Kioti

[rScotty]

SNIP....

I'm mostly interested in a digging and moving heavy crap tractor. I'm getting old. I have a zeroturn to mow and crap to clear trails. But I'm tired of digging holes slowly. I'm also tired of moving heavy crap by hand or with either a tractor too big (heavy, 2135) or too small (subcompact). I'm tired of maintaining a fleet. I don't need 4wd, but I'd use it if I had it. My experience of having a truck on 44" Boggers has taught me that you pick bigger battles when you have better equipment.

I read through your description of what you want in a tractor - including BH & thumb, the 2500 lb FEL lift, rugged construction, & long term value.
It made me wish that Kubota still made their L38 TLB.
That was an awesome machine, extremely reliable, and fitted your wants real well.

There may be a few low hour L38 TLBs still out there. It's worth checking out.

Or maybe Kioti will step into the mid-compact TLB market.... There's room for another brand, and Kioti would make a good one.
rScotty

 

[RidgeHiker]

Very happy with my several years old Kioti DK5010. Dealer where I purchased it and another semi-local one I dealt with have been great. One thing I would have preferred is a little lower lowest gear. Would be a little better for snow blowing. But that only has to do with the configuration I bought, not the brand.

 

[paulfun9]

I bought my Kubota B2650 after checking out the Mahindra and Kioti. Kubota holds it's resale value more than any other tractor.

Keep saying it maybe someone will still fall for it.

 

[k0ua]

Garson-your post scares me a bit for a 48hp HST Branson I'm considering. I don't care about PTO hp loss but need my tractor to pull in the woods when I skid logs or too maintain my steep private road to our home.

I have owned Kubota, Kioti and New Holland hydro tractors. All of them would spin all 4 tires when up against a immovable object in low range. My Kioti will do it in Med. range. None of them will spin the tires in Hi range. If you are hooked to a trailer and I assume the trailers have wheels and tires under it, and it won't pull it in low range and the tires don't spin, then the relief valve on the hydro is set way too low.

 

[kpsp50]

kpsp50 did you get a chance to check or test drive
one of the LS tractors? My dealer in Lubbock, TX
has been getting them in and they sell all most as
fast as they get them and they have no problem getting
parts!

willy

kpsp50 did you get a chance to check or test drive
one of the LS tractors? My dealer in Lubbock, TX
has been getting them in and they sell all most as
fast as they get them and they have no problem getting
parts!

willy

Willy there are no LS dealers around in my area but I understand they are very good tractor I have no knowledge of them except from what I hear I have had Kubota in the past approximately 40 years ago the new ones aren't like the old ones were. The closest Kubota dealer to me is 3 hours away. the best one I found was Branson and I'm very happy with it. Branson's parent company is tym and they are a very good tractor also, but no TYM dealers around me. Each to there own that's what makes the world go round.

 

[Sidney71]

I've owned a Kioti CK35 for 11 years. I am a small landowner who uses the tractor to bush-hog 5 acres, disk a small garden and use a box blade to keep the gravel driveway in shape .The front- end loader is useful to move dirt and I purchased a set of forks that attach to the loader bucket to move limbs , cut up portions of trees and unload a pallet off a truck now and again. The tractor only has about two-hundred hours on it. I followed Kioti's maintenance instructions and so far The only things I have replaced are the hydraulic and fuel filters as required and change hydraulic oil as required . Grease everything up at least twice a year and all has been well. Having said all that we have a great Kioti dealer 7 miles away. Also , please understand this is the only tractor I have ever owned so I do not have a vast knowledge to draw from, but I am well pleased with my choice of Kioti and the Kioti was several thousand dollars cheaper than the Kubota.

 

[kantuckid]

I have owned Kubota, Kioti and New Holland hydro tractors. All of them would spin all 4 tires when up against a immovable object in low range. My Kioti will do it in Med. range. None of them will spin the tires in Hi range. If you are hooked to a trailer and I assume the trailers have wheels and tires under it, and it won't pull it in low range and the tires don't spin, then the relief valve on the hydro is set way too low.

I do agree that traction becomes the issue on heavy log pulls more so than hp based on wheel spin. I mostly never pull a trailer with my tractor. I am in process on rebuilding (wheel bearings & paint) an old hay wagon gear that's done now except for me to log and saw some white oak stringers and deck boards to finish the gear. it will be used to haul lumber and wall logs to my off-grid cabin site thats a good ways from my sawmill. Allows moving sawed logs through the woods lengthwise and stacked on the wagon. On wheels it will move very easily compared to a skidded log, which is never growing on the skid road, thus slopes are more involved. Not having a skidder keeps me away from some trees as these are steep eastern KY slopes! In using multiple chains the issues worsen as chains dig in and log ends too. I see lots of pics on these various tractor forums of tractors moving a log on a tractor FEL horizontally in a grassy area. Hardly the case for me when I'm back in deep woods. it's hard work for these smaller machines but logically it's all I'll have to use.
There's an experienced tractor guy on the TYM forum who has a T574 HST who says his easily moves a 36" log diameter. Honestly it's hard to sort web comments out w/o seeing the slopes and traction facts on the ground for any words we type here. I've pulled some fairly big logs with a Ford 8N tractor when most all was right for it to happen.

 

[Torvy]

@kantuckid I don't have much experience with this, yet, but I was looking into some beefy winches that are supposed to be useful for getting logs through more congested woods. Any idea if that actually works?

 

[CobyRupert]

I have owned Kubota, Kioti and New Holland hydro tractors. All of them would spin all 4 tires when up against a immovable object in low range. My Kioti will do it in Med. range. None of them will spin the tires in Hi range. If you are hooked to a trailer and I assume the trailers have wheels and tires under it, and it won't pull it in low range and the tires don't spin, then the relief valve on the hydro is set way too low.

Spinning means you have more horsepower (torque actually) than weight and/or traction. Put enough weight on your tractor with a good traction tire/surface and it won’t spin.

 

[Overwatch]

Ok I bought my first new tractor in 2006 it was a 2007 Kioti DK40. It was basically a trouble free tractor through its life. Normal maintenance was the key I believe. I was a heavy equipment operator in the Marines for 20 years and I know that some of the things I did with this tractor were WAY out of it’s designed capabilities but it never let me down. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it was not babied and maybe a little abused. I traded it with 1546 hours on it Last week. Again I went with a Kioti because of the history I had with the DK40. In 2006 I paid $17800 for it and traded it for $14000 on a new DK5510. The new DK5510 has a hydraulic top link and 3rd function Hydralics on the front. The new tractor was $23300 OTD.
I have 6 whole hours on the new tractor so I’m not about to evaluate it yet. I will point out a few things that are immediately apparent. The FEL definitely has more lifting capacity. The engine is much smoother and quieter than the dk40. The Hydralics are much more responsive. The seat is NOT as comfortable as the old tractor.
I own 40 acres in the mountains of TN, my driveway is a mile long with an elevation change of 1100 feet over the mile so the tractor will see its share of road maintenance, along with mowing a 11 acre orchard.
I hope I get another 15 trouble free years this time

 

[rScotty]

Hope you get another 15 trouble free years too. I hear you on the seat. None of the imports have a seat to fit me - and I'm a pretty much normal 190 lb six foot guy with size 13 feet. Frankly, it doesn't matter which imported tractor we talk about, as far as seats go, all the seats and platforms seem small.

Every new tractor I promise myself that this time I will spend the money toput an Grammar air seat on it....but in the end didn't do it.

What I did do was spend a day rising the seat up on some wood with rubber grommets for cushions & some big washers changed the seat angle a bit - just little things.

It was a day well spent. Take care of your back.

 

[Username Taken]

My CX2510 has a grammer seat. One of the reasons I bought it.

I don't think it's correct to compare one manufacturer to another without comparing models directly.

My CX2510 is very well appointed, I like it. Other models of Kioti are not so much. Some Kubotas are well layed out, some aren't. Deere is the same way anymore.

Personally, I like creature/convenience comforts. I don't need to practice being miserable, it happens all by itself.

I don't have enough experience to make a recommendation but I do like my Kioti a lot. Kinda wish it had a 3rd range but the 2 range Hydro is really quite good.

 

[k0ua]

Spinning means you have more horsepower (torque actually) than weight and/or traction. Put enough weight on your tractor with a good traction tire/surface and it won’t spin.

Well the relief valve will always open to what ever it is set at. What I am saying is my tractor will pull a loaded trailer uphill on a gravel road all day or the tires will spin. What the OP was worried about is that if he was going to buy a hydro tractor was it going to go into relief so that he couldn't pull the trailer. And all I am saying is that it is nothing to worry about. And the tests I have performed are with my tractor with my ballast barrel on the back. It will spin tires in LO and Med. Of course it will not spin them in HI, the relief valve opens as it should.

 

[kantuckid]

@kantuckid I don't have much experience with this, yet, but I was looking into some beefy winches that are supposed to be useful for getting logs through more congested woods. Any idea if that actually works?

Of course it does as loggers use winches all the time when the skid roads don't allow getting good stuff out without them.
However, realize that at nearly 78 years old I'm not a FT logger nor am I logically going to spend big bucks for a winch to assist my logging work. I'm an active guy who does stuff most at my age cannot but I am not into becoming a pro logger. I mostly process falls which tend to be very large oaks & polar on steep slopes up near the ridgeline on our property. For an e.g, I have a beautiful White oak that fell early this summer not too far for fetching it with a couple of log chains. It's a scary tree in spite of my experience in the woods. It's maybe 30" at the butt cut, toppled with a root ball ~ 15' in diameter and of course it fell downhill. It landed across a fairly deep gap and I've been busy surfacing 136 pieces of 2x6 pine for T&G roof decking on my cabin. I'll "sneak up on it" this fall and decide if it will allow some cuts w/o dying for the wood, so to speak. Honestly i can see it from a main upper skid road and it would be a stave oak in the market. These smaller tractors in discussion here are not intended for such work in reality but idiots like me try to make them do stuff anyway.

Spinning means you have more horsepower (torque actually) than weight and/or traction. Put enough weight on your tractor with a good traction tire/surface and it won’t spin.

That's it!- but only if you can find that traction which can be the real challenge.

 

[kantuckid]

Ok I bought my first new tractor in 2006 it was a 2007 Kioti DK40. It was basically a trouble free tractor through its life. Normal maintenance was the key I believe. I was a heavy equipment operator in the Marines for 20 years and I know that some of the things I did with this tractor were WAY out of it’s designed capabilities but it never let me down. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it was not babied and maybe a little abused. I traded it with 1546 hours on it Last week. Again I went with a Kioti because of the history I had with the DK40. In 2006 I paid $17800 for it and traded it for $14000 on a new DK5510. The new DK5510 has a hydraulic top link and 3rd function Hydralics on the front. The new tractor was $23300 OTD.
I have 6 whole hours on the new tractor so I’m not about to evaluate it yet. I will point out a few things that are immediately apparent. The FEL definitely has more lifting capacity. The engine is much smoother and quieter than the dk40. The Hydralics are much more responsive. The seat is NOT as comfortable as the old tractor.
I own 40 acres in the mountains of TN, my driveway is a mile long with an elevation change of 1100 feet over the mile so the tractor will see its share of road maintenance, along with mowing a 11 acre orchard.
I hope I get another 15 trouble free years this time

My first Kioti was a DK40 I bought off a dealer in GA on Ebay auction. Costs lots less than $17,800 for sure. It was barely used and the guy was selling it for his daughter from her divorce- as I recall it was a 2004 model? I'd still own it if it had had a FEL. I sold it on CL and delivered it to near Ducktown, TN in the edge of NC. My Kioti experience has been good and as a pro mechanic I know what I've got with the brand. I'd like to have a DK 4510 or 5510 for certain but living on teacher retirement checks I play all things very conservatively. The DK4510 is my conservative choice not m y best choice.
Given that I'm a patient shopper plus I have a good working tractor, I'm now entertaining the TYM/Branson tractors that have stronger FEL's and similar engine strength yet less bucks. As an e,g, the Branson 20 series or TYM T494 is a heavier tractor than a DK4510 with a stronger FEL for similar money , yet less money than the NX series Kioti's. Time will tell where I end up.
I don't trade tractors or anything else.

 

[kantuckid]

Well the relief valve will always open to what ever it is set at. What I am saying is my tractor will pull a loaded trailer uphill on a gravel road all day or the tires will spin. What the OP was worried about is that if he was going to buy a hydro tractor was it going to go into relief so that he couldn't pull the trailer. And all I am saying is that it is nothing to worry about. And the tests I have performed are with my tractor with my ballast barrel on the back. It will spin tires in LO and Med. Of course it will not spin them in HI, the relief valve opens as it should.

Do you tire ballast fluid? A long time Kioti dealer, who's a fan of HST and uses one himself by choice, he told me that many users will push the HST pedal hard (typical pedal to the metal mentality) when asking for what I'll call "UMPH" when they should actually back off and allow the HST to stay and work in a lower gear where the pulling powers best.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Do you tire ballast fluid? A long time Kioti dealer, who's a fan of HST and uses one himself by choice, he told me that many users will push the HST pedal hard (typical pedal to the metal mentality) when asking for what I'll call "UMPH" when they should actually back off and allow the HST to stay and work in a lower gear where the pulling powers best.

That is correct. Ease off a little for more actual power to the ground.

 

[Username Taken]

That is correct. Ease off a little for more actual power to the ground.

I'm not entirely convinced of that. On a CVT? Yeah.

On an HST? I honestly don't know. Does it really have infinite gears or is it just the pump working harder?

Seems to me like the harder/more you depress the go-pedal, the more power it generates.

I could be wrong, as usual but, I'm just not convinced it's like a CVT or if it even has gears at all.

 

[Williy]

On an HST if you let up on the pedal your transmission will select a lower gear for more
power other wise you will be trying to apply more
power to the same gear not so good! Makes cents??
With a standard transmission going up a hill you would
normally down shift is what the HST is doing when you
let up on the pedal.
willy

 

[Username Taken]

On an HST if you let up on the pedal your transmission will select a lower gear for more
power other wise you will be trying to apply more
power to the same gear not so good! Makes cents??
With a standard transmission going up a hill you would
normally down shift is what the HST is doing when you
let up on the pedal.
willy

What gears? Does an HST have gears?

Hydrostatic Transmission - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

www.sciencedirect.com

15.4.1 Hydrostatic transmissions​

The hydrostatic transmission transmits energy using hydraulic fluid. The usual transmission has two hydraulic devices; one working as a variable displacement pump and the other working as a motor connected by hydraulic lines. The pump converts mechanical energy into pressure and the motor reconverts the pressure energy to mechanical energy. By varying the displacement of the pump a continuous ratio from zero to the maximum value can be obtained thereby forming an infinitely variable transmission (IVT). As a result the hydrostatic transmission does not require any starting clutch. The torque direction is reversed by the pump acting as the motor and the motor acting as the pump. The hydrostatic transmissions are simple to construct and offer flexibility; however, they are bulky and noisy, so they tend to be used more in heavy vehicles than in passenger cars. Figure 15.3 shows a typical hydrostatic transmission