Which Cab tractor?

Wannafish · Feb 10, 2004

I'm getting ready to buy a tractor in the 60-70 h.p. range with loader, cab, and 4WD. I intend to use it for baling rounds on 300+ acres this year, with more acerage to be leased in the coming years, as well as snow removal in the winter.
I have a JD 4020 (96hp) that runs good and would be a good back up tractor (heaven forbid /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif), but would need a loader (at a minimum) to load and stack the rounds. Besides, I don't like the thought of round baling without a cab if I can help it.

I have narrowed it down to:

New Holland TN75 $ 38,500
Kubota M6800 $ 38,700
Kioti 65 DK $ 29,500

I realize the TN75 is larger, but PTO hp is only 62.

I am trying to justify $9000 more for the better known brand names, but could use the knowledge of the great group of people here for additional input.

I realize the Kioti name isn't as well known as the others but I haven't been able to find many negatives on this site or others about them. If all things are about equal I am leaning towards the Kioti.

Opinions anyone? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

ZJ_HR · Feb 10, 2004

Look at Agco GT series, built by SAME. It has good, quiet, flat floor cab with AC. I have one Same tractor, and I'm pretty satisfied. I don't know prices there, but must be cheaper than NH, and more than Kioti.
AGCO GT

Hope this helps,
ZJ

depratt_equip · Feb 10, 2004

I think you will be very happy with the Kioti if you plan to go that route. I have many customers who have the DK65 and do exactly what you plan on doing. They have all been very happy. The DK65 has a very nice and roomy cab and when you put the spec and features up to some of the other big names they are very impressive. The perkins engine in the DK65 is also very powerful and acutally puts out more engine and PTO HP than listed. Does that price listed included the QA bucket and bale spear? What kind of tires are you getting? All my customers have went with the Ind R-4 Tires and been very pleased. I think you will be very happy with the DK65 if you go that way.

yooperdave · Feb 10, 2004

You can get a 72 hp ZETOR with cab, 4wd & loader for around $30,500. The cab is supposed to be very good.

Maybe Chipperman might chime in and give you more of the specifics.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

Wannafish · Feb 10, 2004

Are the Industrial tires aggresive enough in the fields?
I would think for my use the Ag's would be better. I don't know what the difference would be while going down the road from site to site. Are the Industrials a smoother ride? Are they a harder compound so they last longer?

Woodbeef · Feb 10, 2004

I'd add the Valtra A series to your list along with the new MF 400 series with the factory cab.

Chillimau · Feb 10, 2004

Based on what others have said you may be a little short in the hp dept. The Kioti is 55 pto hp. The Kubota 62 pto hp. Depends on how hilly the terrain is. I would say 62-65 pto hp would be the bare minimum in hp. and you would probably really want 75 hp pto or more.

What about the 5420 or 5520 Deeres? I think they would be in the same price as the NH.

RichZ · Feb 10, 2004

I don't know anything about the Kioti, but I've heard that they're lighter than many other tractors, though I don't know if that's true. If that's the case, I would be concerned about that, because in haying, weight is just as important as horsepower. You don't want to be operating a baler with a tractor that's too light.

Hope that helps.

depratt_equip · Feb 10, 2004

My customers have found they have been aggressive enough for them. The are a much smoother ride on the roads and they are a more ply tire. They have worked really well in this area (kansas so its pretty flat)

Even though the Kioti is listed @ 55HP in the specs it is really more than that. From talking to people who have put them on a dyno they are running more around 60 PTO HP. Perkins always tends to under rate their engine in the spec sheets. Kioti has upgraded the clutch in the DK65's since they came out in 2001. The DK65 now uses an 80HP clutch. Upgrade in the clutch was made mid 2002. So all new Dk65's have the bigger clutch.

depratt_equip · Feb 10, 2004

The DK65 weighs in at 6482lbs. with the cab. Loader will add about another 1000lbs to the weight. Kioti is not a light tractor by any means. The weight in DK65 tractor mainly comes from thicker castings, which not only makes for a heavier but also a stronger tractor. If you compare that weight to the NH & Kubota you will see Kioti is not a light tractor.

NH TN75 weighs in @: 6602lbs. (no loader) Specs on NH Website are hard to read, correct if wrong on this. This is model TN75A
Kubota weighs in @: 6175lbs (no loader)

cowboydoc · Feb 10, 2004

What size baler do you have? With a cab figure you are going to lose at least 10hp to the cab. If you've got a baler that is requiring 60 or 70 hp you are going to be underpowered. Also if you are used to the power of the 4020 you are also going to be in for a rude awakening going down that much in hp and expecting it to be a back-up tractor for the 4020. 30 or 40 hp is a huge amount that you are talking about. I would look seriously at least in the 80hp range if you are truly looking for a backup tractor to the 4020.

Also 300 acres is ALOT of ground to expect that small of a tractor to perform on. That's asking alot of a small utility tractor. How many rounds are you putting up? On 300 acres I would assume you are doing 3000 plus bales a year. You need some pretty heavy duty equipment to accomplish that task.

cowboydoc · Feb 10, 2004

One other thing is if you are doing that much ground you are going to need a good dealer. Make sure you have a dealer close and that they have an excellent parts dept.

Wannafish · Feb 10, 2004

Cowboy Doc,
When I said backup tractor, I meant the 4020 could be the backup if something happened to the new one with hay down. Sorry for the confusion.

cowboydoc · Feb 10, 2004

My bad. I went back and I read it wrong. I would still seriously consider a bigger tractor for that much ground haying.

rtimgray · Feb 10, 2004

The fella that does our hay baling and rolling and does a lot more for himself and others uses an old International 560, which I think is around 60 hp and 6000 lbs. He uses an older New Holland roller (can't remember the model - maybe like a 426 or something, but I may be way off...anyway). I think the rolls are in the 1200-1500 pound range. He has no problems and takes this tricycle tractor and roller on hills that I would just as soon not walk on. I would say that any of the tractors that you are looking at would do the job, and I would (of course, being a Kioti owner) lean towards the Kioti.

Having said that, I would also agree with Cowboydoc that it will be quite a step down in power from the 4020 and that more horsepower to roll 300 acres+ wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Unfortunately, Kioti stops at 65 (or at least that is as big as they import for now), so that would drop it from the race.

Good luck with your search.

Wannafish · Feb 10, 2004

Keep the replies coming. They're great. A lot of good information out here, and I appreciate all of it.

art · Feb 10, 2004

Did the Kubota 6800 have the hydraulic shuttle?

motorjock · Feb 11, 2004

Prices must be high up there. I got a quote for a TN75D 4wd 16x16 trans w/loader for $33,500 in the Dallas, Texas area. Was there something special about that $38,000 quote

Wannafish · Feb 11, 2004

Motorjock,
That's the same price I was quoted without the cab. Maybe I need to come down there and drive it home to Michigan. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif