Stumbled into a Kioti dealer today.

[LMychajluk]

Passed it many times, but was never in the market for a tractor before. Actually thought it was a Kubota dealer. ;D

Anyway, Kioti wasn't on my radar, and have kind of been leaning towards a Mahindra 1526, but was going to wait on seeing the new 1626 or 1635. In the meantime, I thought I'd give the Kubotas a longer look, which is how I ended up at the Kioti dealer. While there, I kind of liked what I saw in the Kioti CK2510 and the slightly larger CK2610. Seemed like a nice alternative to the B2650 I was looking to check out. Not being as familiar with Kioti, I came home and did a little reading around here and watched a couple of YouTube videos, and now I'm curious about the CK3510SE (though not convinced I want to get into a >26ho, DPF-equipped machine). Seems to have a nice set of features, like the linked pedals, braided steel hydraulic lines, and 3pt setup. I also like that the Kiotis seem to have a higher hydraulic flow than most of the other brands. That opens up some options, like running a small SSL-mounted log splitter on the loader while having a chipper hanging on the 3pt. Pricing seemed reasonable and financing terms were pretty good, too. My only concern was that when I asked about a 3rd function for a grapple the dealer tried to steer me towards running hoses from the remotes and using those controls instead of a joystick-mounted switch, but I can discuss that more with him later.

My one concern with the Kiotis, and this was a concern w/ the Kubotas I was going to look at as well, is that they seem a bit narrow. The Kubotas have options for wheel spacers, but I didn't see that for the Kiotis. Given that any tractor I get will often see use on a hillside (I may be building some retaining walls over the next couple of years), I had some concerns about the stability of a ~55" wide machine. On the other hand, I didn't want to get too wide because I'd like to use it for cleaning up some deadfall in the woods around the house, so narrow can be useful, too. The Mahindra 1526, for comparison, is 63" wide (~8" wider than the Kiotis and Kubotas), but about 250# lighter than the CK2610, and ~500# lighter than the CK3510SE. Can anyone with a CK-series Kiota comment on the stability of these machines?

Thanks for any comments!

 

[tiogajoe]

I have a 2610 with ag tires that are filled with rim guard. Our property varies in terrain and has a lot of dips and ruts. Never felt unstable. I do keep the FEL as low as possible when loaded and always keep my 430lb rear blade on if work space permits. It's good to take a walk around unfamiliar terrain to look for any hazards before getting on your machine.

 

[LMychajluk]

Thanks. The terrain isn't unfamiliar to me. I grew up clearing it and mowing it, so I'm pretty familiar with it. We're talking ~3 acres of mostly cleared lawn (with a few trees / bushes) around a house plus getting into the surrounding woods a bit here and there. I'm not as concerned with dips and/or divots as I am just driving across the hillside in spots. For comparison, we have a larger riding mower that we use. Specs say it's 62" wide, but I think that's with the 50" mowing deck's deflector, so not sure what the actual wheel width is, but it's probably close to that 50" deck width. There are one or two areas on the lawn that you have to be pretty careful how you turn and lean in order to keep all the wheels on the ground, hence one of the reasons I'd like to build some retaining walls and level some of those areas. But, I need to be able to get into those areas with the back hoe to dig out the footings for those walls, and maybe work across the hillside.

 

[tiogajoe]

I traded a 2510 for the 2610. Big difference in stability. The 2610 is much better hands down. It may be better for you to dig into the hillside to create a more level area to work from to build your footings? Where are you in NY?

 

[LMychajluk]

Our place is in Sullivan Cty, outside of Liberty.

Comparing the 2510 to the 2610, the 2610 seems about 5" wider and 500# heavier.

I was just playing around w/ Google Earth. I figure overall the average slope from the top of our cleared area to the bottom is about 14%, with the house sitting on a leveled area about 1/3 of the way down the hill. The hill above the house is where I want to build a tier or two of walls, and its about an 11% grade. The hill behind the house might be a bit steeper at ~15%, and this is one of the steeper areas I'm worried about. I may eventually try to do something back there, too, but I would also have to figure out what to do with the septic tank and leech field.

As far as digging in, i was thinking more that I would build the walls and fill in behind them.

 

[Sawworcs]

I put a tape measure on the ck3510 with r4 tires and it was 60” wide at the rear tires. I also measured a ck3510 with ag tires and it was 66” with the wheel plates tuned out to there widest position. I was competing to JD and the Kioti was wider.

 

[SDT]

Not sure what the CK3510SE is (have CK brochure in hand) but if it is a gear drive model, I expect that you will find that it is a three speed (+reverse), three range transmission. I expect that you will also find that it is not synchronized in all forward gears. Finally, it is likely (again not sure what a SE version is) that it does not have live PTO. All three issues are show stoppers for me. Ignore comments for HST models.

Regarding tractor powered log splitters: This is nearly always a bad idea due to long cycle times, excessive fuel consumption and increased wear and tear. Few if any folks are satisfied with such arrangements even with larger tractors.

SDT

 

[LMychajluk]

Thanks for the measurements, Sawworcs. I was thinking that the 55" in the specs seemed a little narrow. 60" w/ R4s seems reasonable.

The -SE models (as far as I can figure) just have more options standard (see below). I'm thinking since it's a 'standard' factory package, it would be cheaper than getting the options added individually. They also have a "Link Pedal" option, which allows you to link the throttle to the HST pedals, increasing throttle the more you push (like JD's eThrottle, I guess). You can get the -SE in Shuttle or HST, but only in the CK 35- and 40- series.
CK351SE HST | Kioti Tractors
Standard Features:
Headlights
Signal Lamp
Parking Brake
Hydrostatic Power Steering
Wet Multi Disc Brakes
Single Lever Joystick
Rear PTO
Flip Up PTO Cover
Illuminatated Dashboard
Cup Holder
Tilt Steering
Horn
Dual Armrest
Telescopic Lower Link
Telescopic Stabilizers
Side View Mirror
Toolbox
Floormat
Dual Air Cleaner Element
Dual Remote Hydraulic Valves (4 port) (Spring/Detent)
Cruise Control
Link Pedal

Thanks for the tip on the splitter. It was just a thought. This being my first 'real' tractor, I'm not 100% sure what uses I could find for it, so I'm looking at 'features' that would make the tractor more versatile down the line.

 

[tiogajoe]

I put a tape measure on the ck3510 with r4 tires and it was 60” wide at the rear tires. I also measured a ck3510 with ag tires and it was 66” with the wheel plates tuned out to there widest position. I was competing to JD and the Kioti was wider.

Ya my 2610's 60" Fel bucket has no problem covering the width of my tractor with AG tires. A 14% grade is pretty darn steep. I think you would have a stability concern with just about any machine?

 

[LMychajluk]

I found a pic that sort of shows one of the areas I'm a bit concerned with, though it's probably hard to judge steepness from a photo. The top of the hill area (to the left) isn't bad, but the area to the right of the little tree drops off and is a bit steeper for about 20' before leveling out in front of the house, which is off to the right. That's one of the areas that I'm hoping to level out with a retaining wall. There's also a slope directly behind the house that is at least as steep. The area behind the house I can sort of drive around, but if I'm just wondering what I would do if I need to dig there for a retaining wall, french drain against the house, etc...



We've had a couple of riding mowers and ATVs, and we've never managed to flip anything, but as I mentioned, you can lean into the hill to change the balance on these smaller machines. I've also driven my truck across the area behind the house without much thought, but that's a 7'+(?) wheel width.