King Kutter quality plummeted

[BigBlue1]

I have a King Kutter tiller and box blade purchased around 2017-2019. They are fantastic and well made. However, looks like they have gone far, far downhill lately. I was at the local farm store yesterday where they have a bunch of KK stuff in stock. The welding is just disastrous. So is the painting. My Titan forks are head and shoulders better on the welds than this and everyone ******* about them. See for yourself some examples from box blades and tillers:

This is just sad. Their stuff was very well made in the past. To top it off, prices have SKYROCKETED! I paid $1500 for a 60" KK Professional tiller in 2017. Today it sells for $2500. The 5' box blade I bought around 2019 for under $500 now costs $1000. I know the prices are more about the economy and steel costs than KK itself and apply across other manufacturers, but the whole situation is just a mess. I'd hate to be trying to buy equipment these days.

 

[hayboy48]

Been to a KK factory in Winfield, AL. Buying parts only. Guys super nice. I have an older 7 ft finish mower I like.

 

[DarkBlack]

Those welds look like something someone would do on their first day of learning how to weld.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Ive never thought of them as anything other than a domestic Chinese level company.
i’m sure they churn a profit. Wonder if the owner lives in a huge glass house on the lake?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Anyone who thinks KK was EVER top shelf, has NEVER seen top shelf!!

I've seen a couple of their older tillers with blown drive gears, not something I'd ever want to own.

SR

 

[Locoweed]

Some people can't resist cheap sh_t

 

[TCowner]

Two weeks ago I picked up a new King Kutter carry-all. As others have said, the welds are awful and the paint rubs off if you walk by it. Now, it was $229 and doesn't have to do much. The plan is to make a platform to carry the chainsaws, gas, oil, etc to the woods to cut. So for what it is designed for will work okay. The local high school shop class (if they even teach that anymore) could have done a better job.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a King Kutter tiller and box blade purchased around 2017-2019. They are fantastic and well made. However, looks like they have gone far, far downhill lately. I was at the local farm store yesterday where they have a bunch of KK stuff in stock. The welding is just disastrous. So is the painting. My Titan forks are head and shoulders better on the welds than this and everyone ******* about them. See for yourself some examples from box blades and tillers:

View attachment 867473View attachment 867474View attachment 867475View attachment 867476View attachment 867477

This is just sad. Their stuff was very well made in the past. To top it off, prices have SKYROCKETED! I paid $1500 for a 60" KK Professional tiller in 2017. Today it sells for $2500. The 5' box blade I bought around 2019 for under $500 now costs $1000. I know the prices are more about the economy and steel costs than KK itself and apply across other manufacturers, but the whole situation is just a mess. I'd hate to be trying to buy equipment these days.

Looks like it was painted with a mop.

Try buying quality used stuff. I have found this to be a great way to go and have built my business with maybe 3 or 4 new pieces and probably 25 used pieces.

FBM has thousands of used quality pieces from Bobcat, HLA, etc.

 

[nyone]

I had one of there sub soilers about 8yrs ago, it broke. I had one of there rear blades, it bent...but they both had decent welds and paint so that's good.

I'm sure the company needed to crank out more profits so they hired cheaper welders. Theres plenty of other american made attachment components out there buy hell buying a used attachment is prob better.

 

[paulsharvey]

The real issue is going to be what you Can't see. I would much prefer quality gear box, ugly welds, and red oxide primer; over pretty welds, good paint, and crap mechanics or crap steel. The issue is, you can't realistically know the important things. I would Guess that if the appearance of paint/welds are bad, they probably cut corners where it actually matters. You can always reweld or repaint; but if you bend a frame/trash a gear box, it's a lot harder/more expensive.