3-Point Hitch Do you know Brian Faulkner at Kioti - or his manager(s) ?

[The Fred]

If you talk to their "guy" tell him their server has been left wide open.......

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

It's little out of your way but I heard good things about twinstatetractor.com maybe call would put more light at end of tunnel.

Thanks Thomas, I'm going to see what the Regional KIOTI Service guy has to say in next few hours...fresh eyes and hands and a direct line to HQ, hoping that gets it going. Heading up there again at 2

thank you
Erik

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

If you talk to their "guy" tell him their server has been left wide open.......


www.demss.co.kr - /dossfile/

rather tell one of my ex-Cisco coworkers to go sell the CIO / Security Officer a full network security suite..... probably not a Cisco shop though ;-)

 

[The Fred]

It does make you wonder what kind of an operation they run though doesn't it. Last Summer they got hacked and couldn't distribute parts for a month.

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

Thanks Thomas, I'm going to see what the Regional KIOTI Service guy has to say in next few hours...fresh eyes and hands and a direct line to HQ, hoping that gets it going. Heading up there again at 2

thank you
Erik

OK, update August 4 2020 2:53 PM

Profile Powersports, where everyone knows my face and that I have a tractor there since June 17.... went up there again, 2:30.

So, here's the story: KIOTI HQ has been telling the Dealer AND the regional KIOTI Service 'guy' the way they have been testing the MEC / MLS valve (sorry I've lost track of the exact name of this valve) is COMPLETELY BACKWARDS..... so it does work right, they've been testing it wrong, per the HQ 'guy' (Brian Faulkner??? I don't know who - they would not tell me)...

Now, I know this is a pure blame game at this point, the Dealer Service MGR, said the KIOTI HQ guy even told the KIOTI Regional Service guy on a prep call last night how to test, what to look for and 'supposedly' it was totally opposite (in was out, out was in, to make arms go up or down, whatever !).... So the Regional KIOTI Service Mgr had to apparently argue and tell HQ they were wrong. okie dokie.

Regardless, IMO, this goes back to the DEALER not knowing how to install and test the valve. If this is the case ("oh we were testing it all wrong because KIOTI HQ told us to do it that way") it doesn't make a lick of sense, then again I like sense, rationale, and following steps... If they were competent then they would have simply installed the second good valve and it should have worked. Somewhere along the way they decided to test it and that's when KIOTI HQ started telling them in was out, or out was in making arms go up or down, again, whatever. So Dealer claims they were chasing the wrong results due to what HQ told them.

I asked what are the next steps. "Well the Kioti guy 'bench tested' the valve with air compressor and it works perfectly." "So we're going to put it all back together and get it running"

Me: "great, when"?

Dealer Service Mgr: "well, tomorrow, the guy had to run to do a service call so we'll get to it in the morning"

Great, tomorrow marks 7 weeks they've had it, why not wait another day....

As the Kioti service debacle turns.... thanks for all your support and advice. some I've used now, and some will be used in future. I'll post an update again tomorrow

thank you
Erik

 

[rademamj1]

It does make you wonder what kind of an operation they run though doesn't it. Last Summer they got hacked and couldn't distribute parts for a month.

Yes, I think their entire Network drives were encrypted for ransom, and rather than make payment, Kioti spend 5 weeks reinstalling and reconfigure their network from backups. Apparently still not learned.

This has been a fun thread to watch. Just testing the MLS valve with correct procedure for the dealer appears a herculean task with doubtful results.

 

[grsthegreat]

Its all the dealer. I have had work done to my tractor at 2 separate kioti dealers with competent techs employed. All work completed in a day. One time it took a week to get parts, but thats to be expected. It takes me a week to get parts from Generac fir the generators im working on. I would be so pissed off if i was given a run around like you got. Then again i would have yanked the unit from their shop long ago. My repairs were all simple maintenance items like bearings, etc, but the repairs were all handled flawlessly. All done by appointments. I had one fuel injector issue when i first bought my tractor and mechanic came to my house the next day to repair it. No charge.
Again...its all about a reputable dealer network.

 

[justman777]

It does make you wonder what kind of an operation they run though doesn't it. Last Summer they got hacked and couldn't distribute parts for a month.

I don't think there's any doubt as to what kind of outfit they're running. I think I could have got a couple of high school kids and got their site back up and running in the amount of time it took their professionals to get their parts ordering and distribution system back up.

It isn't the service suite insomuch as it is how smart the people are managing their infrastructure. They're obviously not paying enough to get the "good" folks.

 

[justman777]

Yes, I think their entire Network drives were encrypted for ransom, and rather than make payment, Kioti spend 5 weeks reinstalling and reconfigure their network from backups. Apparently still not learned.

This has been a fun thread to watch. Just testing the MLS valve with correct procedure for the dealer appears a herculean task with doubtful results.

Wonder if they ever test their restoral plan? I think not. :laughing:

 

[oosik]

I'm somewhat irritated at how long it's taking to get the final solution and a working tractor. I can only imagine how the OP is handling this. He has the patience of Job and brass cajones the size of basketballs.

This entire situation reminds me of the infamous saying - "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning" - Robert DuVal.

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

I'm somewhat irritated at how long it's taking to get the final solution and a working tractor. I can only imagine how the OP is handling this. He has the patience of Job and brass cajones the size of basketballs.

This entire situation reminds me of the infamous saying - "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning" - Robert DuVal.

Ohhh, lesson is learned, unfortunately for me the hard way, but that's my doing. I do have patience and I often give way too much leeway. I trusted the Dealer/Service Manager, gave him benefit of doubt... and meanwhile my chores on 60 acres have fallen way behind in middle of summer. Today marks 7 weeks.

I'll be up there this morning. It is supposed to be assembled by noonish, we'll see. Then we're on to the bill (if it runs right, either way as soon as it can run it's getting hauled out of there). Stay tuned .

Oh, yeah, the network infrastructure, I sold Cisco suite of network solutions for years, it was always extremely frustrating to see global F500 companies try to get by with 'good enough' or less... letting network refreshes go years beyond they're expected life cycles...all to save a nickle now, just waiting for disaster to strike, or saying it's ok when the network fails to support mission critical apps, like building your house on quicksand and saying we'll come back to that later when I see water in basement only to see house sinking year after year.... DR plan? (disaster recovery?) didn't sound like it... getting hacked and not paying ransom to get up quickly and service your customer base? A surgeon is only as good as his/her scalpel

Cheers and back with an update later today.
thank you
Erik

 

[Ford850]

And a scalpel is only as good as it's surgeon.
So following this, it sounds like the dealer never completed the fix that Kioti told them to do. They never reassembled the tractor, but they told you it didn't work and the arms could not be raised.

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

And a scalpel is only as good as it's surgeon.
So following this, it sounds like the dealer never completed the fix that Kioti told them to do. They never reassembled the tractor, but they told you it didn't work and the arms could not be raised.

exactly, maybe I should've worded it that way

Yes, my line of questioning to come later this morning "so you HAD the correct part all along, and yet couldn't get it installed and working" ? that's exactly what has happened here.

 

[justman777]

The entire MLS is about $1200 or so....I think. Wonder how much they're going to charge for troubleshooting a component of the MLS. May have been cheaper to just replace the MLS at this point.

I think you have a good case for getting some consideration on charges, regardless.

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

The entire MLS is about $1200 or so....I think. Wonder how much they're going to charge for troubleshooting a component of the MLS. May have been cheaper to just replace the MLS at this point.

I think you have a good case for getting some consideration on charges, regardless.

Hi Justman777, They originally diagnosed the MLS valve as the point of failure and gave me a verbal estimate of $1435 for labor and parts, the valve was around $700-$800 and the rest labor.

So, that *should* be the baseline, or they may have added in troubleshooting hours beyond that, we'll see when bill is presented.

thanks,
Erik

 

[PetersenRockFarm]

August 5, 2020 2:45 PM EST update:

Oh, my aching head. Today is 7 weeks since they picked up and brought the tractor to Profile Powersports (dealer) to be diagnosed & repaired.

I went up to dealer this morning around 11:30 am to see what the results were after installing the 'good' MLS valve (after Regional Kioti Tech said it was good to go and then left yesterday afternoon)... They got it all back together this morning, however the arms go up - but not down.

I left as they were going to try making different adjustments to this linkage 'arm'.

Went back to Dealer 2:05 PM today

The 'spec' for the linkage travel arm (I don't know the exact term of the adjustment they are doing here) is supposed to be 115 mm. They adjusted to 106 mm and the arms went up but not down. In their speaking with BRIAN FAULKNER (today) at KIOTI HQ, Brian said try 110 mm. Dealer confirms 'KIOTI HQ/Brian Faulkner' is 'shooting in dark to resolve'.

Now they have arms going up and down - but - the adjustment is at 109.5 mm; 5.5 mm off the official spec according to Brian Faulkner at Kioti HQ.
The total travel distance of this arm/linkage/adjustment piece is only 8 mm. Technically if it is set at 109.5 mm instead of factory spec at 115 mm haven't we now lost 5.5 mm of travel? I'm not a mechanical engineer, I don't know.

What I do know is that the travel / movement of arms up and down was not a problem when I brought in tractor for 'jumping'. Now it's an issue.

When I walked in to dealer this afternoon I got to overhear what escalated in to a screaming match between Brian Faulkner at Kioti HQ and the Service Mgr here at Profile Powersports. Kioti HQ/Brian is saying the group of linkages need ot be replaced in order to get the adjustment back in spec at 115 mm. Dealer won't pay for linkage assembly, Kioti won't ay for linkage assembly, in fact Kioti thinks I should pay for linkage assembly and Brian is willing to overnight it in order "to help Erik out"

Screaming match escalated to point where Brian refused to continue conversation in elevated mode....

Meanwhile my tractor was getting ready to go for a test run of up/down/up/down/etc etc. with adjustment set at out of factory spec 109.5 mm.

Dealer refuses to pay for linkage assembly and labor; Kioti is blaming dealer for incompetence and refusing to pay for linkage assembly and no compensation for labor to dealer.

Me? Customer? pfffttttttttttt hello, guess who is still without their tractor.... It's a couple thousand dollars to make this right (or less); that is to now totally replace the linkage assembly in order to get it back in spec as it was when it arrived.

Service Manager said he would call me back after talking to his boss / GM of dealership.

Hope you're all doing great on this fine Wednesday!
Erik

 

[Thomas]

Erik you certainly endure alot and been very patient,I wonder if New Hampshire something in the lines of Better Business Bureau and you can get case number started.

 

[TractorGuy]

I would tell them to put it back like it was when they got it and I will load it up and leave. Don't even talk to me about money. If they refuse go straight to an attorney. Your pain and suffering should be worth the cost of a new cab tractor.

Maybe scratch that and just jump to the attorney option. You have put up with enough.

 

[rScotty]

Erik, I'm beginning to appreciate your gentle sense of humor. However, I think the best way to resolve this may involve you putting your foot down with a decision ... just to see what happens.
If it were mine, I'd probably be willing to pay for parts cost of the new valve, but nothing more. Oh....be sure to get the old valve; you may need to be able to show it if they try to press things.

At least you get your tractor back, a good story to tell, a world of education, and you've entertained all of us followers here at TBN.
PLUS you get a 3pt that works to some degree.... although probably not much better or worse than before.
BTW, does it still jerk?
rScotty

 

[Diggin It]

Are you making payments? If so, who is financing it? Can you/have you told them what's happening?

Have you contacted the state agency I posted earlier?