I have a RK24 approximately 10 months old. About three weeks ago the hydraulic pressure line that operates the left backhoe stabilizer started leaking. At first I thought it was just an O-ring failure. I replaced the O-ring and the leak slowed a bit but continued. Next I removed the hose at the valve and using my cell phone camera I took a picture of the area where the end of the line seats in the valve. After I enlarged the picture I could see a hairline crack running from below the seat through the seat and out to the end of the aluminum casting. One guy suggested that I might be overworking the machine. But if true, wouldn't it be more logical that the failure would occur at one of the lines that operates the arm or the bucket rather than the stabilizer? Since the adapter was tightened and extremely hard to remove. I think someone at the factory way over torqued it, causing the crack. What do you think? I'd welcome some input. I've been digging out palmettoes and the roots are many but are more like strings than tree roots. I've also dug out three or four small tree stumps. Nothing with a trunk much larger than the diameter of a soda can. If this is too much for the RK24 to handle I'm wondering what good the thing is.
Hairline crack in backhoe operator's control valve?
- Thread starter mayflower
- Start date
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Yep, did that. Right or wrong, I let them know I wasn't happy. The rear axel seals began leaking the day after the tractor was delivered. I was in business myself for a few years, I know the drill. I'm wondering if I bought a lemon. One of their mechanics is supposed to contact me today and set up a time when he can come and replace the valve. I cannot afford a $20,000.00 lemon. When I mentioned the price, some guy said they don't cost that much. Hey, once you put a $5,000.00, excuse me, $4,999.00 backhoe on and figure in the insurance required by the lender, plus interest, you're looking at $23,000.00. We're planning to pay it off next year. I hope I don't have to unload this thing. My wife and I cannot afford to spend more money in order to get a tractor that actually works without having problem after problem.
RNeumann
Elite Member
If it’s cracked, it’s cracked. Probably not over tightened- just a flaw in the metal. It should be replaced. Just make sure it isn’t a machine mark or something else that looks like a crack.
It’s not overuse.....
It’s not overuse.....
At first I thought it was a failure of the O-ring. So I replaced it. It seemed to slow the leak down but was still leaking. Next I once again removed the line that was leaking. Then used my cell phone to take a close up of the valve and seat area. At first I didn't see any problem. But after I enlarged the picture I found a hairline crack running from below the seat area to the outside of the valve's casting. As far as tightness goes. I've seen cylinder head bolts that weren't much tighter than the torque applied to this line. I really do not care what the actual problem is, as long as it's repaired. The mechanic from RK is coming this morning and I hope replace the valve. I showed the picture to the guy who runs the tractor shop and he agreed that it was a crack. He took a picture of my picture and forwarded it. Thank you for your input.
if your dealer tries to skate on the cost and stick you, on something which is fairly simple to replace, do not slander them on here. But something like that on a 10 month old machine i know if i was in your area i sure would like to know the name of that dealership to avoid paying them alot of money to get a tractor from them, only for them to stick you with any and every cost they can back out of. business is business, and they do have to turn a profit or they loose it all, but as a dealer this is the time for THEM to step up and take full and good care of you and your machine anything less then they clearly do not belong in the business now do they?
im sure they will take care of you though
im sure they will take care of you though
Nothing like that. They're in the process of fixing the problem and I have to admit that I have no complaints about them in that department. The tractors are shipped from South Korea semi assembled. The crack in the operator's control valve more than likely happened at the factory in Korea. As far as the two leaking rear axel assemblies. That probably occurred there two. I have absolutely no problems with the RK Tractor as a machine or the service. My problem has always been with whoever assembles them at the factory. As far as I'm concerned the tractor has more than performed to my expectations. I could have purchased a 24 that didn't have any problems. Unfortunately I wasn't that lucky. Once this is repaired. Barring more problems I would consider buying another, possibly a 37. After really checking out other makes I have found that all of them have problems. So far, my problem appears to be minor compared to some others.
I want to stress once more that any problems I have had was not at the dealer level. Scott, the guy who runs the tractor section at my local RK is great. He has done everything possible to help me out. Unfortunately, what he can do is very limited. RK tractor has problems above the dealer level. Part numbers that do not match the part ordered. In other words you order a part and receive a part that has nothing to do with the part you ordered. Last Tuesday the operator control valve arrived and their mechanic came to my place to install it. Guess what, WRONG CONTROL VALVE. He reordered the part and he's supposed to be here this Friday. He told me that the RK24 has four different control valves. I guess having the serial number off the backhoe and the tractor doesn't matter. The 37 and on up all require the same valve. Years ago we had a well known national chain store where I live. It was called Service Merchandising. If you shopped there and found something you wanted to buy. Maybe a new mixer, micro wave, whatever. The price marked was seldom the price at the check out. This went on for a year or so. Today, Service Merchandising is no more. I believe that every job in every company is important. Right down to the person pushing a broom. A corporation, a small company, a sports team, whatever. If one person does not do his or her job, the operation, the company, the sports team, will suffer.
