Hood latch on DK40 HST

[BrianOKC]

Okay I went to open my hood this evening and the pull down rod on the bottom of the tractor is gone. I guess it either fell out or I tore it off moving some brush the other night. My question is , does anyone know how to open the hood without using the rod? The hood latch is on top of the hood and there doesn't seem to be anyway to access the latch without bending or cutting a hole in the hood.

 

[IslandTractor]

Have you tried taking the side panels off and reaching up from there? I haven't done that but know that there is a fair amount of space opened up when the side panels are off. Perhaps a long reach pliers would allow you to grab the rod. You may also find that just the bottom of the rod has fallen off. I haven't looked recently but I have a bit of trouble with mine too as I managed to bend the bottom part so it's always a bit tough to get it to release.

 

[BrianOKC]

I haven't tried too force the panels off but if I remember correctly they have catches that you have to release while the hood is up.

 

[IslandTractor]

I haven't tried too force the panels off but if I remember correctly they have catches that you have to release while the hood is up.

You may be right but at least the rear clip is easily reached behind the FEL mounting post. The forward clip might well be an issue without the hood up but again, a long rod and flashlight should allow you to manipulate the little friction clamp that holds the panel into the rubber slot. Sorry I cannot be sure, my tractor is 75 miles away.

 

[Coyote machine]

I don't think its possible to remove the lower side panels without the hood being open, because of the way they are held in place.
Your best bet is to grab hold of the cable end where the knob attaches, and hope to be able to pull it to release the latch.

 

[ritcheyvs]

Are you REALLY sure the knob is gone? At least one other person eventually found the knob, not quite where he remembered it.

 

[IslandTractor]

Are you REALLY the knob is gone? At least one other person eventually found the knob, not quite where he remembered it.

Good point. My knob is bent towards the back and I have trouble finding it by blindly reaching sometimes.

 

[BrianOKC]

Are you REALLY sure the knob is gone? At least one other person eventually found the knob, not quite where he remembered it.

Ya 100% knob is gone.

 

[k0ua]

Can you get hold of what's left of the cable and pull on the center wire? With some vise grips?

 

[BrianOKC]

I'm not sure. Last night I stuck my finger in the hole and didn't feel anything were the pull rod used to be.

 

[Illini22]

I had the same problem, although my knob didn't fall off. When pulling the knob it didn't do anything. A branch pushed the drivers side side panel up and into the hood, binding it. I had to pry the side panel flange up down and out with a large screwdriver and wonder bar. After opening hood i realized how lucky I was to be able to open the hood. Good luck.

 

[TJP89]

This is an interesting problem. As suggested, I would try fishing up the hole to try and find the cable. Also, try opening the hood. Once I just could not get the hood to pop, until just pushed on it and it came up. The hood was already unlatched! no wonder the knob wouldn't work. If that isn't the case, since you cannot pop the side panels with hood closed, the only other opening is the gas cap. It would be hard, but at this point might as well try to fish around through there. If that doesn't work, then its would get interesting. I guess, since cutting through the hood probably isn't on your want to do list, you would have to dismantle the dash to get at the hinges, but hopefully it doesn't go that far. My experience is on the CK, but their similar I think.

I think this is first though, if it makes you fell any better:thumbsup:

 

[IslandTractor]

I think this is first though, if it makes you fell any better:thumbsup:

I'm quite sure he is both honored and proud to be the first to deal with this problem! :cool2:

 

[Coyote machine]

I would avoid a hole in the hood at all costs. Maybe you could remove the brush bar and see if you can see the hood latch cable through the front grille? If you can, you might be able to access the latch by poking/cutting a small hole through some portion of the metal in the front lower grille? That would be an easier fix and might not cost anything to do; just rebend the metal mesh screen back into place when done.

 

[IslandTractor]

Go to Harbor Freight and buy one of their video boroscopes for $69. You know you've always wanted one. Now you have the perfect excuse. Put the scope up the blank hole and find the missing rod/cable. Once you have identified it you can probably figure out a way to grab it and pull. Perhaps the boroscope would help guide a tool angled in from under the tractor.

You might also call Kioti customer service. Their engineers just might have encountered this issue before.

 

[oldpilgrim]

let Eric the Oracle take it for a drive in the woods. He'll get it open.

 

[ritcheyvs]

Brian, I don't know how similar your DH40HST is to my 2006 DK45S, but maybe these photos of my machine will help:



If possible, I think your best bet would be to get the right side panel off (assuming there is enough flex in the hood). Otherwise, you may need to make a hole in the hood. On my machine, the front of the hood is light-weight perforated metal. It looks like you could make a small hole high up on the right side and use a coat hanger to pull the latch open. Good luck.

 

[Coyote machine]

Looking at the pics in the above post I'd say you can only get it open without unnecessary damage by going through the front upper portion of the lower grille. This could allow you to grab the wire going to the latch where there is a small 'window' near the latch, where it may be possible to use something like a coat hangar to hook and pull the wire enough to get latch release.
Also, there seems that the actual cable housing won't allow you to access the wire inside, EXCEPT where I described above. So removing the side panel won't likely help, there is no way to get at the inner wire, except above at the latch.

 

[ritcheyvs]

In any case, you'll need a new cable (unless you decide to jury-rig something else). So might as well order one now.

 

[IslandTractor]

Looking at the pics in the above post I'd say you can only get it open without unnecessary damage by going through the front upper portion of the lower grille. This could allow you to grab the wire going to the latch where there is a small 'window' near the latch, where it may be possible to use something like a coat hangar to hook and pull the wire enough to get latch release.
Also, there seems that the actual cable housing won't allow you to access the wire inside, EXCEPT where I described above. So removing the side panel won't likely help, there is no way to get at the inner wire, except above at the latch.

I agree. I had forgotten that the hood latch was forward of the radiator. Punching through the screened part of the nose cone just above the battery would allow you to get a hooked rod right up to the latch. Guide it via a boroscope then yank it open.

I'm not with my tractor but I believe the screened portion of the nose cone is just held on with clips. You might be able to dislodge them from outside just with a firm push. I know that a piece of brush did that to mine. In any case, even if you need to cut a flap in the screen to push it out of the way, it would be a trivial repair (?zipties) and cosmetically unnoticeable.

As you would be blind trying to hood onto the latch, a boroscope would be critical to guide a hooked rod up to the latch.