Work Tractor :-)

jhynesrockmtn · 02-26-2015, 09:32 AM

It's great when you get to play with new toys at work. I run a non profit equine therapy program with 8 horses. We've been borrowing our landlords piece of junk chinese tractor for grooming our arena with the understanding we'd buy our own for a while. I've been on the hunt for funding and looking at used equipment. Both have come together and we're getting a used Kioti 35 horse DK series tractor with loader. Now we'll be able to maintain our roads, move snow, hay, groom the arena, etc. without worrying every minute about the "you broke it you bought it" with the landlord's heap.

Mark Henry · 02-26-2015, 09:41 AM

The Korean tractor is better than the Chinese one.

Seahawk · 02-26-2015, 09:52 AM

Nice.

It looks fairly new: Hydrostatic?

For grooming our arena, I use a 6 foot landscape rake with every other tine removed. Bought it for $50 bucks at auction.

That really looks like a score.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Looks good. Should be plenty big enough for your needs.

Mechanical or hydrostat transmission and FWA?

ckelly78z · 02-26-2015, 09:57 AM

I have a John Deere 4x4 diesel 955 with about the same HP and size, with the 52" front end loader, and a 72" belly mower. What a pleasure it is to mow with, and plowing snow is effortless, even hauling firewood to the house is made easy cause I raise the bucket to the window by the woodburner. We just built a 104x60 indoor riding arena with 5 stall across one end....what do you use to groom the arena ?

will944 · will944's Garage

You'll find a lot of good uses for it! I bought a new 3520 2yrs ago.....love it!

rusnak · 02-26-2015, 10:39 AM

I'd be shocked if that's hydrostatic. If it is, then sell it.

Looks more like a 4WD diesel with PTO. You want a remote hydraulic valve for running equipment at the rear. Looks like you have one for the bucket already. A lot of plastic on that thing. Keep it in the shade when not in use, and stay on top of the maintenance and lube change schedule.

jhynesrockmtn · 11:29 AM

It is not an HST model, I don't think Kioti made HST's in this line back in 2004. Syncro shuttle shift. I tested several HST tractors and don't really like the way you engage fwd and reverse on them. I'll be using a rotary harrow initially to groom the arena. Right now we're using an arena vator on the landlord's tractor. It is set up with rear hydraulics but I won't need those for now. I'm fairly new to this so the dealer is going to walk me through all of the features and maintenance schedule. We do have indoor storage for it. From my research, Kioti's are pretty well regarded. This has been well maintained with much recent work. The owner became ill while it was in for a new hydraulic pump and the dealer took it in to sell. Used compact tractors in decent shape do not last long on dealer lots around here if they are priced decently. I've been to the local JD/New Holland dealer, Kubota, Branson/LS/Mahindra - none of them had anything. The Kubota dealer had a smaller 7800 he got $13,000 for with people lined up behind me. When I balked he sold it.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

Used compact tractors in decent shape do not last long on dealer lots around here if they are priced decently.

I looked for 6 months before deciding to just buy a new Kubota. The price of 5 year old, 1000 hour units was so near to the price of a new one it didn't make any sense to keep looking. Kubota offered a 5 year, no interest payment plan, but the hitch was it had to be insured, and guess what? They happen to sell the insurance! Outrageously priced insurance, and they really, really wanted to sell it to me, to the point of telling me the financing was off unless I bought their insurance. I said fine I'll buy an Yanmar. After some wrangling I was able to get them to accept my existing insurance if I sent them proof of insurance every year.

Mark Henry · 02-26-2015, 01:02 PM

I went old school, Fiat 640DT, sold here as a White 2-60, it's a 60hp

fireant911 · 02-26-2015, 01:31 PM

jhynesrockmtn,
You are probably way ahead of me on this but take a look at Kioti forum on tractorbynet. The Kioti area appears to be quite active and I use tractorbynet for help/questions about my Yamar F22D. I cannot speak for the professionalism in the Kioti area though the folks on that site have been nothing short of wonderful concerning my questions!

Kioti Owning/Operating

rusnak · 02-26-2015, 03:05 PM

oooh, that Fiat looks fun!

Evans, Marv · 02-26-2015, 03:11 PM

I have two older Kubota tractors I bought used. I dearly love both of them. I use the smaller (16 hp.) one for towing, hauling, & dragging around the property. The larger one (30 hp.) has an FEL, and I bought a scraper, blade, landscape rake, & rear forks. They both make short work out of things I have to do. I found a good deal on the larger one which was used by a local park department and had 500 hrs. on it. I'm always amazed when I change the oil & filter. The oil looks clear and the same as when I put it in 50 hours before. You'll really enjoy it.

DUK · 02-26-2015, 03:15 PM

This is my 5203 JD. Went to look at a Kioti and just couldn't get past the fit and finish. But the neighbor has one and loves it.

rusnak · 02-26-2015, 03:17 PM

We need to start a tractor thread.

Marv, how high do the forks reach on your 30hp? I would have bought that attachment but my truck is way higher than the 30" or so that the fork attachment for my Ford would go.

The reason for rear hydraulics is to attach a cylinder or something at the rear, which you'll eventually want to do.

Evans, Marv · 02-26-2015, 03:24 PM

I haven't measured how high the forks go. I'm guessing about the same as yours. They are great for carrying heavy stuff around. If I have to pick something up higher to go into the bed of the truck, I use the loader but it only has a 900 lb. capacity. That Ford looks like a total brute.

rusnak · 02-26-2015, 03:56 PM

OK, thanks! I didn't buy the fork attachment because it doesn't go high enough, but 900 lbs is way way too small on lifting capacity. I need more like 3,000+. I did buy a forklift, which I use the heck out of in the Fall. Here is my little Kubota, although not a tractor. One cool thing is that it uses a golf cart type steering shaft. I made an adaptor and put a Momo Prototipo on it. haha! And a Wevo shift knob.

jhynesrockmtn · 06:48 AM

Quote:

hynesrockmtn,
You are probably way ahead of me on this but take a look at Kioti forum on tractorbynet. The Kioti area appears to be quite active and I use tractorbynet for help/questions about my Yamar F22D. I cannot speak for the professionalism in the Kioti area though the folks on that site have been nothing short of wonderful concerning my questions!

Kioti Owning/Operating

I've been using that site as I searched. They helped a lot as I was looking at a refurbished Kubota L3403. It had done service in a mining operation and therefore had accumulated a fair number of hours. Was advised to steer clear and did. Researched the Kioti's pretty heavily on there before pulling the trigger. It is getting delivered this morning.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rusnak

We need to start a tractor thread.

Good idea!

I'm sorry to disappoint any of you, but the other 45 hp Titan like this sold recently for $465,000. Doesn't look like anyone will have a chance to buy either one for a while.

Mark Henry · 02-28-2015, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Good idea!

I'm sorry to disappoint any of you, but the other 45 hp Titan like this sold recently for $465,000. Doesn't look like anyone will have a chance to buy either one for a while.

And I thought my Fiat was old school