dk45s or dk45se?

[tractorski]

I will be buying one of these. i am a landscaper who will be using it for brush hogging, york raking, light logging and planting trees. It will have a kb2485 backhoe. Which one do you think?

 

[IslandTractor]

I don't know what the price difference is. The DK45se is the largest of the new DK series that includes the DK35se and DK40se. The DK45s seems to be related to the DK55s which is almost identical except for a turbocharger. The DK45s is manual and can be ordered with a factory cab while the DK45se can be had with HST but no cab. They weigh almost the same and have identical engines but the DK45s has 5 gallons more fuel capacity while the DK45se has more hydraulic pump output (16.8gpm vs 14.2). They both have very strong loaders with minor differences in lift and breakout capacity. Looking up the specs, to my surprise, the DK45s is actually a bit smaller at 128 inches vs 134 inches long and 62 vs 69 inches wide. 45se has slightly more ground clearance (15.9"" v 14.6") with Ag tires. I'm not so sure that the numbers in the Kioti website are all accurate however as they list the turning radius of the DK45s as 88" and the DK45se at 122 inches which is certainly wrong for the DK45se (88" would be about right for the DK45se as that is what my DK40se has as turning radius and it is the same frame, the DK55s has a turning radius of about 120 inches however so maybe those numbers are transposed on the website and that would be a fairly big difference in manuverablility). DK45s has slightly larger tires.

In looking at the comparison, it appears to me that the only really substantial differences are the HST and Cab.

 

[BTI]

The 45S is a little larger tractor, the specs don't make it very obvious.
The 45S uses the KL451 Self leveling loader.
As stated it is only avail in a Shuttle shift, no hydro.
It is a little heavier and uses a larger set of tires on it all the way around.
The 45SE is ONLY avail in HST.

Biggest deciding factor will be how "set" you are on HST or Geardrive.

BTI

 

[wallace]

Are you going to be the only one running it or will you have your guys running it?
I try to encourage customers that have several different operators to lean more towards the hydro.
It just saves the wear and tear on the clutch.

 

[tractorski]

The 45s is bigger by <> 400 lbs. it has a stronger loader but, it is a lot slower. This means less productivity. i will be the only one who really will be using it. i have a gear drive now, so i am familiar with the +'s and -'s. $$$'s are close enough where it is not a factor.

 

[wallace]

Productivitly??
Go with the hydro!

 

[IslandTractor]

The 45s is bigger by <> 400 lbs. it has a stronger loader but, it is a lot slower. This means less productivity. i will be the only one who really will be using it. i have a gear drive now, so i am familiar with the +'s and -'s. $$$'s are close enough where it is not a factor.

The loader stats are pretty close.

Loader KL401 KL451
lift pp 2761lbs 2800
breakout pp 3727 ?4600
rollback 500mm 4633 ?

The website doesn't give a figure for the KL451 rollback at 500mm so I wonder if the 4600 figure is really that number and they didn't post the breakout at pivot point number. That would make the loaders close to identical in power. Otherwise they are pretty close though the 451 lifts a bit higher. As you noted, at equivalent RPMs, the 401 is almost twice as fast.

 

[PA hayseed]

I have a 45se hst, the turning radius listed on the net and in real life seem different. I could probably measure it, but I had a much smaller tractor previously, and the 45se seems to cut almost as tight a turn with a lot bigger tractor.

the 45 is a heavy tractor, that may be an issue for your work, over 2 ton with loader/backhoe/filled rears who knows guessing 5k.

I was gonna go with the 40, but a good deal and the loader difference kinda swayed me to the 45.

According to the site, the 45se has new technology in it than was available in the 45. Don't know how much truth there is in that.

 

[IslandTractor]

I was gonna go with the 40, but a good deal and the loader difference kinda swayed me to the 45.

Loader on both the DK40se and DK45se is the KL401.

I agree that the turning radius on the new DKs is tighter than quoted on the website for the 45. 88" seems about right as the turning radius on my DK40se is very close to what I had on my CK20.

 

[Barrettseq]

Go with the 45HST. I have been grading for about 20 years with a shuttle shift Massey 20f and the 45HST blows the 45s and everything else away. The 45HST with a box blade and rear top and tilt is quick and very responsive. You will have the power to do everything you need with this one. The 45s will also be harder for someone else to run when your business grows and you get to ride in your truck all day. Good luck and make lots of money.

 

[whatsgnu]

The Biggest difference I found between th 45s and the 45se was that the 45s was too crampedfor my liking. Even with seat all the way back I felt like my knees were in the dash and I was alittle close to the clutch pedal. The 45se was just a better fit for me. Loved the rest of the 45s though !

 

[mark.r]

The Biggest difference I found between th 45s and the 45se was that the 45s was too crampedfor my liking. Even with seat all the way back I felt like my knees were in the dash and I was alittle close to the clutch pedal. The 45se was just a better fit for me. Loved the rest of the 45s though !

The "S" is a gear/clutch driven while the "SE" is hydrostatic or HST. I have never sat on an "S" without a cab but the cab version was not to bad. I will say the seat did feel a bit close to the wheel/dash in relation to my "SE". I am not sure if there is a difference in build due to the cab or not. I am 6ft./200lbs.

 

[BTI]

You guys are going to make me have to go spend some more time on the 45S and SE.
I have spent considerable time on the DK45S and the old DK45. They both were comfy to me.
I guess I need to spend more time on the 45SE.
I'm 6' and (sucks in gut) 210. Maybe I shrunk with age LOL.
It's all in what feels best to the customer.
The more I look at the 45SE the more I like it though.

BTI

 

[Oleozz]

Tractor usage should determine what model you want and need. My 45s is used for tillage, mowing, and loader work. There was no 45se when I bought mine and not having a cab on the se would make me buy the s again. I only have 320 hrs on the 45 but so far everything has worked pretty darn good.
A friend stopped and looked at the tractor several weeks ago, he is thinking about getting one just like it, and he spent years working at the Case/IH dealership.

 

[mark.r]

I love the DK45. Been a great mount so far. I am sure the "s" is the same outside the for the obivous differences. I'd be happy with either but I needed something without a cab so I could get into the barn and into the stalls.