JCB telehandlers work their way back into

Featuring a new cab with lower noise levels, greater comfort and dramatically improved overhead visibility, JCB’s latest Series III Loadalls promises many improvements. But do these improvements actually make a difference? Simon Henley visits a dairy farm in omerset to fi nd out.

Latest JCB handler brings improvements

The Quick family in Somerset is what you might describe as passionate dairy farmers. Gerald Quick and his three sons Chris, John and Tom run an indoor herd of 850 Fresian cows, on a farm which spans 485 hectares.

Here they milk three times-aday which means there is always somebody working, and having reliable equipment to feed, clean-out and bed the cows is absolutely essential.

Back in the 1980s, Gerald was a JCB Loadall man, however his faith in the British manufacturer’s products dwindled after a succession of cracked boom issues. Disconcerted, Gerald switched his loyalty in the direction of anitou, specifi cally favouring the rear-engined ManiReach 626 and 628 models.

His penchant for French telehandlers eventually subsided with the arrival of the EN15000 load movement monitor legislation, which in Gerald’s opinion compromised the lift performance of the Manitou handlers. A few years ago, at the suggestion of Rob Wall, who works for JCB dealer Smart Ag Services, Gerald decided to give the Uttoxeter manufacturer another try.

“The difference in the lift performance of the JCB was amazing,” says Gerald.

“Having been used to the Manitou JSM palm grip joystick, the JCB design did take some adapting to, but since then we have never looked back.”

The Quick family runs two telehandlers: a 2018 Loadall 541-70 Agri-Super and the latest 2019 Loadall 542-70 Agri-Super Series III. Every two years they replace the oldest of the two machines, which as Gerald explains will have generally clocked in the region of 3,500 hours by the time they trade it in.

JCB 542-70 AGRISUPER

SERIES III Z

● Engine: Four-cylinder,4.8-litre, JCB EcoMax ● Power: 145hp ● Torque: 560Nm at 1,500rpm ● Transmission: Autoshift sixspeed powershift ● Hydraulic output: 140 litres/minute ● a im m i t capacit 4,200kg ● a im m i t hei ht 7.01 metres

One of two JCB telehandlers employed by the Quick family, this Loadall 542-70 Series III spends up to fi ve hours per day loading the diet feeder for the 850 cows. Quick and Sons Farm’s JCB Loadall 542-70 AgriSuper Series III telehandler.

Machine

He says: “The newest machine handles the lion’s share of the work, leaving the older machine on lighter duties. uring the fi rst months, we would expect the new machine to clock 2,000 hours, while the older machine will do around 1,500.”

In a typical day, the newer telehandler will spend between four and fi ve hours loading the diet feeders used to feed the cows. The second machine will be on bedding detail, which is executed with a headstockmounted Spread-a-Bale dispenser.

In between feeding and bedding duties, the handlers are used for tasks such as cleaning out livestock yards, transporting bales and silage and moving livestock, in addition to

Overhead vision in particular has ene te rom the intro ction o the curved windscreen in the Series III cab

JOHN QUICK

supporting the arable side of this farming enterprise, which grows grass, maize and a moderate acreage of grain crops to be used on the farm for feed.

“We always opt for the extended 4,000-hour warranty package, but we do not specify a service contract. We prefer to pay for service work as we go along. To be very honest, we have not had any major issues in terms of warranty repair,” says Gerald.

“The most common problem e fi nd is that the rear mudguard brackets are prone to breaking.

“You can see them constantly vibrating,and eventually the metal

fatigues and breaks.”

With the previous model on-hand to compare with the latest Series III machine, the Quick family is certainly ualifi ed to provide an objective comparison between the old and new models. In terms of the machines’ performance, John claims there is absolutely nothing between them. It is only when you are in the driver’s seat that you notice where the changes have been made.

John says: “The cab improvements have essentially brought the Loadall cab up to date. The previous cab was showing its age, although it was never uncomfortable. Overhead vision in particular has benefi ted from the introduction of the curved windscreen in the Series III cab.

“Ironically, in muddy conditions you do get a dirty patch right in your line of vision when you look upwards. Even though has fi tted t o indscreen wipers, they miss a section of the indo just in front of the overhead roof guard.

Improvement

“Another improvement is the data screen monitor,” adds John.

“The screen makes functions more accessible and it is much easier to read. I also like that the switchgear has a quality feel to it. You do not feel like you are going to break something in this cab.”

If there is an Achilles heel on the Series III Loadall, according to John it is the new model’s pick-up hitch. Technically, it is a stronger design with a greater payload in practise, but as John has discovered, there is a fundamental fl a in its design.

“The new hitch features a double latching system on either side of the

Having been used to the Manitou JSM palm grip joystick, the JCB design did take some adapting to

GERALD QUICK

Two-handed locking pin release system for the boom carriage is described as being a worthy safety device which is easy to use and quickly becomes second nature.

hook. The latches which lock the hook in place are connected by a fl at metal bar which is attached [on one side] to the release cable.

“The problem is that this release bar is angled where it can make contact with the trailer drawbar if you happen to be making a tight turn into a building or gateway.

Drawbar

“It took us a while to work it out, but on certain trailers, as the drawbar touches the release bar, it lifts it and unlocks the latches. Once this happens, the hitch drops and the trailer comes off the hook. You can actually see the marks where the drawbar hits the release bar.”

One of the new model’s features which both father and son acknowledge as being an improvement, is the two-handed locking pin release system for the boom carriage.

“This is one of those features which should have really been introduced before,” says Gerald.

“The requirement of two hands to unlock the pins means you are eliminating the chance of an operator inadvertently unlocking a bucket or fork and having it drop on the fl oor. t is easy to use, and once you get used to the idea, it becomes second nature.

“Overall, the new Loadalls bring much wanted improvements over the previous series, particularly in the cab department.”

FARM FACTS Z

● Name: Quick & Sons Farm ● Location: Taunton, Somerset ● Farmed area: 485 hectares (1,200 acres) ● Farm type: Dairy

New double latch pick-up hitch design can catch trailer drawbars during tight turns and become unlatched. Note the contact marks on the latch release bar. The Series III cab features a new curved windscreen for overhead visibility, but despite having two windscreen wipers a dirt line forms in front of the roof guard.