I bought a new Kioti NX4510 last fall. In April of this year I began to experience a hydraulic leak in the rear of the tractor. In July, after the leak had become much worse, the leak was traced to a crack in the transmission case between two bolts that attach the backhoe mount to the tractor. This fall, Sept. 7, I experienced another major hydraulic leak coming from the back of the tractor. This time it was traced to a crack between two bolts holding the backhoe mount on the other side of the transmission case. Is anyone else experiencing a similar problem? Solution?
Alas, the local dealer cannot even order parts for a "high cost" warranty claim until he has factory approval via a "HIgh Cost Repair Code" (HCRC). Kioti's Customer Service Administrator (CSA) has told me that is Kioti's policy and that it is not subject to review or discussion. The CSA said that if anyone proceeded with work without an HCRC, they would be responsible for the full cost of the work regardless of any warranty claim. My dealer, bless his heart, has taken it upon himself to order the part because Kioti has yet (today is November 1) to approve an HCRC. Has anyone else bumped into this sort of red tape and delay from Kioti?
Last, should it be possible to damage the transmission case via operation of the backhoe? Is it a common practice to mount backhoes to a tractor's transmission case rather than to the tractor's frame? Am I wrong in thinking that as long as no damage is done to the backhoe itself, there should be no damage to the tractor to which it is mounted? Or, expressed differently, how could backhoe operations, operations done within the operating constraints of the backhoe itself, cause damage to the tractor to which it is mounted?
Thank you all for your thoughts.