Has King Kutter gone Chinese

[Taylortractornut]

I just worked on a new King Kutter Rotary mower. I know they use Chinese gear boxes and spindles but this whole thing looked identicle to the Farm Pro mower i repaired for another customer. The welds were pitiful, gear box screamed, fit or the parts and angles were shabby. Ive got a KK rake thats older thats finely built and dad and I have a 5 and a 6 foot mower that has chinese spindles on them we are up grading to better bearings in them. The gear boxes on them are good not sure where they are made. Im picky about my implements, I have to use them to make part of my living and would like to know. Im not trying to bash any manufacturer but I dont want to pay 2 prices for the same thing.

 

[joerocker]

This is only the beginning...

Soon EVERYTHING will be made in China just as in the 60s and 70s everything was "Made in Japan", then the 90s it was Taiwan and Indonesia. The 00s and beyond belong to China. The 4th largest economy now...I'll bet 1st or 2nd within 10 years.

Get used to it.

People can't afford the prices of American made products. All the overhead keeps them from being competitive. Did you know that for every vehicle GM makes, $5000 goes towards retirement benefits? How can you compete when you have to pay workers $50 an hour to put in a few screws? I know there's a difference here between auto workers and people working at the KK factory. But it's basically the same...Americans want/need too much money. Why do you think the illegals are here? Why do you think that employers want them here? They work cheap! They keep prices reasonably low. We've priced ourselves out of the world market.

 

[Maka]

I have to agree.

Maka

 

[Ford960]

I too agree with the overpaid labor.
As far as KK goes, I had to reweld my box blade where the teeth go through the square section. This section was made by welding the edges of two angles to make the box. The welds had no penetration and split wide open when I hooked a buried root with the teeth. I used 6013 rod to reweld the entire top and bottom of the box and have not had any more problems with it.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I know about the over paid workers and all that But the King Kutter plant is about 2 hours away. I kinda like locally made items. Id rather myself pay extra for a good product I dont have to rework myself. Then again we mow and bushhog more than the average tractor owner. I dont have alot of time between jobs to repair my smaller equipment. The gear box on my 2 mowers are USA and so is the few original spindles. I have to rebuild the chinese spindles every few weeks one goes out. Im almost done modifying them all to better bearings. Another thing about it I dont like my dealer telling me the thing is made here and it be made else where, that breaks alot of my confidence in them.

 

[john_bud]

This is only the beginning...

Soon EVERYTHING will be made in China just as in the 60s and 70s everything was "Made in Japan", then the 90s it was Taiwan and Indonesia. The 00s and beyond belong to China. The 4th largest economy now...I'll bet 1st or 2nd within 10 years.

Not all true! In the electronics area, jobs are leaving the high labor costs of China (honest) and going to India. India has less of a language / culture / commie barrier.

 

[Alan L.]

This is only the beginning...

Soon EVERYTHING will be made in China just as in the 60s and 70s everything was "Made in Japan", then the 90s it was Taiwan and Indonesia. The 00s and beyond belong to China. The 4th largest economy now...I'll bet 1st or 2nd within 10 years.

Get used to it.

People can't afford the prices of American made products. All the overhead keeps them from being competitive. Did you know that for every vehicle GM makes, $5000 goes towards retirement benefits? How can you compete when you have to pay workers $50 an hour to put in a few screws? I know there's a difference here between auto workers and people working at the KK factory. But it's basically the same...Americans want/need too much money. Why do you think the illegals are here? Why do you think that employers want them here? They work cheap! They keep prices reasonably low. We've priced ourselves out of the world market.

Yea, American manufacturers can't compete. Thats why we all live in poverty like a 3rd world nation.

 

[Soundguy]

I have one of the older 'red' ones.. 6 years old or so. it's a decent built piece of equipment. Good welds.. good hearbox.. etc.

Guess I need to hit a TSC to see what KK is turning out for mowers now..

soundguy

I just worked on a new King Kutter Rotary mower. I know they use Chinese gear boxes and spindles but this whole thing looked identicle to the Farm Pro mower i repaired for another customer. The welds were pitiful, gear box screamed, fit or the parts and angles were shabby. Ive got a KK rake thats older thats finely built and dad and I have a 5 and a 6 foot mower that has chinese spindles on them we are up grading to better bearings in them. The gear boxes on them are good not sure where they are made. Im picky about my implements, I have to use them to make part of my living and would like to know. Im not trying to bash any manufacturer but I dont want to pay 2 prices for the same thing.

 

[Berniep]

As for the Chinese, they are getting better fast, watch out for them.
As for Building stuff here. It can't be the american worker because Honda just anounced plans to build a major plant a few miles from me and they are paying very competitive wages.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

From all I've seen, King Kutter's biggest issue is with consistancy and quality control. One piece will be well built and the next one off the line will have shabby welds, poor paint, or bad fit from part to part.

I don't know this as fact, but it SEEMS that maybe they grew too quick and lost control on what went out the door. I have a 6' tiller of theirs and couldn't be happier. Bro-in-law just bought a 6' finish mower and hasn't been able to cut his 3-1/2 acre yard one time without some sort of breakdown. (in 4 attempts)