Kioti Front axle

[IH3444]

After comparing the front axles of Kioti and Kubota, it looks to me to be the exact same front axle design arrangement. The housing that supports the bevel gear which transmits the power to the front wheels is massive. Do all theses 4WD, front wheel assist compact tractors use basicly the same system. I've looked also at John Deere, and New Holland and their front knuckle units appear smaller. Was wondering if they use a different system of power transfer, or are the same arrangement, just smaller. Thanks again, IH3444

 

[dbear]

What is they say, that function dictates form?

 

[IH3444]

Da Vinci, form follows function. It looks like it's bevel gear tight turn radius, verse planetary gear low cost to mfg. NH gets a tighter turn with super steer planetary. Does anyone know if Kioti use the Gleason Coniflex bevel gear system. It's an industry standard for bevel gear now, due to it's high strength.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="green"> Do all theses 4WD, front wheel assist compact tractors use basicly the same system. </font>

Basically yes, they are reasonably close to the same. But there are differences that you may not see from any sort of external examination. For example, as you correctly point out not all use a bevel gear and there are different types of those in the front axle but to determine which have that you might have to take the front end apart. And there will always be a discussion on which gearing is better or is some better for some applications and not for other. The same applies to the front ends that offer automatic engagement of the 4wd systems, or have multi speed front axles, etc. As for the differences in size between some of them, it could simply be an issue of metalurgy, it is no secret that lower grade alloys or recycled metals must be thicker to equal the strength of higher grade alloys which can be both thinner and stronger, further it could be a design choice to distribute more weight to a specific area of the tractor, further, it could be an engineering issue where the type of gears used are able to be made smaller so the housing can be made smaller. I doubt the size is a strength issue as the Jinma tractors have some pretty massive castings, yet their front ends and gears are a weak point in the tractors when the loaders are heavily worked and things like worm gears seem to break down, so simple size is not an effective way to judge strength, durability or design sophistication.

 

[IH3444]

Agreed, massive thick casting doesn't necessarily mean high alloy steel, and good heat treatment process. I think that mostly applies to the chinese made ones. The south koreans and Japanese metallury is most likely the tops. I cut my teeth after college in a metallurgy, mechanical engineering investigative group for failures, as well as being on a team that worked on some of the most advanced, and cutting edge systems for the Navy. One good thing about heavy casting, even less quality ones is their ability to handle shock loading, as long as there are a minimum of inclusions, or better yet none at all. Hey, they are tractors, they're suppose to be heavy, if you worried about weight, go design aircraft. I have read where some people wished their machine of choice weighted more.

 

[albmn10]

Good points IH, I am one of those who definitely favors weight in a tractor. Some may say they can always add weight to their machines but most of these machines are not designed to carry alot of excess weight for long periods of time. Your observations of the Kiotis was just how i saw it as well.

 

[Dargo]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am one of those who definitely favors weight in a tractor. )</font>

Then why didn't you buy Chinese?! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Most of the Chinese tractors I compared to Kioti were much heavier in weight.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( I am one of those who definitely favors weight in a tractor. )</font>

Then why didn't you buy Chinese?! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Most of the Chinese tractors I compared to Kioti were much heavier in weight. )</font>


Have you looked at the Tractor King line up at Rural King stores? They seem to be very heavy machines and are lower priced per hp or pound than just about anything I've seen. Pretty nice looking machines too. Not the most technologically advanced, they don't have the digital dash displays you get with John Deere or the ergonomics of a New Holland, but for the price they seem to be a tough machine to beat.

 

[albmn10]

Dargo , because we werent talking about Chinese tractors, if you and Bob like the rural king, go buy one.... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[IH3444]

I have only seen the rural kings on the web, I would like to see them also up close. I'm a bit convinced that some south korean factory is making front axles for both Kioti, and Kubota. The axles look idenical for some models. I could be mistaken. The person whom I met, and looked at his DK45C, he bought last year, said he has meet people at the Kioti dealer who are buying parts for their Kubotas, because the prices was cheaper. May have only been filters. I saw some Belarus tractors along the road being sold maybe 10 years ago. They were gone quick. Huge massive castings, very rough, but heck, it's a tractor. I have seen that they are almost a past era in the states here now. See one every now and then for sale in the classified, doesn't seem to be much market for them. I would wonder if you could get parts for them any more. I remember a neighbor telling of the tractor shop his father worked, and a chinese tractor was brought in, almost new, but out of any warrenty. I think he said the fellow payed about $6K for it. Well the crankshsft had broken, most likely from lugging it too much, and the new one from china was $2200, and that was over 5 years ago. Plus they had to wait for it for about 4 months, then pay to install it. After hearing that story, I thought it would have been cheaper to buy a brand new chinese tractor, same model if possible, and use the broken one for parts. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif