New Lurker With a Lots of Questions

[Tennsawdust]

For the amount of land you are tending I would definitely be looking at the DK or NX series. That NX6010HST would make a decent hay machine. It would have the muscle to do most anything you need to do on that size property.

 

[N2DFire]

Interesting you say that, I知 actually eyeballing a used NX6010HST. It痴 missing the 3rd function valve but I can always add that later.

We're not on quite as big a spread as you are and when we were shopping the older CK series didn't have a 40HP you had to move to the DK40 from the CK35 to go up.

My father and I went back and forth for months. I voted for DK40 - He voted for CK35 - since we were using my labor & his money, I got 1 vote & he got 2. :laughing:

After having the new machine home for a couple months he looked at me and asked "Do you think we should have gone bigger?"

My response - This little tractor will do everything a D9 dozer will do. It's just going to take longer, work harder, and make more trips to do it.

My point in this off the wall stroll down memory lane is this - there's ALWAYS going to be some job you could do faster or easier with a larger tractor, just be careful not to "Bigger is better" yourself out of the small jobs you'll end up doing by hand (or not doing) because you can't get the bigger tractor in there. If that's not a consideration then the size of your place could definitely justify the NX6010 and you're correct the 3rd function can be added fairly easily.

I also wanted the adjustable lower 3 pt hitch linkage arms....makes hooking up implements so much easier.

After growing up and spending the better part of 30 years using an 8N Ford, I thought those those things were the bees knees and one of the features we liked about Kioti over other brands when shopping. However about 1 year later I've added a (cheap HF model) quick hitch and hydraulic top link. Hooking up is even easier and the sliding linkage is never used (nor the really cool pin style sway control arms).

On yours and my CK series those were standard - on the newer CKXX10 series they are an upgrade (except on the SE models) and I would advise any new buyer to save the $$ on those and put it toward the rear remotes and a hydraulic toplink and QH. You'll get more versatility for the dollar (Esp since the rear remotes for the CKXX10 series is about half what the older CK series cost).

And talking about equipment big enough for a 60HP tractor - Quick Hitch is the way to go all day long.

 

[Threepoint]

OP, I have to agree with Finn1, Tennsawdust and N2DFire on tractor size. Your property and needs sound demanding. I don't think I'd go smaller than the NX series, and I'd seriously consider the NX6010HST. And I'd add a 3rd function and a grapple right away, given all your downed timber. Also, for year-round work in western Kentucky, a factory cab would be mighty nice, if you can budget it. Working in the woods with a cab tractor requires more care, though.

 

[DieselBound]

Identify the uses. Identify the tools/attachments you'll need, as these pretty much dictate how much tractor you need. Loader capacity, if loader work is high on the list (and even if it's not and you know you'll need to be moving certain amounts of weight, if you don't have the capacity then that task is off-limit). PTO capacity, especially if needing to run big mowers. As folks have stated, running with a smaller machine can generally get the job done, but it'll take longer. I was only running a Kubota B7800 for many years before getting my NX. The B7800 has done a TON of work, and though it took longer to do it I was better off that I took that time because I wasn't sure of exactly how I was going to work my property: if I'd have had bigger equipment I might have done stuff that I'd have regretted. Also, don't buy for doing 100%; think about renting bigger power for the occasional odd-job: I rent excavators; I do stuff that would be taxing for anything but the largest backhoes, in which case having a backhoe woudn't be fiscally prudent for me.

As Threepoint suggests, think about a cab: I think that he might have helped influence my decision (for which I'll forever be thankful). AC in the heat, heat in the cold. I've been able to work when otherwise I probably wouldn't have: and keep in mind that sometimes conditions demand that you work whether you want to or not! Cabs also help shield you from insects and brush: I have a LOT of invasive blackberries, the cab allows me to go after them without fear of having my flesh ripped to shreds (I have hundreds of hours battling them on my open-station B7800, so I know, ahem, first-hand). I also have a fair amount of wooded property and have to watch really carefully as I operate around my trees.

Larger equipment also means costs for attachments and repairs are larger. No real clear "win," all a matter of determining where to compromise.

I'm fortunate because I have two tractors, a small one, the B7800, and the larger one, the NX5510. I never plan on giving up the B7800 as it is extremely versatile: it is the ultimate zombie apocalypse vehicle

 

[PILOON]

With tractors HP is not the end all.
Gearing and traction (weight) is the more critical concern.
Outside of that only long distance travel needs high HP and travel gears.
Hey, what's the hurry!
Want to get there B4 you leave?

 

[DieselBound]

With tractors HP is not the end all.
Gearing and traction (weight) is the more critical concern.
Outside of that only long distance travel needs high HP and travel gears.
Hey, what's the hurry!
Want to get there B4 you leave?

Nothing is be all end all. But HP matters. PTO-driven equipment specifically calls out HP requirements. Can you run some things with an under-powered tractor? Yes, but it's also possible that performance wouldn't be adequate. And then there's loader function. It's true that given enough time one can make a loader lift a lot of weight, but then, try and carry that weight and move it around.

My B7800 could, barely, lift one of my wood crates. It could do so only under optimal conditions, and with minimal turning (which requires power). It couldn't, however, lift a crate to stack on another crate (nor lift to my deck). I could resolve the lift issue with different hydraulics, but I'd still be lacking in power for moving and turning.

Weight and traction does a lot for ground engaging work, box blades, plows and disks. Still, however, one need the requisite power to do meaningful work; that is, I'm NOT going to try and plow up 20 acres of land with my B7800 (or a heavier machine with same HP): not even sure I'd want to do it with my NX5510 (which has pretty decent weight with ballasted rears [as well as a cab and loader]): I was able to really bog it down with a 7' box blade- THAT was an HP issue, not a traction issue.

There are general guidelines for sure, but one has to know the exact functions that one needs to do, including the scale (and timelines), in order to make reasonable recommendations. Being able to specify requirements up-front makes all the difference in being able to produce desired results.