Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 17,393
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
I hope that this post isn't premature. I bought this machine in Canada in 01. It was a decision between JD, this and Polaris. I opted for the 4wd Diesel with defferential. JD didn't offer front wheel drive on the gator, and Polaris didn't have a defferential, chewing up turf on turns.
In the meantime, everybody and his brother seem to be making these Utility vehicles. I always maintained that Kawasaki MUST be better, on account of they have years of experience in this field and hey, they are Japanese. Well, that just changed.
My machine was babied and basically looks like new. In fact, the seat started to rip at the corners from getting in and out, and that was quickly sent away to be repaired. The machine was regularly used, although not heavily as I have all manner of other equipment, so mainly for transportation on our 100 acre farm.
At just under 500 hours, we started to hear a knocking. I drove it another couple of hundred feet to the garage, lifted the bed, and revved the engine somewhat while trying to locate the source. Suddenly the knock became catastrofic at which time I shut the thing off as quick as I could.
I removed the clutch and noted that it was wobbly on the driven side. There were what appeared to be aluminum filings in the plastic clutch housing.
I figured that it must be the clutch, so took it to the mechanic who had worked for the selling dealer, now out of business. The news hit me like a verdict of cancer from ones doctor! Broken crank shaft! AND, probably clutch replacement necesssary.
A letter to Kawasaki, basically said, so sorry, but twelve year old machines can develope issues. But here's the thing. A search of the Internet, revealed all types of crankshaft breakage issues with the early Diesel Mules. Some replaced years out of warranty for free! Apparently, so the story goes, now they are using the turbo version crankshaft in that non turbo model as apparently the issue was that the crankshaft was not able to withstand the side loading of a belt driven transmission.
There are reports of such machines running 6000 hours of troublefree service. I bought the Diesel for precisely the longevity and hassle free service they tend to deliver. So, I feel extremely cheated! Was this a ticking time bomb? For, many of the crankshaft failures seemed to happen at around five hundred hours.
But what of my pooched clutch, and at present this is where I have to be carefull and give them the benefit of the doubt until I can gather more information.
Having said that. I certainly no longer reccommend this brand to anyone and could not see myself owning another for my trust has been totally destroyed (along with my mule). Oh, no telling yet, what other internal engine damage has occured.
Thoughts and information on this matter would be appreciated. I can't imagine that the US and Canadian markets were supplied any differently.
In the meantime, everybody and his brother seem to be making these Utility vehicles. I always maintained that Kawasaki MUST be better, on account of they have years of experience in this field and hey, they are Japanese. Well, that just changed.
My machine was babied and basically looks like new. In fact, the seat started to rip at the corners from getting in and out, and that was quickly sent away to be repaired. The machine was regularly used, although not heavily as I have all manner of other equipment, so mainly for transportation on our 100 acre farm.
At just under 500 hours, we started to hear a knocking. I drove it another couple of hundred feet to the garage, lifted the bed, and revved the engine somewhat while trying to locate the source. Suddenly the knock became catastrofic at which time I shut the thing off as quick as I could.
I removed the clutch and noted that it was wobbly on the driven side. There were what appeared to be aluminum filings in the plastic clutch housing.
I figured that it must be the clutch, so took it to the mechanic who had worked for the selling dealer, now out of business. The news hit me like a verdict of cancer from ones doctor! Broken crank shaft! AND, probably clutch replacement necesssary.
A letter to Kawasaki, basically said, so sorry, but twelve year old machines can develope issues. But here's the thing. A search of the Internet, revealed all types of crankshaft breakage issues with the early Diesel Mules. Some replaced years out of warranty for free! Apparently, so the story goes, now they are using the turbo version crankshaft in that non turbo model as apparently the issue was that the crankshaft was not able to withstand the side loading of a belt driven transmission.
There are reports of such machines running 6000 hours of troublefree service. I bought the Diesel for precisely the longevity and hassle free service they tend to deliver. So, I feel extremely cheated! Was this a ticking time bomb? For, many of the crankshaft failures seemed to happen at around five hundred hours.
But what of my pooched clutch, and at present this is where I have to be carefull and give them the benefit of the doubt until I can gather more information.
Having said that. I certainly no longer reccommend this brand to anyone and could not see myself owning another for my trust has been totally destroyed (along with my mule). Oh, no telling yet, what other internal engine damage has occured.
Thoughts and information on this matter would be appreciated. I can't imagine that the US and Canadian markets were supplied any differently.