Dang! Hydraulic fluid is pouring out of the steering unit.

k0ua · Mar 16, 2015

I was getting ready to put up the tractor yesterday and noticed something liquid on the floorboards of the tractor.. "I sure hope that is water".. I wasn't

It was hydraulic fluid. I took off the covers under the steering wheel, and found fluid pouring out around the steering shaft seal on the hydraulic power steering unit. Not good. I was hoping for a loose hose fitting or busted hose.. No such luck. I called the dealer and they got it and took it with them sometime this morning. I guess time will tell what the damages will be. I know that steering unit is not cheap. And the free pickup and delivery period has passed too. It was for one year.

davesl708 · Mar 16, 2015

Ouch. Hopefully just a seal.

TJP89 · Mar 17, 2015

That's probably not good. Slightly worrisome in fact.

ritcheyvs · Mar 17, 2015

James: Bad news is that the steering unit is like $500 and the Kioti parts site doesn't show any of the internal parts. On the positive side, some of the service manuals (like the CK35 manual) show an exploded diagram of this item and it looks like there are common, replaceable seals and O-rings at the top end where the shaft goes in. So maybe a local shop (or DIY) can seal it for reasonable money.

k0ua · Mar 17, 2015

ritcheyvs said:
James: Bad news is that the steering unit is like $500 and the Kioti parts site doesn't show any of the internal parts. On the positive side, some of the service manuals (like the CK35 manual) show an exploded diagram of this item and it looks like there are common, replaceable seals and O-rings at the top end where the shaft goes in. So maybe a local shop (or DIY) can seal it for reasonable money.

Well I let the dealer take it. They haven't called yet. Yes, it looks like a single unit..but as you note, it does come apart, When I asked if they would try to repair it or replace it, he said they would need to see why it happened. If something "grenaded" inside, they would probably want to replace, but perhaps just an O ring gave up or something. I just don't know, I had no problems with it before it happened, and it still steered the tractor while leaking. Yes it is pretty worrisome, and definitely not a good thing.

ritcheyvs · Mar 17, 2015

I stopped looking at the DK manual too soon. The DK35 Manual does show dis-assembly of this unit, which is great if you can find parts.

Avondale · Mar 18, 2015

Bad news for sure. I have no experience with this fault but am interested to hear how it all ends. Please let us know what the problem was and, if possible, how to fix it when known.

MinnesotaEric · Mar 18, 2015

k0ua said:
Well I let the dealer take it. They haven't called yet. Yes, it looks like a single unit..but as you note, it does come apart, When I asked if they would try to repair it or replace it, he said they would need to see why it happened. If something "grenaded" inside, they would probably want to replace, but perhaps just an O ring gave up or something. I just don't know, I had no problems with it before it happened, and it still steered the tractor while leaking. Yes it is pretty worrisome, and definitely not a good thing.

Likely popped an o-ring on the spool.

k0ua · Mar 18, 2015

No progress so far... said they hope to have it out by Tommorow, and some idea of what is wrong with it. They are a pretty large and busy outfit. We will post what I know when I know it.

k0ua · Mar 20, 2015

$354.17. The majority was labor and transport. With a replaced O ring and some replacement fluid. They said getting the unit out was time consuming. It looked like several steps in the manual. Considering transport and labor I am satisfied with the price. I should get it back Monday. I guess bad things happen to good tractors.