Why won't you help Kioti?

[Steve_Miller]

Thanks for caring and trying to be helpful.
KL120, Ser# 40515052, Sept 2004, heavy use, snowplowing (6.5' blade, not bucket), homemade grapple. I've picked up whatever the loader would allow a few times, whether it was wet heavy snow, soil, mud, gravel, etc.
My two cents worth: "I" don't think Becky is trying to represent Kioti here, she's just trying to help them and us in anyway that may get us to a quicker resolution. The internet is a powerful tool, granted not all people have access to a computer let alone the internet, so this forum can be one more piece to the puzzle for this problem or others, lets use it to our advantage and not deter others from joining in and helping instead of possibly driving them away with our nit picking and bickering that we get carried away with sometimes. Don't get me wrong, there's probably more good things than bad here, but lets try and be positive for the most part. Thanks to the moderators for improving the forum, one aspect of improvement that I noticed is that now you reply to a thread, as opposed to looking like you replied to a specific person, this will cut down on some people getting offended by a reply unless someone specifically points at someone. Keep up the good work all.

Steve

 

[IslandTractor]

Steve, you forgot to tell us whether your loader has cracks or not. Some folks are reporting FELs with no cracks so we cannot assume yours has cracks unless you specifically state so.

Also, I agree that Becky is trying to be helpful here. She has managed however to get herself self appointed as the lightning rod for frustrated Kioti owners through previous posts in other threads where she was herself rather inflammatory. I think she came into this whole issue rather late and after the crowd was fairly incensed with Kioti. She did not help her cause by choosing an emotional title for this thread either. I find it interesting that the more experienced and internet savvy dealers are hanging back. Smart move. No sense walking into a hornets nest of disgrunted owners when you (the dealer) have no responsiblity for what all the fuss is about. Poor Becky has done just that. Too bad she didn't just reactivate Bearhawk's earlier thread and ask people to provide serial numbers.

 

[JerryG]

Ok... did I miss somethin' here? I honestly don't know which side of the fence I am on in regard to the "should she have or should she not have" on this thread. However, I have never in this thread or anywhere else seen Becky say anything "foul mouthed." The moderators would not allow it anyway. Again, maybe I missed a post that was jerked or something, but I don't see how Becky and Foul mouthed go together. If you want foul mouthed, call my baby sister. She makes George Carlin look like a preacher.

The post in question has been removed.

 

[thcri]

I really don't think Kioti needs any help. They know they have a problem and it just takes time to figure out what is the best solution and giving everyone new loaders at this time is not the answer. And most manufactures don't admit to problems until they know what the problem actuallly is. But if I was Kioti, I sure would hate to have one of my dealers running around the country getting information to throw in their face. This dealer may need a favor some day and won't get it. And I am sure Kioti is watching this forum.

My recomendation is for each guy that has a problem that they stay in touch with their dealers, document everything and maybe even write a certified letter for legal purposes if Kioti doesn't come up with a fix. Doing work on townhouse projects I know what it is like to have one of many people in the townhouse project cause trouble. That person gets nothing out of me and it would be my best guess this dealer may get lesser service. Just my opinion.

murph

 

[IslandTractor]

it would be my best guess this dealer may get lesser service.
murph

Actually the dealer in question gets great support from Kioti as evidenced by Kioti sending service techs to the dealership to explore the loader problem even before the company issued their mini bulletin on the subject to other dealers. Again, Becky is trying to do the right thing but is getting a bit more publicity than she wants on TBN right now.

 

[coasterez]

From my recollection, Becky is very positive and proactive. She adds constructively to this forum all the time, and she is a champion for Kioti. Whether or not she should be taking such a survey, and the accuracy of it, can (and probably should) be argued. But, her motives should not be, and the survey does have some value at least for me. Kioti should be (and probably is) proud to have a dealer who takes so much interest for the sake of both the manufacturer and the customer. Those who choose to attack her (or anyone else), with nothing constructive to add to this thread should take their negativity elsewhere.

Also, being an engineer and having worked for/with many companies over the years, I know that companies do not always practice good engineering, especially when it comes to collecting statistical data. So, we cannot be absolutely sure that Kioti will/is either. Therefore, Becky's survey has some merit for me even if it may not be comprised of data from the broadest scope of users. Data being contributed on this forum is coming from all parts of America, and all walks of life. There is no "Steering" in the wording of the question either. Is it a large sample? No. Are non-internet users left out? Yes. Are their users who simply are not aware and have not checked? Most certainly. Are other Kioti owners who read the thread simply not contributing? Probably. Nonetheless, it is useful data - presumed to be truthful and accurate. Can conclusions be drawn from it, clues identified, or trends determined? Maybe, maybe not. But, it certainly does not hurt.

Don't mean to complicate the survey, but it would also be good to know whether the "reinforcement" plates at opposing ends of the cutout are installed or not.

As for my CK25 and KL130... Sorry, I haven't had time to check the S/N. But will tonight. Right now 61 hours, no cracks, toothbar, hooks, light use - some dirt moving (not digging), brush removal, mulch and compost, never applied uneven, twisting force thus far. Carried BB and two medium stumps with hooks; used both pretty evenly distributed. Purchase 3/3/06. I have the reinforcement plates.

Tom

 

[IslandTractor]

I have the reinforcement plates.

This may simply indicate that you have the KL130 vs KL120 loader. I too was under the impression that "reinforcement plates" had been added to some loaders but Highbeam pointed out to me that all KL130s have them and none of the KL120s do so it may be just a difference in the model. If my understanding is wrong please correct me. My KL120 does not have reinforcement plates and has square corners, not rounded like the KL130.

 

[New_Jersey01]

Batche33,
Can't you post anything without being foul mouthed. I don't know you, but if you are that way I can't see why anyone would want to even do business with you. Very very unprofessional.

I didn't see this? Maybe you were reading something else? I think she's just trying to help, but Kioti needs to step up.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Batche33,
Can't you post anything without being foul mouthed. I don't know you, but if you are that way I can't see why anyone would want to even do business with you. Very very unprofessional.

I didn't see this? Maybe you were reading something else? I think she's just trying to help, but Kioti needs to step up.

Apparently you also missed it when JerryG wrote a reply about the same question.

The post in question has been removed.

 

[coasterez]

Island,

I had not read that the reinforcement plates were on all KL130's. That could be correct. I thought I remember some dealers saying that some of their inventory of KL130's did not have the plates. I could be mistaken. Perhaps a dealer on here can help clarify? It all have it, then just ignore me. Also, if all have it, doesn't that say that Kioti has been aware of the problem from the get go? If so, Well, their bandaid (plates) didn't work. So, Botox certainly won't. What we need is outright transplant surgery!

I do know for sure that stress will concentrate and be greatest in metal at sharp corners. And that is how Kioti designed the opening - tsk, tsk, bad practice. Rounded corners would certainly have helped. But, even still, that alone would probably not be enough, as is evidenced by the reinforcement plate failures.

Becky,
Keep up the good work. Everyone (Becky too): be nice or at least indifferent. Hostility isn't helpful or necessary.