When we decided to fill in our pool we thought about renting a machine to do it. After realizing we'd need the machine for several weekends (can't do it all at once because of inspection requirements) and that we'd need a machine for other upcoming projects (moving a shed, grading the yard, removing rocks, planting trees, etc.) we started looking at buying one instead. What a good move that turned out to be! The machine we decided on is the Allmand 425 ESL. Read on to find out more about this stout little machine.
Here were the factors we considered when looking for a machine:
- What type of machine should we buy? Tractor with loader and backhoe attachment or dedicated backhoe? What's the difference? Lots of folks in our area run Kubota brand tractors with front-end loaders and detachable backhoes. This is a great setup if you'd like to mow your yard with a belly mower, brush-hog a field with the rear 3-point hitch and then mount the backhoe to do some digging. Where it falls short, however, is in the strength of the backhoe attachment vs. a dedicated backhoe. Why? A removable backhoe is designed to, well, be removable! Some are 3-point hitch compatible and some are sub-frame mounted. While the sub-frame mounted backhoes are stronger, they're not as sturdy as having the backhoe built directly on to the frame of the machine. We decided on a dedicated backhoe because we needed to do pretty heavy-duty demolition of the pool and also rock/stump removal in the yard. See below for a visual comparison of the mounting of a detachable backhoe vs. a dedicated backhoe:
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| Dedicated backhoe on an Allmand TLB |
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| Removable backhoe on a Kubota tractor |
- Diesel or Gas? Both Allmand and Terramite offer backhoes that are gas or diesel powered. I, however, have a longing deep in my soul that only the smell and sound of a diesel engine can fill so the choice was easy for me. Despite my admitted infatuation, however, I will attempt to be impartial for your benefit. Here are a few considerations: Gas engines are cheaper to buy (as a machine), less expensive to buy parts for, easy to start in the cold, and less expensive to replace. Diesels, however, are quieter (in operation, yes, really, read on to find out why), require less maintenance (in terms of parts), and last nearly forever if properly maintained. Basically, if you wear out a diesel engine in your machine it was due to lack of maintenance and not the characteristics of the engine. Note, however, the number of used, gas-powered, Allmand and Terramites that you can find for sale sporting a "New Engine!". If my opening statement wasn't enough of a hint, we decided on a diesel. Why is it quieter? A diesel makes torque at a lower RPM than a gas engine (sometimes half as fast) so to do the same digging/lifting I don't need to rev the engine up as much. I find the Allmand to be very easy on my ears while I'm using it.
- What Brand? There are many players in the compact backhoe market but for our purposes we only compared a few: Allmand, Terramite, Kubota, and John Deere. Allmand and Terramite make dedicated backhoes only, Kubota makes both and John Deere makes tractors that you can add a backhoe to. After making the decision to buy a dedicated backhoe we were left with Allmand, Terramite and Kubota. The Kubota is a wonderful machine but, at least in our area, are priced about 50% higher than competitive machines. So, in the interest of frugality, that one was third. Allmand and Terramite make similar sized machines but I found a significant difference in build quality when looking at the two. The backhoe and loader on the Terramite were downright puny (technical term) compared to the Allmand. Note: in fairness, I'm talking about machines on the used market. A quick check of the Terramite website shows that they've beefed up their design in recent years and could be a contender now. Check out a side shot below for a comparison of the older ones:
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| Note the size of the loader arms on the Allmand |
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| Versus the size of the arms on the Terramite |
As the article indicates, we chose the Allmand TLB 425 since it was the smallest model they offered with a diesel engine. Following is a list of features we like and a shorter list of things we don't:
Likes:
- It's way stronger than its size or weight make it out to be. This thing digs like an animal! In fact, to make it dig even better I will sometimes load the bucket with something heavy to use as a counterweight so I can pull on something harder with the backhoe like a stump or a big rock. This gives me a machine with light weight for transport on a trailer but then when the loader is full you can really do some digging.
- It's built like a tank. Everything on this machine is over-built (they were designed for the rental market, after all) and it makes a big difference. Apparently many of the replacement parts are off-the-shelf types that you can get at the auto-parts store but I haven't needed any yet to confirm this.
- It has a Kubota engine. The Kubota D1105 is the quintessential small diesel workhorse engine that can be found powering generators, pumps, light towers and, of course, tractors all around the world. There are stories of some going strong beyond 10,000 hours.
- The controls are ergonomically designed. The loader control is close to the steering wheel for easy operation and the backhoe controls are outstanding. They even though to include a little bar to rest your wrists on while using it.
- It's "cowboy" friendly. In other words, it seems to be designed to let you do things that the safety manual/OSHA/your mother wouldn't want you to do but end up saving you a lot of time. Example: You're digging a trench and need to move the machine forward about 5 feet to keep going. You can, from the backhoe seat, turn around, lift the loader bucket, turn the steering wheel, and press the "forward" pedal without getting out of your seat. This is handy. Also, there are no safety interlocks besides not being able to start it in gear. It's nice when someone trusts you instead of thinking for you.
- The ESL backhoe design is awesome. ESL stands for Extended Service Life and it is a system of bushings with seals that you can grease (and replace if the need arises). This is, again, designed for the rental market and its abuse. It gives you a quiet, tight, serviceable backhoe that will stay that way for a long time.
Dislikes:
- The loader bucket could curl back a little more. Sometimes when going in to a pile of dirt to pick up a bucket full I find myself wanting more backwards bucket curl to finish filling the bucket.
- It needs a thumb. This, however, isn't a knock against Allmand--every machine with a boom needs one if you're going to pull rocks/stumps/do demolition with it. Follow along as we add a thumb to ours.
- The speed in reverse is kind of slow. I get it, it's designed for the rental market and you don't want people hurting themselves. However, when you're running it all day in and out of a pile it would be nice if it went almost as fast in reverse as forward. I'd put the reverse speed somewhere around 30-40% of forward speed. Perhaps I'll see if this is "adjustable"
OK, that's it for now! Please let me know on the contact page if you'd like clarification/any more info added to this review.
