G'day, just looking for some wisdom before I pull the trigger on a new tractor next week.
Jump into your time machine or cast your memory back, because for better or worse Australia is keeping pace with the 3rd world and we're still selling tractors that most of you all last saw in 2012... and also a very limited subset of the overall model range.
I'm after a large compact HST ROPS tractor with a loader and backhoe.
For context, this is a little bit of a luxury purchase. I've got a mostly cleared 2.5 acres. We're about to build a 2nd house and shed, put in septic and water tanks, bring in a lot of fill, shift and build some fences, do landscaping and lawn prep, fix drainage issues, install irrigation, shift stuff on pallets, take some trees out and plant other ones, and build/maintain some roads and gravel pads. A skid steer and excavator would make a lot of sense (sell when done), but I'm more familiar with tractors and I don't think a skid steer is as safe even if I've got my two toddlers supposedly locked away in the house. In all honesty, a bunch of major stuff will be contracted out anyway, I just want to be able to get things done when I want to and make little one off jobs easier/safer/more convenient into the future. The tractor will hopefully be big enough to be useful for now, and small enough to be kept after everything is mostly done. I've got (slightly) more money than time, but I like to do things myself.
Based on my criterior/assumptions, there's probably only two credible options (three if I'd consider JD), Kubota and Kioti, and only really 2 models.
Kioti has the CK, DK, and NX here (no NS). The CK is only marginally physically smaller than the DK but with significantly less mass/lifting capacity. The NX is only marginally more capable than the DK, but a chunk more money, plus the complication of the fly by wire HST without the real advantage of Kubota's on the fly shifting with a two speed hydro motor. The DK I'd go with is the DK5810. It's the old turbo 2.43L 4cyl with mech injection and no emissions gear. I don't think (?) too much has changed to the DK6020 other than the common rail 3cyl motor with emissions, a facelift, and nicer loader controls. The dealer seems fine.
Kubota has the L4600, MX5200, L4240 and L5740. The L4600 ergonomics didn't work for me, I've got big feet and the right hand side pedals are a mess with the brakes and tredle pedal; in boots I just couldn't deal with it. The MX5200 here is not compatible with a backhoe. The L5740 is just getting too expensive for me to justify against the Kioti (AU$90k vs AU$63k with backhoe). That leaves the L4240. It's the old old L4240HST-1. The model before the L4240HST-3 which came with the electric PTO clutch, but I think there's a bunch of other differences. The HST is definitely different. The -1 cab version is incompatible with the backhoe. I'm not sure what else, or if it matters. The dealer seems fine.
So it's really down to the Kubota L4240 or the DK5810 I think.
The price difference isn't a deal breaker for something that I'd like to keep for a long while if it means that I'd avoid kicking myself as I shuttle 200 loads of dirt around in low range, find myself wishing for a hydraulic thumb, or cursing the BH install on the Kioti. But then again, $15k (even in Australian pesos) buys a lot of convenience, like a bespoke backhoe thumb, a grapple that would be nice but I don't really need, or even throw in a bit extra in for a 2nd machine.
I think if I could get the proper as advertised, as sold in the rest of the world loader for the L4240 that brought it closer to the Kioti, I might just do it. At the moment I'm leaning toward the DK5810 though.
Kudos and many thanks if you managed to read all of that. Have you got any thoughts for me?
Cheers.
Jump into your time machine or cast your memory back, because for better or worse Australia is keeping pace with the 3rd world and we're still selling tractors that most of you all last saw in 2012... and also a very limited subset of the overall model range.
I'm after a large compact HST ROPS tractor with a loader and backhoe.
For context, this is a little bit of a luxury purchase. I've got a mostly cleared 2.5 acres. We're about to build a 2nd house and shed, put in septic and water tanks, bring in a lot of fill, shift and build some fences, do landscaping and lawn prep, fix drainage issues, install irrigation, shift stuff on pallets, take some trees out and plant other ones, and build/maintain some roads and gravel pads. A skid steer and excavator would make a lot of sense (sell when done), but I'm more familiar with tractors and I don't think a skid steer is as safe even if I've got my two toddlers supposedly locked away in the house. In all honesty, a bunch of major stuff will be contracted out anyway, I just want to be able to get things done when I want to and make little one off jobs easier/safer/more convenient into the future. The tractor will hopefully be big enough to be useful for now, and small enough to be kept after everything is mostly done. I've got (slightly) more money than time, but I like to do things myself.
Based on my criterior/assumptions, there's probably only two credible options (three if I'd consider JD), Kubota and Kioti, and only really 2 models.
Kioti has the CK, DK, and NX here (no NS). The CK is only marginally physically smaller than the DK but with significantly less mass/lifting capacity. The NX is only marginally more capable than the DK, but a chunk more money, plus the complication of the fly by wire HST without the real advantage of Kubota's on the fly shifting with a two speed hydro motor. The DK I'd go with is the DK5810. It's the old turbo 2.43L 4cyl with mech injection and no emissions gear. I don't think (?) too much has changed to the DK6020 other than the common rail 3cyl motor with emissions, a facelift, and nicer loader controls. The dealer seems fine.
Kubota has the L4600, MX5200, L4240 and L5740. The L4600 ergonomics didn't work for me, I've got big feet and the right hand side pedals are a mess with the brakes and tredle pedal; in boots I just couldn't deal with it. The MX5200 here is not compatible with a backhoe. The L5740 is just getting too expensive for me to justify against the Kioti (AU$90k vs AU$63k with backhoe). That leaves the L4240. It's the old old L4240HST-1. The model before the L4240HST-3 which came with the electric PTO clutch, but I think there's a bunch of other differences. The HST is definitely different. The -1 cab version is incompatible with the backhoe. I'm not sure what else, or if it matters. The dealer seems fine.
So it's really down to the Kubota L4240 or the DK5810 I think.
- They're both pre-emissions, pretty basic motors as far as I can tell, although the Kubota has the required sensors, solenoids, and ecu for their fancy HST. Neither of them are common rail, so I suspect the torque rise and power curves etc are quite similar, albeit less of everything for the 42hp Kubota.
- The Kioti loader will lift approx 1000lbs more on paper (!!). Kubota Australia will only ship the L4240 with the LA714 (1800lb vs 2800lb at the pins, full height).
- The Kubota loader is valved for a true 3rd function, a fast dump circuit, and is plumbed for better operation of the main two functions simultaneously. Also SSQA vs Euro hitch.
- The Kubota backhoe (BH92) appears to be a better overall package, and comes with a factory hydraulic thumb option. The dealer is not jumping to help, but I could probably get a quick attach link on it pretty easily too as per the L47 and smaller Kubota excavators. It would be very nice to be able to switch buckets/ripper/post hole auger. There's no off the shelf hyd thumb package here in Aus for the Kioti.
- The Kubota has a 6 speed hydro. Medium-slow and High-slow are about the same ratio/torque as normal Low and Medium respectively for both the Kioti and Kubotas, so pretty much every task could be completed in a higher range (set to slow) and then shiftable on the fly when transiting from A to B which I would really appreciate. The linked throttle (not a big deal) is much nicer on the Kubota. Stall guard etc, I don't think would affect my day at all, I'm sure I can operate a HST pedal with some practice.
- The Kubota feels more antiquated in minor ways, like the hood mounted fuel fill, everyone else has elec pto clutches these days, the split brakes on the right, and what parts are they still running that were upgraded or re-engineered for the L4240-3 let alone the L4260?
- The Kubota has a better 3PL setup, ext cylinders, telescoping lower links, pinned stabilisers, and slightly greater lift capacity. Slightly more overall mass.
- The Kubota might have a better resale value. I would say that factory parts might be more available into the future, but given that its already a 10+ year old model, who knows.
- I would spec the Kubota with turf tyres (at zero cost difference), for Kioti this would set me back $6k extra, so I'd probably just take it with Industrials and see how they go.
- Kioti has a 4yr vs 2yr warranty.
- Kioti is approx $63500, the Kubota is approx $79000. The Kubota cost includes the hydraulic thumb.
The price difference isn't a deal breaker for something that I'd like to keep for a long while if it means that I'd avoid kicking myself as I shuttle 200 loads of dirt around in low range, find myself wishing for a hydraulic thumb, or cursing the BH install on the Kioti. But then again, $15k (even in Australian pesos) buys a lot of convenience, like a bespoke backhoe thumb, a grapple that would be nice but I don't really need, or even throw in a bit extra in for a 2nd machine.
I think if I could get the proper as advertised, as sold in the rest of the world loader for the L4240 that brought it closer to the Kioti, I might just do it. At the moment I'm leaning toward the DK5810 though.
Kudos and many thanks if you managed to read all of that. Have you got any thoughts for me?
Cheers.
