new DK55c

[psuedofarmer]

<font color="blue"> But you still didn't say HOW you were using your loader!
</font>

sorry - i think i'm having a hard time reading!

i was using the FEL to move large piles of gravel, dirt, and large boulders. lots of back-forth action. i agree with you that the HST would make these jobs much easier..

but once i settled on the DK55, my tranny choices were limited.. (correct me if i'm wrong, but i don't think this model comes with that tranny chioce).

pf

 

[psuedofarmer]

<font color="blue"> You've stumbled into the hornest nest here. The 'robbing power with HST' argument is bogus. Either you've got the right amount of HP or you don't. You would be hard pressed to miss the 4-8% avg. power bleed from HST trannies.
</font>

i knew my comments would bring out the bees!

you're absolutely right about the power loss (on average), but i read specs that suggested (in some cases), the power loss could be more substantial (depending on manufacturer, etc.)

but the real reason for my tranny choice on the DK55 was really 2 fold:

1. i believe (again, correct me if i'm wrong here) that the DK55 does not support the HST option.
2. the extra cost (if it were available as an option) would likely price me out of that tractor. i was at the top end of what the wife would tolerate!

thanks for the clarification.. i definitely have alot to learn!

pf

 

[psuedofarmer]

<font color="blue"> YEP. Looks like a Rhino, smells like a Rhino, and quacks like a Rhino, must be a Rhino. They seem to make a lot of OEM hoes. They were making them for Kioti before the new MFG started building them. </font>

thanks kiotijohn.. i was curious about this manufacturer. rhino seems to have a good reputation, hopefully i choose wisely.

pf

 

[DAP]

I'm not sure about an HST on the DK55. It's quite easy to put that to bed though.

Nonetheless, the L5030 is definetly in the same functional class and is an HST.

With that much loader work, for my tastes, I would have insisted on an HST machine. Now I don't know the particulars of your needs and your property, but you are certainly at the upper limits of machine class with HST trannies.

I believe the logical evolution to the CUT and Utility tractor market will be the extension of HST or HST like trannies in larger machines. In order to make their machines more marketable and realize larger profits, they will continue to design them with greater and greater productivity and saftety envelopes. HST is already an established example of this, implemented in the SCUT and CUT design parameters. We will undoubtedly see this expanding to larger machines.

In fact, it takes no prophet to see this happening as we speak. The die-hard gear endorsers - traditionalists - whatever- are already chirping about Deere's new 4720 which does NOT come in anything but an HST. The future is now.

The arguments presented about HST power loss, overheating and reliability are gobble-dee-gook. This comment btw can be substantiated with pure common sense - not a lot of falsified, misleading and anecdotal statistics.

All that being said, that's a fine machine regardless of what tranny is in it.

I'm sure you'll find a way to be happy with it! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( thanks kiotijohn.. i was curious about this manufacturer. rhino seems to have a good reputation, hopefully i choose wisely.)</font>
Oh I think you did just fine. It's a good hoe. A lady at Kioti told me they just found someone else to build it cheaper. A lot of them are around and doing just fine. You're exactly right about the DK not having HST option. Nothing wrong with shuttle.
John

 

[GRNMAPLE]

Glad to here all these positive reports . I just bought a 2007 DK55 with 450 hrs. Can't wait to put it to the test. Sounds like it will pass i flying colors.
Go the other Orange !!!!!!!!
Grnmaple

 

[jda1961]

a dk55 is a fine choice, and a cab is very nice too. i like mine.mine doesn't have a cab though. no problems at all with mine, starts in the coldest weather, pulls great, ran it out of fuel twice and it started right up, no bleeding the system or nothing, i may have gotten lucky or maybe thats how they are made, but a kioti is a fine machine.

 

[ihuntbear]

i checked out the 55 with shuttle shift .I found it to narrow for my 265 lbs 6'2" body and the changed the position of the fel stick

 

[jda1961]

i checked out the 55 with shuttle shift .I found it to narrow for my 265 lbs 6'2" body and the changed the position of the fel stick

i'm 6ft 6in 310 pounds, plenty of room on th dk55 for me, seems like a well thought out machine.

 

[rvaitor]

a dk55 is a fine choice, and a cab is very nice too. i like mine.mine doesn't have a cab though. no problems at all with mine, starts in the coldest weather, pulls great, ran it out of fuel twice and it started right up, no bleeding the system or nothing, i may have gotten lucky or maybe thats how they are made, but a kioti is a fine machine.

Yep, I ran mine out a few weeks ago was on the side of a hill idling. Put some fuel in and started right back up.

 

[jda1961]

Yep, I ran mine out a few weeks ago was on the side of a hill idling. Put some fuel in and started right back up.

i think the problem is the way the tanks are set up, theres a tank on each side connected by a pipe. it you don't keep it full then when you go out on a hillside all the fuel runs into the down hill side. other than that never had any problems. mine is for sale now, sold my land now its just sitting around. 20,000 bucks with 551 loader. still under warrantee.

 

[Mousefield]

Nice looking unit. I am wondering if you had thought about a thumb for the backhoe.
I have a Woods backhoe with thumb on my CK35 and really find it useful. I knew when I ordered it I wanted to pick up small logs and firewood rounds. Seems my back is not what it used to be a few years ago. Do you feel it was something you would not use or it just didn't come with one?