Last weekend I was working with my DK 45 (about 480 hours now) digging up pesky briar bushes in my field with the backhoe (okay - you got me, it's not really work, but that's what I tell my wife). When I hopped on the tractor one time, the shuttle shift would only go in reverse, not in forward. I backed the tractor up to the barn, pull off the dash, and checked to see if the linkage was jammed or something - no such luck.
I called my dealer Little Tractor in Metropolis, IL (this was on a Saturday) and spoke with James Little and he more or less was able to diagnose the problem over the phone - probably a shift fork or a key. Unfortunately, this probably meant splitting the tractor to get to the problem. Lucky for me, they were delivering a new tractor just a few miles from my house on the following Monday, and they swung by on their way back and picked up my tractor.
My tractor arrived back home the Monday after it left, repaired, washed and with a new-used seat on it (my seat was torn all to pieces and James had told me he had one that had come off of another tractor that he would put on). The tractor started up and drove great - I can tell now that I should have known something was wrong with the shuttle shift - it had been a little rough, and it is very smooth now. I also felt that the price for the pickup, delivery and repair labor and parts was very reasonable, considering the amount of work that had to be done.
I just wanted to post to let everybody know that Kioti tractors are apparently indeed mortal - (this is my first problem of any degree, though) - but it is once again a great dealer than can make the difference. There were obviously no problems getting parts or having knowledgable mechanics, since the repair was done in less than a week. The service that I initially got and continue to receive from my dealer is why I will continue to give them my business in the future (or maybe I don't give it - they've earned it!).
I called my dealer Little Tractor in Metropolis, IL (this was on a Saturday) and spoke with James Little and he more or less was able to diagnose the problem over the phone - probably a shift fork or a key. Unfortunately, this probably meant splitting the tractor to get to the problem. Lucky for me, they were delivering a new tractor just a few miles from my house on the following Monday, and they swung by on their way back and picked up my tractor.
My tractor arrived back home the Monday after it left, repaired, washed and with a new-used seat on it (my seat was torn all to pieces and James had told me he had one that had come off of another tractor that he would put on). The tractor started up and drove great - I can tell now that I should have known something was wrong with the shuttle shift - it had been a little rough, and it is very smooth now. I also felt that the price for the pickup, delivery and repair labor and parts was very reasonable, considering the amount of work that had to be done.
I just wanted to post to let everybody know that Kioti tractors are apparently indeed mortal - (this is my first problem of any degree, though) - but it is once again a great dealer than can make the difference. There were obviously no problems getting parts or having knowledgable mechanics, since the repair was done in less than a week. The service that I initially got and continue to receive from my dealer is why I will continue to give them my business in the future (or maybe I don't give it - they've earned it!).
