stick w/ the single subsoiler (question marks on what's below ground), but the single I've seen doesn't (I think) have a shear bolt. Would you operate a subsoiler w/o the shear protection?