Buying a backhoe loader. What does this dirty rear diff mean? is this thing leaking?

[Ed8acres]

https://imgur.com/a/ygi0d

Hey all. I'm new to backhoe loaders and I'm trying to purchase a used backhoe loader for my projects building a few houses. I am looking at a very rusty CASE 580 SM. test drove it the other day but I need more convincing.

The imgur link above has some of the photos i took of the case 580sm backhoe loader. its rusty and im worried about the carriage underneath. That rear diff looks dirty but it wasn't dripping. what do you all think?

Would you spend 20-24 k on a very rusty 2003 580 SM or 25-28 k on a less rusty 1998 580 SL?

 

[Hobbytime]

is that a submarine? way too much ROT for my liking..you have to figure if the guy didnt take care of the backhoe to prevent all that rot, whats the chance he ever changed oil or did any other preventative maintenance on it...for the right price you take a chance but not that price...

 

[Ed8acres]

HA thanks man. Yea I told him it was over priced for the amount of rot but he won't budge on the price. Its a fixer upper.

 

[xgiovannix12]

jeeze that machine looks like **** under . My 80 580c looks better.

 

[hosspuller]

Nope .. to the rust bucket

 

[Junkyard]

Run far and run fast. That looks almost like a chemical induced corrosion. Salt, fertilizer or some other corrosive product. If the steel looks like that I wonder what the wiring looks like. It's beyond a project, it's a nightmare.

 

[repowerguy]

I’m with Junkyard, that machine has been loading salt in a municipality or township somewhere.
If it was a little older machine without electronics or pilot control then maybe, but I would just wait on a different machine.

 

[DMiller]

Have to agree with the previous posts, RUN Away FAST! That had to have been used in a municipal salt pile and is nothing but a pile of scrap at this point. The corrosion will not stop and will be incessant in destroying any repairs.

 

[Tinkerer]

HA thanks man. Yea I told him it was over priced for the amount of rot but he won't budge on the price. Its a fixer upper.

That is not a candidate for a fixer upper. That thing is good for nothing more than a few parts.

 

[joe--h]

How can you fix up something when every bolt on it is going to round off or snap off?
Joe H

 

[Delmer]

I disagree. You guys must never have seen road salt or worked on vehicles from the snow belt, that is completely saveable, light surface rust is all. Cast iron won't rust away like the sheet metal already has. Most of the bolts that count will come out just fine. The old rim needs work ASAP unless you plan on replacing it (maybe a better idea).

Pressure wash all the loose paint and rust off of there, get rid of the salt, and oil it up, it will run fine for years. You'll probably need a service manual and you'll get familiar with the electrical system, but that's not that big a deal.

The price seems high to me. I don't know what you're comparing it to and what your market is like.

 

[92U 3406]

I'd stay clear. That's a little too rough for the price IMO.

 

[DMiller]

Missouri Hwy Dept sells their used salt machines, look just like this and you cannot stop the destruction with any amount of oil or washing. Rot away to useless or costing way too much to keep running.