Renting backhoe for 1 day, Kubota or Terramite???

[Volfandt]

A smaller comparison but similar.

I rented a small Terramite to dig my pond out a few yrs back and after about 8 hrs on it I was worn out. It had the Kohler air cooled gas engine and between it and the loud whiney HST my hearing was about shot for a day afterwards too.
It worked hard though and I was abl to get what I needed done in a couple days.

I've since bought a Kubota BX23 and had to dig out the same pond this past fall and even though the Terramite's BH had more reach and the FEL carried more, the BX23 still worked just as hard for as long as the Terramite did, getting the job done in about the same amount of time. But the more quiet diesel engine & HST is much less strenuous to operate and the noise level is so much lower they don't even compare.
In other words the BX23 provided a more enjoyable seat time.

Granted that Terramite had alot more hard hrs on it which may account for it's lack of user accomodations and the larger diesel powered units may be quieter, but this is my observations on a couple small end TLB's performing the same basic tasks.

I'd recommend sitting on both and running them upto working rpm and see which one you wouldn't mind listening to for beau-coup hrs at a time....

Volfandt

 

[Volfandt]

A smaller comparison but similar.

I rented a small Terramite to dig my pond out a few yrs back and after about 8 hrs on it I was worn out. It had the Kohler air cooled gas engine and between it and the loud whiney HST my hearing was about shot for a day afterwards too.
It worked hard though and I was abl to get what I needed done in a couple days.

I've since bought a Kubota BX23 and had to dig out the same pond this past fall and even though the Terramite's BH had more reach and the FEL carried more, the BX23 still worked just as hard for as long as the Terramite did, getting the job done in about the same amount of time. But the more quiet diesel engine & HST is much less strenuous to operate and the noise level is so much lower they don't even compare.
In other words the BX23 provided a more enjoyable seat time.

Granted that Terramite had alot more hard hrs on it which may account for it's lack of user accomodations and the larger diesel powered units may be quieter, but this is my observations on a couple small end TLB's performing the same basic tasks.

I'd recommend sitting on both and running them upto working rpm and see which one you wouldn't mind listening to for beau-coup hrs at a time....

Volfandt

 

[Richard]

wow, interesting viewpoints.
Not to add fuel to any fires but a year ago I went to South Carolina to help dear ole Dad.

he asked what shoudl he rent? I suggested an industrial TLB since I knew it would have better reach than any of the above.

HE ended up renting a Terramite (gas unit). Now for unfair comparisons, previous to this, I had only ever used my own industrial backhoe (JCB) and a Kubota L-35.

Bottom line, the Terramite did 90% of what we were trying to do, was NOT as nice/smooth as I recall the Kubota (nor my JCB) to be, but those are unfair comparisons and I know that.

Ultimately, what turned me against the Terramite was the engineering of the hoe controls... they stripped out and came apart, rendering the hoe useless for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, the hoe was the PRIMARY tool being used so it about killed the terramite.

I think the engineering of the wobble stick attachment to the valve stem absolutey stinks (at least, in the unit we used).

I know for a fact now that we're done that had I had my industrial there, I could have done in 2 hours, what we still didn't get done in about 9.

 

[Richard]

wow, interesting viewpoints.
Not to add fuel to any fires but a year ago I went to South Carolina to help dear ole Dad.

he asked what shoudl he rent? I suggested an industrial TLB since I knew it would have better reach than any of the above.

HE ended up renting a Terramite (gas unit). Now for unfair comparisons, previous to this, I had only ever used my own industrial backhoe (JCB) and a Kubota L-35.

Bottom line, the Terramite did 90% of what we were trying to do, was NOT as nice/smooth as I recall the Kubota (nor my JCB) to be, but those are unfair comparisons and I know that.

Ultimately, what turned me against the Terramite was the engineering of the hoe controls... they stripped out and came apart, rendering the hoe useless for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, the hoe was the PRIMARY tool being used so it about killed the terramite.

I think the engineering of the wobble stick attachment to the valve stem absolutey stinks (at least, in the unit we used).

I know for a fact now that we're done that had I had my industrial there, I could have done in 2 hours, what we still didn't get done in about 9.

 

[PAB_OH]

If you have any kind of hills at all go with the 'bota. I rented a Terra to move some garvel up my drive (1/4 mi. and very steep) and do some trenching. I was out there until midnight trying to get it all done and I wasn't able to. The gas powered (Kohler, I believe) Terra is SERIOUSLY underpowered for any kind of hauling and any kind of grade IMO.

The hoe dug relatively well but a friend has a Woods BH for his TC29D and that thing is a beast compared to the Terra. Also, along the same lines as some of the other posts, the thing was uncomfortable as all get-out!

Rent the 'Bota.

 

[PAB_OH]

If you have any kind of hills at all go with the 'bota. I rented a Terra to move some garvel up my drive (1/4 mi. and very steep) and do some trenching. I was out there until midnight trying to get it all done and I wasn't able to. The gas powered (Kohler, I believe) Terra is SERIOUSLY underpowered for any kind of hauling and any kind of grade IMO.

The hoe dug relatively well but a friend has a Woods BH for his TC29D and that thing is a beast compared to the Terra. Also, along the same lines as some of the other posts, the thing was uncomfortable as all get-out!

Rent the 'Bota.

 

[PAB_OH]

woops, I just noticed your post saying you rented the 'bota so my input is too late. It still stands though. I don't have experience with the smaller 'bota's so I can't compare, just give you my impressions from using the Terra. I was not impressed, at all.

 

[PAB_OH]

woops, I just noticed your post saying you rented the 'bota so my input is too late. It still stands though. I don't have experience with the smaller 'bota's so I can't compare, just give you my impressions from using the Terra. I was not impressed, at all.

 

[daffyduck]

I am an operator for a medium sized utility company. We tried using Kubota machines for a few years. Had nothing but problems, for welds broke, limited power, down for weeks, expensive repairs, lack of parts, and poor service.

Replaced these with Terramite TLBs. Very good performance, repairs done will we waited, and able to have modifications done quickly. Sure the Terramite's don't look as fancy as the Kubotas, but, they out perform them. Plus, when we did sell the Kubotas only got about 40% of value for units over 5 years old. The Terramites returned between 60-75% value.

Terramite units are true construction units. They must be doing something right for they have been making machines for over 40 years.

 

[daffyduck]

I am an operator for a medium sized utility company. We tried using Kubota machines for a few years. Had nothing but problems, for welds broke, limited power, down for weeks, expensive repairs, lack of parts, and poor service.

Replaced these with Terramite TLBs. Very good performance, repairs done will we waited, and able to have modifications done quickly. Sure the Terramite's don't look as fancy as the Kubotas, but, they out perform them. Plus, when we did sell the Kubotas only got about 40% of value for units over 5 years old. The Terramites returned between 60-75% value.

Terramite units are true construction units. They must be doing something right for they have been making machines for over 40 years.