Editorial Review

Just like the real front loaders you might see working along the highway, the Mighty Front Loader was designed to dig, dump, and haul. With its large working bucket, deep-cleated tires, and heavy-duty steel construction, this solid truck is guaranteed for life and built for endless hours of fun in the sandbox or yard. Two handles let you control the angle of the work bucket so you can dig or dump sand and dirt, or move rocks around. Or you can set the bucket in a middle position when you want to haul things for a while without holding the handle. The cab and engine sections swivel, making it easy to steer the front loader to where the work is. The large wheels (4.5-inch diameter) have been mounted over strong steel axles, tested for up to 50 pounds. Realistically styled, the front loader measures 22 inches long by 8 inches wide by 9.5 inches high. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (19)

LOTS OF FUN FOR BOYS AND GIRLS!
I PURCHASED THIS TOY FOR MY 2.5 YR OLD SON AND HE IS HAVING A BALL WITH IT!I THINK HE LIKES THIS TOY BECAUSE IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE REAL ONES HE SEES ON THE ROAD.IT'S TOUGH BUT LIGHTWEIGHT AND EASY FOR LITTLE ONES TO PICK UP.IT ALSO HAS WORKING PARTS WHICH AIDS IN MANUAL DEXTERITY AND IMAGINATIVE PLAY.I APPRECIATE THAT THIS TOY HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY AGAINST MANUFACTURAL DEFECTS SO I KNOW MY CHILD WILL HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THIS TOY FOR A LONG TIME TO COME!

Too Much Plastic Too little metal
The front loader has too much plastic on it. 10 years ago it would have been made mainly of metal and very little plastic used. Of course today it is all about maximizing profits at the sake of durability. Steer Clear. There are still products like this made from metal on the market and I would rather pay a little extra for the quality. Obviously Tonka has lost touch with its customer base.

Buy it
These are the BEST toys in the world for kids who love transportation. I got this on special with the free dump truck and they have been all over the house, yard and even went on display for show and tell in grade K. All the kids love it.

If this is on special with the free dump truck as it is several times then don't hesitate get two and save it for a birthday gift. Both girls and boys love 'em. Great buy.

Built Tonka Tough
What a great toy! Talk about imagination! And then again, there's the Tonka quality. This guy gets slammed around quite a bit and still looks brand new. Plus, it's great imaginative fun in the sandbox and in the house. Don't pass this one up!

YESSSSSSS!
My 2 1/2 year old son loves this truck! He didn't want to open anything else on Christmas morning, and this was one of the first gifts that he opened. He loves it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Mighty indeed! This Tonka backhoe is aptly named. Riding high above the ground (11 inches) on large, rugged tires (4.5 inches indiameter), it's constructed of heavy-duty steel and durable plastic. Realistically styled after a full-size backhoe, it has a long steel arm for digging deep or scooping up rocks and dirt. The backhoe can swivel a full 360 degrees on the truck bed, making it easy to load dirt into other trucks or get to those hard-to-reach rock piles. There's a sure-grip handle on the side of the arm for lifting and lowering, and another handle at the base of the arm lets the "driver" extend or retract the work bucket for scooping and dumping. The backhoe sits on strong steel axles that have been tested with a 50-pound load. With a lifetime guarantee to back it up, the Mighty Backhoe is built to withstand all the rough play your kids can dish out. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The way Tonka ought to be!
I got this backhoe for my 3 year old last year and it has put up with more abuse than any toy should have to face -yet it still works well & looks fine. My son has had an enormous amount of fun playing with it, riding on it, attacking his sister with it, etc. and it keeps coming back for more. Don't bother with motorized plastic, this is the real thig!

My 3 year old grandson loves favorite trucks
I bought the backhoe, dump truck and the back loader and recently purchase the crane for him. He takes them everywhere he goes. His father takes him to see the real ones at work and he know what each one is called.

They are very durable. Great trucks.

Great toy
My boys (2 and 3) love this!!!
(It's metal, so not great for really little children.)

Your kid is going to LOVE this!!
I bought this backhoe, the front loader, and the dump truck for my 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old boys. The quaility is great and we love the steroid size of these classic construction vehicles! My children really dig these huge toys. They get lots of imaginative and creative play with these construction toys as well as practice with hand-eye dexterity and manipulation. There is so much fun to have in piles of sand, rocks, gravel, or plain old dirt!

Fun and leaning in one toy.
This is a toy that works great in combination with the Tonka Mighty Dump Truck.

My nephew normally is glued to computer games, but this toy actually got him to play outside for a change.

It is durable and works best when the child has access to dirt/sand. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Mighty is right! This Tonka crane, constructed of heavy-dutysteel and durable plastic, rides high on large, rugged tires.Realistically styled, it has a long, steel arm with a bucket attachedfor scooping up and relocating rocks or dirt. With its deep-cleatedtires and heavy-duty steel construction, this solid vehicle isguaranteed for life and built for endless hours of fun in the sandboxor yard. The bright-yellow cab section swivels, making it easy to steerthe crane to where the work is. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Great Christmas Gift
We gave this to our 5 year old grandson for Christmas and he was thrilled. When we left their house 3 days later, he was still thrilled with the crane. I love the metal that Tonka uses, the plastic trucks do not last with 5 year old twin boys. I recommend this crane for any little boys that enjoy Mighty Machines.

unsafe and frustrating
We got this for our 3-year-old son last Christmas, and he was thrilled with it. He played with it for about 5 minutes and was very frustrated because the arm would not stay in place, it kept crashing down no matter how securely kid (or parents) would try to set it in place. Unsafe for fingers or anyone in the way of the arm when it goes. We tried playing with it for a few days and ended up exchanging it for the excavator instead, which was a big disappointment -- this had been his very favorite thing under the tree. Extremely poor engineering on this one.

Doesn't do the Tonka name proud....
While it's not the cool all-metal stuff that I remember, I know my son enjoyed playing with this. At least UNTIL the lever that keeps the crane up broke. It's a shoddy piece of plastic wrapped by a thin tin shell. I'm very unhappy with this. And as for my son.. it's no fun seeing a 3-year-old cry...

A Fix For The String
I recently purchased the crane, excavator, front loader, etc... The very first time he tried to use it the bucket came off the string. He also has the mini one with the same problem. After you tie it back on put a bead of hot glue on both sides of the knot and press it between your fingers just before it hardens. Neither knot has slipped since! We just found a Tonka track bulldozer that my husband played with 30 years ago and it still works! My son has added it to his fleet. I'm confident these will be around for his kids too!!

Simple and Tough, it will be long life toy.
I bought the crane for my son. He is almost 3y old. This crane is his favorite one and so tough against play at out door ground. (I am not satisfied at just 2 points. 1st one is the stripe on the body. It is not paint but paper seal, weak for wash. 2nd one is spring at baggage. It will be too strong for younger children. ) I also love it because of simple and tough concept. I would like to collect other items for construction role play with my son. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great trucks, and a great value!
These trucks are the perfect size for my three year-old construction fanatic. The "mighty" Tonka trucks are too big for him, the "jr. basic" Tonka trucks are too small for him (though they were excellent for him in the sandbox a year ago), and the "jr. force" Tonka trucks are too flimsy for working in our tough Oklahoma dirt! These trucks have a steel body and plastic wheels and accents. The description does not contain their dimensions, so here they are...the grader is roughly 17Lx8Wx7H, and the dump truck is roughly 14Lx6Wx7H. The price is excellent, the quality is very good, and my son loves them! What a deal! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The young builder in your family will appreciate the realisticdetails built into this Mercedes Benz Cement Mixer. Measuring animpressive 22.5 inches long, the truck is equipped with a hand-powered,spinning cement drum and a three-piece extendable dispenser chute thatswivels up to 180 degrees off the back of the truck. When not in use,the two extra chute extensions clip into place on either side of thetruck, and the cement mixer handle on top of the truck can be tuckedaway neatly. Made of sturdy plastic, the truck rides smoothly on eightrubber tires, and when it's not moving you can tilt the front cabinforward to reveal a large truck engine underneath. Both of the sidemirrors on the front of the truck are adjustable. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great truck!
My son got this truck as a Christmas present and he plays with it every day...he loves to look in the window and turn the crank that makes the mixer spin. He looks at the 'engine' and pushes it all over the house. He's 22 lbs. and sits on the mixer daily and it's still as good as new!

Model like toy
This company really deserves and award! They have made a toy that really works, and yet it looks like a model! My kid has banged it around , and yet it is still holding up! Good job bruder! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Perhaps the cutest construction vehicles to ever take to theroad, the tough oversize trucks from Little Tikes feature well-roundedseams and corners and a rugged plastic build, perfect for the smallhands and boisterous attention of enthusiastic young road workers. This12-inch-long, 9-inch-high, and 9-inch-wide dump truck, cast in brightyellow and black, gets around on fat plastic tires and has a bed thatreally lifts up to dump its load.The truck's simple design also makes a quick hose-off easy after a long day in the sandbox. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Hidden Dangers
My son loves his truck now that we have fixed the dump bed. The day it arrived he was pushing it around the house and the bed raised up and hit him in the mouth. Only a fat lip and a little bleeding, no major damage. I used a self tapping screw to attach the bed to the cab, and we haven't had any more problems with that part. Another problem we have had is with the tires. They don't stay on the hubs. It still works fine, but has to be fixed when he plays with the truck. He doesn't seem to care that it doesn't dump anymore, and he enjoys working on the tires.

Not sturdy and well-designed like other Little Tikes toys
This truck is not at all like the Little Tikes Car Carrier truck that we have. Children can sit on it and ride it with no problem (the 2 sports cars are equally as sturdy). You have to watch the back of this truck because it is constantly tipping back, causing the child to fall down. It's not designed to be played with the way children of this age like to play.

A friend of mine had to call Little Tikes for a replacement for her truck because the rear wheel kept falling off. Then the whole metal axle would slide out - not a very safe thing with little ones around.

It seems that the newer Little Tikes stuff that is being outsourced to Chinese manufacturers is really junky compared to the stuff that was produced in US factories. Guess they're trying to reduce costs, but the product is suffering.

I would not recommend this product at all.

Well-made w/ smooth edges, unintended ride-on toy holds up
My 2.5 yo DS's played w/ this truck for the last year and a half. I agree w/ the other parents' comments about the back of the truck flipping up easily. But I've gotta' laugh a little: my son always turned around and sat down in it, then pushed himself along with his feet. As he got older and heavier, the truck dumped him out as soon as he started to push. That big-time frustration and his growing caboose led to a new way to ride it: he'd lift the back and sit down on the chassis beneath and with his feet out to either side, he'd push himself along. So more than anything, this truck has been a ride-on toy.

He's probably too big to use it that way now, though I'm sure he'll try. But this summer, it'll be a beach toy. Already have it in the back of the car. Oh, survives melted crayons, too. (Didn't discolor.)

Be careful with the back!
Like all Little Tikes trucks this is well-made--but we have had the same problem as other parents with the dumping end flipping up and hitting our child in the face (and then the truck slipping out from under him) whenever he put weight on it! He received it for his first birthday and after a few injuries we put it away for over a year...we keep bringing it back out to try again, but at 2 1/2, this still happens occasionally. You can't go wrong with most Little Tikes trucks--but watch this one, especially with younger toddlers!

Durable and fun
I'm getting so that the only kind of toys I want to buy for my son are Little Tykes because they are the only ones that last. He has enjoyed this dump truck (along with other Little Tykes trucks) for years. They take such a beating and yet they never break or crack. This dump truck is fun because the bed can hold a lot of dirt, rocks, or toys. In fact my son even likes to sit in it and get pushed. He also runs along as fast as he can with it on the sidewalk. This truck has been played with very hard and is none the worse for wear. Little Tykes is the best at durability. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bruder Toys
Our 3 1/2 year old loves all the Bruder trucks. They may be made out of plastic but, they are still very tuff. Our son sits on them without any problems. We love the detail of all of vehicles. It makes learning about heavy equipment fun. All of the vehicles have working parts and Bruder's attention to detail is unsurpassed. The small details adds intererst and play time longevity to the toys. Our son plays with them every day and knows the difference between quaility constructed toys and cheap toys. The wheels get pulled off of other brand trucks and put into the dump truck bed of the Brueder. Brueder is the only brand that we will buy! These are not flawed third world country plastic toys. All parts are made and assembled in Germany! The cement mixer is next on his wish list.

High Quality Plastic . . . Not Exactly
Purchased this for a 3 1/2 year old boy. Was hesitant about buying any large, plastic truck, but we did not see any alternatives at the time we purchased this. We should have stuck with our instinct. When it arrived, we were immediately struck by the fact that the plastic seemed flimsy, and that many small plastic pieces that are attached to the grader appeared and felt so cheap and flimsy that we doubted they would survive 5 minutes of play, in our humble opinion. We were not going to wait to find out, and we decided to send this back. You can get a STEEL Tonka 18" grader off of ebay for less than what Amazon is asking for this plastic thing. That's exactly what we did. Good luck! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great truck
My son got this for his second birthday. He has great fun putting things in the truck bed and dumping them out. The orange is a great color and the truck seems pretty sturdy. He sits on it and pushes it around and it hasn't shown any signs of breaking yet. The wheels are supposed to be non-marking and we haven't seen any marks from them on our floors. I'm not sure of it's educational value as it's just a truck but I guess he learns how to dump things and load things and push it around, which I think is pretty important to a two year old! All the edges are smooth and the thing seems pretty safe for just about any age. If your child likes trucks like mine you can't go wrong with this toy.

Great Tough Toy
My son plays with this and another at the doctor's office when we go. The office goes through a lot of kids and it still looks brand new. My son is 3 1/2 and wants this one and the other one (regular blue truck) for Christmas. It has a big holding area and the back flap opens to "dump" whatever is in there. It's very sturdy and fun. The only draw back I see is there is nowhere to put a driver in the seat. It's not been an issue for my son, yet, but think it might one day. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is one serious piece of road construction equipment. On one end is a huge spinning blade, perfect for cutting up make-believe pavement. On the other side is a big steamroller and a mammoth rotating drill to bore holes in the road. Both are completely safe, of course. Use the switch on the bottom to set the rig to motorized mode, and let it rumble around the room in forward or reverse, or set it to "freewheeling" and let it sit still while you do the pushing. But the real stars of this toy are the authentic sounds itmakes--drilling, grinding, beeping--all realistically done and all noisy enough to suit construction fans. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not durable
My son got this tonka for christmas and it became one of his favorite toys. Thats until it broke! The rotating drill on ours broke right off. Now my 2 yr old hardly ever plays with it. They could have built the drill part better....oh well.

Pleased
I found this on clearance for my son. I can't really see paying full price for it. Especially with the quality of most expensive toys these days. But I have to say, Tonka does seem to be continuing their legacy of well built toys. My son loves it (even though the drill sparking and grinding kinda scared him at first). He loves flipping the switch and watching it beep it's way down the hall all by itself. Him and his friends have even used it ouside to dig holes! I couldn't believe the little plastic drill was actually putting holes in the ground, but it was. It got all sorts of dirt in crevices even I couldn't reach, but it did eventually "air out" and it still runs great. For anyone with a child who loves construction trucks, I strongly recommend Tonka. They're one of the few companies still trying to keep a certain level of quality in their products.

THE BEST TOY WE OWN!!!
Oh my god, i can't find the words to describe the "greatness" of this toy. My son is very picky and sort of destructive with all his toys. We could not find anything that he'd like for his birthday until we saw this toy. HE LOVES IT SOOOOO MUCH! i dont think he has put it down since his birthday in MARCH! He loves that he can push it around or use the motorized controls to watch it move and use all its construction tools. The lights and sounds are great as well, they complete the package. I RECOMMEND this toy for any child, they'll have a blast!

Too Pricey for Plastic
My 4 year old wanted this SO bad for Christmas. He LOVED it and the very next day it slipped out of his hands and the plastic "rotating drill" piece snapped right off. Very poor design for that. He really does love it though, but I was just disappointed that for a Tonka it was designed so poor for so much money. The older all metal vehicles are by far their best.

tonka
Great toy, does not do much but the kids love it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

the truck we have been looking for
WOW! I knew that Little Tikes was good- but not this good. This truck is it for two year olds. It is very durable, moves well, and it does something- while being the right size for little hands. We have A LOT of other trucks- either too much detail or not well made- this on the other hand is going the distance. The only problem so far is that the back two doors can come off if enough pressure is applied. However, the snap right back into place. The right truck for a truck oriented two year old and no worries about duribility and parts for the parents. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With all its realistic detailing, you can almost imagine this hard-workingforklift zooming across the warehouse floor. Built with realism and playvalue in mind, the 10-inch-long forklift looks just like the real thing (afront-loading Still R70, to be exact) and is rugged enough for indoor andoutdoor play. German toy-maker Bruder has packed this plastic vehicle with allsorts of realistic features: the lift angles forward and back (for picking upand carrying), a small knob on the side lets kids raise and lower the load, thecab-mounted steering wheel turns the rear wheels left and right, and the wholeseat flips up to expose a detailed diesel engine underneath. The Bruder forkliftcomes with a detachable 3-by-4-inch bin for carrying cargo. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Favorite!
My 2 1/2 year old LOVES FORKLIFTS, but toy forklifts are very hard to come by. We got this for him for christmas and he loves it so much, he's been sleeping with it every night! It isn't as durable as I'd like, but i explained to him how it was a special toy and he needs to play with it gently, and so far, it's held up nicely.

Bruder breaks 1st day & no refund
Last Christmas we purchased the forklift and 2 other vehicles by Bruder. One arrived with a broken piece and the other 2 broke the first day. I contacted Bruder by email a few days after Christmas. I was told that after 20 days, no returns were accepted. Since I ordered the gifts prior to Christmas, I was out of luck. They never responded any further to my complaints in the quality of their product. Die Cast vehicles have been much more durable. Not only were the products brittle, but moving mechanisms seemed made to crack off so that very quickly the primary function of all the machines was broke.

Fun, but not durable
My 3-year-old son was crazy about watching the fork lifts at Home Depot and was delighted to receive this as a big brother gift when our second child arrived. But alas, as other reviewers have mentioned, it is brittle. The basket was broken into many pieces after being stepped on. The up/down mechanism was too delicate. We still get it out for the second child now and then, but he is too frustrated about the broken parts.

not for rough play
My 3 year old son is crazy about forklifts - so much so that we go to [local store] twice a month just to watch them load and unload lumber. I gave him this for his birthday and he was delighted. It is fantastically detailed and the forks go up and down. I noticed right away however that the plastic is the brittle kind and waited for it to break. As expected, my son was not satisfied just lifting the little crate that comes with the set. No, he tried to lift the sofa, his brother, the refrigerator, etc. (just like a real forklift, Mommy) and broke off the fork assembly. I reattached it with electrical cable ties but now the forks can't move, which has dampened his enthusiasm. Would I buy it again? I don't think so. While the price was lower that other toy forklifts, we would have gotten more play from a more durable toy.

Super Toy
My 2 year old son loves this toy. He can work it easily and it is very durable. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun Tractor
My 4 year old son got this toy for Christmas, and has not stopped playing with it since. It is very durable and has very bright colors. I have not seen another tractor colored like this before. He and his twin brother love scooping up dirt with it. This would be a terrific toy for any little boy who loves tractors!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Dumpety is great for kids, but loud for parents
My son loves this toy, however it is loud. But don't let that be a deterant for you. It's really cute. A word of advice though...the boulders are small enough to be put into little one's mouth's and they look a bit like a Dunkin' Donut munchkin. So as a parent who's been there, keep an eye on those boulders!! But overall my son who's going to be 2 has enjoyed this toy since December. And it's the first one out of the toybox!

GET IT CHEAPER
I bought this for half the cost shown here, at Big Lots. Little People, like most Fisher-Price toys, are fun, fun, fun, and extremely durable for the younger players.

The Best!
We bought this as a last minute purchase for my son's first birthday. Because of the price, we just couldn't pass it up. We also bought the cement mixer at the same time. My son just loves them both! He cannot walk into his playroom without playing with the boulders and pushing the trucks. Everything has a "place to be put away", but these trucks sit on the playtable because of how often they are used. It took him about 2 weeks before he could figure out how to put the boulders where they belong, but as soon as he did, he began clapping. He looked so proud, and it was truly a great moment for us as parents to see his accomplishment! Now he is a pro! If you are looking for something cheap and durable, this is a great purchase for a little boy!

heaps of fun and a giggle on the side
I bought this from the hopital gift shop for my four year old son to paly with while confined to bed on an Intravenous drip on a recent stay in hospital. He didn't play with it much and I thought that I had made a bad purchasing decision, even though we have a large selection of the Little People toys at home that he and his two year old baby sister (and even his thirteen year old big sister, but she'd never admit it) play with almost daily.
However, when we got it (and him) home from hospital, the situation changed, and the "BRRRRUM, BRRRUMMM" (the "Dumpety" character that is the truck actually speaks the sound) and backing signal echo around our house what seems like all day. It could be an annoying sound, only it always amuses me to hear the truck SAY "BRUM" instead of hearing a sample of a real truck engine noise. The tipping sound is a bit more disturbing, with the "crash tinkle tinkle" at the end, it has tricked me a couple of times.
I am not overly enamored with the two boulders that come with the truck (and indeed with the other items in the construction set), they are a menace to stand on, and I hate hollow things that can be crushed and/or fill up with water and grow mould. I am also always finding them in odd places around the house, neither of my two little ones seem to believe that they should go with the truck, or indeed in the Little People toybox at all! I think that children are quite resourceful enough to find something to put into the tip-tray to dump out again( mine are anyway! It's currently filled with whole peanuts...), the boulders were an unneccessary addition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This Motorized Power Digger will put young builders on the wayto construction paradise. The hands-on controls drive the durableplastic vehicle straight forward or backward in a circle, and they alsomanipulate the power arm. The cab with its power arm swivels 180degrees, lights flash, and engine or warning sounds play while thedigger is moving. Buttons located on the side of the cab also triggerthe lights and sounds for manual play. Small parts are a choking hazardfor young children. Requires two AA batteries (included). --JayWeinland ... Read more

Reviews (2)

broken within a month
My son loved this toy. I, on the other hand, did not. The batteries wore down way to quick, the plastic hydrolic on the shovel was contantly coming off & needed keeping track of, and lastly, after about a month the shovel broke right off. My son was heartbroken. He want's another funrise tonka but I really don't want to take a chance.

Our little boy loves this!
Our two-year old received this when he was 18 months old and he is now just starting to enjoy it. It is durable, but sometimes the rubber track comes off, but it is easily replaced. He spends lots of time putting it on various surfaces - indoors and out. This is a winner. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Slow and steady and always with a smile, Terence is a red tractor withcaterpillar tracks who never hesitates whenever an emergency pull is needed.Based on the award-winning PBS television series Shining Time Station by theRev. W. Awdry, the Thomas the Tank train system is the perfect child's train set. Eachwooden vehicle has a different name, character, and face. The magnetic bumpers makelinking up easy. Friendly characters will engage your child in hours of imaginary play.Designed to support your child's development, the system encourages the use of newmotor and cognitive skills. --Sandy Hirsch ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Not as well made as the others
The caterpillar "wheels" on Terrance's regular wheels are removable which, any Mom will tell you, is a pain in the rear to continually have to keep putting back on. We finally ditched the caterpillar covers and just use Terrance as a regular train car. Unfortunately, he has no magnetic button on his front, so he always has to be the front "engine". This is more of a filler toy for your set should you decide you really want him. Thankfully, ours came as an extra with a LTD EDITION video. There are so many other great cars to purchase, I'd say skip this one and purchase another.

Terrence..got used to him
Well, I bought Terrence a long time ago. As soon as he was taken out of his box, his treads were off. After spending numerous hours looking for them, I decided to leave them off & put them in a safe place. That's the best thing that one can do. Besides, it's really no fun to have a Thomas train that you can't use with the others. So, take my advice, just take the treads off as soon as you take him out of the box. Good luck!

New Design
Well when we purchased this toy we had read the reviews here and expected the treads to come off all the time. Well, lo and behold our version of terence doesn't do this. They've redesigned him and the treads do not come off. He fits on the track but does not roll like the other trains. Pressure has to be applied and his wheels will turn but he can in no way roll down a hill on his own. You could cut the treads but the wheels don't appear to be the right size. Sometimes the treads get off their wheel grooves a bit and they seem like they may stretch out. Our son still loves "Terdence" but I would almost prefer having the old style so we could remove the treads and he would roll freely. Messes up the track too if it's not secure. The store had both versions I now know and may buy the other one. Difficult to make everyone happy I realize, Dad probably is more concerned about it than his son :)

The Tractors Don't Stay On!
My 3 year old wanted this toy, but like someone else noted, the "caterpillars" came off soon after taking Terence out of the package. Terence now goes on the rails but think that should have made the caterpillars a bit more durable. Had to toss them so my 14 month old doesn't put them in her mouth.

Treads come off all to easy!
I purchased this for my 3 year old son and no sooner than we had taken him out of the box and ran it on the table the treads came off. I am constantly looking for the treads, or fixing them. All the other Thomas toys we have are great, but Terrance doesn't seem as durable as the others, thus making this toy in my opinion a flop. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Like all of the trucks and vehicles in the Tonka line, this Motorized Front Loading Tractor isdesigned to help young builders get the job done right. Smaller and lighter than the sturdy steel trucks thatTonka is famous for, the tractor's realistically styled body is made of heavy-duty plastic and comes withthe requisite "Tonka Tough" guarantee. The tractor can be controlled manually, or you can use the twohand levers mounted on the back to lift and lower the front bucket, and to activate the tractor's motorizedengine. The tractor's lights flash when it is moving in both the forward and reverse directions, and a hornsounds when it is circling in the reverse direction. Two small buttons on the side of the 10-inch tractor canbe used to activate the horn and motor sounds separately. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (1)

NOT "tonka tough"
My son received this toy as a gift and absolutely loved it. However, it didn't hold up anytime. One of the two plastic wheel tracks almost immediately came off and seemed too big to stay on after that. Also, the plastic pieces that make the bucket lift broke off quite quickly. Beyond that, the batteries died after about the second week as well (and who can afford new batteries every two weeks). My son still plays with it, but I would rather invest in a more durable non-motorized toy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful alternative to play doh
This is a wonderful alternative to play doh. It is fun, and easy to clean up. It is also an awesome toy to build creativity. My four children, ages 10,8,5,& 2, spend hours playing with it and the other sandboxes. As an elementary teacher, I would recommend this toy to anyone. Students act out different scenarios and can then write them down. It encourages roll playing and the mat that is enclosed is like a map that I use to reinforce directions. Fine motor skills can also be developed with this toy. It is a wonderful toy for both home and school. ... Read more