A user manual describing the unit and showing the basic maintenance was delivered with each model. I have got a copy of the manual concerning the units equiped with the Bernard of the VM Motori engines from the KIVA company which is still existing but don't supply parts for the 3 wheels Kiva anymore. As far as I know, the parts catalogue we all knwo about doesn't exist for the Kiva, only a list of the available parts for spare part is shown at the end of the user manual. The technical publications relatives to each type of engine must be searched. The most easiest one to find is the one concerning the Bernard engine type W112 or W112bis. This one can be found on sales by auction site or on home pages specialised on old agricultural machineries.
Some Kiva models
The Kiva auto mower has been manufactured in France in the "Jura" area, in the city of Lons le Sonnier between 1930 and 1974. They have been equiped with several types of engines : Staub engine from 1930 till 1945, then a 'Chaise' engine of 6hp till 1954. This one will be replaced by another 'Chaise' of 8hp till 1959, then the Bernard engines manufactured at Suresnes will take over the motorisation till 1974. At the same time as the Bernard engines, a single cylinder diesel from VM Motori could also been used. 4500 gasoline and 3000 diesel Kiva automower have been manufactured. Informations from the "Charge utile' magazine N°36 of december 1995. The basic equipment were a towing system allowing a load from 1000 to 1500kg, a pulley, a sickle bar which motion was independant of the spped of the machine. The models equiped with the VM diesel engine could also been equiped with an hydraulic system for the sickle bar elevation. As additional equipement was an lighting systelm and a set of plows. The basixc colour of the Kiva auto mower was grey, but for some specific applications it could be different or the previous owner, during a previous restore will have prefered another colour. This is the case for some models shown here.
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Last update : 05 January 2017