Backhoe Hope for some assistance...

[2Terras]

I have my 2nd 1996 Terramite T5 now. (Wish I kept the 1st one, it was much better unit.) Anyway started digging some small stumps in my yard last week and came to realize real quick there is a problem with the hoe. The thing runs out of power on the smallest of tree roots. My other T5 would dig and rip through pine tree roots with no problem. I dug out about 30 stumps with it. This unit won't tear a root that's an inch and a half in diameter!!!. If I hit clay while digging dirt it runs out of power. The front loader seems to be ok in power just the hoe is weak.
Talking with the guy on the excavator that is pushing the trees over, he says the hoe should have much more power than the loader. I'm thinking the Hydraulic pump is worn out??. The power steering doesn't work great either on this tractor. Please advise with experiences. I will be calling the company this week also. Thanks Terramite fans!!!

 

[notmeu]

There is a separate relief valve for the loader valve and the backhoe valves, can you place a psi gauge on each to see what pressures you get? The backhoe valve bank may have been turned down to a low psi for some reason.

 

[2Terras]

Paul at Terramite says that my cylinders need rebuilding on the hoe. I'm not sure I agree. I did forget to say in my 1st post that I recently replaced the hoses to both those cylinders. I never tested the use of the hoe before hose replacement. I wonder if there is some sort of blockage in the hoses I had made. These were made to order by a hydraulic hose business that I have used MANY times in the past. I have never had a problem with their work but you never know what's inside the hose. Just shooting from the hip.
In reply to notmeu, Wouldn't that affect all functions from the hoe end? The outriggers work great and the hoe side to side function seem fine. Its just the bucket curl and inward pull that seem weak. ???????????????????????????????????????too dang cold out now to work on it anyway.

 

[notmeu]

Yes you would be correct, It would effect everything. I had a similar problem when I purchased my t7 but it was on only the curl valve. It ended up being a piece of o-ring material that was stuck inside the valve itself.

 

[OO1]

Did you find the problem with the hydraulics? I hope you don't have to rebuild the pump. My T5 pump was making a very loud growling noise under load and I took it to Devine Hydraulics in CT. They condemned the unit as needing replacement. The only replacement they found was $10K. That's more than the tractors value and they realized that's a crazy price.
So I paid a lot in labor to have them rebuild it and remachine worn parts. I just picked it up this week and its on the bench at home waiting to be reinstalled when the weather breaks.