Just rung up 500hrs on my NX. I'm a bit behind on providing updates in my
dedicated thread.
No issues with HST (other than the messy shifting- found out that shifts into "M" work best at around 1,600rpm, and that twisting the steering around at the same time can help).
Engine is also running well. Only issue I've had was water in fuel, something that magically went away when I got a new locking fuel cap from the dealer: interestingly it was a different design; a thing that pisses me off is that I never get reasons for why my dealer does things such as this- was it a redesign of a faulty cap to begin with? I spent a LOT of time verifying my fuel, draining lots of equipment looking for water and found none. One starts to feel that one is crazy (and I know when I'm actually crazy, so don't make me feel like I am when I know I'm not! :laughing
.
Rear diff had sealing issues, requiring two trips to the dealer: they changed the housings the second go-round.
I've had a love/hate relationship with my cab. Early on it leaked. Took two trips to the dealer before resolved. Felt good until I had to attend to mouse infestation and resolve an issue with the cabin blower not working (not related to mice- factory defective connector). Discovered that RTV ought NOT be used to seal something like the cab top if you are ever needing to remove the top! I'd shook my head at my dealer when they'd told me (several years back) that they'd RTV'd the thing. Figure it cost me 8 hours of my life to deal with their crap job (that would be 8 extra hours in cutting the RTV and cleaning it off the top and the cab's top rail). Had left door replaced due to it becoming really resistant to closing (took really slamming it for it to close/latch properly): the dealer said that they couldn't find a problem; they replaced the door; really, they replaced it when there wasn't a problem? BS! (I hate being jerked around; they could, and HAVE done, crap that they won't own up to).
I did a fair amount of loader work when I did my fence project. Had over 100 small dump trailer loads of material I hauled from my neighbor's: figured I was running about 12k lbs per load (15k total towing load?), which should tell you that it's not a toy trailer! Ballasted rears. Didn't have extra ballast on the three-point because I was hauling my trailed back and forth. With the ballasted rears it was just enough to offset a bucket full of material (gravel-ish material). I regularly move around crates of firewood (pallet fork work, figure 1,000 to 1,500 lbs). Lots of grappling (brush as well as tree trunks- I know that I've hit over 2,000 lbs). Happy with the loader performance.
Folks say that the HST draws down power when engaging in dirt work, but I had my 7', 1,200 lb box blade curling sod over on top of itself. I was able to do all that I needed to do. Tractor would grunt and groan but manage. Dropping rippers down created an instant anchor: a comparable non-HST machine wouldn't fare any better in this instance (for me, in my ground).
It's a coin flip as to whether I'd buy Kioti again. Probably good that I'll never probably need to buy another tractor: hoping that what I have will last me the rest of my days. Best choice I made was to get a cab: keeping dust and insects away is a huge plus (reminded every time I do any mowing with my
B7800- how did I ever survive all the work I used to do with an open station?); have to be extra cautious when operating as I have lots of trees: when I had my cab roof off I did a repair on damage from a tree branch piecing it. My decision would be made harder due to the fact that I don't really care for my dealer: tolerate them for warranty work because if they don't get it right it's not on my dime to resolve; when out of warranty I don't know what I'll do (with no code reader one is pretty much out of luck dealing with such things oneself- but this isn't just a Kioti issue).
