SDLE20 mini ex

[skramer360]

I have a few jobs around our 18 acres that need to be done and rather than rent, rent, rent a mini ex, I thought I would gamble on one of the Chinese minis. I researched as much as I could, but there is precious little information online about specific brands or models. I knew I didn't want the smallest ones, so I started looking at ones that had the number 20 on them. I knew they weren't 2 ton, but it did seem to mean that they weighed more than the ones with numbers from 12-18. I wasn't scared of the gas powered ones, so I looked at gas and diesel ones in the 18 -20 number range. The closest to me for sale were 2 hours away. I set up an appointment to go test an SDLE18 machine that has a gas engine. I really wanted to want it, because there was a slightly used one for sale with a trailer for a great price that I was willing to drive to buy. However, after testing the gas model, it seemed to labor more than I was willing to be OK with and it was really loud. So, I decided I would look for one of the SDLE20s with the diesel. Most have the 3 cylinder Yanmar, though apparently some have had the 3 cylinder Kubota. I have experience with basically the same Yanmar on a mini at a rental store where I worked, and it was a great engine. I looked on Marketplace, and most of the SDLE20s were selling for around $8000, which was a bit higher than I wanted to pay, so I started looking at auctions and registered to bid. I won the second auction I bid in and paid $6038 including buyer fees. I went to pick it up (unfortunately about 700 miles away) it was a good road trip. This is my machine when I picked it up.

And this is back at my house the next day.

I stripped it down, changed the engine oil, and changed out all the grease fittings. My next modification was to add a counter weight. I'd like to add more, but this is a start at 80 lbs. I bought scrap flat stock (1/2" and 3/8") at my local salvage yard for $32 and cut and welded it up into an 80lb suitcase. This is where I wanted to install it. I didn't want it sticking out the back to hit something.

These are the two pieces of scrap steel I bought.

This is all cut up and welded together.

Here it is installed.

The back is back on and the weight is not visible with the body panels on.

Next up, I have ordered a hydraulic filter kit and a fuel gauge. I hope to get those installed this weekend and change the controls to backhoe instead of the factory excavator. I hope to update here off and on if anyone is interested.

 

[mike0000]

I’d like to hear your updates. I’m in southern Indiana ( close to Louisville Ky) I understand the distance you had to go, not a lot of auctions around my area. I bought a Kymron, getting close to two years ago, it’s been a pretty good little machine. I’m researching mini skids for the next piece of equipment I hope to buy. Congratulations on buying the excavator.

 

[mike0000]

After getting the fuel tank out of the engine compartment I added this 10 micron filter to the hydraulic system. Parker hydraulics in Jeffersonville In. had all the fittings I needed and made up two hoses to my specs but were pricey.

 

[nforktractor]

Where did you get the Suzuki Pick-up? I'm big fan of Suzuki motorcycles and their Samurais.

 

[skramer360]

Where did you get the Suzuki Pick-up? I'm big fan of Suzuki motorcycles and their Samurais.

I bought it about 5 years ago used out of Tennessee. I was actually looking for a Nissan Frontier and found this instead. It is exactly the same truck with a few modified body panels in the front.

 

[Carl_NH]

Skramer - I have the similar Hightop Typhon Terror XVIII - 1.5 years now and added the Hyd filter, Tiny Tach, track motor protection, beefed up the thumb - welded two 3/8" plates between the tines. Then 9" turf tracks, and moved the thumb pedal further out with an Aluminum one, and added a bracket for the tool box on the back.

Then wanted BH mode too, and it's as simple as swapping the boom and stick cylinder lines, left boom goes to left stick, left stick to left boom and same on the right side. See the lines in the pics - 4 swap to 3 and 5 swap to 6 - simple as that and I can change in 10 minutes as my neighbor prefers excavator mode.

 

[skramer360]

Skramer - I have the similar Hightop Typhon Terror XVIII - 1.5 years now and added the Hyd filter, Tiny Tach, track motor protection, beefed up the thumb - welded two 3/8" plates between the tines. Then 9" turf tracks, and moved the thumb pedal further out with an Aluminum one, and added a bracket for the tool box on the back.

Then wanted BH mode too, and it's as simple as swapping the boom and stick cylinder lines, left boom goes to left stick, left stick to left boom and same on the right side. See the lines in the pics - 4 swap to 3 and 5 swap to 6 - simple as that and I can change in 10 minutes as my neighbor prefers excavator mode.

Thanks for that. I've been wondering about swapping the tracks to 9", there seems to be plenty of space, what are your thoughts on that upgrade. Does it give the machine more stability, was it worth the cost, were there any unforeseen issues doing it? I also had wanted to swap to backhoe controls, but my hoses don't seem like they are long enough, but if you can do it in 10 minutes, I must be thinking about it wrong.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

80 lbs is not going really help all that much. Sure it might technically help a bit but it won't be a noticeable change. I added 180 lbs to mine and I still want to add more. Really the only way to add enough is to allow it to stick out the back. I made a bumper for mine. By letting it stick out the back some you are also increasing its effectiveness.

That little self allows me to add a milk crate and a box for tools, lunch, water, extra gas, etc.

I just got my hydraulic filter and cooler installed and about to wire up a 10" fan under the seat blowing down then I will button it back up and start putting it to work.
Have fun.

 

[skramer360]

I added a few more upgrades to my mini this weekend. I added the hydraulic filter kit. I used the Oetiker clamps on insert fittings since it is low pressure. The nice thing about that is that it was super inexpensive, since I didn't have to order any hydraulic hose fittings or have any hoses made. I made the bracket out of flat stock and welded it onto the radiator mount.

Since it is a diesel machine, I didn't want to be running it out of fuel, so I added a fuel gauge. The one I ordered from Amazon is a 12". If I had to do it again, I would order a 13" as there is about an inch of space between the bottom of the gauge and the outlet of the tank. This is the flat top of the tank, plenty of room for the sending unit. The wire is attached to a magnet inside the tank to collect as many of the shavings as possible.

I drilled the holes in the tank and threaded the small bolt holes,

The right side of the controls had a set of 4 switch blanks. I took that out and replaced it with a single two layer plastic blank and drilled the hole for the gauge.

This is the top of the sending unit in the tank and then the gauge up at the operator's station.

I also wanted to reinforce the thumb, so I welded a piece of angle up closer to the end, but not close enough to interfere with the boom. We'll see if it will hold up, my welding job on this was not great.

 

[skramer360]

80 lbs is not going really help all that much. Sure it might technically help a bit but it won't be a noticeable change. I added 180 lbs to mine and I still want to add more. Really the only way to add enough is to allow it to stick out the back. I made a bumper for mine. By letting it stick out the back some you are also increasing its effectiveness. View attachment 5200241
That little self allows me to add a milk crate and a box for tools, lunch, water, extra gas, etc.
View attachment 5200242

I just got my hydraulic filter and cooler installed and about to wire up a 10" fan under the seat blowing down then I will button it back up and start putting it to work.
Have fun.

I really do want to add more as I know that more is better in this case. I bought another 60 lbs that I hope to add this week. I'm hoping to avoid the out the back type of things so I can maintain the zero tail swing, but I'll see if it works out for me like this. I also want to add some protection for the drive motors which will add some weight, just not on the house.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I really do want to add more as I know that more is better in this case. I bought another 60 lbs that I hope to add this week. I'm hoping to avoid the out the back type of things so I can maintain the zero tail swing, but I'll see if it works out for me like this. I also want to add some protection for the drive motors which will add some weight, just not on the house.

Yeah, I get it. But as many times as I have used a mini ex I can only think of one or 2 occasion there zero tail swing was an issue. I would rather have the increased safety and usability. I also have the drive motor protection, I think this is another great opportunity to add weight nice and low. I am going to fill the 1.5" square tube with melted lead I got at the scrap yard. I will probably weld 2 of them together to add more weight. Hoping to get another 50 lbs down there. Without the lead the brackets and bar only add like 8 pounds.

 

[MattB4]

On my Terror XVII I found the factory bolts on the bucket teeth to not be very good and replaced mine with grade 8 bolts and nuts I got from TSC.

 

[dodge man]

Nice job on the upgrades.

 

[Carl_NH]

Thanks for that. I've been wondering about swapping the tracks to 9", there seems to be plenty of space, what are your thoughts on that upgrade. Does it give the machine more stability, was it worth the cost, were there any unforeseen issues doing it? I also had wanted to swap to backhoe controls, but my hoses don't seem like they are long enough, but if you can do it in 10 minutes, I must be thinking about it wrong.

I found the pair of 230MM diamond back turf tracks on ebay $435 delivered - they are made in Indiana. The ebay link is dead now tho.
- Easy to install - lift up the mini one side and remove the tension and take the old one off, and loop the new one around the idler pulley then start it on the drive pulley and run the track (best to have 2 people) First one took 45 min, second one 15 minutes.
- Result - smoother ride, doesn't dig up turf, better made than the china ones.

On the hose swap - on the picture below swap the left stick cyl hose with the right boom cyl hose. and do the same on the other side. Should be long enough but I can't tell from the picture.

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[skramer360]

I added another 60lbs for counterweight, which brings the total to right at 140lbs. I added these underneath at the back. I forgot to take a picture of them installed. Hopefully that will be enough for now. I have to wait until it dries out a bit here in Indiana before I can use it.

 

[skramer360]

I found the pair of 230MM diamond back turf tracks on ebay $435 delivered - they are made in Indiana. The ebay link is dead now tho.
- Easy to install - lift up the mini one side and remove the tension and take the old one off, and loop the new one around the idler pulley then start it on the drive pulley and run the track (best to have 2 people) First one took 45 min, second one 15 minutes.
- Result - smoother ride, doesn't dig up turf, better made than the china ones.

On the hose swap - on the picture below swap the left stick cyl hose with the right boom cyl hose. and do the same on the other side. Should be long enough but I can't tell from the picture.

View attachment 5201814

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I checked there to swap the hoses and mine are not long enough to move the boom hoses out to the stick, unfortunately.

 

[Carl_NH]

I checked there to swap the hoses and mine are not long enough to move the boom hoses out to the stick, unfortunately.

Then you will need to swap them on the manifold under the floor - more work less fun!

Also I see you are adding a lot of weight - is your rear bumper just a metal shroud? Mine Terror has a large casting there - probably 250 lbs.