2013 - Volume #37, Issue #4, Page #15
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"Best Buy" Terramite Backhoe/Loader
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“This is a tough, compact machine,” says Goodman. “It’s built from 1/4-in. thick steel and weighs about 3,100 lbs. The front loader can lift 1,750 lbs., and the backhoe has 750 lbs. of pressure. The backhoe extends 8 ft. 4 in.
“The loader backhoe was in pretty good condition when I bought it but needed some tender loving care, and I needed a winter project so I completely refurbished it,” says Goodman. “I also added my own personal touches.”
The machine is powered by a Kohler Command 20 hp engine that drives a hydraulic pump. “It has a hydrostatic transmission with one pedal that controls both forward and reverse,” says Goodman.
He disassembled the rig into more than 100 pieces, cleaning and painting as he went. “I bagged and tagged everything to make things easier for reassembly,” says Goodman.
“I painted the transmission red and the torque motor black. I also spent a day cleaning and painting the rear end. I painted all the control levers black as well as the front and rear wheel hubs, adding a touch of red here and there.”
The hydraulic hoses were in good shape, but Goodman had to replace two couplers that were leaking a bit. He also replaced the front bearings, races and seals. “It looked like someone had used an impact driver on them,” he says.
He also bought a new tie rod end for the power steering ram, and he ordered a complete new set of decals.
He removed the cage and cut it down 2 in. so the machine would fit into his garage. He also welded a crack in the fender where the cage mounts and another one in the hoe bucket. “There were no cracks anywhere else on the machine, which shows you how well it’s built,” says Goodman.
Before painting the rig he wrapped all the hoses with tin foil to keep from getting paint on them. “It was a little time consuming but worth it,” he says.
The previous owner had installed a makeshift roof over the cage made out of an old 55-gal. plastic drum, but Goodman thought it looked tacky so he removed it. “I might use 10-ga. steel to build a new one someday,” he says.
He also installed a new seat that swivels forward and back.
“This is an amazing machine that’s incredibly powerful. I plan to do a ton of work with it that I couldn’t do with a bigger rig,” says Goodman. “It’s small enough that I can get back in the woods where a big loader backhoe can’t go. I have a small acreage and used it recently to dig some holes around my house. I’ve also used it to pull out some big rocks that I didn’t think it could handle. I’m really impressed with it. If it lasts another 1,700 hours I’ll be very happy.”
He says company service is also great. “Getting parts for this machine is no problem. In fact, when I called the company for bearings and seals they gave me the parts numbers so I could buy them locally and save money. They did the same thing for the decals.”
Base unit price for a new Terramite compact loader backhoe is $21,295.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tom Goodman, 83 Cty. Rt. 28, Malone, N.Y. 12953 (ph 518 483-0724).
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