My new CK 30

[kiotiken]

After just over a year with my first tractor, a JD 955 with 1800hrs, I finally gave up investing time and money into it and opted for a brand new CK 30HST with a Woods BH70-x backhoe. The decision was made much easier after the 955 blew a bearing through the rear diff. and bleed hydr. fluid all over my rink.

My Kioti dealer, Bromely Farm Supply in Douglas Ont, loads the tires of all of the tractors they sell and come to your property to do the 50 hrs service to ensure you know how to do it properly (also free of charge). They've also agreed that they'll pick up and drop off the tractor, at no charge, for any warrantee work that needs to be done. As part of the sale, they also installed work lights (pic only show rear lights, they' ve since installed front lights) and sold me a box blade (60" agri trends (?)) at their cost.

It didn't take me long to figure out that the CK30 is significantly more tractor than my JD 955 (33hp). So far I have 55hrs (50 hr service is scheduled for later this week) on the tractor and I've done some amazing things with it.

I'd love to say it's been smooth sailing, but I have had some issues.
1) I am experiencing the foot pedal sticking, the same HST issue that's been discussed in other threads (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kioti-owning-operating/217128-kioti-ck30-hydrostatic-issue.html). My dealer says he's had this before, mostly on tractors that have been worked hard. He pretty sure he'll be cracking the tractor and replacing the hydr. unit.
2) A coupler for the FEL started leaking, dealer again says he's seen it before. He fixed it and left me a spare in case it happens again.
3) Intermittently, the glow plugs fail to come on when first starting.
4) Slow cranking, may be the batt. going dead, dealer said he'll replace and check charging.
5) I found a shiny new bolt, washer and lock washer in the dirt under the tractor. For the life of me, I can't figure out where it came from. A pin on the FEL also went missing.
6) Wheel will not come off, one of the two studs with a bolt on the end spins on itself. Will probably have to be drilled out.
7) Steering went nuts. Wheel wouldn't turn either way, but pressure on it would slowly turn the wheels a random amount one way or another. Turned the tractor off, back on and I've never seen the issue again.

Don't get me wrong, I love my CK30 so far, I'm just having a little trouble building trust in it. It was the same with my 955, I said a little prayer every time I went to use it (and then usually grabbed a wrench).

Here are pictures of my new CK30 on the day I got it and a few of the restoration of my 955.

 

[Mousefield]

Congratulations on your new tractor. Sorry you have a few bugs to work out but sure sounds like you have a GREAT dealer working with you.
Have many happy and safe hours in the seat.
I have 330 hours on my 2008 CK35 HST & Woods BH70-x backhoe with thumb.

 

[Highbeam]

I don't think any of those things sound normal. Sticky HST pedal just means to lube the pivot. Something sounds fishy.

Why are you taking a wheel off in the first 50 hours? I've never had a wheel off.

 

[kiotiken]

Well, I ran over a couple nails. I didn't notice my front tire was going down until I was turning a corner with a very large rock in the bucket. It broke both beads and damaged the valve stem. I was able to get the tire back on and it held enough air to drive it to my mechanic (auto) where they tried to take the wheel off to repair it. They ended up leaving it on, plugging the hole and replacing the valve stem. With my luck, I put another hole in the same tire (different area of my property) the next day.

 

[dfkrug]

1) I am experiencing the foot pedal sticking, the same HST issue that's been discussed in other threads (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kioti-owning-operating/217128-kioti-ck30-hydrostatic-issue.html). My dealer says he's had this before, mostly on tractors that have been worked hard. He pretty sure he'll be cracking the tractor and replacing the hydr. unit.
2) A coupler for the FEL started leaking, dealer again says he's seen it before. He fixed it and left me a spare in case it happens again.
3) Intermittently, the glow plugs fail to come on when first starting.
4) Slow cranking, may be the batt. going dead, dealer said he'll replace and check charging.
5) I found a shiny new bolt, washer and lock washer in the dirt under the tractor. For the life of me, I can't figure out where it came from. A pin on the FEL also went missing.
6) Wheel will not come off, one of the two studs with a bolt on the end spins on itself. Will probably have to be drilled out.
7) Steering went nuts. Wheel wouldn't turn either way, but pressure on it would slowly turn the wheels a random amount one way or another. Turned the tractor off, back on and I've never seen the issue again.

Wow, Ken, that's quite a few problems, and some are quite strange!

I have 6 years on my CK30H now, and it has been great. Since I did the
final assembly out of the crate, I noticed that the front wheel studs
seems pretty soft. They would be easy to strip out with a pneumatic
gun. I never use one to tighten nuts or studs, but I bet your dealer did.

The 3 new Kiotis I have owned never had the HST foot pedal sticking
problem, but my new CT230 sure did. It was intermittant, but disconcerting
nonetheless. If I had kept that tractor, I would have tried temporarily
removing the damping cylinder to see if that eliminated the problem.
Splitting the tractor? Wow, that seems extreme. Keep us posted.

FEL bolts on new tractors all need to be re-torqued. I had several loosen
up on mine. That may be where your mystery bolt came from.

BTW, I kept one of my 955s around here for a long time, and I was
glad to have it pull my stuck CK out of the mud a few times. The JD had
new AG tires and a hoe on it.

 

[kiotiken]

Well, I just got finished with the 50 hr service. Bill & Dave from Bromely came down to do the service and go over the whole process with me. I'm very happy with the service I've received from Bromely so far.

As for the sticky HST pedal, looks like they're splitting the tractor and replacing the HST unit. I know this sounds extreme and my thought was also to grease or adjust something, but I've read similar outcomes in this forum, and as soon as I mentioned the problem to Bromely, they said right away it's a problem they've been having and this is how it has to be fixed.

They pulled the rubber floor up to access two ports in the centre tunnel. They added a pressure gauge and fired it back up. It was as they expected, the pressure was much lower then it should be. They say they've had 8-10 CK series tractors, out of several hundred they've sold, with this issue, one has been replaced twice. They're ordering the parts and will pick up the tractor when they're in.

On top of the HST, they'll be replacing the starter. The issue with the slow cranking is not the batt. or a charging issue, it's the starter itself. So far, it hasn't let me down, so we'll just wait for the HST unit to arrive.

I guess there's more to come...

 

[Mousefield]

Thanks for the up date: as I said in my earlier post I think you have a very good dealer. :thumbsup:

 

[kiotiken]

The dealer was out to look at the tractor again yesterday while I was at work. He replaced the starter motor for me, and I can't believe the difference. The sound it makes is %100 different now and it starts much faster than before. This was obviously an issue from the start, I just wonder why it wasn't address before it was delivered since the guy who delivered it to me is the one who later told me he knew there was a problem the second he turned the key. It always sounded that way to me, so other than slow cranking now and then, I had no idea there was an issue.
The sticky HST pedal is a different story. I was told by the dealer that the service tech. was coming to take additional pressure tests that were requested by Kioti. When I talked to the service tech. on the phone (I was still at work), he said he had tried to make some adjustments and that's all he was able to do for now, and he didn't take any more pressure tests. He acknowledged there was a problem and it wasn't working properly, but wasn't sure that Kioti was going to cover it under warrantee and I'd have to call the dealer to discuss it. He also said there was nothing else he could do to adjust it further.
When I arrived home, I jumped on the tractor. After starting it about 5 times out of total dismay of how it now starts and sounds with the new starter, I gave the HST a try. The pedal definitely springs back faster, but the forward creep is still there. It will still move 20-30 feet after your foot is off the pedal (from a creep, not full out in 3rd gear down a hill!).
I called the dealer and didn't get the best reception from them. They're going to call Kioti today and get back to me, but they didn't sound very happy hear back from me. I just hope this isn't the start of long, drawn out fight where the dealer and Kioti refuse to do anything else, that's the vibe I'm starting to feel. If so, I'm betting I'll be told the issue was somehow cause by abuse and it's my fault. Waiting to hear more...

 

[Mousefield]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you have made some headway. Just keep on being pleasantly persistent although in my opinion the dealer should make sure the tractor is running perfectly without you having to nag him.
To me the best advertising is a happy customer.

 

[kiotiken]

I just got off the phone with Bromely and they had just got off the phone with Kioti. They are going to change the HST unit. Although I'm glad it's going to be fixed without an argument, I'm a little worried about the tractor having to be split to do it. I've heard that it's never really the same afterward, anybody ever had experience with their CK 30 split?

Just keep on being pleasantly persistent...

I'm relieved I won't have to go to war over this, as pleasantly as possible of course. I'm really trying to have a positive relationship with Bromely as I'll be relying on them for many years to come.