Terex is taking it to the 14-foot class of backhoe loaders, product manager Tom Reith said at the World of Concrete, making no bones about putting the Terex machine up against the other players in this work-horse category, specifically the Case 580N, Cat 416E, and Deere 310J. Deere's beefier 310SJ more closely matches up, and Terex competes with 14-foot entries from JCB, Komatsu and Volvo (see specifications comparisons below).
The TLB840, billed as the ninth generation of backhoe loaders offered by Terex, was five years in development, Reith said. It has an 88-horsepower Perkins engine which can be coupled with an optional 4-speed servo power syncro transmission with automatic shifting. The machine envelope is ready for the Tier 4-Final engine.
Reith pointed out that this new generation harkens back to its historic roots with Massey Ferguson, incorporating a top-mounted loader cylinder. Loading height is 11 feet 6 inches with a lift capacity of 7,291 lb.-ft. Bucket breakout force is 10,485 pounds. Hydro-mechanical self-leveling feature helps the operator avoid spillage and retain the load to full height.
On the back end, the newly designed curved boom gives the operator the ability to move closer to trucks when dumping. Dig depth is 14 feet 9 inches (18 feet 1 inch, extended) and reach is 18 feet 9 inches (21 feet 11 inches, extended). The deep dig extendable dipper stick is new to this generation.
The cab is new from “the ground up,” Reith said. Two doors are standard, and the interior is roomy. The look and feel is automotive, he said, so the operator would feel comfortable “getting out of his pickup into the backhoe loader cab.”
Mechanical controls come standard; excavator-style pilot controls are optional. The opening rear quarter windows improve ventilation and right-angle visibility. Full-depth rear window has an up-and-over feature for even more ventilation. Other comfort features include upgraded heating, high-performance air conditioning, adjustable steering wheel, and a mechanical suspension seat with lumbar support.
