Taking the plunge

[duanekeys]

I'm days away from signing for my first tractor. My wife and I have 10 acres and we raise goats. Some of the things we plan to do with the tractor include:

- moving round bales
- caring for 1/4 mile long driveway
- brush hogging approximately 7 acres cross fenced into 8 smaller paddocks (smallest gate is an 8', most are 10')
- several smaller loader projects that have piled up (pun unintended)
- cleaning out winter bedding from barns
- consolidating a few brush piles
- cleaning up waste hay from round bales
- turning compost piles of waste hay and bedding
- loading an old ground driven manure spreader with compost


I've gotten the following quote from S&H Farm Supply in Rogersville, MO:

DS4510 with KL402 loader (quick attach)
Bale fork for FEL (quick attach)
6' Brush Hog Brand rotary cutter
18' tandem axle flat bed trailer with bull dog hitch and ramps with built in storage for ramps

Total is $21,985 (cash price)

I will also need a box blade, they list for $645 at S&H.

Does this seem like enough tractor for the job? Is the price fair? I feel like it is compared to the Kubota packages I've seen advertised locally.

 

[Kyle241]

I believe it will be enough tractor for the tasks you listed however the pricing I can't comment on as a) I'm a Canuck and our prices are whacked! and b) I have never priced a DS!

 

[duanekeys]

I took a serious look and for the extra features asked the dealer to quote me the same package with a DK40SE. He came back with only 1600 more so I think I'm going to take that deal. Picking it up on Friday!

 

[dennis52]

Have had my DS4510HS for about 3 weeks now and have done 45 hrs of heavy slashing on steep country. I have found the Kioti ( with a loader and 5ft slasher) very stable on slopes, even with a narrow rear wheel setting and no tyre ballast.

The tractor is also very maneuverable amongst the trees. Plenty of power and lift capacity.

Prices here are about 30% higher than USA but, locally, the Kioti package was, by far, the best value for your dollar.

I was in the Kubota dealership, just today, having another good look at the Kubota L4400, which was my initial benchmark for a new tractor.

This just confirmed for me, again, the high build quality of the Kioti

 

[duanekeys]

For the search engines and others doing research the package I'm getting is now:

cash price
DK40SE with KL401 Loader and 72" bucket
6' Brush Hog Rotary Cutter
Bale Fork for FEL
18' Tandem axle flat bed trailer with built in ramps and bulldog hitch
66" box blade

Total package price is $24,160 from S&H Farm Supply in Rogersville, MO.

 

[rd_macgregor]

You didn't mention what kind of tires you decided on. I hae to agree with Island tractor who said, the DK40 is the "sweet spot" in the Kioti line.
I think soon you'll be looking for at least a tooth bar for your loader bucket, and maybe a bucket grapple or grapple rake. By itself, a loader bucket is almost useless for moving brush and, with a smooth front edge, it also doesn't cut into a fibrous compost/manure pile very well (we have horses, so lots of that!); chips bedding with goat pellets might be easier, though.
You're gonna love that tractor!!

BOB

 

[duanekeys]

It comes with the Ag tires. A neighbor has a bobcat with a grapple bucket. I'm hoping to borrow it come stall cleaning time!

 

[rd_macgregor]

Good idea on borrowing the Bobcat. I'd be worried about knocking out a support post or something if I operated my DK45SC inside a barn; it turns really nicely, but nowhere near as tightly as a skid steer.

BOB

 

[duanekeys]

Good idea on borrowing the Bobcat. I'd be worried about knocking out a support post or something if I operated my DK45SC inside a barn; it turns really nicely, but nowhere near as tightly as a skid steer.

BOB

Oh no, I meant just borrowing the grapple... But I'll need another set of remotes to work it. That'll be down the road a bit.

The areas I need to clean out are straight shots, I think I can manage the tractor in that space. We'll see!

 

[CowwFace]

Hey Duane,

That looks like a dang good price to me. My DK40SE HST is 2 years old now .. I paid about 20k for Tractor, FEL and 96" rear blade .. No trailer ... so I think you're sitting pretty there.

About the Box Blade ... I've had no problem pulling/pushing with the 8' rear blade on my DK40 ... do you think 5' is going to be big enough? (easy for me to spend your money!). If you need the smaller width for cleaning stalls etc I get it.. but I would not be afraid to go a bit wider also?

Tractor on

 

[duanekeys]

I ended up with a 72" box blade after all. Just got mixed up...

Getting closer to pick-up time!

 

[rd_macgregor]

Duane, take a look at the thread on the Kioti Owning/Operating page about Quick Attachment Interchangeability. This has good description of options for either adding more hydraulic functions versus laying in hose from the remote to the FEL to run a grapple (or whatever)...which is what I did. I'd love to have more outlets, but I can get by with plumbing from the remote until the time comes that I need to connect TWO devices at the same time.

BOB

 

[IslandTractor]

Sounds like you got a great deal on the DK40se. I've had mine for a bit over three and a half years now and love it. A reliable brute that is also very easy and comfortable to operate. If you are like most of us it will take you a few hours to get comfortable if you are coming from a smaller tractor but after a while it fits like a glove.

I would recommend getting an extra remote and having the rear tires filled by the dealer. You'll spin the rears a lot without extra ballast even in 4wd. The extra remote allows a lot of flexibility and isn't that much extra. I think I paid an additional $350 for the second remote. Prices are probably a bit higher now but that is still a great bargain compared to what JD or NH etc charge for the extra remotes which is two or three times that amount. Not a real big job to add later either. My second remote is always hooked up to the topping lift which is a very worthwhile addition if you are mowing.

 

[duanekeys]

Here she is after we got it all unloaded. I used the FEL to unload the box blade and the forks of the front, then went and moved a round bale (just because I could). In the background of the photo you'll see the PITA bale trailer we've been using for some time now. It goes on Craigslist tomorrow!

First impressions: **** this is a nice piece of machinery.

A little thing to get used to: I drive a manual transmission car and have the habit of moving the gear shift from side to side to make sure I'm in neutral. I need to break this habit, at least while on the tractor, as that joy stick on the right, is the loader, not a shifter! I did this a couple of times and pitched the loader up and down several times.

 

[grsthegreat]

Oh no, I meant just borrowing the grapple... But I'll need another set of remotes to work it. That'll be down the road a bit.

The areas I need to clean out are straight shots, I think I can manage the tractor in that space. We'll see!

the tractor comes with one set of rear remotes. just get a set of hoses long enuf to reach the front loader, and you can run the grapple with these.

 

[fdmars]

Great looking tractor...Have fun

 

[duanekeys]

Thought I'd post a photo of my wife and "her" tractor (I let her think that ).

These are typical of the size of round bales we've been dealing with. I do find that I need the box blade on the rear when moving them around.

 

[Sabretooth]

Thought I'd post a photo of my wife and "her" tractor (I let her think that ).

These are typical of the size of round bales we've been dealing with. I do find that I need the box blade on the rear when moving them around.

Whatcha ya talkin bout willis it is HER tractor she just let you pay for it :laughing:
shes on it 9/10 of the law is completed sorry\\\


Edit: I do the same thing I drive a STICK and same thing with the joystick It is hard habit to break glad to know I am not the only one

And btw sweet tractor tell the the wife good luck with it

 

[duanekeys]

I wish the neutral indicator light were brighter, then maybe I would feel the need to confirm neutral all the time. I've managed to avoid wiggling the loader but I am paranoid for some reason that I will leave it in gear on accident.

I wonder if its possible to make it brighter with a different bulb.