Bought a Kioti DK45S Today

[Dmace]

It's always nice when the wait's over! Get those clean pics before it never looks the same.

 

[UltraFlame]

Congrats. The evening my CC arrived it was raining, but after parking it under cover I wiped it down and layed on a good coat of wax and rubbed her down for a couple hours. It surely made hosing the tractor off easy a couple days later when it was dirty. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I agree with advice about loading the tires, especially if you have any hilly ground. AC and heat are weak; the AC is just good enough to counteract the greenhouse effect of the cab, but certainly won't force you to put on a sweater!
If Kioti is still using bale pins to hold on the lower 3PH arms, I suggest you replace these with lock-washered bolts. The first summer I owned my DK45, I was mowing an overgrown field and dropped a lift arm after a branch popped off the pin. I found this out on the next turn when the mower rode up the left rear tire...too much excitement for me!
If I could do anything over again in my purchase, I think I would probably opt for a second set of remotes...since I've just bought a Markham/Gator grapple rake.
Happy tractoring!
BOB

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

I finally got some pics downloaded.

 

[Dmace]

Very Nice, What a tractor! :thumbsup:

 

[o2batsea]

If you have already discovered this, my apologies. The little curved metal things on the front pillar are door props. Flip them all the way outwards and the door latches to them keeping the door slightly open. I puzzled over these things for weeks until it dawned on me.

If you need to do any service to the A/C like replace the filter you have to pop the cab roof off. It is held on with 4 bolts. The lights are wired with REAL SHORT wires so don't go pulling up on the lid without first unhooking them.

If you are going to upgrade the stereo like I plan to...the cab roof has to come off.

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

If you have already discovered this, my apologies. The little curved metal things on the front pillar are door props. Flip them all the way outwards and the door latches to them keeping the door slightly open. I puzzled over these things for weeks until it dawned on me.

If you need to do any service to the A/C like replace the filter you have to pop the cab roof off. It is held on with 4 bolts. The lights are wired with REAL SHORT wires so don't go pulling up on the lid without first unhooking them.

If you are going to upgrade the stereo like I plan to...the cab roof has to come off.

Thanks for the info. I was lucky enough the dealer showed me the little props for the doors. I am sure I wouldn't of figure out ever. On my old IH1466 I use a small pair of vise grips for door props. Kioti has a much better design.

Thanks for the heads up on the cab roof. I had to raise the roof on my JD4430 a few weeks ago to change the radio and work on a blower motor. The hinges didn't raise at the same time and had some trouble getting one to raise at all. In an effort to get it raised I cracked the fiberglass top. Not real bad, but enough I decided to replace it it as afraid I would be forever keeping it from leaking. I was lucky and had a coupon from an aftermarket supplier and was able to get the roof for half price of OEM delivered. It is changed out now and looks pretty good.
I guess the moral to this story is get help and go easy on rasing a 35 year old fiberglass roof as to not put even in a slight bind.

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Very Nice, What a tractor! :thumbsup:

Nice tractor you have there also! You impressed me with that load of wood. :thumbsup:
I wanted to give mine a wax job before cleaning out the barn as it might spray off easier, but is too dang cold today. I am just going to started cleaning the barn anyway. I will have the wife take some pics of it getting a bit dirty in the barn lot.

I will have to pen up the goats as they might be a bit scared of a Kioti in the barn lot!:laughing:

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Finally gettin it dirty!

 

[Mousefield]

See in the first pic she still has fairly clean tires but the second one those tires are getting dirty. Must be fun :laughing: to clean out the barn with it. We have to do ours the old fashioned way, wheel burrow and shovel.

 

[Dmace]

Nice tractor you have there also! You impressed me with that load of wood. :thumbsup:

Thanks, I actually lifted that and put it in the back of a 1-ton Ford dump truck. I must have loaded 3 cords of wood just that weekend with that little tractor and used less than 5 gallons of diesel.
Here's a larger picture (click thumbnail):

You should have seen the faces on the propane delivery guys when they couldn't get the 1,000lb tank behind my house so I lifted it with the Kioti and drove it out back. It was priceless!

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

See in the first pic she still has fairly clean tires but the second one those tires are getting dirty. Most be fun :laughing: to clean out the barn with it. We have to do ours the old fashioned way, wheel burrow and shovel.

The first pic she was heading in for her maden voyage. I will still have to pitch fork some of it, but this is definitly a back saver. I am liken the cab, it was in the high 30's when I finished up last evening!

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Another pic of cleaning the barn. I have 5hrs on the DK45 now and definitly love it so far. The cab is easy to see out of and was nice since it was a bit cool out. The cab radio is coming in handy also, I was able to listen to the Butler Bulldogs beat Kansas State to go to the Final Four!:thumbsup: Who would guessed that one?

I can't wait to pick up some round bales. I have some to move next week so we will see how it does. Also ordering a tri axle load of stone later this week. The fun never ends!

 

[o2batsea]

Just wondering if your newer tractor has this same thing:
In certain gears the levers have to be jacked around so that they cross over each other. Not that this is a real problem, but something I have found to be annoying in an otherwise well laid out tractor.

 

[rd_macgregor]

When in high range, that isn't an issue, but 2nd and 4th gears can knock the shifter knobs together in mid or low range. It shouldn't have been too difficult for Kioti to engineer out of that situation by slightly repositioning one of the shifters or putting in a bent shaft or something.
BOB

 

[rd_macgregor]

HHM, having some weight on the back end (or, at least, loaded tires) will help a lot when you move round bales. Your place looks pretty flat, but where I live its really hilly everywhere and I can't risk taking too much weight off the rear (braking) wheels.
BOB

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Just wondering if your newer tractor has this same thing:
In certain gears the levers have to be jacked around so that they cross over each other. Not that this is a real problem, but something I have found to be annoying in an otherwise well laid out tractor.

I haven't noticed that being a problem. Again I am so excited to be driving a new tractor I may not of noticed it. I will check it out closer tomorrow and take some pics of the shifter configuration to see if it had been changed any. It shifts great. I know I really like the Quad Range that my Deere has, but the DK45 synchronized shifts every bit as smooth. 12 speeds will be nice to find a good speed for raking hay. It definitly has some low gears.
I do like the layout also and the cab is pretty tight. I am very happy I got a cab.:thumbsup:

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

HHM, having some weight on the back end (or, at least, loaded tires) will help a lot when you move round bales. Your place looks pretty flat, but where I live its really hilly everywhere and I can't risk taking too much weight off the rear (braking) wheels.
BOB

I would like to get some rear wheel weights if possible. I am not sure I have seen any Kioti痴 with rear weights. It is listed in the brochure.

On my 4430 I had more trouble after running a deer antler in my rear radial tire of getting a new tube to hold up. I finally got the third tube to hold up. I had the fluid removed on the third try and the tube held up and really didn稚 notice any tire slip when chisel plowing last fall. If I can keep the tires tubeless on the Kioti I will be a very happy. It should be easier to repair as I am good at finding things to run in them.

I haven't checked the price out yet. I may change my mind after getting
a price.

 

[williekioti]

Looks like you need a little thinning of your White-tail herd.

Nice tractor! Looks like you're breakin' it in nicely. Looks like you have a nice farm too. We had a few goats before moving a couple years ago. Just picked up some land that I'd like to work, after I get it into shape. May do goats again. Do you raise 'em for meat or dairy or both?

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Looks like you need a little thinning of your White-tail herd.

Nice tractor! Looks like you're breakin' it in nicely. Looks like you have a nice farm too. We had a few goats before moving a couple years ago. Just picked up some land that I'd like to work, after I get it into shape. May do goats again. Do you raise 'em for meat or dairy or both?

We have all Saanen dairy goats. We first got a couple of goats when my oldest son had some problems digesting cows milk. It then turned into a 4-H project. My wife also produces and sells goats milk soap and we selll the the bucks when they get to around 50-60lbs for meat.
I then started to produce hay for our herd and next I am selling hay to other area goat producers.:thumbsup:
Of course I need to keep upgrading my hay equipment and tractors so that is the fun part.
I am definitly liken the DK45. It fits our Kuhn hay rake nicely.

Did you have dairy or meat goats?