Kubota Factory Rep?

[PaulT]

I'm curious if anyone out there in internettractorland is a Kubota rep/dealer/mechanic that can help with advice on things that appear to be Kubota quality issues. In a separate post I asked about a folding ROPS rattle (no - not in the hinge part, it IS tight there - see Unique Problem? ). I thought it would be helpful if someone from the factory was able or available to "weigh in" on issues regarding problems/fixes, etc. Does anyone know if there is an online source listing problems and solutions that are acknowledged by Kubota proper, like the auto manufacturers do??

Other problems that seem to get mentioned alot are faulty or leaking hydraulic valves, fittings, hoses, etc. I know My buddy and I have had our share of loose connections causing leaks, and we have only had our toys for less than a month. I wonder where Kubota is on these quality control issues with their new tractors.

Just Curious.

PaulT

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Paul,

I've seen a number of these "leaking issues" being posted.

Is the problem really the manufacturer or is it a dealer installed item, and perhaps a dealer induced defect?/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

By the way, what part of Upstate New York do you live? I'm in East Greenbush, outside Albany. {Who's your local Kubota dealer?}

 

[Anonymous Poster]

They probably don't. Japanese policy is zero defects taught to them by the American Edward Deming after WW2. Hence they don't normally cater for handling defects as well as other peoples like Aussies poms or yanks. Appears that Kubota America is unable to obtain the Japanese norm of zero defects. In Australia I can do a company listing for $10.
This gives me the names and home addresses of the company directors. In a company such as Kubota one is almost garranteed to be Japanese. A letter to each of these directors (pluss air mail to Japan) gets a pretty quick response. Tried this a problem with AKAI electronics and it worked.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

As far as I know there is no official site for registering problems. As far as your rops problem check my latest posts in unique problems I recently discovered new info. The leaks I've been reading about should have been corrected at the dealer level prior to delivery. The loader comes in a crate and is installed by the dealer. The control valve has to be assembled with the fittings. The hoses to the loader cylinders are installed but they still need to be checked, have seen quite a few not tightened completely from the factory. I think it's safe to say most of the leaks encountered were dealer QA problems. The backhoes should also get the same checkout. From what I understand Kubota loaders and backhoes are built in the USA. If you take notice all the hardware related to these implements is SAE not metric. Even the bolts that attach the frames to the tractor are standard/metric bolts (different head size).

 

[r0GuE]

I am almost certain that MOST of the problems are being induced by the dealers (see kubota parts still waiting, my last few posts there express my opinion clearly).
I also (from my experience) think that the Japanese tractors could be of a higher quality (at least out of the box).
Course thats just my VERY LIMITED experience. I'm sure there are a FEW dealers out there that are exceptional. I also believe in extra terrestrials (though I'm sure I'll never see one and I doubt anyone else has either).

Rogue

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Is it worth me trying to get a Senior Japanese Kubota persons name and home address? I'm sure the Japanese end of Kubota would be surprised by the negative experiences that many of their customers are encountering.
The Western world says the customer is always right.
The Japanese say the customer is god.
A slightly different way of looking at the world.

 

[BobT]

Hi Smokey1,

"trying to get a Senior Japanese Kubota persons name and home address?"

You can get any Kubota corporate officer's name quite easily. Go to Yahoo, select Finance, and search on the symbol KUB. Corporate officers names are public record, and no effort is made to hide or obscure their names. However, there is no point or advantage to writing such any such individual at their home. In fact, it likely might open you to suspicion of being a potential "stalker." Kubota is a business. Write to anyone regarding products at their business address.

"I'm sure the Japanese end of Kubota would be surprised by the negative experiences that many of their customers are encountering."

Kubota enjoys one of the very highest reputations for durability and quality. Every mechanical device has various issues. However, in my experience, which I believe is overwhelmingly reflected here on TBN, Kubtoa (as well as the other major manufacturers) has been very responsive to any problems brought to light. It is incorrect to say that "many" of their customers are experiencing problems. In comparision to total units sold and in operation, the number is very small.

It is true that Kubota does not have individual engineers or other employees answer questions here directly, or even on their own web site. As I understand it, this is so not because they lack concern about problems, but more to do with the dealer network and reporting system they have established. They believe that is the best way, to contact the dealer. I do not agree with that position, and feel they could interface in much more convenient ways for their customers on the Internet. But Kubtoa is like most massive corporations with such an attitude. They really don't "get" the Web, IMO. In the meantime, Kubota owners, mechanics and dealers do visit here all day and night long, and provide a very useful service for any owner with problems. These discussions are extremely prompt and more thorough answers than one is likely to receive even from a dealer, and certainly more informative than you would receive from that Japanese corporate officer. Kubota doesn;t make just tractors. They are a huge global company with many lines besides compact tractors.

"The Japanese say the customer is god."

Actually, most Japanese are Shinto Buddhists, who have no god of any kind, customer or otherwise.

BobT.
A Indiana Boy

 

[allmobile]

Kubmech, you are right about the loaders and most Kubota implements being built in the U.S. I have installed many of these myself and even as thorough as I like to think I am I have missed tightening loader hydraulic fittings occasionally. The difference is that I admitted it and took care of it immediately. We are a little different here, most customers are within a 50 mile radius.

Brian
P.S. I would like to get your e-mail address, you can get in touch with me through my website at www.allmobilerepair.com

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...get a Senior Japanese Kubota persons name and home address</font color=blue>

I deal with Taiwanese importers on a daily basis and it's tough enough communicating {speaking} with broken English and "spelling out" letters or numbers to "get it right"...

I can only imagine a Japanese executive "trying to read" an English based letter/complaint and then... {going for a stretch here..} How in heck, would you understand his Japanese reply?

But like they say in New York Lotto...Hey, you never know? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[r0GuE]

There is not a Japanese executive of a major multinational corporation that doesn't speak perfect english. Couldn't happen.
Heck most of the common retail workers in Japan speak pretty good english!

Rogue

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>… I also believe in extra terrestrials (though I'm sure I'll never see one)…</font color=blue>

Rogue...no it's not from my family album... some likeness however.../w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[PaulT]

John,

Sorry for the delayed response. I live in Vestal, just south of Binghamton. My dealer is Goodrich Implements in Johnson City, although I purchased my tractor from Keys in Clarion, PA (they deliver!).

Paul

PaulT

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hey Paul. it's Pete, these are problems which your local selling dealer would be more than happy to deal with had you bought there! That is how we help people justify the few extra bucks we get than Keys or others far away. No need for a factory rep when ya deal with us! hehe That said, tighten the 4 base bolts on your ROPS, they require more torque to be tightened properly than the air ratchet most set up guys use. As far as the leaky loader hoses go, internal hydraulic pressure sometimes tweak the hoses and loosen them a little after initial set up and require some tightening after a few hours. this condition is not just Kubota specific. As a rule, I usually stop by MY customers house within 1 or 2 weeks of delivery to share a beer or a Dr. Pepper, tighten some hoses, and let them vent a frustrations at me, so they don't have to on the internet, but time = money and, well never mind! How's the box blade working out? Give a holler!

 

[PaulT]

Hey Pete,

Good to see you here!! The box blade is working like a charm. Now if I only had a tiller... With regard to the ROPS, you made a suggestion that others have also been saying - tighten the bolts at the base to the torque specs. Someone here mentioned 110 ft lbs, so I did that (I have a torque wrench). As someone else said, all that did was to begin squeezing the outer tube to fit the inner tube (but not enough to take out the clearance gap, that would have required HUGE amounts of bolt torque, and deformed the tube).

Anyway, the day I bought the box blade, I checked out the 2910 you have there - with the same ROPS I have. It has the exact same rattle problem. Your comment was that they all do it, but readers of this board indicate that theirs generally don't rattle. Any thoughts??

BTW - As you probably already know, I agree that your extra attention is worth something extra in the price. I guess the art of the deal is to try to find what that extra value is worth, both to you AND to me.

PaulT

 

[ljh2]

I believe someone else here, kubmech maybe, said something about some missing spacers. You might look into that.

Larry

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Paul, I'll check with Rhino (the tech) tomorrow, usually all the Big B's rattle a little 'cuz the guys just use an air ratchet to tighten, but then they do it by hand and tighten 'em up to stop rattling. Pete

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Paul, Rhino says "ignore the torque specs," if you want the rattle to stop, use a large socket and wrench and tighten until the outside conforms to the inside. He is about 6'2" 380lbs, and says "I can't break them, so average guys won't!"
He also says "it's obvious that l didn't set up that 2910 out front or the ROPS wouldn't rattle!

 

[r0GuE]

I did read that missing spacers are the problem. DON'T just crank harder! Find out about the spacers, for that matter, get a new ROPS from the dealer (I'm sure he'll help you out! ;^) overtorque could stress the member and make it less structually sound. Of that I am certain! I also have a reasonable amount of confidence in the Kubota engineers. My guess is that the original dealer that sold that tractor has dozens of them since he doesnt bother using them because they are probably hard to fit in there (too tight, to keep the rattles down!)
Whatever you do, use caution. This system is not a cup holder (while I admit at first glance it appears simple). The engineers spent alot of litigation protection time in that bar.

Rogue