Buying Advice Which Kioti?

[DiverDarrell]

I'm looking at the CK30, CK35, DK35se, DK40se. The lady and I now live on just shy of 3 acres with horses, we would like to expand the current riding arena to a full size Dressage arena. in order to do so we would need to fill in a good sized gully with what i would guess would be about 1000yds of fill dirt. The fill we have on-sight about 70yds away in the form of a small hill on the property. I am thinking with a BS to loosen it up and the FEL, and the garden tractor working in tandem pulling a small dump trailer, that with the right tractor this would only take a few weeks for the two of us to complete. For ease of use this tractor needs to be HST.

I know this class of tractor is too large for the property now, but it would also be used to maintain a half mile of dirt road. and when i retire from the military we plan on buying a much larger piece of property (100+acres)to build on, and i figure it would be nice to have an already paid for tractor then to use immediately. We would also want something that is able to move and stack the large square and round hay bales if needed.

After spending some time with the Kioti Dealer and collecting price quotes, i need help in what to get. the DK40se is my first choice but i would need to save a few more pennies before i could buy it. The CK30 is 5grand less but doesn't have the capacity (I Think?) The lady likes the smaller CK's but in the brochures the have close to the same size dimensions other than height, weight, and tire size.

Lets hear your thoughts!!

Diver darrell

 

[gauthier]

Depends on how much of the future 100 acres will be worked with the tractor in some way,,in other words,if 70 of it is woods and you plan on not cutting/ baling hay,,ck30 would be fine,,what are you future plans for a tractor and 100 acres?

 

[wallace]

Get the 40 and never look back or you will be looking in the future for the 40!

 

[Mousefield]

I would think that on 4 acres a CK30 or CK35 would be lots of tractor. I'm on 14 and feel my CK35 is a good size for my application. If I was looking at 100 acres, and of course what it was going to be used for, then the DK40 would be the way to go.

 

[ElDorado]

Get the 40 and never look back or you will be looking in the future for the 40!

What he said...... The 40 IS the sweet spot. If you don't do it now you will kick yourself and end up buying bigger in no time. My wife drives our DK35 without any issues. Well okay one small issue, she drove into the snowmobile trailer with the loader, oops!!

Good luck searchin'

 

[gkh7890]

The DK35 was plenty of tractor for my needs and wants (5.6 acres), but when you compare the difference to go from 1400lbs to 2700lbs in the FEL alone, go with the DK40....you'll never regret the choice!! Yeah, its a few more dollars over the CK line & the DK35 but it is well worth it. I got extended use of a Bobcat 763 skid loader from a good friend while I was building my house and it had a 1500lb rated capacity. I max'd it out a couple of times and that experience alone helped in making my decision b/w the DK 35 & 40. Granted, a tractor and a skid-steer are 2 different pieces of equipment, but you get the idea.

The other area that was was of concern to me was the PTO hp. Going w/ the 40 will get you into the 32hp range. Not sure if that will be an issue for you but it might. Like the others have said already, you'll be wish'n you bought the 40 if you don't but it does really depend on what you will be using it for. A little overkill never hurt anyone......:thumbsup:

Best wishes and definitely keep us posted!

 

[Armed in Utah]

Just this week I bought a new CK35 gear w/FEL...:thumbsup:

Box blade & landscape rake....R4 tires

My property amounts to 22 acres....mostly alfalfa....some orchards...

Lots of fence to build....fields to mow...p/dog mounds to level...

Holes to fill & replant..yes...I've 'removed' the p/dogs....:laughing:

This is early in the game...but this Kioti seems to be very well

built & has plenty of power....I am happy with my purchase...

Power & size & money spent.......Great machine....

 

[VictorW]

I have a CK30hst and it does all of my jobs. Some jobs could be done faster if I had a bigger tractor. Your planned work is much more than I have and even though you would need a few more pennies, I think the DK40se would be the one you want. It would be the not to small - not to big tractor and your lady will have no problem learning how to use it. The extra hp, weight, and lift would fit the bill.

 

[IslandTractor]

Get the 40 and never look back or you will be looking in the future for the 40!

Rick had his choice of all the Kioti's given his dealer status and chose the 40se. Even though he switched to the albino Kioti team, his advice is still spot on. I have one too and love it.

Having said that, you need to consider carefully your need for 1100lbs of loader capacity vs 2700lbs. For most things on a 3 acre property the CK series, even the CK20S, will be more than adequate. If you have serious land clearing or other FEL intensive tasks then the DK40se is the way to go.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you are sure that you will be getting that larger piece of land in the future, then getting the DK40 is a waist of money in my opinion. I have 80 acres and my first new tractor was a 75 hp machine. Four years later I was looking at CK35's. Ended up getting same size tractor, different make.

My point is that the CK series tractor would be great for your current property and for your small tractor when you get your bigger property. You will also need a bigger machine for you bigger property, and in my opinion the DK40 is not the machine. You will need at a minimum of a DK75. Of course this all depends on what you intend to do with the bigger property, but for sure you will be able to make good use of a CK size tractor on both properties.

Just how I see your situation with what you have told us.

 

[DiverDarrell]

Thanks for all the reply's. For now i know the DK40 is too large for this property, unless we start loading the barn with large square bales. The next property will bring lots of stump digging (dream of a small X-mas tree farm). and caring for what the lady hopes is 15 or so horses. There will be a larger tractor in the future im sure, but this would be the around the house kind of do all tractor. as i'm fairly sure will be using it to clear some land and prepare it to build on.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks for all the reply's. For now i know the DK40 is too large for this property, unless we start loading the barn with large square bales. The next property will bring lots of stump digging (dream of a small X-mas tree farm). and caring for what the lady hopes is 15 or so horses. There will be a larger tractor in the future im sure, but this would be the around the house kind of do all tractor. as i'm fairly sure will be using it to clear some land and prepare it to build on.

While I don't disagree with MtnViewRanch regarding the CK being a good around the property utility tractor, your plan to clear land and prepare a building lot would benefit from something bigger. The CK can do it no doubt but the 40se would be far more efficient at that type of task. Still, it is probably better to get something you can afford now and start using it rather than waiting.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Just to be clear, I currently have both a 75hp and 32hp Mahindra tractors.

My thinking is that a CK is just right for now and on a bigger property it is great for the little jobs and a bigger than 40hp tractor is also needed for the bigger property. As in the DK40 is not going to cut it on a 100 acre place, just to small and the OP would end up buying a bigger and smaller machine.

Again, just my opinion.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I have a DK45SC and 250 ac. Since I don't do any crop work, including hay, this tractor is plenty big enough for nearly all my jobs (pasture mowing, snow blowing, woods work, turning the manure pile). I think the DK40 would do just as well as the DK45 on your expected 100 acre spread, as long as you don't intend doing a lot of plowing or big bale work.

I was surprised that everyone so far has kept quiet about your landfill plan. Last summer I moved what seemed to me to be a lot of fill with my FEL bucket...but nowwhere near 1000 yds. With small loads, this amounted to too many back and forth trips. If you could get your hands on a fair-sized dump truck (or trailer), your job would be eased considerably. Still, even with a 10 cu yd dumper (which is pretty big), you'd be making 100 round trips.
I don't suppose you could find anybody local who is trying to dispose of some good fill?

BOB

 

[CowwFace]

Hey Diver,

Crimony you are going to give me a complex..

I live on 2 acres and have a DK40SE HST. Mainly used for pushing snow, and maintain private road. I've had my tractor since Sept 2009, and I can tell you I have not once in that time thought "wow... this tractor is too much tractor".

ie:
1.

I used it to load some tree stumps into a dump truck (for good friend/neighbor) and I was GLAD I had the 40.​

2.

I pushed down some dead pine trees (beetle kill) and was glad I had the 40.​

3.

I used it to hang Christmas lights on a tree and I was glad I had the 40.
​

4.

I used it to lift the back of my F250 pickup to rotate tires ... you guessd it I was glad I had the 40.​

5.

I used it to load re-claimed asphalt on my trailer to haul for our road (Found a guy on Craigslist GIVING away re-claimed asphalt) uhhh yes I was glad I had the 40.​

6.

I use it to move my camper around the yard. (Starcraft 18SD.. about 6000# empty, with ATV's about 9000#.. and I'm glad I have the 40.​

7.

I use it to walk the cat ... ok ok ok... it's too much tractor to walk the cat with.​

My DK40 actually has a shorter turning radius than my Polaris 500 ATV ... but that bucket and rear blade hang WAAAyyyyyyy out there.

Go 40 my good man!

Carry on

 

[Gittyup]

I have a DK45SC and 250 ac. Since I don't do any crop work, including hay, this tractor is plenty big enough for nearly all my jobs (pasture mowing, snow blowing, woods work, turning the manure pile). I think the DK40 would do just as well as the DK45 on your expected 100 acre spread, as long as you don't intend doing a lot of plowing or big bale work.

I was surprised that everyone so far has kept quiet about your landfill plan. Last summer I moved what seemed to me to be a lot of fill with my FEL bucket...but nowwhere near 1000 yds. With small loads, this amounted to too many back and forth trips. If you could get your hands on a fair-sized dump truck (or trailer), your job would be eased considerably. Still, even with a 10 cu yd dumper (which is pretty big), you'd be making 100 round trips.

I don't suppose you could find anybody local who is trying to dispose of some good fill?

BOB

I moved over 700 tons of dirt and rock with my little CK25. Ran ads. on Craigslist for free fill dirt. Usually got all could take everytime I ran the ad. They would dump just off the street in the culdesac and I would then move it down hill and into place. Farthest ferry distance was about 300 feet. If I had to go a long distance, no way would I do it one bucket at a time. I sure got a lot of seat time running that loader!

If you can get free fill delivered closer to the fill spot, do that rather than dig up your own fill (unless you really need that moved too).

A dump trailer would be of great help, especially if you had someone else operating it while you run the tractor.

 

[Coyote machine]

I just traded in an '09 DK-35se/hst for a DK-40 due to the loader not having enough muscle for my needs. I use their KB-2485 backhoe and am very happy with it. The stronger series loader KL-401 on the DK-40 is a big improvement in my mind.
I'm going to get a bush hog, possibly a Kioti 72" one which the DK-35 could NOT handle- due to size. I suggest getting the 40 and not looking back.
The larger differential, loader, increased size of things like bush hogs etc. is worth it to my mind. I ran the DK-35 for a year and 265 hours- it too is a fine tractor- but the 40 is the sweet spot of the Kioti line- no one knows this better than Rick Wallace- he's 'de man when it comes to specking out size for power, etc.
Good luck !

 

[gerard]

Here's 2 cents from a different orange owner on a 10 ac horse farm with 10 horses.

1. Moving 1000yds by digging it up and moving it bucket by bucket is using the wrong tool for a job that big. Your time is worth something, even if you enjoy doing it, AND that's a lot of wear and tear on the tractor which has a cost factor also. (With a 1/3 yd bucket that's over 3000 trips!). A large loader or excavator with dump truck is the right tool or get free fill dumped as someone else said.

2. I love the specs on the dk40se. 2700lb lift capacity is awesome. I move big square and round bales with my 27hp kubota but I'm about maxed out. (It's rated at 800 lbs). The bales weight between 750 and 800 lbs. With 2700 lb capacity I could move two at a time like my hay farmer does with his skidsteer!

3. Even on a 100 ac farm, the dk40 would be doable unless you plan on actually farming it, tilling, bushhogging it. Like other stated, you would then want something bigger as well as bigger implements to match but then you're getting into big $$ for the implements too.

I don't think you'll regret going bigger. I bought mine new in 1999 with no prior tractor/farm experience. It does everything I've ever asked of it but I would mind something a little bigger with a little more hp but I know if I could move up to a 2700lb loader capacity I wouldn't even think twice. That's three times what I have now!.

 

[JoelD]

What wallace said.

 

[DK35vince]

I'm going to get a bush hog, possibly a Kioti 72" one which the DK-35 could NOT handle- due to size. I suggest getting the 40 and not looking back.

I've been running a 72" brush mower and an 84" rear finish mower behind my DK 35 for years.
It handles them very well.