update on loader cracks

[IslandTractor]

Looks like fluid levels are a bit low too.

 

[rback33]

You folks just don't have any idea of what cracks are really like... Dusty

I must admit with that title on the pic I was terrified to look. Beach and Cracks never go well together. My two fears were "how big" and "Male or female"....

Thank you for not scarring me for life.

 

[Steverino]

Steverino,

Typically when a manufacturer finds a problem such as the Kioti Loader Problem as you guys call it they will put it into two classifications. Existing and New. The existing ones are out there, can't do much about them. The most important is New and that is where they will work first. They want to stop any more loaders going out there as fast as they can. The fix for the new will also help them in determining the fix for the existing ones. Now for your loader the fix may be totally different. I would just hang in there, they should have a fix soon.

murph

Thank you Murph for your thoughtful reply, it is not that I am beyond reason it is that Kioti has simply worn out my patience. If Kioti was even a little more forthcoming with communication regarding any official acknowledgement of the fix and when we might receive it, I could perhaps be persuaded to retract my POed. This loader issue however has been a well-publicized “Cause Celebre” here on TBN for almost a year now starting with the Highbeam butcher job. Those of us of us with the cracked loaders now find we are not very important to Kioti as they already have our money even if they got it by providing us with a defective product. So from here on out my personal recommendation for anyone interested in the loader or backhoe for a Kioti tractor would be too look to Woods or another manufacture who’s livelihood depends upon the sale and reputation of those items alone, and do not see tractor sales as their bead and butter issue. As far as the Tractor is concerned, I still have no major complaints so far, and I still like it very much, and for the value I would consider it again, but I would not spend almost as much as I did for the tractor on attachments from Kioti only to be left twisting in the wind. So as far as I am concerned, Kioti has lost me as a customer in that regard. Still POed!

 

[Highbeam]

I have just purchased a new kL120 loader and it looks different than the pictures I have seen of the loader. The cross member is tubular so you can see the hollow tube. I did not see this in the pictures.

Mr Hammock, since the cross member is tubular can you please tell us if there are any hydraulic hoses routed inside the cross member? A typical loader crossmember from other brands has the hydraulic lines made of metal and attached to the outside of the cross member to connect the right and left cylinders. Is this how yours is?

Of course pictures would be excellent but at this point I am on the edge of my seat for anything. Thanks.

 

[hammock_kioti]

Here are some pics of th new loader. The tube has no hoses. They put a plate over the tube to cover the hoses. See Pics. Maybe another hint is that the model is KL120B?

 

[IslandTractor]

Fascinating. Looks like they put a support tube INSIDE the existing cross piece. The hydraulics still go through the cross piece but there is now a separate hidden torque tube as well. It looks pretty well secured on the outside arms of the loader too. Interesting design solution.

Now the big question will be how will they make the repairs to existing loaders? I suppose you could retrofit a tube like on the new style but that seems like it would be a lot more highly skilled fabrication/welding work and not the sort of thing you'd just ask a dealer to do.

I wonder if we can convince Mr. Hammond to remove the access plate from the cross piece and take a photo or two to see what reinforcement if any has been added to the access opening corners.

 

[Dargo]

I wonder if we can convince Mr. Hammond to remove the access plate from the cross piece and take a photo or two to see what reinforcement if any has been added to the access opening corners.

Now, I'm just looking at the pictures, but it appears like a very common design on other tractors. The torque tube is a common, but effective, method of keeping loader arms together. As with most others, it appears as if there are two bolts that attach the metal plate to the top of the tube to protect the hoses going from one side to the other. That seems to be where Kioti departs from the norm on this design; others use metal hydraulic lines that cross at the torque tube under a metal protection cover. I don't think the top cover provides any strength and isn't attached on either side. It doesn't need to be with the properly secured torque tube through the loader arms.

Honestly, from the metal working and fabrication aspect, I don't see an easy way to make this change to existing loaders. It would require removing the existing hydraulic lines, cutting the existing support out. Using a plasma cutter to cut a round hole in each loader arm, inserting a heavy wall pipe through the new location, plating the outside of the loader arms to take the torque and pressures, and welding the new torque tube to the loader arms, and then welding the strengthening plating on the outside of the loader arms to the new torque tube and securely to the outside of the loader arms. Then re-route the hydraulic lines on top of the torque tube and adding the cover plate over them for protection.

Knowing how much work that would take and what I'd charge for such a job, I don't see it as being cost effective for Kioti to do that. Certainly they will do something, I obviously just don't know what.

 

[gravel13]

I agree with Dargo, it definitely doesn't look like that design will be in kit form for those of us with cracked loaders. It does look like a great design for the KL120, does anyone have pics of a new KL130 loader?

 

[gamble77]

The KL130B's do not have that torque tube running through them. To me the fix looks like a complete bolt on piece that just adds strength to that area. It is a pretty impressive looking piece. Sorry, wish I could take some pics!!

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree with Dargo's analysis too. That is why I didn't think that dealers could make that sort of repair. I'd like to see what the new loader style does with the inspection hatch area. Just wondering if they left that alone (having added the structural tube for strength they may not need to do anything else) or if there is a hint about what the retrofit kit for the older loaders might be.