New season of Top Gear tonight, personally I can take it or leave it, but tonight’s show features 2 JCB Products in a bit of detail.
1st is the JCB HMEE that Hammond drives. I was responsible for the Electrical and Electronic System Design on that machine from the ■■■■■■■ 5.8l 210hp Engine and ZF WG180 box and KB ABS System. The Suspension and All Wheel Steering control systems are our own internal design. It’s an amazing piece of kit that in armoured form is helping in protecting our troops in conflicts around the world.
2nd is the JCB JS20MH Wheeled Materials Handler, basically a 16tonne Wheeled Excavator. Again I am responsible for the new Display, Electronic Controls and all the interior on the whole range of Excavators for JCB.
Not sure about other drivers on here who’ve used their products, but I think JCB kit is vastly overrated. When at the CITB college I always preferred Case and Cat backhoe loaders to JCB 3 and 4CXs. Is the 4CX still made? I always thought it was a gimmick machine.
As a shovel driver I’ve tried out their loaders and these were cheap and nasty compared to Volvo and Cat. The older ones just used levers from the 3CX parts bin.
I don’t know how they compare price or performance-wise, but Doosan outsell JCB excavators around here.
That said, I liked the old “Power Slide” and early JS130 and JS220 machines.
Muckaway:
Not sure about other drivers on here who’ve used their products, but I think JCB kit is vastly overrated. When at the CITB college I always preferred Case and Cat backhoe loaders to JCB 3 and 4CXs. Is the 4CX still made? I always thought it was a gimmick machine.
As a shovel driver I’ve tried out their loaders and these were cheap and nasty compared to Volvo and Cat. The older ones just used levers from the 3CX parts bin.
I don’t know how they compare price or performance-wise, but Doosan outsell JCB excavators around here.
That said, I liked the old “Power Slide” and early JS130 and JS220 machines.
There’s lots of views about our products out there muckaway, some people have their favourite products, engines, backup support, parts availability and pricing etc. no one manufacturer excels in all these areas. We’ve had competitors products in for evaluation and we know where they excel compared to us and viceversa.
One of my Dads mates, during the early part of this recession wanted a 16t tracked excavator. JCB dealer quoted him 16 weeks delivery and £67k, he went Doosan and paid under £50k with 3 day delivery. Why? It was a stock machine, having been built 20 months before and stored on an airfield in Belgium. It has had engine issues, rusting bodywork and chrome on the pins and ram shafts and 3 heater units to my knowledge.
It’s now 3 (working) years old 2500 hrs and he’s after a trade in with a JS160, our latest model is about £70k as it is T4i compliant but they won’t take it in PX as it’s worth about £25-30k to him but nowhere near that to the dealer.
His JCB purchase at list price would have been at least what he was expecting for the Doosan come trade-in for another as we know the used market for our stuff is there.
I know that a lot of our products are cost sensitive, I hate the word cost down in my profession. It’s all about value to me and if we achieve value by using 3CX parts then why not? It’s no different to commonality between Scania or Merc truck models whether they are Rigids or Artics or BMW 1 series and 5 series using the same parts.
Bamford, if you are responsible for the design of these things, why don’t you make them go a bit bloody faster, I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been stuck behind one for miles doing 15 MPH
Have spent a bit of time in a 4cx lately (very impressed with how it floats over wet ground and the 4 wheel steer) the controls for the back actor are very right despite having had a new manifold block.
There will be many on this Forum who have sons particularly, but also daughters, who are approaching the age when the life after school and subsequent work beckons. JCB is one of the few companies really committed to the training and apprenticeships of our young people. What is especially different and important about JCB is that they are one of the very few heavy engineering manufacturers left in this country… and they are successful.
Perhaps Mr Bamford would like to enlighten us on what is on offer to our children and in particular with reference to what has happened since the argument with Goad about vocational qualifications.
I never watch the programme myself, I find them all annoying for different reasons, but it looks like they might have seen the light, although it will probably be another chance to have a go at cyclists. If you click on the link marked “pictures” you will get the daily fail article with better pictures, including what they are on about with the hi viz jacket.
sonflowerinwales:
Only those who have worked in the heavy industry will realise your user name…
Nice one!
Paul
Not necessarily.
I am also a Derby County fan and our current fave is Patrick Bamford, on loan from Chelski but banging them in for The Super Rams.
admitting you work for jcb is one thing but admitting your a derby fan is taking it to far
I loved working out of JCB. When we delivered them in France most of the dealers expected us to drive them off the trailer, some were a little bit tight to say the least but if you got rigwelted with an all wheel steer between the posts it was a work of art to extricate them. I also liked the little stuff out of Rocester and got to drive them too.
Bamford:
New season of Top Gear tonight, personally I can take it or leave it, but tonight’s show features 2 JCB Products in a bit of detail.
1st is the JCB HMEE that Hammond drives. I was responsible for the Electrical and Electronic System Design on that machine from the ■■■■■■■ 5.8l 210hp Engine and ZF WG180 box and KB ABS System. The Suspension and All Wheel Steering control systems are our own internal design. It’s an amazing piece of kit that in armoured form is helping in protecting our troops in conflicts around the world.
2nd is the JCB JS20MH Wheeled Materials Handler, basically a 16tonne Wheeled Excavator. Again I am responsible for the new Display, Electronic Controls and all the interior on the whole range of Excavators for JCB.
BBC2 8pm.
Hi Bamford. I remember you, I work for Richard Long for a few years before I retired. I took some machines down to Jerez race track in Spain where J.C.B had a exhibition on in conjunction with the Local J.C.B. dealer. I also took a very heavy 360 up to Zaragoza there was a very large plant exhibition on there. I do miss the work with J.C.B. I started with L.T.S. from Southampton back in 1992 doing 3CXs to Spain, France and Portugal and never left J.C.B until I retired in 2011… Good Luck for the future. Ben
