# King Kutter II Bale spear



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Found a KK II 3 point bale spear on CL. Appears to have never been used for $100.
Says it's CAT II rated for up to 2000lb bales.
Are these decent spears?
USA or chinese?


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Not sure, but if I had to guess, Chinese, I mean tractor supply sells them right.....95%of everything in that store is from ROC ......and that's why I don't frequent them, but hey a hay spear is a hay spear, I'm sure it'll do the job for a year or two, until you decid to try them on the 2000#weight limit, at that time you'll prolly look for another. Good luck


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

Sounds like a decent deal to me. I seem to recollect they sell new for about twice that amount. You probably couldn't buy the material to make one for that.

I had one of their bucket spears on a tractor that had a pin type FEL bucket that I didn't want to take on and off all the time. Worked well with moderate use and never had any problems with it.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

John Deere 3pt bale spear cat 2 is $600.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I think 100 bucks is a good deal. Just the new spear itself, without the frame, is about that much.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Paint it green and put a Deere sticker on it, make you feel a lil better when ya look at it.....pocket book will feel better, I paid 750 for mine and it's frontier, not Deere......they put that similar green paint on it tho


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

I have one and no, it's not a ***** product. In fact, I've beat the hell out of mine on the backend of the M9 and the 105, toting 4x5's and 4x6's well packed and damn heavy, across rough fields at speeds I shouldn't be travelling.....

I welded a 2.5" ball on the top of the column and I haul the gooseneck around with it too. Hauling a gooseneck in the field, just get under and raise the 3 point. No need to crank landing gear. I'm lazy.....

I did weld the spear saddle to the column. Continuously overloading the spear tends to slide the saddle down. never bent the spear however......... be the best sawbuck you ever spent..


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

If it has to be green, TSC has rattlecan green for 2 bucks a can. I'm colorblind.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

somedevildawg said:


> Paint it green and put a Deere sticker on it, make you feel a lil better when ya look at it.....pocket book will feel better, I paid 750 for mine and it's frontier, not Deere......they put that similar green paint on it tho


I don't have to have Deere. I was just making a point that local US made dealer is 6x as much. I do think Deere equipment is built a notch better, but I can't afford their prices.......unless it's well used lol


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Oh I didn't think that, I would paint it green for my sake if it did come from overseas, itf it didn't I would prolly paint it anyway during the winter when there's not much to do and need to keep the guys busy.....and let me tell you Deere stuff is not a notch better.....there is no comparison, but then again we are talking about a hay spear, if you lived down here I would give you one just like it, I made one that picks up two (winter project) now I can mobile and get three outta field, saves me time and time is money, or chance to go hunting.....


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Painting the poker (spear) to me is overkill. The paint wears off during use anyway.

IMO, anyone who thinks that JD equipment is a notch better, lives in a glass house with cracked panes. Case in point is the new generation JD fuel guzzling engines.....

BTW, diesel is nudging over 4 bucks a gallon (on road). Pour it into the green guzzlers.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I guess i'm guilty of living in the galss house then. By no means brand loyal, but I'm pretty impressed by how long my Deere attachments and the one Deere tractor I used to have lasted compared to other pieces I've owned. One of their best attributes is their paint jobs. Their equipment looks better longer. I have a "07 M7040 with faded paint. My green painted equipment sits in the same sun and still looks original Deere green.
Lots of old Deere iron out there still chugging around.
Now the new Deere tractors???? Yes I agree with you, not built like they used to be and the competition has been catching up IMHO.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

ARD Farm said:


> IMO, anyone who thinks that JD equipment is a notch better, lives in a glass house with cracked panes. Case in point is the new generation JD fuel guzzling engines.....
> 
> BTW, diesel is nudging over 4 bucks a gallon (on road). Pour it into the green guzzlers.


Well lets see, a JD 6430 is one of the finest tractors John Deere has EVER made....105 PTO horses that burn about 6.5 gallons per hour under FULL load....you call that fuel guzzling...sounds like a bad case of green envy to me. How many JD tractors do you own? None? But, yet so critical.

Regards, Mike


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Vol said:


> Well lets see, a JD 6430 is one of the finest tractors John Deere has EVER made....105 PTO horses that burn about 6.5 gallons per hour under FULL load....you call that fuel guzzling...sounds like a bad case of green envy to me. How many JD tractors do you own? None? But, yet so critical.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Get up on the wrong side of the bed per chance? Stub your toe?

Mike... If I wanted one or a couple for that matter, I can well afford them and pay cash BTW. I don't desire to own one or more than one because I live in the middle of JD country and I strive to be different. I do own a JD implement, a venerable MoCo thats served me well over the years. When I upgraded to disc machines, my wife asked me if I was selling the MoCo and I replied, never. Why should I. I know it intimately. I can tell how it's running by just listening over the fm radio in the tractor. No part of it has escaped my wrenches.

Far as critical, I spent 4 years at a local community college teaching an industrial arts vocational class and the JD lab was right next door. I got to know the lab techs and the in's and out's of JD along with their successes and failures and while their new Tier 4 engines aren't a proven failure yet, there are other ways to get a cleaner burn. JD is very good at copying technology and claiming it for themselves or assuming lines and rebadging them. case in point, Frontier. Paint it green and sell it at a JD dealer. Never mind that it was originally made by another manufacturer, most likely a manufacturer that competes directly with JD..... ah, the level playing field, also known as, 'if you can't build it or copy it at a cost savings, just buy it and resell it, painted green......

None of that is all bad however, there is no jelly on my nose. I'm very content with my large frame Kubota's and content with the fuel efficiency.

If I lived elsewhere, where there were few JD's, I might own them but thats not the case so I don't.

Your synopsis of JD is like a Harley Davidson owner. You either own a Harley or you are jealous and want one. I don't want a Harley either. I'm not fond of potato bikes, but thats not germane to this forum.

In essence you paint the KK spear with rattlecan JD Green from TSC and it becomes a JD inspired implement sort of like a Frontier knock off.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I will repeat myself.....there is no comparison to John Deere equipment and kk, if you really believe that, you my friend are not being honest with yourself, and while I like kubota, agco, and new holland, have owned them all, I prefer the Deere.....why....ergonomics, tough, works as hard as I do, and the resell is very high, at least in my area, and did I mention that beautiful green paint?! Don't look like a ditch witch, school bus or the blue man crew in the field....just brown dust and green tractors. And if you need a part, they can get you back up and running faster than anyone in the industry, that mean productivity.....that means $


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

In 15 Kubota's (owned), I've never had any issue with replacement parts, the trade in has been phenominal (I usually trade in-up every 3 years and I've never had a major mechanical issue and I run 'em damn hard.

I will, however, deviate from my 3 year trade up this time. I'm keeping my M9 forever and getting a new 135X, trading the 105X. Tou see, Kubota chose not to build the M9 anymore. In fact, mine is the last one off the assembly line, it was special order with a 5 month wait. I have to keep it.

None of this has anything to do with a 100 dollar Craigs List KK bale spear but the discorse is fun......

We could discuss pro and con JD until hell freezes over. Bottom line is it's my money and I buy what I want to, just like you. It's just my _interpreted value_ is different than yours.

And it is a bulletproof spear. I've continually beat on mine for 4 years and it's like new, well almost like new..........


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

You are right this is a much debated issue and that's why there are so many manufactures of equipment out there, there is always an ass for every seat. And yes my spear was good quality, not great but I have to say it improved when I hit it with that rattle can of JD Green


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

ARD Farm said:


> Get up on the wrong side of the bed per chance? Stub your toe?
> 
> Mike... If I wanted one or a couple for that matter, I can well afford them and pay cash BTW. I don't desire to own one or more than one because I live in the middle of JD country and I strive to be different. I do own a JD implement, a venerable MoCo thats served me well over the years. When I upgraded to disc machines, my wife asked me if I was selling the MoCo and I replied, never. Why should I. I know it intimately. I can tell how it's running by just listening over the fm radio in the tractor. No part of it has escaped my wrenches.
> 
> ...


Calling you out for making a uninformed blanket statement about John Deere tractors is hardly getting up on the wrong side of the bed.

John Deere DOES NOT try to hide the fact that they do not manufacture the Frontier line....ask any dealer about a specific piece of Frontier equipment and they will tell you who makes it. That is the reason it says Frontier and not John Deere.

If you prefer Kubota, thats fine....it makes NO difference to me...thats why you NEVER hear me running down another tractor line on this forum that someone else owns....that is a very juvenile approach.

Regards, Mike


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

I try to be non critical but every manufacturer and line has it's weak points, That has to do with machinery in general and us the very nature of the beast. If JD was without fault, thats all there would be and thats not the way it is.

It's good to have variety and choices, not just in machinery but in everything.

Was just at the JD dealer (I have an accout there BTW), to order some rake tines for the Geihl 260 I own that is a rebadged Frontier. Mine's red however, not green. It's a prior to Frontier.........

Maybe there is a Foton in my future........


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I don't think JD has a weakness except their price is higher. If JD's price was down at Kubota, case, etc., then they probably would be darn close to a monopoly. I think Deere does go the extra mile to build a piece that will last longer and look better when it's older. Look at used tractor listings. There's so many used Deeres and they fetch higher resale. You have to ask yourself "why do they sell for more compared to others"?
Love 'em, wish I could afford 'em.
BTW: If you can find me a Deere 7 series, cab/hvac/hyd reverser/4WD with reasonable hours for under 30K, I'd probably buy it (if I could fuinance it-lol)

meanwhile, I'm still thinking it's gonna be a Case/IH Magnum 7120.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> meanwhile, I'm still thinking it's gonna be a Case/IH Magnum 7120.


I like Case tractors....especially the Magnum series. You won't go wrong with that series.

Regards, Mike


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I grew up running my Grandmother's Case. No clue what model, but ya started it on gasoline, then switched over to 'tractor fuel' once it got warmed up. Had a 4 cyl engine, loved to hear it run! Pipe coming off the exhoust manifold was about 10 inches long, just enough to angle down about 45*.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

It angled down because when you switched from gasoline to (tractor fuel) aka distillate, keroscene, half the fuel came out the exhaust pipe unburned.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

ARD Farm said:


> It angled down because when you switched from gasoline to (tractor fuel) aka distillate, keroscene, half the fuel came out the exhaust pipe unburned.


Sure don't recall that happening. Kinda figured it was to keep rain out.
My Dad also had a John Deere A-O that also started on gas then switched. Sure do miss that 'ol poppin john, too. Harder it pulled, the better it ran. @ 1/2 or 2/3 throttle in 3rd gear, there was no choking it down.
When we couldn't get tractor fuel even @ the bulk plant, they would mix gasoline/kerosine to make it. stinks burning, but ran good.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I own a new JD tractor, a Harley and a generic hay spear. Looks like I fit well in this discussion.









I would gladly pay $100 for a hay spear in good condition. i have $200 in the one I made for the skid steer (talk about mark up on equipment, mention skid steer). I did put a 3000 lb. capacity spear on my home made attachment. Bought the spear on ebay for $100, made in China.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Tim/South said:


> I own a new JD tractor, a Harley and a generic hay spear. Looks like I fit well in this discussion.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Paint it green and call it a Frontier knockoff. A JD and HD in the same garage space could be problems. Leaving all those deposits on thre floor for someone to slip in...................


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Picked up the KK 2 bale spear today. It is nice and seems heavy-built.
Leaving it KK yellow (looks like Deere yellow) !!!


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## Cliff SEIA (Dec 18, 2008)

I don't think you will go wrong with a $100 bale mover. The KK's aren't built overly strong but the nice part of that is one person can throw it in the back of the truck if you need to haul it to the field your tractor is in.

If a guy want's a really good bale mover instead of going to your dealer check with your local welding shops to see what they can build you. I've built most of our own bale movers and have built several for other guy's after they saw the one's that I built I can usually build them cheaper than what the dealers sell them for and in my opinion the one's I build are better quality. On the flip side for a cheaper bale mover I can't build them for what you can buy a KK for at TSC. This first bale spear fits a 600/700 Deere loader and I was able to build it for a friend for a couple hundred bucks less than what a MDS spear would have cost. The second one is a Euro mount I built for a local dairy, it costs them the same as a cheap one from the local dealer but I was able to build it exactly the way they wanted it and they like it better than their factory Westendorf spear on their other loader.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Good looking spears cliff, I too built my own spears, what I needed, I think this fella was using one on the 3pt.....on my 3pt I have a 8 ft with 4tines to pick up doubles, getting 3 gets me outta field faster and on to something else that always needs to be done......


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