I came across a very low hour JCB, and had some interest in it. Nobody I know owns or has ever ran a JCB so I was just wondering what experiences (positive or negative) anybody has had with one?
Im assuming its the first or the newer model. What spec is the machine ? I drove jcb for years and got thrown in a cat backhoe and loved it, really had some power................ I found jcb a bit soft. On the roads laying pipes the jcb would break the tar with the breaker before digging. The cat didnt need a breaker, i used to always love jcb but after driving a cat for 8 months im changed.
I have owned a 1981 JD410. After I sold it I borrowed a friend's JCB, I think it was a 1995 214, not totally sure about the model. The hoe seemed to have lots less breakout force than the old Deere. The steering takes about twice as many turns than the my old 410 and the 310 I currently own. Also, in the JCB, I need to sit on the end of the seat when using the hoe to see what I am doing. In my Deere I can sit back and relax with excellent visibility and the wobble sticks go 3 times easier in the Deere. BUT, you will find many that claim they are the best machine going. I'm sure you will hear from some of them. Parts are expensive and harder to find so I hear. Another thing I noticed is the JCB uses pins and bushings for the steering linkage of the 4 wheel drive model instead of tie-rod ends like most every other make. That is a bummer as they seem to be always loose. Good luck with what ever you decide.
Thanks for the advice, here is the link to it on machinery trader http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=6140743 Everybody around here runs either JD or Cat and there is probably a good reason for that, does anybody know about a Volvo BL70?
I would question the hours on that?? That doesnt seem like alot for the year. Its possible i guess but i would be curious. Everyone around this area runs mostly Case and a few Deeres. We had an older Case 1990 i believe and i really liked it. Tons of power and parts are very easy to come by. My vote would be for a Case, though the JCB looks very clean
that unit was a United Rentals unit...no way is there only 141 hours on an 8 yr old machine... I would avoid purchasing a rental unit in most cases...and I would definitely avoid purchasing a rental unit from someone who bought it at auction to flip... if you have a history with this dealer, it's a different story..but out of the blue?
I own a jcb, i wouldn't be afraid to drive up and have a look at it at least. Mine has done a pile of work, and its still strong. Compared to the the 580d we had before, it is twice the machine. My local contractor uses deere everthing except a fleet of jcb backhoes. They beat the crap out of them, and they never get service. They just keep going. That unit will have a tandem gear pump. I imagine deere and cat of that vintage will have a variable displacement pump. I can't say how much difference that actually makes. The 140 hours is clearly not right. Too much paint missing for that. You will find the boom is in your siteline all the time. You get used to it, but you have to lean a lot more than on something with a narrower boom. I haven't run a cat or deere so i can't compare, but i suspect they are all good units. I know for sure the loader probably has the most lift of any loader out there(that year anyway) The loader is a beast, there is nothing it can't lift. The bucket is 1.75 cubic yds, a bit bigger than most others that i know of. I would guess the 215 compares to a 410g, or a 420 cat. It is up powered with a lot more hydraulic power compared to the 214. JCB sells more backhoes than all others put together in the world. No so much in North america, but everywhere else in the world for sure. It'll have a 1004T perkins. Itll have a 4speed power shuttle. It likely won't have AC cuz for some reason JCB doesn't believe in AC as a standard item. However, it could be pooched like anything else, so go have a look at it and give it a really good going over. AS for volvo backhoes, stay away. I don't know anyone who has had luck with the BL series. I know the local volvo mechanics hate the damn things. They are a nightmare, everything on them seems to fail. I know a guy who bought one and it was so bad that after about 5 years they gave (and i mean GAVE) him a new one. And it was just as bad as the first. This guy runs a small fleet of volvo excavators, but the backhoes are just cursed. Stay away. I will say they're pretty.
Thanks for all of the information, its nice to hear from people that have a wide range of knowledge on these machines. The backhoe market has really gone up in the last 12 months, making it harder to find a deal out there.