Most important things to check before buying a used DK40SE

[Bender1]

Hi guys.
I'm looking at a 2009, with loader and 135 hours on the clock this weekend. I'm very serious about buying it. This is my first 'real' tractor, the first one was an old Select-o-speed that taught me a lot about patients

What would you suggest I look at before committing to buy? Any quarks I should be aware of? He said he replaced the ignition switch as they had trouble with them??
Is it possible to search its history by the VIN #?

I'm driving 600 miles to see it so I want to make sure. It also has R4 tires filled and a set of rear remotes. He's priced it at 17.5K
Thanks for the help, Dan

 

[k0ua]

Hi guys.
I'm looking at a 2009, with loader and 135 hours on the clock this weekend. I'm very serious about buying it. This is my first 'real' tractor, the first one was an old Select-o-speed that taught me a lot about patients

What would you suggest I look at before committing to buy? Any quarks I should be aware of? He said he replaced the ignition switch as they had trouble with them??
Is it possible to search its history by the VIN #?

I'm driving 600 miles to see it so I want to make sure. It also has R4 tires filled and a set of rear remotes. He's priced it at 17.5K
Thanks for the help, Dan

Well I would ask what was done at 50 hours, I changed oil and oil filter, and hydraulic filter, hydrostat tranny filter and I changed hydraulic fluid. Some don't change the fluid. I also changed the fluid in the front axle. Ask if the Radiator coolant has been changed. Check the air filter, It should have been changed out by now. Yes the ignition switch is a problem if they are parked in the weather. They are not rainproof. I shot some Fluid Film in mine and the problems went away. The one seat of rear remotes is standard, and extra is optional. I would not have any way of searching the VIN#, but perhaps a dealer could tell you something from that. 135 hours for a 2009 is almost new. I took delivery of my DK35se (little brother to the DK40se) in April 2012, and I have 212 hours on it, and I am not a very heavy user. Just check that everything works, I can't think of any big outstanding problems with the DK40se.

 

[murphy1244]

Look at all Maintenance records and the oil filter is NOT painted gray like the rest of the machine. Battery should be changed by now. Check leak down of hydraulics by lifting the FEL and 3 point with something heavy on it, turn machine off as you look at the rest of the machine. The FEL and 3 point should not fall. The DK is a beast and you will love it.

PS- Welcome to TBN

 

[deerseeker001]

Welcome from Wisconsin

 

[Bender1]

Thanks for the welcomes!
I've been reading on here for quite some time. I've had my heart set on a Kioti for a long time, now I'm ready.

As I understand it this guy bought it at an estate sale so he doesn't know the history. He did comment that the gentleman who owned must have been particular as he had changed the fluids and marked/ labeled everything, so some maintenance has been done.

I'll look closely at the FEL and 3 point.

Thanks for the advice. I certainly appreciate it

 

[IslandTractor]

Hi guys.
I'm looking at a 2009, with loader and 135 hours on the clock this weekend. I'm very serious about buying it. This is my first 'real' tractor, the first one was an old Select-o-speed that taught me a lot about patients

What would you suggest I look at before committing to buy? Any quarks I should be aware of? He said he replaced the ignition switch as they had trouble with them??
Is it possible to search its history by the VIN #?

I'm driving 600 miles to see it so I want to make sure. It also has R4 tires filled and a set of rear remotes. He's priced it at 17.5K
Thanks for the help, Dan

At just 135hours, I wouldn't care if the first owner had ever changed a drop of oil or hydraulic fluid. Just make sure the tractor hasn't been grossly abused physically, There is virtually nothing that could be harmed in 135hrs of routine use even without maintenance. The 50hour oil changes are very conservative. Tractors run for many years with no oil changes in many parts of the world. That said, if the tractor is in good operating condition and things like the loader and bucket are straight and all the hydraulics work, if I bought it I would proceed to do fluid and filter changes. These things don't need to be babied, just maintained, and there is a lot of leeway beyond the conservative manufacturer recommendations that the tractor will be happy with.

 

[Bender1]

OK, I guess I should finish this story...

The night before I left I decided to check the bearings on my trailer. 3 were good and one was a tiny bit loose, but not enough to worry me. I greased em up and made sure everything was ready. So I loaded up after work and headed out for Vancouver, Washington. I got about 150 miles from home and hit a deer. It caved in the door on my truck pretty good After that I had to drive through a snow storm in the Blue Mountains. Icy roads for 30 miles and then you drop down to crystal clear skys, full of stars.

I got out there and the tractor was perfect. It looked almost brand new so I didn't hesitate to buy it. Got it loaded and and headed home. Well about 100 miles from home (at dusk, on a Saturday night, before the Superbowl) the loose bearing decided to give out:thumbsup:
So I sat there for an hour trying to fix it but it was cold and dark and I finally gave up. I had no choice but to leave my brand new tractor on the side of the highway and drive home

I spent an absolutely restless night and in the morning rented an equipment hauler, had my wife follow me back there and prayed to God almighty that it was still there!
It was:dance1: so we loaded it onto the new hauler and my poor wife had to drive the 3 wheeled trailer back to Boise.

We made it home an hour before the Superbowl. I was exhausted, but I own a beautiful DK.
Pretty sure its the beginning of a long relationship

 

[k0ua]

Wow now that is a story.! Check it out, and enjoy it! Welcome to the pack:thumbsup:

 

[jtygoku]

Be sure and put a wrench to all the bolts/nuts, especially on the loader and lugs. You'll love the DK. As stated by many - they are a beast.

 

[IslandTractor]

Be sure and put a wrench to all the bolts/nuts, especially on the loader and lugs. You'll love the DK. As stated by many - they are a beast.

Yes, especially the bolts that mount the loader pillar/base into the engine block. Check with torque wrench at every oil change.