Pictures at work! CK30 HST FEL & BH

[KiotiSteve]

For those of you who asked for pictures when I joined the forum here they are. I have been busy as you can see, installing a new septic tank and leach field. Had to dig the tank with the BH from the leach field level, but did most of the work with the FEL. Good thing as I was finishing with the BH the weld on the right cylinder cracked and started leaking fluid. The left cylinder on the FEL also has a problem with some of the chrome being missing allowing rust spots to appear and pits to form. So it’s going back to the dealer for repairs and a fifty-hour service. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[VictorW]

You definitely have been busy. Being that you used the FEL for most of the work, it's a good thing that your tractor wasn't like Jocassee's returned CK30hst. You probably wouldn't have been able to push even one of those little rocks shown in your picture. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The piston rod of the left cylinder for the lift on my FEL also had pits from the time of purchase. Dealer figured it was from sea salt during shipping because it was only the exposed section. Kioti took care of it and told the dealer to have mine rebuilt by a local business instead of sending a new cylinder. It took a week and works fine.
As far as your right BH cylinder; Do you mean the one for the stabilizer leg? Either way, sorry to hear that happen but I'm sure it will be repaired or replaced by Kioti.

 

[KiotiSteve]

I am of the opinion that the chroming of the piston rod was defective or you would see similar rusting and pitting on all the pistons of the machine. The rest are trouble free. The cracked weld is in the back of the piston where it completely encircles the rear cap about two inches from the end. It is, from the operators seat, the right boom cylinder. There are two identical pistons that operate in conjunction with one another, to move the boom left and right. I found that the best loader digging was in the medium range of the HST gears. Low range actually would dig in too hard and spin the tires. It also was working on loosing the fillings in my teeth. I was very impressed with the ability of the machine to grab a full load of gravel and backup and out of the excavation in medium range. Only a couple of times did I need to drop to low range to get out. On the final load out I had to switch to low range step down on the locking differential to my surprise I managed to clime out backwards about 5 feet up a very stiff incline. There was a slight pucker factor but she did it. The total excavation time on the clock is about 25 hours. Now I have to refill the site after installing the tank and leach fields. I hope to have the machine fixed by next week, but again I will be doing mostly loader work and removing the BH to use a landscaping rake. Another new toy I have to get, /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Oh well! Necessity is the mother of procurement or something like that! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Any recommendations on a rake, make model or size would be appreciated. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KiotiJohn]

Sorry to hear you're having any problem at all, but these things do happen with most everything one buys.
That's the swing boom cylinder you're talking about.
I'm not sure what you need the rake for, but generally, I recommend you get a boxblade before a landscape rake. It's much more versatile, and will do most of what you might use the rake for.

Most any of the economy brand rakes should be okay. Howse, leinbach etc. all make economy rakes that should be okay for non-commercial uses.

As for boxblades, I have the Kioti BB made by Midwest. I can always recommend Midwest's boxes, and they may be a little less expensive without the Kioti branding, but you can only get the orange through Kioti. Maybe you have a Midwest dealer near you.

I think you're having a good time though with your tractor toys aren't you?
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
John

 

[KiotiSteve]

Thanks John for the info. Your observation is correct, I am having fun and making my purchase pay for itself, helps relieve what little guilt I have for getting a big toy. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I plan on using the rake to spread and smooth topsoil over the septic system. An area about 40 feet by 40 feet, and along both sides of a 200-foot asphalt driveway and then long a bank 50 feet by 100 feet. All finish work. The topsoil is not screened and is native to the site. It has some fist size bones down to 1-inch stone that would have to be dealt with not much root matter though. I have never used a box scraper or even seen one used. Is this something a box scraper can handle?

 

[Mavrik02]

I have a Kioti 72" rake (no wheels) and a Kioti Box Blade. I have used my rake to prep my 1 acre yard for seeding, evened out all the little mounds of dirt around the house, cleared out ~1/2 mile of trails through the woods, leveled out my 15' wide by 440' long wide underground utility path, freshened up my 440' long gravel driveway, and generally put the finishing touches on the final grading of the land around the house.

The box blade hasn't moved since I had it delivered.

I'm not saying that the BB wouldn't be a better tool for some of those tasks just that the landscape rake has worked pretty well for all of the uses I have had. I will try the BB out next week on some of the more uneven ground and small, hard mounds I have. I also want to use the BB to cut in a bobsled path for the kids to sled ride in this winter /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.

 

[TBDonnelly]

<font color="blue">I have a Kioti 72" rake (no wheels) and a Kioti Box Blade. I have used my rake to prep my 1 acre yard for seeding, evened out all the little mounds of dirt around the house, cleared out ~1/2 mile of trails through the woods, leveled out my 15' wide by 440' long wide underground utility path, freshened up my 440' long gravel driveway, and generally put the finishing touches on the final grading of the land around the house.
</font>

WOW! That's all in the past 10-12 days? You been busy! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Don

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have never used a box scraper or even seen one used. Is this something a box scraper can handle? )</font>
I find that it can and does. I use the boxblade much more than my rake, however the rake will do the work also, it's just that I find the BB to be more versatile. If one were only buying one implement, for me, the BB would be it first.
John

 

[dn58]

What size box blade do you use with the CK20? Kioti say no more then 48", but with the turf tires, that won't cover them.

 

[bearhawk]

I have a 5' on my CK20.

It will pull it fine, I'm just careful about how much I try to bite off.

Jim