CK20S HST power question

[thekidb]

Need some input. I'm looking for details on finish mowing/bush hogging with a CK20S HST. While looking, I noticed some complaints on the high range option not even pulling the tractor on a slight grade. I really like this unit, but if the high range is useless, then the whole unit basically is. I live in the mountains of SW VA, so there's not a lot of level ground.......but I don't want to tool around in low range all the time either.

I currently have a Yanmar 180D (18 HP engine, no loader). It's a high/low gear tractor. I use High 1 (5th gear) 90% of the time (pulling 500 lbs of wood in trailer, etc..) without problems. I have to use Low 4 sometimes with finish mower and Low 2 or 3 when bush hogging.

I'm really gonna have to look hard for a CK20S HST on a lot around here. I would like some input before I drive a long ways to try one out.

Will it go up an incline in high? If not, how fast will it go in low? Does Kioti have the sticky pedal problem worked out?

Thanks.

 

[kiotiken]

I have no experience with the CK20, but here's my thoughts for what they're worth. The CK20 is a 2 speed hydro. The rest of the CK line is a 3 speed. I found the high range of my CK30 fairly useless, but had no problem at all in mid range. I'm going to say the 2 speed hydro will actually help you, it will mean the top of low will be faster than the top of low on a 3 speed if you do have to drop down and mid will have a large range. There was a thread a long time ago about a member pulling a hay wagon with a bunch of people in high range with no problems except for one large hill.

No, Kioti hasn't fixed the sticky hst problem, but I've also never heard of it affecting a CK20. Not much else to say about it, with the rest of the CK's, you take your chances, you should be OK with a CK20.

Welcome to TBN, good luck

 

[mpham]

Mine will go up a slight incline in high range. It does lose power if you are trying to go full speed up a large hill. I finish mow my yard in low range though as it seems to strain less.

 

[Gil Case]

I found that the high range will not get the 20hst up my driveway (11%) with the BH attached. Only use for High is hwy driving at 11 mph.
I love the CK20 HST, but the 2 range hst is a definite drawback. I only have 2 acres so low range is sufficient for me most of the time.

 

[dfkrug]

I currently have a Yanmar 180D (18 HP engine, no loader).

I bought a new CK20HST in 06 for a friend, and I have used it several times over the years. It has
been an excellent tractor.

To fairly compare it to your Yanmar, you could take the CK's loader off, and then the High range would
be better on slopes with a 3-pt implement attached. I can confirm that going up any kind of
slope in H with the 500# loader and a 450# box blade attached is not very effective. H is really
a transport range for level ground, for the most part.

 

[HereticWild]

There's another thread somewhere along the same lines, basically, you shouldn't be running implements whilst in high. That's only for travelling...

I only have 2.5 acres and I don't use high at all...plus most of my property is sloped up a hill...

 

[thekidb]

I drove a JD 3032e yesterday. It's a 2 speed HST, and it pulled itself up a very steep grade in high with a bucket on. I haven't had a chance to get on a CK20 HST yet, but I would expect it to at least pull itself around in this fashion. I wouldn't expect it to do so loaded or with a backhoe attached. I also had a Kioti dealer recommend against a CK20 HST for this same reason. Guess the only way to find out is to hunt one down and test it out.

 

[IslandTractor]

I owned a CK20 HST for three years. Mighty little brute but it's Achilles heel is the two range HST. Low has plenty of grunt but is a bit slow for mowing. High does fine for road travel and mowing on flats but any sort of hill will require shifting back to low. I loved the tractor but would not recommend one for use in hilly terrain where mowing was a significant part of the workload.

 

[RSKY]

The operators manual for the CK20 list a max 4' rotary mower for a gear tractor and a 5' for the HST. According to my dealer this is because the HST operator can easily back off the pedal and slow down if the engine is lugging. I think it is because it won't go fast enough in low range to lug it unless you get in some very heavy growth. Most of my bush hogging has been around the edges of fields, in rough area, or in extremely heavy brush. As such the speed I was mowing was of little concern. The dealer also said that the CK20 wouldn't mow fast enough for some people but to go ahead and get the wider mower to make up for the loss of speed in open fields.

There was one patch of honeysuckle and blackberry vines that was so thick that it stopped the little brute. The engine didn't lug down, the wheels just spun. Had to back up and tilt the bucket at an angle like a jon boat to get thru them.

For my use the CK20 has been perfect but mowing was not the main concern. I do wish it had the three speed hydro but would not trade it for any other tractor I looked at.

 

[IslandTractor]

The operators manual for the CK20 list a max 4' rotary mower for a gear tractor and a 5' for the HST. According to my dealer this is because the HST operator can easily back off the pedal and slow down if the engine is lugging. I think it is because it won't go fast enough in low range to lug it unless you get in some very heavy growth. Most of my bush hogging has been around the edges of fields, in rough area, or in extremely heavy brush. As such the speed I was mowing was of little concern. The dealer also said that the CK20 wouldn't mow fast enough for some people but to go ahead and get the wider mower to make up for the loss of speed in open fields.

There was one patch of honeysuckle and blackberry vines that was so thick that it stopped the little brute. The engine didn't lug down, the wheels just spun. Had to back up and tilt the bucket at an angle like a jon boat to get thru them.

For my use the CK20 has been perfect but mowing was not the main concern. I do wish it had the three speed hydro but would not trade it for any other tractor I looked at.

Clearing overgrown pastures with a 48" bush hog with my CK20 HST was never an issue. Always used low range for that sort of work anyways and nothing stopped the little beast. My problems came once the fields were clear and required finish mowing or faster bush hogging. A five foot rear discharge mower worked fine but even with the PTO shut off, a slight to moderate grade was enough to force a shift from high range to low and low was just too slow for finish mowing. I loved the CK20 but it is WAY overdue for a three range HST. Kubota upgraded their B series to three speed about three or four years ago. Kioti has dropped the ball.