Sticking hydro pedal

[IXLR8]

Well... add me to the sticky hydro list. I was moving snow last winter and suddenly the hydro pedal stopped returning to neutral. I had run up on a snow bank and the snow was packed up underneath the tractor pretty good. I thought I might have bent the return mechanism. Two weeks ago I put the tractor up on my lift and the return mechanism is free and works fine. Are there any risks to continuing to use the tractor with the sticky pedal? Since my closest dealer went belly up 2 years ago, the nearest dealer is now over 2 hours away so it is not like I can throw it on a trailer to take it to him any old time.

 

[kiotiken]

Well... add me to the sticky hydro list. I was moving snow last winter and suddenly the hydro pedal stopped returning to neutral. I had run up on a snow bank and the snow was packed up underneath the tractor pretty good. I thought I might have bent the return mechanism. Two weeks ago I put the tractor up on my lift and the return mechanism is free and works fine. Are there any risks to continuing to use the tractor with the sticky pedal? Since my closest dealer went belly up 2 years ago, the nearest dealer is now over 2 hours away so it is not like I can throw it on a trailer to take it to him any old time.

For me it was a safety issue with 3 small kids around. It was also annoying trying to get up close to the wood shed to load/unload wood, I hit it more than once. As far as I know, it won't harm the tractor, but may get progressively worse.

 

[94BULLITT]

Mine liked to stick when I was using the pallet forks to unload a truck.

 

[Coyote machine]

If I'm correctly understanding this issue, it is essentially that as of March, (or sometime in '011) a new dampener was released which could/should, "POSSIBLY" fix some, prior to March, '011, owner's affected tractors, and the new part became part of production of new tractors at the same time.
This would seem to mean if the procedures outlined in Bobcat's service bulletin are followed to the letter, and adjustments are made to the various mentioned components, including the brakes, and nothing changes then use one's brakes, in conjunction with a runaway ramp, and as a last resort, a large boat anchor MIGHT stop the tractor in an unspecified personal preference distance?!:confused2:

So, evidently, neither Kioti or Bobcat has solved the problem; they have changed a part in a production run to address the issue by increasing a low pressure condition that has been known to adversely effect some tractor's HST units. This is, ( IMHO, a mid-model change which will likely result in a complete fix- two separate pedals in later model designs). In the meantime those who are effected may have to persistently bug their selling dealer, or Kioti corporate in S. Carolina to do something more drastic for those under warranty.
Otherwise, it would seem you guys are likely going to be hung out to dry, unfortunately.:thumbdown:

 

[Pierrepont]

Am I correct that you can "rock the pedal" toward neutral or reverse and that will stop forward momentum? Almost like applying a brake?

Is this just a matter of the operator gaining some experience with this particular tractor's "unique" hydro pedal function, (or disfunction)?

 

[IslandTractor]

Am I correct that you can "rock the pedal" toward neutral or reverse and that will stop forward momentum? Almost like applying a brake?

Is this just a matter of the operator gaining some experience with this particular tractor's "unique" hydro pedal function, (or disfunction)?

Yes, rocking the pedal back should stop movement. The problem is that the neutral position should be the equivalent of putting the brake on. If you simply remove your foot the tractor should stop, not creep forward.

 

[Pierrepont]

Could an owner reduce the chance of this lazy pedal issue coming on via more frequent or thorough maintenance of the hydro pedal linkage? In other words, keeping the linkage/springs clean and properly lubricated.

I'm not suggesting that this problem is due to poor owner maintenance but wondering if these parts on these particular tractors require a more frequent and Much Higher Level of maintenance (clean/lube) than other brands and models.

 

[IslandTractor]

Could an owner reduce the chance of this lazy pedal issue coming on via more frequent or thorough maintenance of the hydro pedal linkage? In other words, keeping the linkage/springs clean and properly lubricated.

I'm not suggesting that this problem is due to poor owner maintenance but wondering if these parts on these particular tractors require a more frequent and Much Higher Level of maintenance (clean/lube) than other brands and models.

I never had this issue with my CK20 so never looked into the issue carefully. That said, I recall that some people have resolved the sticking with lubricant but others required replacement.

 

[kiotiken]

For me, and in the cases my dealer has seen and FIXED, it was not a linkage issue, it was a low pressure condition in some part of the HST. In the cases where this condition can be measured, putting a modified damper or other re-designed part does nothing but mask an underlying problem. Current owners don't want to believe it and Kioti doesn't want to admit it, but when you can measure a lower than expected pressure (I'm not sure what the reading on my was or what it should have been), the only way it's going to be fixed according to my dealer is to replace the HST. My dealer has fixed several this way, one had two hsts replaced, and Kioti paid for all of them under warranty. Right there, that tells me that Kioti knows there's a problem and they know it's an internal problem with the hst. My dealer was told not to try and open the hst to attempt to fix them, but they've never been asked to return on of the ones that have been replaced. That again tells me that Kioti knows what the problem is, otherwise they'd take them back and analyse the failure.

I'm no longer a CK owner so I have no skin in the game, but I'm convinced there's a much bigger issue here. I really think CK owners, especially those who still hold warranties, need to raise their voices on this one. I didn't hold on to my CK very long after the hst was replaced (and the problem fixed), but I'm convinced the issue would have returned in time.

 

[Pierrepont]

What is the organized, logical way to "raise their voices"? Ask the Consumer Products Safety Commission (in the USA) to investigate? Some other agency? It sounds like it would take the clout of a large government safety agency to get the attention of the tractor builder.

What specific steps would you suggest?