Thinking on a new Kioti sub-compact

Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
3,393
I have about 2 acres that I care for up here in Western New York. Hot summers and some relatively cold winters.

Mowing, tilling, moving stuff, snow removal, etc. Previous owners left this property kinda wild and I've already cleaned a lot of it up.

I have a 1984 John Deere 316 that I faithfully use for mowing and snow blowing. It has a 570cc 18HP Vanguard re-power and runs great. I have some "temporary" metal on the tractor at the moment as its original had gone out for powder coat. My goal this summer is to fully restore this old unit and use it for another 30 years.

In addition to this, I am considering a new Kioti CS sub-compact tractor. Looking at the Kioti CS2220 with a front-end loader and 60" deck. I like the standard features of the Kioti and hear a lot of good things. I am thinking of more and more dirt work that I can accomplish with a loader and really get this yard looking good. Thinking it will be a nice compliment to the 316 and additionally give me plenty of time to take it easy on the restoration. Also, I can't see any complaints about having a bucket for backup snow removal/ snow moving in Winter.

Anyone have a Kioti?

I did briefly look at new 1-series Deere's and I don't really know if they're 5-8k better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JTK
With only 2 acres to attend to and a restoration planned for your 316 why not add a second hydraulic circuit and spool to the 316? With the Vanguard engine you’ll probably have to tweak the hydraulic lines and add a second hydraulic lever ( from a 317, 318, etc donor) but you’ll be able to put a Johnny bucket up front and a tiller out back and save a boat load of money over the cost of a new CUT. BTW that Vanguard is one of the best OPE engines ever built! (y)
 
I have 5 acres, 2 are wooded. I contemplated buying a small tractor and most of them regardless of brand seem to be made in South Korea.
The only reason I haven't bought one is because I have an awesome neighbor that's retired and gladly does anything I need done for cheap.

Almost bought this RK tractor made by TYM South Korea. It is model RK21, the L72 is the front end loader attachment.


IMG_1114.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: JTK
About 10-12yrs ago my FIL bought a new Kioti 4x4 compact utility tractor for the properties he was managing. It had a FEL and a tow behind PTO driven mower. It had a 2 or 3 cyl daedong diesel in it. I used it a few times and it was really nice. Those were the days though, I think all the above was barely $12K at the time. No idea how these things are priced today.
 
I have 5 acres, 2 are wooded. I contemplated buying a small tractor and most of them regardless of brand seem to be made in South Korea.
The only reason I haven't bought one is because I have an awesome neighbor that's retired and gladly does anything I need done for cheap.

Almost bought this RK tractor made by TYM South Korea. It is model RK21, the L72 is the front end loader attachment.


View attachment 96842
I would suggest get the model with larger tires. My neighbor has a John Deere that size and while it works hard. the smaller tires limit its usefulness in less than ideal conditions. Rough field use and the lack of lift with implements mounted on the back.
 
I dont have a Kioti but I hear good things about them. I looked at them before I bought my Kubota B7500 but I got mine used for a good discount. The Kioti has good weight which is important for doing any real dirt work but you will need to either load the rear tires or keep a heavy blade on the 3 point when you are doing bucket work. The Ag tires will tear up your turf in turns and leave a washboard track anytime the lawn is damp and you have any load. I dont think the Kioti is a 4wd which might be a problem if you are planing on doing any heavy pushing/pulling with a rear blade or the front end loader. You could get Turf tires and use chains when in snow or soft ground which is what I did because my lawn is 6 ac and I could not afford a dedicated mower for that much grass, your situation is a bit different because you already have a mower that will handle 2 ac with ease and could dedicate you Kioti to heavier work. I dont know what I would do without the FEL, that was the best attachment I ever bought. It leveled a a 25x15 pads and filed it with 20 tons of crusher run for a storage building out back and helped clear my 250 ft driveway for 6 years until I bought a snow blower. Anytime the snow gets deeper than your back blade is tall the FEL is the only way to go.
I will say that as much as I need this equipment the cost and maint of an HST CUT can be substantial for 2 ac. A complete fluid and filter change costs me about $250+. The 2 HST filters, 1 oil filter, 2 Air filters, 1 fuel filter, 4 gallons of Hydraulic fluid, 1 gal of oil and a full tube of grease. Hydraulic filters run $15-$20/ea, air filters are $25-$40/ea, Hydraulic fluid $25/gal and then there is the FULL day it takes to change them and hit all the zerks.

Edit: I see it is a 4wd sorry and 1600 lbs so thats allot of tractor for 2 ac.
 
Last edited:
I would suggest get the model with larger tires. My neighbor has a John Deere that size and while it works hard. the smaller tires limit its usefulness in less than ideal conditions. Rough field use and the lack of lift with implements mounted on the back.

Good to know, thanks
 
I dont have a Kioti but I hear good things about them. I looked at them before I bought my Kubota B7500 but I got mine used for a good discount. The Kioti has good weight which is important for doing any real dirt work but you will need to either load the rear tires or keep a heavy blade on the 3 point when you are doing bucket work. The Ag tires will tear up your turf in turns and leave a washboard track anytime the lawn is damp and you have any load. I dont think the Kioti is a 4wd which might be a problem if you are planing on doing any heavy pushing/pulling with a rear blade or the front end loader. You could get Turf tires and use chains when in snow or soft ground which is what I did because my lawn is 6 ac and I could not afford a dedicated mower for that much grass, your situation is a bit different because you already have a mower that will handle 2 ac with ease and could dedicate you Kioti to heavier work. I dont know what I would do without the FEL, that was the best attachment I ever bought. It leveled a a 25x15 pads and filed it with 20 tons of crusher run for a storage building out back and helped clear my 250 ft driveway for 6 years until I bought a snow blower. Anytime the snow gets deeper than your back blade is tall the FEL is the only way to go.
I will say that as much as I need this equipment the cost and maint of an HST CUT can be substantial for 2 ac. A complete fluid and filter change costs me about $250+. The 2 HST filters, 1 oil filter, 2 Air filters, 1 fuel filter, 4 gallons of Hydraulic fluid, 1 gal of oil and a full tube of grease. Hydraulic filters run $15-$20/ea, air filters are $25-$40/ea, Hydraulic fluid $25/gal and then there is the FULL day it takes to change them and hit all the zerks.

Edit: I see it is a 4wd sorry and 1600 lbs so thats allot of tractor for 2 ac.
My father has a B7500, nice tractors for sure. Yeah the Kubota HST fluid isn't the cheapest in the world that's for sure.
 
Slightly used Deere with larger tires? I don't have anything to say about Kioti one way or the other, but there is something to be said about the Deere/Kubota dealer network and parts availability. Kubota/Deere will also have better resale value. I know that a CUT with a loader is something you can always use, but what about when your land is cleared, you want to upgrade/downgrade, etc?
 
One huge plus about a John Deere tractor is parts. I used to own a 3410 John Deere and sold it when the house I bought came with a DK45 Kioti The Kioti is a nice tractor .
 
Slightly used Deere with larger tires? I don't have anything to say about Kioti one way or the other, but there is something to be said about the Deere/Kubota dealer network and parts availability. Kubota/Deere will also have better resale value. I know that a CUT with a loader is something you can always use, but what about when your land is cleared, you want to upgrade/downgrade, etc?
John Deere has some 0% financing at times . One of my friends bought a brand new Deere with 0% financing and the over all cost was less with the new tractor.
 
I dont have a Kioti but I hear good things about them. I looked at them before I bought my Kubota B7500 but I got mine used for a good discount. The Kioti has good weight which is important for doing any real dirt work but you will need to either load the rear tires or keep a heavy blade on the 3 point when you are doing bucket work. The Ag tires will tear up your turf in turns and leave a washboard track anytime the lawn is damp and you have any load. I dont think the Kioti is a 4wd which might be a problem if you are planing on doing any heavy pushing/pulling with a rear blade or the front end loader. You could get Turf tires and use chains when in snow or soft ground which is what I did because my lawn is 6 ac and I could not afford a dedicated mower for that much grass, your situation is a bit different because you already have a mower that will handle 2 ac with ease and could dedicate you Kioti to heavier work. I dont know what I would do without the FEL, that was the best attachment I ever bought. It leveled a a 25x15 pads and filed it with 20 tons of crusher run for a storage building out back and helped clear my 250 ft driveway for 6 years until I bought a snow blower. Anytime the snow gets deeper than your back blade is tall the FEL is the only way to go.
I will say that as much as I need this equipment the cost and maint of an HST CUT can be substantial for 2 ac. A complete fluid and filter change costs me about $250+. The 2 HST filters, 1 oil filter, 2 Air filters, 1 fuel filter, 4 gallons of Hydraulic fluid, 1 gal of oil and a full tube of grease. Hydraulic filters run $15-$20/ea, air filters are $25-$40/ea, Hydraulic fluid $25/gal and then there is the FULL day it takes to change them and hit all the zerks.

Edit: I see it is a 4wd sorry and 1600 lbs so thats allot of tractor for 2 ac.
4 WD is a must have .
 
Ignore the thumbnail but this Tractor Time with Tim makes some good points.

I personally went with Kubota because:
1. Cost difference was negligible between them and Kioti.
2. Way more online forum posts about maintenance about Kubota.
3. More aftermarket accessories available that were specifically marketed towards Kubota.
4. True 0% 84 month financing on my Kubota vs. “0% 60 month financing” with the Kioti that also racked on $3100 to the purchase price up front.
5. Dealer network. There are 8 Kubota dealers that all have been around for at least 25 years within my immediate area vs 2 Kioti dealers, both of whom have been selling their machines for between 1 and 15 years.
 
Last edited:
Anyone have a Kioti?

I did briefly look at new 1-series Deere's and I don't really know if they're 5-8k better.
A co-worker bought one 10-12 years ago under the Bobcat name. 4wd with a front loader. He bought it to primarily clear his driveway of snow.

He found out the hard way that the differential was under engineered. If you turned the front wheels with a full loader on pavement that had been cleared, the gear would break. This was the gear that they started with and built the tractor around. It was a very expensive fix not covered by warrantee. He was not the only one to experience that failure. As he was writing the check for the repair, he looked at me and said: "I should have listened to you and bought the John Deere".

It's something you should research to see if that issue has been addressed.

Ed
 
This evening, while the places were closed, I looked at a CS2210 in person (older but about same size). I thought it was a bit small in size, especially fitting a big fella like myself. When I sat on it I thought the pedals could be farther forward and more space in the operator station.

I then went to LandPro (local JD dealer) and sat on a 1025R, a lot more room. Comfort is a big thing especially when you're buying something new. Pedals are forward -- much more comfortable, more room between the seat and wheel, overall I felt more "connected". Hard to explain.

Comfort and parts/dealer network might just put me to Deere. I would look sweet next to my restored (eventually!) 1984 316!

For comparison sake though I do gotta check out some Kubota BX.
 
I have about 2 acres that I care for up here in Western New York. Hot summers and some relatively cold winters.

Mowing, tilling, moving stuff, snow removal, etc. Previous owners left this property kinda wild and I've already cleaned a lot of it up.

I have a 1984 John Deere 316 that I faithfully use for mowing and snow blowing. It has a 570cc 18HP Vanguard re-power and runs great. I have some "temporary" metal on the tractor at the moment as its original had gone out for powder coat. My goal this summer is to fully restore this old unit and use it for another 30 years.

In addition to this, I am considering a new Kioti CS sub-compact tractor. Looking at the Kioti CS2220 with a front-end loader and 60" deck. I like the standard features of the Kioti and hear a lot of good things. I am thinking of more and more dirt work that I can accomplish with a loader and really get this yard looking good. Thinking it will be a nice compliment to the 316 and additionally give me plenty of time to take it easy on the restoration. Also, I can't see any complaints about having a bucket for backup snow removal/ snow moving in Winter.

Anyone have a Kioti?

I did briefly look at new 1-series Deere's and I don't really know if they're 5-8k better.
kioti parts are hard to find. Not much of dealer network. Dealers pop up and close or change brands. Can’t get information like parts diagram. i have been unable to even cross reference oil & hydraulic filters. Have to buy OEM.
Had to replace hydraulic pump. Usually rebuild kit is all that’s needed. Not this one. Pistons had gone through rings eating up aluminum block. New pump was 3 times price of John Deere or Kubota. Usually I can go to hydraulic shop and buy pump for less. Not Kioti pumps.
Some of the controls operate backwards from other tractors.
I suggest buying tractor with good dealer network.
 
I've got a 2011 DK40SE HST, with almost 800hrs, which I've kind of abused a bit, but its been a very good tractor. Kioti didn't get too much wrong with the engineering on my tractor, as far as I can tell. Its only been filters and oil, and a battery lead so far. For dirt work you want some weight for sure, and a box blade if you want to level areas, or even move dirt a short distance. I have a hydraulic top link which really helps with the box blade and almost all attachments I have. Or for digging small holes or trench's, a back hoe is nice to have, the integrated hoe's would be nice.

For me, the Kioti was an easy choice, as they had the best dealer in my area, was the cheapest, had the most standard features, and most weight in that size of tractor. Do your research for the jobs you want to do, find which tractors for the money are best suited, do some reading if there's any significant problems on the models you are interested in, and go and visit the local dealers, as there might be some that you don't want to "deal" with... Usually the "off brands" have a much smaller dealership and so your tractor is actually a significant sale for them, and they usually only have one brand of tractor to keep current on, but it would be nice to have a couple dealers with the brand within reasonable driving distance.
 
I have. Cs2210 with FEL and deck mower. The fuel cap seal broke apart and got a piece in the tank. Dealer fixed asap. Only issue I have had. Love the tractor use it on 4.5 acres mowing about 2 acres. Put chains on in winter to clear driveway and installed led light bar.

Kubuto required insurance thru them to finance and was expensive. Deal breaker for me.

Put on my homeowners and got 0% interest thru kioti. Great deal.
 
Back
Top