DK65s

[okchuck]

After looking at many, many tractors I'm really leaning towards a DK65s. NH 75TN & Kubota M6800 are still in the running but behind because of their $2400 to $2700 higher price.
In researching the DK65s on the internet I don't find much in the way of opinions and problems on it. All of the posters on TBN seem to like them.
So DK65 ownwers, what is your opinion? What do you like? What don't you like? What problems have you had?
The tractor will be used to spray pastures 400+ acres, bush hog 300 to 400 acres (10' Bush Hog), and handle 400 round bales annually, FEL work, etc.
I'm planning on buying in the month for tax purposes.
Thanks

 

[5030]

The Perkins diesel is a good, long lasting parent bore engine. That said, If you are handling 400 rounds and I presume 4x4's or 4x5's, then you are okay. If you plan on rounding 400 bales, the DK65 is somewhat underpowered. It will only marginally handle say a NH 638 which will only run 4x4's. A 738 or58 NH 4x4, 4x5 or 4x6 could be run with the DK65 but at the expense of being underpowered and would never be able to handle a full bale chamber in the 4-5 or 4-6 mode.

If you are handling 4x4's or 4x5's your FEL is okay so long as you have a rear spear and a bale on it to offset the front weight. 4x6's or any bale in the 5 foot width would (in my opinion) be too much strain on the FEL appratus in field traversing work.

Square bailing, raking and mowing all require less pto power (unless of coures, you are using a discbine and then the DK65 would be less than adequate under most conditions).

I'd consider either a NH TN90 or the new M95 Kubby. You could also consider the Agco mid weight FWA tractors and the JD mid weight FWA units.

2.5k or 3.5k or whatever is not much over the total life of a loan, just a few dollars per month. Don't sell yourself short. I am not saying that the DK65 isn't a good unit, it is. What I am saying is assess your needs realistically and then decide on your prime mover.

 

[RedDog]

Okchuck,

<font color="blue">So DK65 ownwers, what is your opinion? </font> My opinion would be put the M6800 at the bottom of your list. I really do not see how it could do anything better than the DK65. The NH could be a different story. I would really have to know more about the 75 to comment.

<font color="blue"> What do you like? </font> Several things come to mind. The sheer weight of the machine. The lever at the rear of the tractor for raising and lower the hydraulic arms. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif The fact that remotes come standard equipment.


<font color="blue">What don't you like? </font> If I had to really nit pick, I would like to see a 16 speed. My reason is I have a certain section of my yard that I mow in 9th gear but could really use between 8 and 9.

You may want to check out the loader for your rollback. I have not had any issues, but a self-leveling loader will not curl back as far as a non leveling loader. Just something to keep in mind.

<font color="blue">What problems have you had? </font>

I broke the little roll pin in my hand throttle. I had another one laying around and fixed it.


I do not have the S model, and its motor is slightly bigger than mine. Mine has very very good power! I love the way the S model looks. Much better than mine. My only drawback to the new S model is why Kioti didn't change to a curve loader /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I think that is a mistake. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif


In the end it would be between the NH and Kioti. My gut feeling is for the price difference, I may go for the NH. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I would have to know what tranny it comes with and options to make the final decision.


Good luck, RedDog

 

[5030]

The ice is getting thin again.

This guy is farming not mowing a lawn or a pasture, read the whole post.

Whether the M6800 is at the bottom of your list is not relevant. Actually, I'd not consider the M68 to be in contention either. The '68 has the same problem as the DK65....marginal pto power to run agricultrial implements....not mowing the lawn.

Yes, the DK65 has an inching control, a nice feature. Inching is available on many other agricultrial oriented models like the DK65. In so much as remotes, it is thoughtful of Kioti to include remote valves as standard, something that is standard issue on most ag. oriented units of which the DK65 is, however, in my opinion and that is exactly what the poster is asking for, the DK65 as well as the M68 and TN 75 are all marginally acceptable for his intended needs given the scope of his intended operation.

Of course the poster didn't state whether he was only considering the DK65 as a means of transporting round bales to his wagons and running a brush hog on his acres. In that scenario the DK would be fine. But, running farm implements that are power intensive such as mid sized round balers and discbines leave the DK65 without the power necessary to perform the job efficiently and will ultimately leave the poster wondering why they didn't opt for a larger unit from the start.

In so much as the weight of the machine, I farm or should I say run a commercial forage operation and compaction becomes an issue with me. Weight = compaction.

Any mid size tractor will have bulk no matter what brand. Once you breach the 60 horsepower level, weight is there in any unit.

As far as what might have broke on your unit, well, any tractor is a machine and any tractor can and will be prone to a failure rate of various parts. That's a fact of life and machinery.

I am not at all brand loyal. I run Kubota's because of dealer proximity, customer service and the fact that I live in Deere country and I'm color blind. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

When I buy a tractor, any tractor, I assess what it's intended use will be and then make my purchase based on that. In the mid size marketplace there are many brands to choose from. A smart buyer is an informed buyer plain and simple.

 

[okchuck]

Thanks for the info. I do not bale my hay, hire a custom baler and buy more. I do haul it out of the fields and stack it in the barn.
I thought the NH75 "seemed" light and small. It does have a 16 speed transmission. It has the smallest engine and produces the most hp. Guess thats the miracle of turbocharging (although the Kioti is turbocharged too)??

 

[powerstroke2000]

I never heard anyone say that the dk65 was underpowered.This size tractor is mainly made for the farming end, ALL of the 65's we sold are farm tractors. One of which is running a Vermeer 840 discbine and a 5400 (4x5) round baler.

 

[ulbhunter]

I have a DK65 (no cab) handles my 10ft brush hog fine (this summer I mowed 40+ acres of abandoned pasture), round bales will not be a problem (if tires are filled, rear ballast not needed but is prefered ) I have been moving trees that weight around 2K without so much as groan from the tractor. Only problem I have had is Saturday I had a front tire blow out the sidewall. I was not using the loader at the time and it appears to have been a defect in the tire (separated at the bead to sidewall junction).

If you get to OKC I am only 30 minutes west and you are more than welcome to try mine in real world conditions.

 

[RedDog]

<font color="blue">This guy is farming not mowing a lawn or a pasture, read the whole post. </font>

Wow, I'm so glad you pointed that out!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

<font color="blue">Whether the M6800 is at the bottom of your list is not relevant. Actually, I'd not consider the M68 to be in contention either. </font>

Of the 3 tractors he mentioned, it is at the bottom. That is my opinion, and apparently you do not think to highly of the 68 either. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

<font color="blue">In so much as the weight of the machine, I farm or should I say run a commercial forage operation and compaction becomes an issue with me. Weight = compaction.
</font>

Yep, your right. You do farm and weight=compaction.
I'm just curious as to why you got rid of the "lighter" 5030, in favor of your big and "heavier" Bota???

<font color="blue"> The ice is getting thin again. </font> I think it just melted. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Okchuck, Go look at the 3 tractors and talk to each dealer and see what they have to say. Tell each dealer your plans for the tractor. They may tell you as 5030 has, that you need to go bigger.

Good luck, RedDog

 

[5030]

In light of the original posters comments about just using the tractor for transporation of round bales and brushogging as he has his hay done by a custom operator, The DK65 would fill his needs quite nicely.

Prior to his second post, I didn't say it was underpowered. I said it was marginally powered for serious farm work, especially when running horsepower intensive implements.

Again, I have no problem with a DK65. on the contrary, I considered one but it lacks the power to run a discbine with more than 5 rotors and it will not run our big roll belt rounder. It will run our 638 and out MoCo and our rake and either of our square bailers.

Actually, I like Perkins engines. They are frugal on fuel, develop quite a bit of torque rise and as long as you keep the either can on the shelf, they will run 5K plus on an overhaul. I know, I have a 1085 Massey Cab tractor with a naturally aspirated A318 Perkins. Talk about heavy, it weighs around 11K without loaded tires.

Again, I am not brand loyal, but price and service after the sale loyal. There ar no Kioti dealers close by, but, there are JD, CNH, NH and Kubota dealers. As I said, I am color blind...especially to green. Everything is green around here except my equipment.

I'm not at all familiar with Vermeer hay tools. I had a Vermeer stump cutter and trailer mounted sprayer years ago and they were both good units. There are no Vermeer implement dealers around here that I know of and I know of no one who uses that brand.

We and everyone else in our area run NH hay tools or Claas.

 

[5030]

Actually, my plans are to buy a NH center pivot discbine and the 5030 would not handle that much machine. Neither would a DK65 or an M68.

Besides, we have a 7 series roll belt NH and I'd never consider hitching the 5030 to that or our Loftness stubble beater.

As our equipment gets bigger with additional acerage so do our tractors at the expense of weight which I do disdain.

My partner, early this summer bought an M125s Kubota...he liked my 5030 but needed the power so I got the M9. I don't need quite the power he does but 80 pto will get it done with some margin. Besides, it cost me a little under 3K to run the 5030 for 3 years of hard use and the 4.99/84 was too good to pass up.

I don't care for the '68 just because it's not enough power to make an appreciable difference over the DK65s and the DK65s has a better engine as far as longetivity is concerned. The 90 which is now a 95 and the engine in my 90 is a 95 (I ordered one of the last M9's built and it came through with the 95 engine) is more technologically advanced that the engine in the DK65 and is turbocharged and air to air cooled which equates to me as an efficient and longer lasting engine. I'm not planning to buy another new tractor in my lifetime (get the idea that I'm an old fart??), so my choice was get big and get done with it. I'd have like a 125X or a 125S, but the payment scared me. I do want to retire in the near future.

An amazing thing was I priced a NH TN90 optioned the same as the M9 righ down to the radial R1's. On "A" plan the TN90 was around 3K more than the M9 and, quite honestly, the dealer had a TN90 in the showroom and I looked it over carefully, I thoughtthe tractor wasn't built as stoutly as the Kubota or the Kioti for that matter. I'll take some flak for this, but I thought the TN90 was somewhat dainty (hope no NH fans read that). Maybe it was it's Itallian heritage, I'm not sure.

I read the first post about his thoughts that the NH was a lighter tractor....maybe he meant dainter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif