new CK30 owner is lovin' it

[Dmace]

Nice Pictures!

Soon you'll find yourself cutting down trees just so you can pull the stumps.

 

[RexB]

This tractor is a Hoot!

I don't think so, lol. These stinking Alder weeds fall/break over enough without any encouragement, they were a big reason to buy this Kioti honey since I needed a shovel and logskidder.

To attach a hook for a chokechain in the middle of the front bucket, I haven't decided yet whether to bolt on a 1/4" steel reinforcing plate across the bucket-attachment plates or to weld it onto the bucket and plates. Then weld on the hook. The Dealer, a farmer, said "Don't weld a hook onto a side of the bucket, heavy logs will twist the hydraulics/lift arms. I learned the expensive way."

Right now I'm using a hook bolted onto the drawbar, but the chokecable sometimes snags the bottom of the backhoe, esp when dragging off of higher ground.

 

[RexB]

Sheesh, just came across a thread from the competition about Kioti. Yea, it had a problem, it was quickly fixed, they ought not talk about it as if it wasn't fixed on the newer models.
Compact Tractor Review - When will Kioti fix their broken loaders?

 

[Highbeam]

Yeah, I don't know Rex. I was that February 2006 poster who discovered this issue. I am personally "fixed" and taken care of but there are many many other owners that are not taken care of. The problem isn't with new buyers lucky enough to get the new model loader it is with the old owners and their cracked up loader. Those folks are still getting the shaft here.

Bob's generally right that there is still a problem. Kioti has a solution from a forward looking future profits point of view but are not providing good service for their existing customers who have already paid for the tractor. Clearly they prioritized the new machines with a solution and redesign.

I expect improvements in a tractor line as they learn from design mistakes. I also expect that if the design mistake causes an equipment failure such as this that there needs to be a solution for the old model tractors as well. I've worked in shipyards and any crack type failure in a crane's structural frame would lead to immediate shutdown and qualified repair.

 

[RexB]

That is hard on some old owners, I'd be hopping mad. Since you were taken care of Ok, do you know if it is the dealer, or the company, that is not agreeing to fix some of the old models (like the Kubota deck/fender cracking on BX2350s) ? I completely agree that a manf fault should be fixed totally at the company's cost.

 

[Highbeam]

Ok, do you know if it is the dealer, or the company, that is not agreeing to fix some of the old models (like the Kubota deck/fender cracking on BX2350s) ? I completely agree that a manf fault should be fixed totally at the company's cost.

The company issued a bulletin discussing the cracks and that there would be a fix so the dealers as well as the owners are just on standby for the last however many months. The trouble is deciding which "fix" would be proper here. Some dealers have fabricated and welded some additional bracing to the loaders and done it well, some dealers have just scabbed on huge hunks of angle iron. I think at this point though that it would not be wise for a dealer to add any material since the latest fix kit from Kioti requires the torque tube to be at OEM dimensions for fitment.

I blame the manufacturer for not following through on this issue. I believe that the dealers have been told to standby.

The issue of cost is an odd one too. Shouldn't there be an allownace for cost to bring the machine to the dealer to repair this defect? Many owners live quite a ways from their dealers and will have to eat the cost of that.

 

[RexB]

...The issue of cost is an odd one too. Shouldn't there be an allownace for cost to bring the machine to the dealer to repair this defect? Many owners live quite a ways from their dealers and will have to eat the cost of that.

Definitely. The owner travelled to the dealer and offered their money in trade for a working unit, thereby making the first trip and helping the dealer and manfr stay in business.

If a manufacturing fault is later discovered which has to be fixed for the machine to operate correctly, that is no fault of the customer and should be quickly fixed by the manfr/dealer at their cost, shipping/travel included. That's only fair and right.

From my (unaffected) viewpoint, Kioti was quick to change their production line and fix newer models (as in the flex lines to the hyd coolers), kudos to them. But to dwadle and dally around with not fixing old owners' machines is reprehensible and should be solved immediately.

 

[Jaybr]

If a manufacturing fault is later discovered which has to be fixed for the machine to operate correctly, that is no fault of the customer and should be quickly fixed by the manfr/dealer at their cost, shipping/travel included. That's only fair and right.

This is where it gets tricky, from my understanding no loaders have failed and operation has not been affected. I've read the response is that the cracks are cosmetic only.

I'm not defending Kioti, I'd be plenty pissed too if my new loader had cracks in it.

 

[RexB]

This is where it gets tricky, from my understanding no loaders have failed and operation has not been affected. I've read the response is that the cracks are cosmetic only.

I'm not defending Kioti, I'd be plenty pissed too if my new loader had cracks in it.

No failed arms or torque tubes? Operation hasn't been affected at all? Kioti was right and the cracks were cosmetic only?

I wouldn't like the looks of cracks, but if none of the loaders actually broke and are still being used a year later on heavy loads, what ...

I gotta look for a closeup picture that somebody took of the cracks, i don't get it.

 

[Jaybr]

No failed arms or torque tubes? Operation hasn't been affected at all? Kioti was right and the cracks were cosmetic only?

I wouldn't like the looks of cracks, but if none of the loaders actually broke and are still being used a year later on heavy loads, what ...

I gotta look for a closeup picture that somebody took of the cracks, i don't get it.

That is my understanding, although I would have to wonder if the cracks won't become a problem over time.

 

[RexB]

And surface metal cracks would be a heckuva foothold for some serious rust.

The new upgraded Kioti KL130 FEL on mine is the KL130B model number. The new torque bar that goes all the way through both sides of each lifter arm looks like a good storage place for a pry bar.

The dealer added a Rankin PHD600 postholedigger and a 12" steel-toothed auger into my purchase deal, and $900 off advertised price. I don't see any reviews on Rankin, an equipment company here in Washington. The owners manual is an Italian manufacturer. Have you heard of Rankin PHD's and their quality?

I was getting extra shear pins and saw they were shear bolts instead.

- - -

My woods equipment need history

Could have used this lovely l'il machine two months ago but didn't have it...

To make a short story long:

Western Washington got socked and inundated by two weeks of high winds and rainfloods last November. Trees blown down for miles and miles, roofs blown off, towns destroyed, logjams blocking Interstates and washing away AmTrak, all that. I had 3-dozen trees down across the lane, drive, yard, back on my woods trails, couldn't walk anywhere.

So in March when we all start digging out, I called around to rent a backhoe for skidding, I'd just sold the 'dozer, it figures, spent years clearing the place with it. Didn't want to have burn piles going on all sides of this 8 acres again so thought I'd do the non-polluting green PC thing and chip the trees then haul them to the county dump recycling where they sell the chips for extra money.

All three rental outfits here doubled their prices for backhoes.

Ok fine, I'll rent just a chipper, tow it behind the pickup to the trees, buck and feed them in: $169 a day chipper rent. Yea sure I'm a fish hook me.

Ok fine, I'll just buck them and haul to the dump so they can still make some money to defray costs. The dam dump wanted $77 a ton; I'd guesstimate I had ~30 tons if I hauled it all.

I understand and believe in the economics of supply and demand. But when I drive by these rental outfits, there will be one or two of their backhoes and chippers sitting idle in the lot waiting for someone to rent a Kubota 26hp for $350 a day, so it's not like they're all rented out all the time.

So to **** with 'em all, I bucked and burned for five weeks to clear out the tangled mess. Then when we visited our folks in Oregon (no sales tax), i gathered money together and went and bought a brand spanking new Kioti 30hp tractor , woot!

(I'd have loved to get the tractor first, but didn't make up my mind for that big expense until I was nearly done busting my butt like usual.)

I :heart: this l'il Kioti

 

[RexB]

Allreet, I'm loving this new tractor the more i get to know it - strong, quick and well made. The now stock torque-tube's full penetration of both arms, more reinforcing plates around critical points, and flexible hyd cooler lines are great 'lessons learned' by Kioti. Am posting from another thread these repeat pics of my welded bucket hooks and brush screen, thanks to y'all for the tips! to get the pics into "my new Kioti" thread







It's time to get it back into the woods and ruin the paint job. Will search the threads here for welding on a full ROPS w/ steel canopy for those pesky falling limbs and trees.