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