Kioti tractor issues.

[DK35vince]

I never said it was a POS..
tractor has really never given me any issues until the bolts/loader problems appeared.. it’s still a good running and strong tractor just I got no loader.. really sucks when we got crap loads of snow to move!

No you didn't, and I'm sorry to hear you are having issues
The Kioti are POS reply was post #20 "damin1"

 

[jlindstrom]

There's a lot of curiosities about this case...



This should be trivial to prove.
Have the holes been re-tapped larger?
If not, shouldn't be your liability, and you can demonstrate that they're the proper size (can't you?).
If so, who tapped them?
If the dealer, their liability.
If you, why did you use a larger tap?
If you were told to by the dealer, could be their fault.
If you did it independently, your fault.

Someone early on in this thread noted that the holes in the loader bracket are considerably larger than the bolts.
Is this loader supposed to go to this tractor?
Were those holes enlarged since purchase? By who?

There's a lot of curiosities about this case...



This should be trivial to prove.
Have the holes been re-tapped larger?
If not, shouldn't be your liability, and you can demonstrate that they're the proper size (can't you?).
If so, who tapped them?
If the dealer, their liability.
If you, why did you use a larger tap?
If you were told to by the dealer, could be their fault.
If you did it independently, your fault.

Someone early on in this thread noted that the holes in the loader bracket are considerably larger than the bolts.
Is this loader supposed to go to this tractor?
Were those holes enlarged since purchase? By who?

Holes were not tapped larger
Bolts are not larger
New bolts were from the dealer mechanic along with the size tap that was needed ( just cleaned up the threads)
Everything was the same size as original
Holes on loader bracket were larger due to loosening of bolts.
Bracket had holes that were not used and original bolts were very sloppy in them.
As for if the bracket belongs to the tractor, nobody even looked into that from dealers...

 

[SirMaxwell]

Holes were not tapped larger
Bolts are not larger
New bolts were from the dealer mechanic along with the size tap that was needed ( just cleaned up the threads)
Everything was the same size as original
Holes on loader bracket were larger due to loosening of bolts.
Bracket had holes that were not used and original bolts were very sloppy in them.
As for if the bracket belongs to the tractor, nobody even looked into that from dealers...

The question really is, how did the bracket crack. Currently you can clearly see why the bolts will come loose, the bolt holes are cracked. So prior to getting the big obvious cracks. when did the little ones that caused the original problem of loosening bolts, occur. Perhaps it had micro-cracks from the factory? Maybe someone way over torqued the bolts, which weakened the structure, so when worked hard, cccrrrrack. WWhy didn't they find the cracking or at least suggest it when the bots were just loosening. Bolts don't just come loose, unless they are in a ill fitting hole.

 

[CoyPatton]

Even though the casting is cracked that wouldn't make the bolts come loose IMOP. Not unless there is a crack in the casting we cannot see which is going thru the bolt holes in the casting ? The casting and the bracket should remain attached to each other provided there is nothing wrong with the bolts matching to the casting.

I disagree. A crack is like an iceberg. Visually you see little of it. In addition to this fact, it allows even more vibration which is a huge issue for torque! While do you think car manufactures put in their specs to re-torque lug nuts so frequently? Why do tire shops include in their paperwork to re-torque lug nuts? Why are re-torquing your lugs on your tractor in the specs?

 

[SirMaxwell]

I disagree. A crack is like an iceberg. Visually you see little of it. In addition to this fact, it allows even more vibration which is a huge issue for torque! While do you think car manufactures put in their specs to re-torque lug nuts so frequently? Why do tire shops include in their paperwork to re-torque lug nuts? Why are re-torquing your lugs on your tractor in the specs?

Agreed. I could swear it was quite evident in the photo that the crack runs across both bolt holes.

 

[sd455dan]

Holes were not tapped larger
Bolts are not larger
New bolts were from the dealer mechanic along with the size tap that was needed ( just cleaned up the threads)
Everything was the same size as original
Holes on loader bracket were larger due to loosening of bolts.
Bracket had holes that were not used and original bolts were very sloppy in them.
As for if the bracket belongs to the tractor, nobody even looked into that from dealers...

edit
deleted previous post,
Possibly a bit to incendiary

 

[DieselBound]

Sadly, this could have been a marginal build that entropy jumped on. Bolts under-tightened from the factory (no way to prove this) and operating and not noticing movement until it was obvious: it sucks to think that one has to be constantly looking over one's shoulder all the time; checking torque on everything would be a big project, and doing it regularly just ain't gonna happen.

My NX had a bolt back out of a pin that holds the lower link arm to the tractor. I was doing a bunch of mowing, you know, to the point where you really just want to finish things and be done with it? I did not pay attention to the alarms that were going off. I was finding I was doing a lot of adjusting of the 3pt to keep from digging in: I now know better, that my combo (when everything is holding together!) doesn't do this very much- in my defense, it's a perpetual issue with my Kubota and it's RC (always having to adjust to keep from gouging)- my brain was kind of conditioned for this reflex. I waggled up a slight bank and looking behind I saw that one corner of the RC (the one where the link arm was no detached from the tractor) was shooting way up about mid rear tire. HUH? Shut everything down and saw it. I was lucky in that the pin (not any old one that you could pick up outside the dealer) had fallen under the PTO and on the steel gusset for the draw hitch. The bolt worked its way out and ran for places unknown. Got the bolt size and put a new one in with thread locker (put thread locker on the other side as well). Recommended that my dealer either do the same or inform their customer to do so. It COULD have been a nasty situation. Of course, this isn't the same as a loader, which can undergo a lot more stress, but the story is the same: stuff can come off the factory line wrong. My NX was still under warranty.

None of this rectifies your (OP) problem. I wish that I had some reasonable solution for you, but I do not: I can guess at some things but the stresses here really are likely going to be too much for any "solution" (other than case replacement). Maybe reach out to some top-end welders, track down some folks off the Internet: if someone can do it then perhaps they can advise another, local, person/shop how to do it.

 

[747driver]

I disagree. A crack is like an iceberg. Visually you see little of it. In addition to this fact, it allows even more vibration which is a huge issue for torque! While do you think car manufactures put in their specs to re-torque lug nuts so frequently? Why do tire shops include in their paperwork to re-torque lug nuts? Why are re-torquing your lugs on your tractor in the specs?

You are right to a certain point. Somehow those bolts loosened causing the loader bracket holes to get elongated. When that happened it put to much strain on the casting which then cracked. Agree bolts need to be torqued and checked. When they become loose and you don't check it for a period of time this is the result...the casting just couldn't support the load and strain and cracked.

 

[SirMaxwell]

You are right to a certain point. Somehow those bolts loosened causing the loader bracket holes to get elongated. When that happened it put to much strain on the casting which then cracked. Agree bolts need to be torqued and checked. When they become loose and you don't check it for a period of time this is the result...the casting just couldn't support the load and strain and cracked.

I guess that where the question is. Were there unseen cracks that allowed the bolts to become loose, or did loose bolts cause cracks

 

[jlindstrom]

We’ll never know because the dealer and kioti never looked any further than or took any action to figure out why..
I did check bolts almost ever time I got on it..(times. Didn’t were plowing snow using rear scraper blade)
I’m at a loss and unfortunately it’s out of warranty and nobody is interested into looking into it, and don’t have the extra cash to get a lawyer involved..
Thanks for all the advice and comments
Really appreciate you all.
Just kind of sucks