Exporting Kubota to USA from Canada and Kubota's Inability to Provide Documentation

[Kyle241]

So I have decided to keep my MX5100 and take it with me to the USA. I have done a lot of research on what is required and have the proper docs for customs/homeland security to review. My one issue is that while the engine is EPA compliant and Kubota Japan nicely applied a label on the engine that states this, it's impossible to see the label. They placed it on top of the valve cover (it's facing up) and on top of the that is the fuel tank plus hood. There is only about 2" of space to get to the label and that is what customs needs to see otherwise Kubota Canada needs to supply a letter stating it's EPA compliant but after ten calls to the dealer (two calls) and corporate (eight calls), nobody is willing to write a basic letter stating this similar to what is required for Canadian purchased cars such as our Nissan and Mazda we are importing as well. They provided the letter but for some reason Kubota cannot....no explanation why, just that it seems beyond them.

So, I have tried to access this label on top of the valve cover and thought perhaps taking a pic with my phone would work. Well, I got partial pics only and while some are sort of legible and state EPA compliance, I have my doubts a customs agent will accept that as it took me a number of tries to get the partial. We also tried a small mirror but the issue is that there isn't enough room to get ones fingers and mirror in there and turn it to view anything. Anyone have any ideas as to how to access this label easily without having to take the tractor apart at the port of entry?


Tks.

 

[slowzuki]

Snake cam or fibre optic scope? I think they have them at the border for searching cars for drugs.

 

[HeLa]

i don't know much of the layout of the machine, but is it really *that* difficult to remove the fuel tank? when you start comparing things to customs processes, a lot of PITA jobs start looking like cakewalks.

it is really unbelievable how much value the US gives to those stickers. i have been involved with the import of cars into the US on several occasions and without that EPA sticker you simply will not get the vehicle into the country.

personally i would start exploring options for making the sticker available for visual inspection at the border. :2cents:

 

[smstonypoint]

it is really unbelievable how much value the US gives to those stickers. i have been involved with the import of cars into the US on several occasions and without that EPA sticker you simply will not get the vehicle into the country.

Just curious -- do the regulations apply to "vintage" tractors?

Steve

 

[BeezFun]

If you can find another kubota that has the label more visible, take a picture with a good quality camera and go to a printer that makes adhesive backed labels. Then stick that label in some place that's visible. My buddy is a mechanic for Lamborghini and they don't like to put the actual license plates on the car because it requires making two bolt holes, so they make stick on labels out of the license plate and stick them on the back of the car. They're reflective so you can hardly tell it's not a real plate.

 

[MIKE R]

Just curious -- do the regulations apply to "vintage" tractors?

Steve

I've imported 3 into Canada and all they want is the receipt and to get their money. On a new tractor you need to notify both American and Canadian Customs 72 hours prior to importing it, for them to clear it. I don't see why they would concern themselves with the EPA stuff.

 

[JRL305]

I'm with HeLa. I'd take it apart enough to see the stiker before I left on the trip. You could also take a picture then too.

 

[MHarryE]

Poor EPA and USCustoms get the blame but actually they are pressured by manufacturers to verify and prohibit. Reason - gray market. Even if you are the company building the product, there is a different profit margin in each country. Not sure why Kubota hasn't learned but at my former company any dealer could print the certification for any machine given the PIN - Product Identification Number. Just for the reason you mention - the certification label is not always easily visible or may have been damaged. Taking a picture of another tractor's plate will not suffice because customs need to track the certification to the specific machine. While I was still working we supplied machines with up to 3 different certifications, same model, same plant, different destination country so 3 different engine versions. It is interesting for me to see how little Kubota needs to do to get a tractor into the USA. Getting a machine into Japan required the engine serial number to be stamped into the engine block in a specified location that is easily visible to inspectors. This wasn't our normal process so the Japanese market machines needed to be specially stamped. Sure enough one machine slipped out of our plant without the proper stamping. Quarantined at Japanese Customs. I had to send one of my engineers to accompany an assembly mechanic with a set of hand stamps on a trip to Japan to stamp the block. We couldn't have someone from one of our Japanese plants - had to be from the originating plant. The engineer had to be along to verify that this was indeed the proper engine. He had to hand carry the certification and oversee the mechanic stamping. But the law is the law and we knew better. The Japanese actually made it easier because they required the certification to be visible on the finished product, not just the engine where it could be covered up by accessories, and also stamped to traceability would not disappear with a damaged decal. Our company has auditors at every major seaport from which our machines depart. They have the flexible snake like video cameras just like inspectors. Still Kubota should be able to supply paperwork.

Somebody's question about vintage equipment - the machine needs to comply with whatever the requirement was at the time the machine was built so if you have an old Farmall H there is no problem. When you are talking about tractors built in the mid 90's and later then you need to start checking.

 

[aczlan]

Dodge wont supply documentation either. Fortunately the Caravan I bought in Ontario Canada had originally been a US market van that was bought off lease and imported to Canada, so it had the proper stickers on it already.

Aaron Z

 

[Kyle241]

Thanks for the responses guys. Kubota told me to remove the hood, fuel tank, air filter, etc. to view the label which to me is ludicrous because they placed it in the wrong place. Realizing that it's applied in Japan when the engine has been finalized one would think they could make it a bit easier to view. I'm going to look at the fuel tank to determine how complicated it may or may not be. My biggest concern is the hood as I removed one on my old B20 and it was a tough getting it back on...brings back fond memories. Also going to try a long, slim mirror up underneath the fuel tank and see whether I can read it that way. Depending on what I find out, I might be selling my Kubota as I just don't want the hassles at the border.