Kioti DK40 Shuttle/Gear Shifting

[prollynotjeff]

I am am looking to purchase a gear/Shuttle 2009-11model DK40 on Sunday and was curious if anyone had a link to explain how the transmission works I.E. when you need to clutch and what gears/ranges if any are syncro. Thanks ahead of time for the help guys!

 

[ritcheyvs]

I have a 2006 DK45S. You need to clutch for EVERY gear change unless you have something called power shuttle (I don't think any DKs did). Mine has High, Mid, and Low ranges with four (1-4) gears in each range and forward/reverse (shuttle) for all. The low range is so low I've never used it. I normally mow in 1-high or 4-mid. I use 4-high only for road travel and 2-high for most moving around in the yard. Most loader and blade work is in 1-mid or 2-mid. In all cases, you don't up-shift through the gears like you do with a car; just put it in the gear you want and let out the clutch from a dead stop. Finally, clutch replacement on a tractor is a big, expen$ive job (you have to split the tractor) so don't burn out your clutch by riding it.

 

[BethelHntr]

I'll add a bit to what ritcheyvs mentioned, You have a forward and reverse lever on the left hand side next to the steering column, You use the clutch to select frwd or rev with whatever gear you have selected.
I do shift through the gears for various things, If I am getting ready to go down the road I will usually start out in high range first gear, When I have some momentum I shift to second then third etc.....When I come to a stop I push the clutch in and apply the brakes till stopped, I don't down shift...

Good luck, The DK is a awesome tractor...

 

[prollynotjeff]

Thanks guys! I have a 2013 DK40 Hydro currently and I love it. I am picking up a 2011 Shuttle tomorrow with around 150hrs on it. I originally wanted a shuttle but got such a great deal on my hydro (had 30hrs on it) that I could not pass it up. Although it appears this shuttle machine has spent the better part of its life outside it seems to be a good deal at 13k. I had looked at the shuttle model in the past and just could not remember if you could change gears on the fly. Thanks again guys!

 

[DK35vince]

Thanks guys! I have a 2013 DK40 Hydro currently and I love it. I am picking up a 2011 Shuttle tomorrow with around 150hrs on it. I originally wanted a shuttle but got such a great deal on my hydro (had 30hrs on it) that I could not pass it up. Although it appears this shuttle machine has spent the better part of its life outside it seems to be a good deal at 13k. I had looked at the shuttle model in the past and just could not remember if you could change gears on the fly. Thanks again guys!

Yes, the transmission is synchronized. So you can shift through the gears on the fly, forward or reverse.
You do need to stop to change ranges. (low/medium/high range)

 

[chuck172]

Does the dk have a dual stage clutch? My ck did, enabled me to only partially step down on the clutch to shift. Much easier on the knees.

 

[DK35vince]

Does the dk have a dual stage clutch? My ck did, enabled me to only partially step down on the clutch to shift. Much easier on the knees.

No.
The DK's have a single stage clutch.
They have an independent PTO. (a separate wet clutch pack in the transmission, activated by an electric switch on the dash)
As long as the switch is turned on the PTO will run regardless of the clutch peddle being in or out.

 

[paulfun9]

Thanks guys! I have a 2013 DK40 Hydro currently and I love it. I am picking up a 2011 Shuttle tomorrow with around 150hrs on it. I originally wanted a shuttle but got such a great deal on my hydro (had 30hrs on it) that I could not pass it up. Although it appears this shuttle machine has spent the better part of its life outside it seems to be a good deal at 13k. I had looked at the shuttle model in the past and just could not remember if you could change gears on the fly. Thanks again guys!

If I came across a good deal on a DK40 in a shuttle I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. In Hind site I should have got one Shuttle for me and one HST for everyone else to use when I got mine. Funny in todays world with so many folks wanting HST and all the gadgets that some of us still like to shift gears and don't mind using a clutch.

 

[BethelHntr]

Maybe it's old fashion but I prefer a manual transmission, Iv'e had a manual trans of some sort all my life. The big catch about hst is the constant whining coming from the unit.

 

[k0ua]

Maybe it's old fashion but I prefer a manual transmission, Iv'e had a manual trans of some sort all my life. The big catch about hst is the constant whining coming from the unit.

With all due respect, just how much constant whining do you hear in my video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTHcw1uKllw&feature=youtu.be

 

[BethelHntr]

Sounds pretty good James I have to admit, When it comes time to repair or replace a clutch I have the capability to do so, When the time comes to repair a HST trans I do not.

I do my own maintenance and repair on everything I own and like to keep things in simple.

(I gave ya a thumbs up and a comment on your vid

 

[BethelHntr]

Duplicate

 

[ritcheyvs]

You can ruin a clutch pretty fast if you "ride the clutch". But with proper technique a tractor clutch can last thousands of hours. My manual transmission has awesome pulling power but my left leg gets stiff at times, lately. On the other hand, the HST will survive poor technique better and it's really nice for loader work with constant changes in direction.

 

[coobie]

If I came across a good deal on a DK40 in a shuttle I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. In Hind site I should have got one Shuttle for me and one HST for everyone else to use when I got mine. Funny in todays world with so many folks wanting HST and all the gadgets that some of us still like to shift gears and don't mind using a clutch.

After major knee surgery sold my Kioti DK40 shuttle shift and bought a new Kioti HST.Not about the gadgets for me it sure eased the pain of shifting.No regrets yet,love the HST..

 

[k0ua]

Sounds pretty good James I have to admit, When it comes time to repair or replace a clutch I have the capability to do so, When the time comes to repair a HST trans I do not.

I do my own maintenance and repair on everything I own and like to keep things in simple.

(I gave ya a thumbs up and a comment on your vid

Thanks, I had a neighbor that had a small BX, and I could hear it whine from quite a distance. It seems the smaller HST equipped tractors whine more than larger ones.. But I don't have actual proof of that.

 

[IndyIan]

You do have to run an "old" HST tractor(more of the new ones have the auto throttle option) at a relatively high constant rpm to work effectively. The DK HST seems to run less noisy than the motor atleast, I get a bit of gear type noise with some load in mid or high range, but its far quieter than my neighbors Case Farmall A with a manual gear box with only 1000hrs on it. I would've swore there was no oil in the trans, but the dipstick said otherwise.

 

[paulfun9]

After major knee surgery sold my Kioti DK40 shuttle shift and bought a new Kioti HST.Not about the gadgets for me it sure eased the pain of shifting.No regrets yet,love the HST..

Bad Knees, hip and back with arthritis and many things hurt me but for some reason pushing in the clutch des not bother me at all as long as I am comfortable in the seat and my leg not forced into an odd position. I do prefer a power shuttle but a DK without would do just fine for me. I was torn on this decision when I was looking and went with the HST mainly because of the others here who need to operate it I don't regret it at all but just think I left myself out and should have got one for me as well.

 

[chuck172]

"You do have to run an "old" HST tractor(more of the new ones have the auto throttle option) at a relatively high constant rpm to work effectively. "

I'm waiting for someone to design an "add on" to convert old HST tractors into the new auto throttle option. Seems to be an easy update.

 

[prollynotjeff]

Thanks for the help guys I am the proud owner of 2 DKs now, a hydro and a shuttle. So far I really like the shuttle but have not done much loader work. I hope to get some time this weekend.

 

[prollynotjeff]

Thanks guys! I have a 2013 DK40 Hydro currently and I love it. I am picking up a 2011 Shuttle tomorrow with around 150hrs on it. I originally wanted a shuttle but got such a great deal on my hydro (had 30hrs on it) that I could not pass it up. Although it appears this shuttle machine has spent the better part of its life outside it seems to be a good deal at 13k. I had looked at the shuttle model in the past and just could not remember if you could change gears on the fly. Thanks again guys!

Although that was a typo on the price I am still loving this machine. The gear drive feel like it has a lot more power in High range. Most of the work I have done is in M but L seems to work good in the woods for moving wood around. Kioti sure makes a great machine!