Kioti CK30 loader repair and reinforcement

[Highbeam]

I had a previous thread in this section tabout the loader failre with pictures of stress cracks leading away from the four corners of the cutout for the access door into the loader crossbrace. My tractor is under warranty and so I took it to the original selling dealer for him to fix it. He chose, with Kioti's apparent blessing, to repair and reinforce the cracks rather than just replacing the loader. This failure method seems to be occuring in the loaders for both CK30s and CK20s made by Kioti.

So I went and picked it up for some brush hog work yesterday. They were going to wait for a sunny day to paint the repair but I can paint as well as them so they let me pick it up earlier and gave me a can of primer and a can of Kioti orange.

The reinforcement is a bit redneck to me. It is stout as heck, I believe it was very effective and strengthening the loader but just looks a little out of place on a new curved boom tractor. The paint will help. The whole loader is stiffer and quieter. I looked for warpage and striaghtness just in case they managed to do the reinforcement with the loader out of square. They used an arc welder so even the welds look a little red neck but they look solid.

Tell me what you think. Function over form?

Also check out the new brushguard. I like that alot.

 

[Highbeam]

Another

 

[Highbeam]

Another one.

 

[Batche33]

She's not too pretty, but sure looks solid.

Paint her up and see what she looks like then.

 

[mrutkaus]

well...looks solid

i bet keeping the bolts tight wold have eliminated the problem, but as i mentioned previously, several of the bolts seem to strip easily. i think it is a kioti problem; if they had a good system for making that cover solid it would not stress IMHO.

mike

 

[JerryG]

It looks good and solid, but when you go to sell it you will take a hit.

 

[WileyKioti]

It looks... Rugged. I think paint will help a great deal though. I doubt you will have any more problems with it.

You might even clean it up with a little grinding before paint.

God Bless,
Dereck

CK 30 HST BB FEL rotary cutter

 

[ocaj11]

Looks like something my dad would do to his 70s model back hoe. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm sure it will be solid now. Once it's painted, it'll look better.

Another poor Kioti loader design. I guess they don't use loaders in South Korea???

 

[IslandTractor]

<font color="blue"> The reinforcement is a bit redneck to me. It is stout as heck </font>

Yeah but redneck is good when discussing tractors right? And stout would be the under statement of the day.

I have followed your orginal post and assumed they would reinforce the bottom of the cross support by welding a plate across the whole bottom and then match the original cut out. This is far stronger and actually stiffens the FEL considerably.

It is kinda funky looking but this is after all a tractor not some swishy boulevard cruiser. I say it looks like a badge of honor. Like a warrier with a facial scar.

If I were buying a used tractor with such a repair I'd look at it as one less thing that was likely to go wrong in the future. Wouldn't affect my estimate of what the tractor was worth at all.

Now, get out there and sic'em on some of those evil invading bushes on your property. You don't want your tractor to get out of shape.

 

[HODAK]

At least it sits level.......... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

 

[Highbeam]

I used it pretty good on that day I picked it up. Rolling stumps that I couldn't lift or drag and pushing trees over. The toothbar makes brush clearing a bit different. I go in with the loader up high and rake brush way out, then as I return to the brush line I chop up the previously pulled brush with the mower. The toothbar allows me to rake the naturally bumpy ground into a driveable path of destruction.

I am absolutely going to work this loader hard to be sure that it is set for the long haul. If this redneck fix was done to the tractor then it would be unacceptable. The loader is an accessory and can be entirely replaced for a relatively modest sum of cash should I ever see fit to do so. More pics will follow of the painted fix.

I'll paint it up pretty next time I'm out at the property. I don't want overspray all over the tractor and trailer so I need to have room to drop the loader. In the meantime I pressure washed and cleaned the tractor, even armor alled the tires. In the sunlight a new tractor has that rubber smell, I like that smell.

 

[5030]

Highbeam:

Looks strong but I'd have milled the slots in the angle (the three of them) for a little more symetry. Looks like they used a gas axe on them. Don't forget to sand the blackened areas and the weld spatter off before priming.

If you need more angle that size I have a couple hundred lineal feet of it in the barn. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( This failure method seems to be occuring in the loaders for both CK30s and CK20s made by Kioti. )</font>
I've only seen a couple of posts, and they were all about KL130 loaders. Did I miss a bunch of posts that would make you say this?

A whole lot of these loaders have been sold, but only a few have reported the problem you've had. Is that fair to say?
John

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I am really surprised they did this rather than replace it. I've never seen a Kubota split like this, but we have had New Holland skid loader booms crack and I've seem then replace them for free even years after the warrenty has expired. You would think Kioti would want the loader back to examine the stress facture.

 

[JerryG]

<font color="blue"> I've seem then replace them for free even years after the warrenty has expired. You would think Kioti would want the loader back to examine the stress facture. </font>
Neil,
That is the same way that I am accustomed for it to take place. Normally they want them back. I had thought that ever since this thread started, but didn't want to be the one to say it.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Here we go again. Neil, of course, sells Kubota and NH, and Jerry owns a Massey, and as far as I know couldn't possibly know that manufacturers "would normally want them back."
Kioti normally offers a fix of some sort, and if the owner is not happy with that, will most often work out something, including replacing whole units, so stop making it sound as if they didn't do the right thing. The owner accepted the fix, and may even be happier with the extra strength the fix will afford. I can't speak for him as you guys seem to be able to speak for manufacturers that don't make Kioti.
A recent example was the case of a man who bought an 3054XS TLB from tractor dealer, but it had some problems that the customer was not happy with. Kioti agreed to up him to a DK35 with nearly no upcharge that they would normally have charged. I suppose they didn't do the right thing there either right?
This is not an attack on anyone, but a counter to statments that may unfairly characterize a company as doing the wrong thing, when in fact, was apparently a satisfactory fix from original poster's point of view.
John
John

 

[turbo36]

As I said earlier (and got flamed for suggesting it) anything less then replacing the loader is in my opinion not acceptable. If Kioti wants to earn a reputation for quality and not for being a low cost knock off artist they should replace the loader without a fight and offer an apology for a poor design.
Eventually this tractor will be sold and all potential buyers will expect a reduction for the cobbled fix.

 

[Highbeam]

The dealer tech that just got back from continuing "Kioti" training told me that he had seen it in both 20s and 30s and wasn't too surprized. Then on this forum there was a 20 with the same type of stress cracks. So while the crackage isn't an epidemic or a huge design flaw, it isn't unique to the CK30 loader and the CK20 loader which shares design elements is also one to watch.

The fix is strong. It has really tightened up the loader and I have been putting it through a rigorous testing sequence. I haven't even painted it since the weather has been poor. The angle on the bottom is oriented such that it traps a bit of water and I may need to grind off some of that bottom flange to prevent this from causing long term issues.

It is redneck looking, the cutouts were done with a torch, and the welds done with an arc welder so it is not a factory looking job at all. I would say that I am not happy with the looks of it but I am happy with the function. It is a blemish to the loader. We're not talking about a mercedes here.

Yes, Kioti seems more willing to repair some things. The dealer also told me of a particular tractor with a hood paint failure under warranty that Kioti had sent to a local body shop to be repainted. Would a new hood have been better?

 

[Mavrik02]

Hey...if they painted it for me I would be 100% satisfied!

 

[turbo36]

I wonder how many people would have bought this model if the dealer pitch went something like this" Oh yeah you don't need one of them high priced name brands, heck, these are just as good, well except for the loader cracking problem but don't worry we will just weld it up with some of that good ol' angle iron we got out back!" Oh yeah that would build customer confidence.
I don't mean this to be just Kioti bashing, any manufacturer that won't stand behind their product deserves all the negative press possible, that is the only way to get them to step up the quality of their product.
I'm surprised that Kioti hasn't gotten involved in this I believe they do monitor this forum.