Both utility · Kioti against LS Tractor
Kioti DK5020 vs LS MT345E
| Spec | Kioti DK5020 | LS MT345E |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$32,871 | ~$33,713 |
| What that price is | MSRP, base build | dealer list, not MSRP |
| Size class | Utility | Utility |
| Transmission | Shuttle | Gear |
| Engine hp | 50.3 hp | 45 hp |
| PTO hp | 41.5 hp | 36 hp |
| Loader lift | 2,474 lbsat the pivot pin | 2,360 lbsmeasuring point not recorded |
| Three-point lift | 2,716 lbsmeasuring point not recorded | 2,910 lbsat the ball ends |
| Hydraulic flow | 16.5 GPM | 13 GPM |
| Drive | 4WD | 4WD |
| Engine | Daedong | LS |
| Weight | 3,373 lbs | 3,724 lbs |
| Fuel tank | 11.9 gal | 13.7 gal |
| 4WD | Yes | Yes |
| Front loader | Yes | Yes |
| Cab available | No | No |
| Hydrostatic | No | No |
| Power steering | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise control | No | No |
| Warranty | 6 yr / unlimited hr powertrain | 6 yr powertrain |
A highlighted cell wins its row on the rule named above the table: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price. A lift row is left unwon whenever the two makers measured in different places, or where either of them did not say — a figure quoted at the pivot pin and one quoted 500 mm ahead of it describe the same loader and differ by roughly a third, so ranking them against each other would invent a result. Prices are typical list and move with dealer packages.
From owner discussion and long-term write-ups
What owners of each one say
Kioti DK5020
What they like
- 41.5 PTO hp is 83 percent of gross, a far better conversion than the hydrostatic DK models manage, and it is what a nine-foot mower or a baler actually sees
- $32,871 undercuts the 44.9 hp hydrostatic DK4720 by $1,344 while adding 5.4 engine hp
- 2,716 lb at the 3-point with 16.5 gpm behind it handles heavy rear implements
- Synchro shuttle changes direction without stopping, which is what field work wants and where an HST loses efficiency
- 72 months of powertrain coverage with no hour limit
What they complain about
- A shuttle means a clutch pedal on every direction change, so long loader sessions are more work than on the hydrostatic DK4720
- Kioti's page lists ranges rather than a clear total gear count, so the number of forward and reverse speeds is not plainly published
- 3,373 lb is 150 lb lighter than the DK4220 and DK4720, so it needs rear ballast sooner with a full bucket
- No cab on this trim - the cab lives on the SEH models
- 11.9 gal is a small tank for a 50 hp tractor working all day
- The 2,716 lb hitch rating comes with no measuring point stated
LS MT345E
What they like
- 2,910 lb of Category 2 lift on a 3,724 lb tractor is more hitch capacity per pound than anything else at 45 hp, and it takes full-size implements that a Cat 1 machine cannot
- The L3C19-T is the same turbocharged 114.7 cu in three-cylinder LS puts in the dearer MT347 and MT352, so the value line is not running a de-rated engine
- Priced several thousand under the MT347 despite sharing the engine block, which is the whole argument for the E line
- 36 hp at the PTO from 45 gross through a gear box, and the HST version actually reads higher at 38.2 hp
- 13.7 gal of fuel is more than the cab-capable MT347 carries in ROPS form
What they complain about
- ROPS only - LS builds no cab on the MT3E frame, so this is not a winter machine
- The 8x8 synchro shuttle still goes through the clutch on every direction change, which is felt on loader work
- 2,360 lb at the loader is below what the MT347's LL4106 manages, so the hitch is stronger than the front end
- LS states no measuring point for the loader figure, unlike its own 3-point rating
- LS publishes no price, and the two dealer lists found for this model are a model year apart
- No cruise control, and the value line drops the integrated features the MT3 gets as standard