My letter to Kioti, loader rerepair, long

[Highbeam]

Neil, I've welded 3/8" plate onto 1/8" sheet or angle and it can be done. You need lots of power but you aim the power/heat at the 3/8" material and make sure your puddle runs onto and includes some of the thin metal. After the weld, you check the backside of the thin metal to be sure you've burnt into the thin stuff and gotten enough penetration. I agree that welding plate onto sheet metal less than 1/8" thick is very tough since even the puddle burns through so easily. Exhaust tubing is a fine example of a tough weld if you are using moderate heat.

 

[Highbeam]

Neil, I've welded 3/8" plate onto 1/8" sheet or angle and it can be done. You need lots of power but you aim the power/heat at the 3/8" material and make sure your puddle runs onto and includes some of the thin metal. After the weld, you check the backside of the thin metal to be sure you've burnt into the thin stuff and gotten enough penetration. I agree that welding plate onto sheet metal less than 1/8" thick is very tough since even the puddle burns through so easily. Exhaust tubing is a fine example of a tough weld if you are using moderate heat.

 

[dfkrug]

I posted info on the loader cross-tube and serial # several
months back. Mine is .235" thick, as I recall. I would be
shocked to learn if any of these cross-tubes are only 1/8".
Both the tube and the gusset are this thick.

 

[dfkrug]

I posted info on the loader cross-tube and serial # several
months back. Mine is .235" thick, as I recall. I would be
shocked to learn if any of these cross-tubes are only 1/8".
Both the tube and the gusset are this thick.

 

[gravel13]

I was wondering if you were able to get any pics of the repair yet? Also was the fix designed by Kioti or your dealer or a combination of both. I'm still trying to get about 5 hrs more of seat time then send mine in to the dealer for the 50 hr service and to see what they say about the loader cracks.

 

[gravel13]

I was wondering if you were able to get any pics of the repair yet? Also was the fix designed by Kioti or your dealer or a combination of both. I'm still trying to get about 5 hrs more of seat time then send mine in to the dealer for the 50 hr service and to see what they say about the loader cracks.

 

[IslandTractor]

I reported my loader cracking (CK20/KL120) to my dealer who tells me that there is no Kioti certified repair being promulgated by the company yet /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. I will hold off bringing mine in for repair until Kioti sends the dealers a service bulletin. I don't want a half assed repair (a la Highbeam or worse). I cannot imagine what is taking Kioti so long. How long can it take to 1) acknowledge the problem to their dealers officially, 2) engineer an appropriate repair, 3) test the repair and 4) stick a note on their dealer website section?

As I have stated before, I am not angry that the loader has a problem (S*** happens) but I am getting increasingly miffed at the lack of prompt corporate response and communication. Is anyone at Kioti listening yet?

 

[IslandTractor]

I reported my loader cracking (CK20/KL120) to my dealer who tells me that there is no Kioti certified repair being promulgated by the company yet /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. I will hold off bringing mine in for repair until Kioti sends the dealers a service bulletin. I don't want a half assed repair (a la Highbeam or worse). I cannot imagine what is taking Kioti so long. How long can it take to 1) acknowledge the problem to their dealers officially, 2) engineer an appropriate repair, 3) test the repair and 4) stick a note on their dealer website section?

As I have stated before, I am not angry that the loader has a problem (S*** happens) but I am getting increasingly miffed at the lack of prompt corporate response and communication. Is anyone at Kioti listening yet?

 

[Highbeam]

It wasn't my style but I quickly found out that you're better off asking Kioti directly. Either by phone or email to your region's service rep. My situation was (is?) a disgrace to Kioti until I went to them directly. Please pose the question to them.

I am still listening to crickets instead of a 30 HP diesel and the grass is now waist high. I am waiting on the dealer to install the supposedly shipped loader frame and he expects to do it sometime next week.

 

[Highbeam]

It wasn't my style but I quickly found out that you're better off asking Kioti directly. Either by phone or email to your region's service rep. My situation was (is?) a disgrace to Kioti until I went to them directly. Please pose the question to them.

I am still listening to crickets instead of a 30 HP diesel and the grass is now waist high. I am waiting on the dealer to install the supposedly shipped loader frame and he expects to do it sometime next week.

 

[gravel13]

My dealer was great at the time of purchase, so should I go thru them and suggest/insist that they talk to the region service rep? I'll probably go thru them just to see what happens and if I don't get the kind of response I'll be looking for (which is not a new loader frame but a solution similar to kiotimike) then contact the region service rep. I feel that I should try and let the dealer handle it in the beginning since 1) they are representing Kioti at the local level and 2) I'd like to see what kind of service I'll be getting from them in the future, if they are in MY future.

 

[gravel13]

My dealer was great at the time of purchase, so should I go thru them and suggest/insist that they talk to the region service rep? I'll probably go thru them just to see what happens and if I don't get the kind of response I'll be looking for (which is not a new loader frame but a solution similar to kiotimike) then contact the region service rep. I feel that I should try and let the dealer handle it in the beginning since 1) they are representing Kioti at the local level and 2) I'd like to see what kind of service I'll be getting from them in the future, if they are in MY future.

 

[Highbeam]

That's how I started. I felt I owed them a chance to handle it without me going over their head. I don't regret giving them the chance but I now know that there is a time to go above their head. By all means, start with the dealer.

 

[Highbeam]

That's how I started. I felt I owed them a chance to handle it without me going over their head. I don't regret giving them the chance but I now know that there is a time to go above their head. By all means, start with the dealer.

 

[Sigarms]

No offense meant, but it really seems like your dealer dropped the ball.

It was mentioned here previously that the loader was made by another manufacturer which could of caused some delays in a solution.

Honestly, if the loader has the Kioti name on it, it is Kioti's responsibility to take care of their customer "first", then deal with the manufacturer in question (pertaining to the loader).

Of course, Kioti could be offering a "solution" to see if it would be acceptable, and already have another "course of action" planned if the original solution was not acceptable to the end user.

I would also think that it is up to the dealer to go directly to the manufacturer first and see how they want to handle the issue. Perhaps this was done, perhaps it wasn't.

That being said, I would think proper procedure would be to go to the dealer first, then if the "solution" is not acceptable to the end user (AKA "the customer"), then go directly to the manufacturer.

I will say this, I'm still looking for a tractor, and Kioti was "up on the list" but I'm finding this thread VERY interesting. HB, you are handling the situation far better than I would of if it were my money spent.

 

[Sigarms]

No offense meant, but it really seems like your dealer dropped the ball.

It was mentioned here previously that the loader was made by another manufacturer which could of caused some delays in a solution.

Honestly, if the loader has the Kioti name on it, it is Kioti's responsibility to take care of their customer "first", then deal with the manufacturer in question (pertaining to the loader).

Of course, Kioti could be offering a "solution" to see if it would be acceptable, and already have another "course of action" planned if the original solution was not acceptable to the end user.

I would also think that it is up to the dealer to go directly to the manufacturer first and see how they want to handle the issue. Perhaps this was done, perhaps it wasn't.

That being said, I would think proper procedure would be to go to the dealer first, then if the "solution" is not acceptable to the end user (AKA "the customer"), then go directly to the manufacturer.

I will say this, I'm still looking for a tractor, and Kioti was "up on the list" but I'm finding this thread VERY interesting. HB, you are handling the situation far better than I would of if it were my money spent.

 

[IslandTractor]

No question Highbeam's dealer screwed up with the initial repair. However, I hold Kioti responsible as they apparently have not issued any service bulletin outlining what an appropriate repair should be. Many of the Kioti dealers are not going to have truly professional welders in their shop so they will farm out the repair. If, as in Highbeam's case, they send it out to someone without a clue and with no factory provided directions and standards, the risk of ending up with a badly repaired loader increases dramatically.

I think the dealers play an important role here and some who are sophisticated can effect a reasonable repair without input from Kioti. However, as we Kioti fans know, many of the Kioti dealers are relatively small operations who clearly don't have much experience with this type of repair. Although my dealer is very responsive and wants to help, mine is the first loader they have needed to repair and therefore I'd like them to follow factory directions, not their own seat of the pants ideas on how to repair my loader. This is a Kioti issue, not a dealer issue in my book.

 

[IslandTractor]

No question Highbeam's dealer screwed up with the initial repair. However, I hold Kioti responsible as they apparently have not issued any service bulletin outlining what an appropriate repair should be. Many of the Kioti dealers are not going to have truly professional welders in their shop so they will farm out the repair. If, as in Highbeam's case, they send it out to someone without a clue and with no factory provided directions and standards, the risk of ending up with a badly repaired loader increases dramatically.

I think the dealers play an important role here and some who are sophisticated can effect a reasonable repair without input from Kioti. However, as we Kioti fans know, many of the Kioti dealers are relatively small operations who clearly don't have much experience with this type of repair. Although my dealer is very responsive and wants to help, mine is the first loader they have needed to repair and therefore I'd like them to follow factory directions, not their own seat of the pants ideas on how to repair my loader. This is a Kioti issue, not a dealer issue in my book.

 

[Sigarms]

I may of missed reading it, but at this time has Kioti halted the sales of the loaders in question?

Couldn't help but think that this would be one of the first steps in limiting future "issues" until the situation can be "resolved".

It seems apparent that there is a "situation" with the loaders, and I could be wrong, but I think the best approach would be proactive other than reactive.

 

[Sigarms]

I may of missed reading it, but at this time has Kioti halted the sales of the loaders in question?

Couldn't help but think that this would be one of the first steps in limiting future "issues" until the situation can be "resolved".

It seems apparent that there is a "situation" with the loaders, and I could be wrong, but I think the best approach would be proactive other than reactive.