It's official - joined the Kioti club with a DK40SEH!

[jtygoku]

I am not impressed with the lock washers on my FEL frame mounting points and they seem cheaply made. I still have to check/re-tighten the bolts on a regular basis and have ruined a couple lock washers (spread them out) by trying to torque to mid point of specifications, even though I am over 100 hours. I have purchased grade 8 replacement lock washers for the next time I go through this, which will be within the next couple weeks.


However, my FEL is used for more than it is designed for by digging out lots of very large rocks and stumps. Plus I lost a C-clip for one of the FEL QA 1.18" pins at around 50 hours. But the pin has not moved a bit from its normal position, so all is well. I have not been able to find a replacement C-clip on-line, so have added it to my dealer list of parts to purchase.

I've done a fair amount of digging with mine, too, but probably not to the level you describe. I continue to check the bolts every so often but for the last 20+ hours nothing has loosen up. Given the history of the first 30 hours, I'm still not totally trusting. I'll be interested to hear if a higher quality lock washer keep things tight.

 

[DK35vince]

Why not use some blue locktite and be done with it.

 

[sdef]

... I'll be interested to hear if a higher quality lock washer keep things tight.

Sure. Will post if I can actually get any meaningful data. However, I believe the vast majority of my FEL digging has been completed as my driveway is now built. I still have to clear 1.5 acres of trees/stumps for the home site area, but have decided to hire a mini-x and operator to dig the stumps out- well, anything larger than 4" or so. I have very large rocks the tree roots seem to love to grow in between. And I have had to dig around those to even get to any meaningful stump removing. Has really been a trying and time consuming project, so far. Example of rocks others have seen in various posts- just so you can get an ideas of what I am speaking of. The front tires were in the air all of the many hours of digging time.

 

[sdef]

Why not use some blue locktite and be done with it.

Yeap. Considered that also and will probably add that when I remove the bolts to replace the lock washers.

 

[blurry]

thanks folks. I checked the bolts on the loader, all the small ones were not snug, and one of the mains was not snug.

what are the torque specs on these?

 

[sdef]

I can provide you what I have for mine, but it is best you check the tractor and FEL owner manuals in case there are any changes.

 

[sdef]

You need to go through every page of your manuals and become familiar with them. There is a bunch of very useful and mandatory information in those. I check the torque of my wheel nuts and bolts whenever I check my FEL bolts and usually find a few front wheel bolts a bit loose, probably due to my often maxed-out usage of the FEL.

 

[jtygoku]

Sure. Will post if I can actually get any meaningful data. However, I believe the vast majority of my FEL digging has been completed as my driveway is now built. I still have to clear 1.5 acres of trees/stumps for the home site area, but have decided to hire a mini-x and operator to dig the stumps out- well, anything larger than 4" or so. I have very large rocks the tree roots seem to love to grow in between. And I have had to dig around those to even get to any meaningful stump removing. Has really been a trying and time consuming project, so far. Example of rocks others have seen in various posts- just so you can get an ideas of what I am speaking of. The front tires were in the air all of the many hours of digging time.

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Yup, I would say your digging is much tougher than what I've subjected my DK to. Pretty impressive though. Good to know my machine could do something like that if needed. BTW - your driveway looks great.
As far as the using the locktite - if bolts were still coming loose, that was my next approach. Fortunately, it seems they have stayed tight.