DK35se HST Questions/Issues

Yota_85 · Jan 28, 2011

I will do my best to describe my land, tasks and experiences so far with the hydro tranny on th DK35se without turning this into a bitchfest. My dealer has packed up shop, and I hope I can get some insight on my tranny.

Basically, I have two issues:
#1. I live on 14 acres of hilly terrain. Long driveway is fairly hilly too. The DK35 has no go in High. It wont climb the most moderate hill in high. And if I stop on a hill, forget about starting up again (without shifting into Med). When I first got the tractor I was told it's a "travel" gear. Fine. (It does move along quite nicely ON LEVEL GROUND) But it'll barely "travel" UP my paved driveway. And if there is ANY resistance (like snow on the driveway, or carrying something in the bucket....forget it.) Is it's twin, the Bobcat CT355 like this too? Or do I have an issue. (I've changed my fluid/filters once already....got about 170 hrs on her now)
This would be fine, but.....
#2. Med is geared too low. The tractor seems like it's crawling. (on level ground also) On the fender, there's a little chart that states Med should do around 6.5 MPH or so @ (I think it says) 3000 rpm. I don't think so. It's more like 4 mph or so. Seriously, seems like a person with a quick walk opposed to a trot or slight jog. (best I can describe it...comparing to a person on a treadmill)
In fact in a recent snowstorm, I couldn't get back up my driveway after snowblowing a path down. Lost traction on the packed snow in Med (do to lack of momentum pretty much) and just plain stopped attempting it in Hi. (though felt it would have made it up, if she had the oomph to go) Really could have used the momentum of Hi, if she would have made it up. (I wasn't trying to snowblow uphill, just make it up so I could snowblow back downhill)

Unfortunately, this transfers into taking a long time (and wasting more fuel) to accomplish tasks than it should. I have to mow the field in Med. (rotary cutter) @ 2.5-3 mph (feels like a slow to perhaps normal walk) @ 2400 rpms or so. (Or shift to Hi downhill, then back to Med uphill). Plus takes a long time to travel my 1500 ft driveway. Plus have to stop on hills to shift from Hi to Med, then stop again on the flats to shift back to high. I thought the purpose of having a HST is so you wouldn't have to shift...that's the whole point to a HST isn't it? I'm shifting between hi &med all the time. Previously, I had a Kubota B7600 HST that went anywhere on my property in Hi. (2-speed hydro) I mowed (belly mower) it Hi. It even snowblowed UP my driveway in Hi.

I like everything else on this tractor. The weight, loader, comfort. Though living on a hill makes this power thing a real pain. What do you think? It this "normal" for the DK35se? Is the CT355 similar? Would like to find out if there is something up with my tractor.

KKempen · Jan 28, 2011

I have a different model (CK25HST), and have to agree with your general impressions of the HST transmissions on these little tractors. I don't have any experience with other brand HST tractors, but agree that the high range on the Kiotis is generally pretty weak. I live in Illinois (flat lands), but have a very mild incline on the apron of my garage, and my CK won't climb it in high range. I'll be using this tractor for the first time on our properly in Arkansas this spring, which is very hilly. I suspect that high range will be completely useless there.

tcartwri · Jan 28, 2011

I have a CT235, and I can blow snow in high no problem. No hills though. It seems to have quite a bit of torque in high.

What grade is your laneway?

We have another HST machine though, that has zero torque in high gear, and it will come to a stop if it comes upon on a 5% grade. A real nuisance when transporting on a public road.

Yota_85 · Jan 28, 2011

Yes, I can blow snow in Hi also, even up a VERY slight grade. (though she'll whine & struggle.) Usually though I have to shift to med to blow uphill, then to hi to drive back down, then back to med to snowblow back uphill.

I don't know about the grades. I'll check them later with a 4' level and let you know. My guess would be 5-10% grade though...but I'll verify in a few spots.

tcartwri said:
I have a CT235, and I can blow snow in high no problem. No hills though. It seems to have quite a bit of torque in high.

What grade is your laneway?

We have another HST machine though, that has zero torque in high gear, and it will come to a stop if it comes upon on a 5% grade. A real nuisance when transporting on a public road.

Kiotikarl · Jan 28, 2011

The dk35hst is too heavy, that is the main reason you're getting trouble working in high range. Before buying, i looked at the dk35hst and after a road test i decided to upgrade to the dk45hst, which runs a 74inch 3pt blower an 72inch reversible snowplow. Sorry to hear you don't really like your kioti.

Coyote machine · Jan 29, 2011

I had a Dk-35se/hst for about a year and around 350 hours or so. I traded it for a DK40se/hst and it is not much different in the gear ranges and speeds. I have a very long steep uphill drive and what I find is med is the gear to be running in unless on flat terrain. When I approach my driveway from the flat road alongside it I rev it up to around 2k or more and then engage cruise control, once reaching a satisfactory ground speed, and let it do its thing. I find that I can continue to increase rpms to satisfactory level going up the drive, and then when near my destination I shut off the cruise switch and take over manual hst pedal control. That seems to work better and more consistently than trying to go uphill via foot control of hst.

Your experience may differ from mine but I would say forget about using hi gear for anything but cruising on the flats. Your Kioti is a different tractor than you Kobota was, and each may have its strengths. BTY, I'm going up my drive with a + 1000lb backhoe on the back too.
I went to the 40 to get more loader capacity, mostly and another cylinder, etc.

Yota_85 · Jan 29, 2011

tcartwri said:
What grade is your laneway?

We have another HST machine though, that has zero torque in high gear, and it will come to a stop if it comes upon on a 5% grade. A real nuisance when transporting on a public road.

I checked.
The grade is 11-12% where she struggles in Hi. She will go after stopping as long as there is little resistance. (no/little snow or small/no load in bucket)

The steep parts are 17-19% (2 separate areas with 80-100 ft runs) She will go up in Hi, but barely. Backing off on the pedal is necessary. And she needs a running start. If I stop in either place, forget about going again without a downshift into Med. Again that'd be fine, if Med wasn't sooo sloowww.

tcartwri · Jan 31, 2011

Yota_85 said:
I checked.
The grade is 11-12% where she struggles in Hi. She will go after stopping as long as there is little resistance. (no/little snow or small/no load in bucket)

The steep parts are 17-19% (2 separate areas with 80-100 ft runs) She will go up in Hi, but barely. Backing off on the pedal is necessary. And she needs a running start. If I stop in either place, forget about going again without a downshift into Med. Again that'd be fine, if Med wasn't sooo sloowww.

I wouldn't expect mine would act any different on those grades. 17% is steep.

Yota_85 · Feb 1, 2011

On my paved driveway, I measured 3.0" - 3.25" rise per 18" long level.
16%-17% grade, give or take a bit.

It's good to know that yours acts similarly though.