KL130 on a CK30 Problem

[mrutkaus]

Yes, let's wait around like sheep to be eaten by a Kioti KL130.

Can't do anything, right, big Kioti closing in, just sheep.

Mike

 

[IslandTractor]

If my memory serves me right....this walks a fine line with TBN's "terms of service."
An alternative would be to private mail the involved parties for specific information.

Don

We routinely give kudos to helpful dealers on TBN so naming not so pleasant experiences should also be possible. If naming bad apples is too risky, then at the least people in Washington state should be aware there is a dealer they should seek detailed feedback on before doing business.

 

[Highbeam]

Unbelievable. They welded someone else's loader? I would be happy to provide the name via PM of my dealer located in Kitsap County across the water from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The dealer is not Jenning's Equipment in Puyallup.

How they use that information is up to them. There have been several dealers across the country welding up these cracked loaders under Kioti's direction and I believe that the degree of farkleness is in the eye of the beholder and the dealer supposedly farmed out the welding on my loader. In my case, we had pretty unanimous agreement of excessive farkleness.

I do believe that it is possible to repair a freshly cracked loader in a manner that is professional and nearly impossible to detect.

 

[HODAK]

I just went by a KIOTI dealer today who had at least two new tractors with "kits" on the loaders. Now honestly, if you were looking to buy, wouldn't you ask, "what the heck is that???" "Oh that should prevent cracking!" Could be used as leverage to get the price down I suppose. By the way, they looked like CK30s, but maybe they were CK20s. I was a little surprised to see this, but I suppose there are more out there.

 

[IslandTractor]

I just went by a KIOTI dealer today who had at least two new tractors with "kits" on the loaders.

They may be new tractors but they were built in 2006 or earlier. I think it was about January 2007 that Kioti substituted the KL120B loader for the KL120. The "B" series loader has the new design and does not need (or fit) the reinforcement kit. The KL130 reinforcement kit has not yet been issued so I presume those were CK20s you saw.

I don't think there is any real downside other than aesthetics to having the KL120 with the reinforcement kit however. Still, you might be able to get a discount knowing that the dealer has had those tractors sitting on his lot and that he is likely paying interest charges.

 

[HODAK]

I own a CK30 - KL130 with cracks and am working on a fix. No kit for this guy. But then again I'm thinking of resale. I'll check those units later this week and verify if they were indeed CK20s.

Covering up cracks just isn't right IMO.

 

[IslandTractor]

I own a CK30 - KL130 with cracks and am working on a fix. No kit for this guy. But then again I'm thinking of resale. I'll check those units later this week and verify if they were indeed CK20s.

Covering up cracks just isn't right IMO.

"Fixing" the cracks shouldn't be hard with even a small welder, a grinder and a can of orange spray paint. The bigger issue is figuring out how to prevent them from occuring again. I think that is the main purpose of the reinforcement kit.

 

[Steve_Miller]

"Fixing" the cracks shouldn't be hard with even a small welder, a grinder and a can of orange spray paint. The bigger issue is figuring out how to prevent them from occuring again. I think that is the main purpose of the reinforcement kit.

I traded up to the CK30 and specified the new loader as part of the deal. I had the kit put on my CK20 about a month before I traded and from every angle I could see it didn't stop the flexing of the loader which the root of the cracking. Not to put a damper on things but to "me" it was just a cosmetic fix. If your wondering about the reasoning for trading, I traded up as this is the tractor I was after in the first place, it was just that I got the CK20TLB ( I owned it for two and a half years) for the same price I would have got the CK30 for at the time and I had a bunch of backhoe work (mostly stumping) I wanted done at the time and thought it would be fun to do at my own leisure and it sure was a lot of fun. But the last going off the backhoe was wasting away in the shed not being used and I decided it was time to move up to what I was after in the first place so I did. Back to the fix, after a couple of uses I had to tighten the bolts that keep the cover tight to the torque tube, they seem to keep crushing (for lack of a better word) the torque tube each time you do any twisting of the loader. I'm not knocking Kioti, just stating what I've observed. I think they just didn't get it right the first time, now they have with the new loaders. It may be a sore point with some buyers but it was a growing pain in my view. There will probably never be a replacement of the first loaders just because of the cost to company, they probably can't absorb it with the small market share that they have. That's my two cents worth.

Steve

 

[tierbb]

I can't believe the level of input on this problem to both Highbeam's and my thread (and any others if there are any).

Also I can't believe that Kioti is not reviewing this site for input on their marketplace. "Best marketing plan is not to listen to your customers".

Just to agree, my dealer shows a hold on the "FIX" for the KL130 dated in February. Any fixes proposed for the KL130 are the KL120 pieces. Kioti sent one of these kits to my dealer to repair mine and the part number was the KL120 "FIX" part number. To me and my sources the kit looks to be cosmetic as presented. It is a bolt on over the original. The original needs to be repaired but will still give over time and the bolt on will just prevent seeing it. There is no fixed connection to the boom arms. Remember it is being designed by engineers who created the original in the first place. BUT it is orange!

The only real solution is a new boom and some program to support the replacement process. Currently, the holes for entrance, exit and maintaining the hoses only weaken the whole structure (Clear from the new models). From the input it appears some are even willing to change the boom themselves. Where is Kioti? Not much of a marketing program for the future.

Another thought. I have written to the President, Personnell and been in contact directly with Kioti. Not sure what is allowed in this website but maybe we need to send our comments direct. I was contacted directly by Dan Carter at dcarter@kiotitractor.com

Maybe he or his management has "not" been made aware of the problem and it's extent. Possibly we should all tell him direct. I did and will continue.

Again my dealer is top drawer and is FULLY standing behind his product and guarantees me satisfaction one way or the other. Kudos to this upper New York State dealer.

tierbb

 

[IslandTractor]

tierbb, There are two issues here. The first is Kioti's handling of the whole customer service element related to the loader cracking story. I don't think you will find many people on TBN who will defend how and what they did in that regard. It makes a pretty good "bad case" example for business students to study.

The engineering fix is a separate issue and I haven't (yet) seen a critical evaluation of whether the repair kit solves the problem. I hope they were not dumb enough to try to foist just a cosmetic repair for the "cosmetic cracks". While obviously they have redesigned the KL120 and 130 loaders (KL120B and KL130B for the uninitiated), I don't have any trouble beliving that a good engineer could design a repair kit for the earlier loaders that would prevent any further stress cracking and would simultaneously provide the torsion support needed for the loader. I haven't had the kit installed on my KL120 yet but I'd plan on doing that rather than shell out bucks to replace the loader arms.

 

[coasterez]

Well, I originally wasn't one of those with a cracked loader. But, I am now: Four cracks at the ends of the welded in gussets that go to where the tube starts to fold. Now I'm anxious for a fix! It's been long enough.

 

[HODAK]

I got tired of waiting for a fix........and a kit is not for me. Look for the old arms on ebay. Maybe someone will want to do a modification on the old ones and then swap.

Good luck to all.

 

[Highbeam]

Good job Hodak. Take the bull by the horns. The photos of the cracks were an excellent example of what you do not want to see on a critical structural member.

 

[coasterez]

Hodak,

Did you pay for the new arms yourself?

I sent an email to Kioti, and to my dealer (again). I'm tired of waiting too. But, I don't have $2k to spend on a piece of equipment I just bought new 150 hours ago, and that's hardly been used. Most of my work (<100 hours) was done with the backhoe. I've been one to say be patient. But, even my patience has expired.

 

[IslandTractor]

For what it's worth, I think it is obscene for Kioti to have let this problem fester for over 18 months. Eighteen months at least since Highbeam first reported it. The Kioti USA corporate motto says they "put their customers first"....NOT! It is such a shame that great tractors have flat out mediocre corporate customer and engineering support.

 

[PA hayseed]

I am currently looking at a CK and a Dk35, the new loader that comes with these has an issue? or is it an older version of the loader? The dealer gave me a quote on the loader and wrote it up as a KL351. I know people have been referring to another model number, but more than one model number has been mentioned in this thread.

I just want to be sure I am not contemplating a purchase of a faulty loader. The woods one is only 500.00 more or so.

 

[IslandTractor]

The only loaders that have the cracking problem are the KL120 and KL130. The KL351 is new but has a different design and is not really at risk. The replacement (new model) loaders for the CK20 and CK30 are the KL120b and the KL130b and those should be fine too.

One thing to be careful of in looking at a "new" CK20 or CK30 is to make sure that the loader is the new style (the "b" suffix should be clearly part of the model number on the side of the loader). I wouldn't worry about getting an older style loader if it had the repair kit installed but I'd expect an extra discount.

 

[PA hayseed]

Thank you, I appreciate the information.

 

[RexB]

Hi PA hayseed, iso IslandTractor's good info, here is a pic of the new "B" model FEL arm and how the torque-tube penetrates both sides of both arms with welded steel plates on both sides. On the FEL the barcode label will read "KL130B Loader", tho the "B" is not on the larger "KL130" stencil on the loader arm.

click n zoom



Happy tractor-hunting, and did you get it yet? We love Pics

 

[shvl73]

I do believe that it is possible to repair a freshly cracked loader in a manner that is professional and nearly impossible to detect.

If I am remembering correctly, Dick B. at Batchelders in Lebanon Maine did just that for a customer. I think the guy's statement was essentially that it appeared as new after he was done. I guess it would depend on the skill level of the welder doing the repair.