Mini-Skid Steers

Ford960 · Jan 21, 2007

Greetings All,

Anyone here running a mini-skid steer, like a Ramrod, Toro Dingo, or Kanga?

I've been looking for a small skid steer for a couple of years now but my needs had constantly changed and I never got around to actually buying one. But then I let myself get talked into setting power poles and running water lines. Thus, I needed an auger and trencher and began looking at a 3pt auger for my tractor but the trencher was going to be a problem. Also the areas that I needed to work have limited space sometimes and so the need for a small skid steer once again came up.

I found what I need for sale about 20 miles from me, a Kanga/20hp Honda and six implements and after talking to the seller several times decided to go look at it today. It's in better shape than I thought it would be and I put a deposit on it till I can get to the bank.

It looks exactly like the Powerhouse Pro: PowerHouse Pro Compact Utility Loaders

I added up the new prices on the power unit and attachments and came up with $25,431 but I paid a fraction of that so I think that I made a pretty good deal.

I would like to find some books on my machine if anyone can help. I'm going to contact Powerhouse to see if I can get a manual.

I'm also open to operating tips and shortcuts from those who are operating these types of machines. Any problem areas that I need to watch for and maintenance schedules.

Thanks

Ford960 · Jan 24, 2007

Well, I got no reply here but I picked up the Kanga Tuesday night and this thing is a real hoot. It was pretty dark last night but I couldn't resist unloading it off the trailer and picking up some brush with the 4n1 bucket. Really hard to do with an LED pencil flashlight in my teeth.

This morning I tore the trencher apart to replace the bearing in the nose sprocket and called Powerhouse to see about a replacement. They have the bearing on back order and I have to wait to get one at $65. I tried to find a number on the old bearing but it was pretty much destroyed. The inner race had a square hole and had fractured into five pieces. Plus there were only 3 balls left. I was able to remove the outer race after removing the snap ring and using a six ton jack in my box blade. By turning the blade on it's side it makes a pretty good press frame and a one inch drive one and seven eights socket fit the race. Then I had to weld the two pins back in that I ground the heads off to get the chain loose. I looked all over and didn't see a master link until I was trying to drive the pins out....the next link had cotter pins, crap. With a little PB Blaster the master link drove right out. Also, the boom is spring loaded and I had to retract it with a rachet strap, the guy at Powerhouse said that there was a tool to do this. He faxed me a parts break down and the tool looks like a rachet chain binder, I'll have to rig up something similar to reassemble the chain after replacing the bearing.

A buddy showed up and we hooked up the auger to try it out, it dug a 12" hole 56" deep in about a minute...very impressive. The power company here requires a pole to be set at 48" minimum. I intend to use 6"x6" poles and will buy a 9" auger since the corner to corner distance is just over 8".

deereguy · Jan 24, 2007

Sounds like you got a bunch of attachments and a decent sized power unit for a very resonable price. I have seen several landscaping services in the area that use mini skid steers and look like they are VERY productive units.

Good luck with your purchase and enjoy many hours of fun with it.

Ford960 · Jan 25, 2007

Thanks Deerguy,

I'm still getting used to operating it and figured out that wearing gloves interferes with operating the controls. I paid $7,500 for this and all the attachments so I think that I got a really good deal.

My next project will be to see if I can load it into the back of my F-350 while the dump trailer is jack-knifed. That way I can get free fill dirt without having to unhook the trailer.

AlanB · Jan 25, 2007

Sounds like you got a great deal.

I have been looking at them, but honestly they have all been so dang expensive, I just cannot see it yet.

If one came along at the price you gave though, I think I would be real tempted.

Ford960 · Jan 25, 2007

This morning I called a couple of tractor dealers and the closest one to me had the bearing that I needed for the trencher. On Wed I got a quote from Powerhouse in SC of $65+shipping but they were back ordered for a few days. The one I bought today cost me $16.95 and I paid $6 to have it pressed into the sprocket. I felt so good about the money that I saved that a new pair of aluminum 1500# ramps found their way into the back of the truck. They were on sale for $169.95 and I'm going to beef them up a little so I can load the Kanga and straight bucket in the back of my truck. Hopefully I can load and unload with the dump trailer jack-knifed and get some of the free fill dirt that I see on Craigs List all the time.

Took me about an hour to put the trencher back together and then I took it up to my buddy's place and trenched about 70' for his new water line. Worked great, next project is to replace the seal in the boom lift cylinder and a couple of broken wheel lugs.

Ford960 · Jan 31, 2007

Made some changes to the trencher today as my Uncle and I removed 14 teeth and took out the 1" spacers. This sets the trench width at 4" instead of 6" and is better as the pipe we use is only 3/4" and means a lot less dirt to be back filled. We used PB Blaster and he was amazed at how well it worked on the rusty bolts and nuts. Using a 1/2" impact wrench helped us finish in about a half an hour and a test dig proved how much better this is going to work.
We also picked up a couple of 20'X6" poles to check the trailer modifications that I did earlier this week and they worked as designed. Yesterday we bought all of the materials to set poles and run the water lines on the first 3 lots of about 40, just waiting for the green flag.
Supposed to snow tomorrow so I think that I'll take the rest of the week off.

AlanB · Sep 23, 2007

You still using this and are you still pleased?

Seems more and more subdivisions in our town are going smaller and smaller back yards and we are again looking hard.

Found a Rough Ramrod for $4500

Any thoughts after having owned one a while?

jfh0jfh · Sep 25, 2007

I bought (used, low hours) the smallest Ramrod (a 550?) 3 years ago to dig down 2' in a 36x36 basement of a 100-year-old house. The door was just under 36", the Ramrod was 35.25" and I wiggled it in with chains hooked to a backhoe.

It was too bouncy on the tires and way underpowered. Was taking forever.

So I rented a Ditch Witch on rubber tracks for $440 for 7 days and finshed the job in 6.5 10+ hour days (~ 40 hours on the mini diggng and dumpuing dirt outside; the rest on the backhoe clearing it away).

The Ramrod dealer and factory rep were awful; running the machine in a confined space w/ a load was a bit like holding onto a bucking pig; the digging/ stoppng/ turning abilty was miserable. I wouldn't touch another Ramrod.

The Ditch Witch was awesome but it was newer (hours & design).

I used the Ramrod for 9 months for the cleanup: rocks, leveling, spreading gravel, etc. I then lifted it back out and sold it. It could be that I had a bad machine but the dealer and the factory turned me against the machine.

I'm adding this: I paid $3500 fully serviced and sold it ~ 1.25 years later for $3100 I think. I had problems with the starter, battery, ignition switch and carb but didn't spend any money on it and really it wasn't much work to keep going. It wasn't a great investment but it wasn't the worst either.