Kioti LK3054 4.70 star(s) (18)

Early Model LK3054
Model Year: 1995

I bought this tractor knowing it had been abused. It had been used in a nursery and it was in bad shape. I thought it needed a head gasket but I wound up having to completely rebuild the engine. The good news is that parts were readily available and it was not that hard to do. At 530 hours I had a brand new engine, it came with fresh tires and a new clutch. I was quite pleased with how it turned out. Everybody that has had a chance to use this little tractor all call it either a bull dozier or a tank. It is a rather simple old style tractor but the tranny is synchro except Hi/Lo and the shuttle. The newer models have the shuttle lever on the steering column and this is better. One complaint I have against this older model is the lever is on the left side and it can be confusing when you need to go from high to low and forward to reverse. Overall, I love this tractor, I always have confidence that it will get the job done and it will work circles around my new Bobcat CT225, which I do regret buying. If you find one that has not been abused they are great tractors that weigh 3000lbs, have plenty of power and work hard. Easy to maintain also.

Pros: Tough, Reliable, easy to work on
Cons: Old styling and small deck

KIOTI LK 3054
Model Year: 1994

Some engineer decided that the battery should be in front of the radiator, so it took an hour just to check the battery.

Pros: Well built for the cost.
Cons: A little cramped for a bit guy.

Kioti LK3054
Model Year: 1995

I knew nothing about tractors when I bought this one. After moving from town, out to the country with some acreage (20 acres), a friend loaned me his Kubota to help me realize what it could do for me - good thing. I subsequently bought the Kioti with a KL122 60" front bucket. It cost about $15,000. I also have a 4' brush hog, a back blade, and a rake. Also a Gooson chipper/shredder, plus various odds and ends. For light work, and mowing grass around the house, I also have a 14hp Wheel Horse garden tractor with various attachments. I've used the Kioti now for 16 years, and have always been happy with it. It does have some very odd design quirks but I've gotten used to them. For example, the front bucket blocks access to lots of important stuff in the engine. For example, it's a real struggle to replace or service a battery. Takes some real dexterity to get the battery out of its compartment past the steel bar across the front of the bucket. Second example: the machine has a screen in front of the radiator to prevent it from getting clogged while mowing or whatever. It is designed so you can slide it out to the side for cleaning. But it can't be slid out because of the side bar of the bucket etc. I've kluged these issues. The hardest part about battery removal was removing the front grill. It took hours! So I built a replacement out of plywood, screen, and Kioti paint. No one would notice the difference unless he was really familiar with the machine. Of course, I kept the grill, hanging in the barn and I can clean the radiator screen by blowing out the dust with compressed air. No big deal. I know there is a way to remove the bucket, but it looks pretty complicated to me, and I've never tried it. But what I can say is, if you are considering buying any tractor with a front bucket, check out the consequences for access to the engine, etc. These issues would not exist with a more coordinated design effort that is evident here. The tractor has relatively few hours; this is a tribute to how useful it is. I keep a dozen or more acres of meadow mowed; I do a lot of tree and brush removal (and chipping: I have a Gooson CS 1000 PTO chipper/shredder; great tool); I cut and haul a lot of firewood; and of course I plow lots of snow. I find that I can do these things in a fraction of the time it would take without the tractor. The only other issue I have with it is that it's hard to start in cold weather. I keep a trickle charge on the battery all winter so I can crank at full speed; and I use either a magnetic block heater or a dip-stick crankcase oil heater. These help a lot. It's also housed inside in an unheated pole barn; but it's always much warmer than outdoors (black shingle roof does most of it). This is usually enough, but it is a bit of a pain sometimes. I've noticed elsewhere in the forum some mention of continuing to heat the glow plugs after the engine is starting but not yet really going. I've not found anything like that in my various manuals and suggestions would be appreciated. I am always amazed at the extraordinary traction I can get with a 30 hp diesel engine and an 8 speed transmission. I've dragged 30 foot long oak trunks a half mile without any difficulty (except a gouged track behind me). It's really terrific to have that much power at hand. Finally, I do almost all the maintenance myself; its easy to do just about all of it. A local equipment dealer (Aeschilman's) started servicing Kiotis recently near by, and I took it in for "15-year service." First time anyone worked on it but me and I'm no mechanic (I'm a retired college professor). All in all, a great machine which I'm very satisfied with. The photo shows the tractor, with grandson, taken in 2002.

Pros: Powerful, versatile, & reliable.
Cons: Hard cold starts; Some strange design considerations (or lack thereof).

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Kioti LK3054
Model Year: 2002

Well, first off, I can't say enough about my Kioti LK3054. It has been an outstanding machine, and has worked wonders around my 6.8 acre lot has a compact TLB. This particular model has been out of production for about 4 years now, but getting parts, and service has never been an issue, and shouldn't be for a long time to come. There are a ton of online sources for parts and manuals. However, if you're considering getting a used LK3054, don't go through Kioit directly for parts. They are unfortunately of very little help and their service department is somewhat non-existent. Their website is completely misleading with their service/parts departments. All you get from them is "Visit Your Local Dealer". This can be a pain, when your closest dealer is a 180 mile round trip! Back to the tractor. It's got more than enough power for being a "3 banger" with 30 horsepower. It will run all day on a full tank of diesel, and although the operator station is a bit cramped, you know that you are truly operating one of the last "real" tractors out there. You know, manual transmission, levers everywhere, that kind of thing. You won't be disappointed with this machine at all has long as you know what you're doing. I've got mine set up has a TLB, and it works great in the "mini-backhoe" role. The KB-1550 backhoe attachment is easy to remove, and service, and is a great match for the LK3054 tractor. It's not a full sized TLB, but I can do just about anything my Case 580E can do, it just takes more time because It's a smaller machine. In the almost 10 years that I've owned it, I've dug out stumps, graded driveways, loaded trucks, mowed my 4 acre pasture, and even done some "rough-in" clearing with it. With the right set of attachments/implements, the LK3054 is a very handy, if not versatile machine for any land owner that has more than a couple acres to manage. The '3054 is not perfect, but then again, it beats a rake, shovel and wheelbarrow any day!

Pros: Great tractor for the money. Very easy to use and maintain.
Cons: It can be a little confusing the fist time sitting on one - the levers are scatterd all over the place. The battery location is "inconsiderate". Kioti Direct is a waste of time for service/support.

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Good Enough
Model Year: 1994

I got the tractor cheap because it had been neglected. Most of the failed components were due to the tractor being left out in the elements, so its' hard to give a fair appraisal. Many of the small pesky items have failed, cables, seat, latches, key switch, handles broken, clutch frozen. Now that I have addressed everything, it performs well for a small 30hp tractor. I don't ask it to do the work of a 60hp tractor and we get along fine.

Pros: 4wd, shuttle.
Cons: Light placement, glow plug system.

Kioti just might be the leader of the pack!
Model Year: 1998

Affordable, durable, versatile, simple to operate even for the novice, shall I keep going?

Pros: Economically priced, but performs like that of a more expensive make.
Cons: Not well known in my area where Kubota has monopoly.

Nice Tractor for the Money
Model Year: 1996

I did a lot of research before purchasing this tractor, considering many makes and models. I found that this size was right: plenty of PTO power for a 5' wide snowblower, a chipper and a backhoe, but still small enough to fit in the garage. The price was much better than anything else in its class. This is really the same model and factory as some of the earlier Kubotas, so many of the parts are interchangeable. I've also seen nearly identical models under a variety of other names and colors, so it's a proven and time-tested design. I've used the tractor and its various attachments for more than I ever dreamed of. The front loader rarely is taken off. The backhoe is on most of the summer and the snowblower most of the winter. Maintenance has been very reasonable so far, the main item being a fuel injector. An oil pan heater and radiator hose heater are almost necessities for cold winter starting.

Pros: Price, availability of parts.
Cons: No local dealer anymore.

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Kioti 3054
Model Year: 1995

This has been a great tractor for me for 15 years. It's primary job has been moving snow, but it has also been great for clearing brush with a brush hog, chopping up trees and branches with a chipper, and a million other things. After I had it for about 4 years or so, the dealer closed; this was tough. I had to get parts online or some other round about way. But another local equipment company got a Kioti dealership a few years ago which has been excellent.

Pros: Price, power, easy maintenance.
Cons: Erratic dealer situation.

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Kioti LK 3054
Model Year: 2002

Nice machine built well and I have pushed her to the max many times without a hiccup. For the money I spent, I feel I got a good package deal from Group farm Equipment in Bedford PA.

Pros: Well built hard working reliable macine and that's what counts.
Cons: Older model, small deck area; Need to change hose and valve possion to switch to 3PT attachment.

First Tractor
Model Year: 1999

We purchased this from the original owner. The price is what first attracted us and the overall very good reviews convinced us. Since we are tractor novices and have had it less than a year the value of this review is probably limited. It appears to be very solidly built and weighs more than many of the other tractors in its size range which we find an advantage. The long time Kioti dealer we get parts from speaks highly of this model. The only thing that is not great is the control to raise and lower the 3pt hitch which is not very refined. Small movements of the control often do not translate into small movements of the hitch and when you move the lever enough the hitch often jumps. We have not spent time trying to adjust it yet so that may be all or part of the issue.

Pros: Heavy for traction, power. Well built.
Cons: 3pt hitch operation not smooth.

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