New Volvo/JCB MC60C - MC135C Skid Steers

[SeaMac]

Any thoughts or opinions on these machines, conducting as much research as possible on subject matter pertaining to new business venture. All input provided is appreciated. Thanks...

 

[Bobcatdan]

A papermill I deal with bought one four months ago. It has needed over $10,000 in repairs in that time. The mill has demand JCB take it back, their engineers are coming Tuesday to watch them load paper with it. That said they are hard on stuff. They have bobcat S175s also. Both have had sveral boom arms and one they broke an axle off, that said they went two years before anything major went wrong.

 

[SeaMac]

Thank you Bocatdan, I really appreciate the input. The reason I am looking at these machines is two fold.

One, I have a Volvo CE dealer in my area and all I have ever heard or personally experienced is Volvo makes excellent wheel loaders, decent hydraulic excavators both wheeled and tracked all being extremely fuel efficient with minimum down time. I also personally know the owners of this areas most successful underground utility contractor and they won't use anything but Volvo loaders, in fairness to them they swear by and only own Liebherr excavators, the gist is a one stop shop for all my equipment needs.

Two, I once nearly injured myself permanently while getting out of a Bobcat, and never quite understood why an Operator should be forced to climb over an implement to gain access to his or her cab. These new Volvo/JCB machines are side entrance which in my humble opinion is a far safer configuration for both myself or any future employee. I really, truly believe in safety and an Operator's well being. Again, thanks for the input.

Regards,

Sean

 

[KSSS]

Thank you Bocatdan, I really appreciate the input. The reason I am looking at these machines is two fold.

One, I have a Volvo CE dealer in my area and all I have ever heard or personally experienced is Volvo makes excellent wheel loaders, decent hydraulic excavators both wheeled and tracked all being extremely fuel efficient with minimum down time. I also personally know the owners of this areas most successful underground utility contractor and they won't use anything but Volvo loaders, in fairness to them they swear by and only own Liebherr excavators, the gist is a one stop shop for all my equipment needs.

Two, I once nearly injured myself permanently while getting out of a Bobcat, and never quite understood why an Operator should be forced to climb over an implement to gain access to his or her cab. These new Volvo/JCB machines are side entrance which in my humble opinion is a far safer configuration for both myself or any future employee. I really, truly believe in safety and an Operator's well being. Again, thanks for the input.

Regards,

Sean

If your ultimately concerned about safety and find that a typical skid steer or CTL is fundamentally unsafe than the JCB based skid steer is your only option. There is not disputing that.

The dispute will come as to whether that is a reasonable concern or not. Check the OSHA website and people have been crushed and killed from falling skid steer buckets while exiting under them. No doubt many have been injured from stepping into a machine over the bucket or attachment. Again most are willing to take these risks. Partly because the standard skid steer design looks past these issues so its easy for the end user to do as well. The other fact that has made the safety issue easier to look past is the only alternative is the JCB based skid steer which has been mechanically flawed, little dealer support, and near zero resale value. They have redesigned the machine and according to JCB Iron (frequents this site) it is substantially better than previous. He is obviously not overly objective since he sells them so its up to you the end user to decide how successful JCB was at their redesign (ultimately thats the way it should be anyway).

 

[SeaMac]

KSSS,

Thank you for your input and you make perfect sense in every sense. But again I have this memory of injury and would not like to go down that road again. Having said that, I will add the my local Volvo CE is well regarded when it comes to customer support and I too have heard there are improvements from previous models. I guess it would be fair of me to say how this machine will be used. Its application would be C&D Recycling in primary pre-sort and basic utility such as angle broom and forklift. True it is an unfamiliar configuration but really nothing more than a mini-telehandler. One of the benefits to its configuration is being able to have a climate controlled cab with protective caging all around, I am not aware of any standard configuration skid steer or CTL which will allow for this. Again, excellent input and much appreciated.

Regards,

Sean

 

[Bobcatdan]

I don't want to sound like I'm bashing JCB. They are used in about the hardest I have ever seen a skidsteer used. They broke a axle clean off of a bobcar S175. If you do not like getting into a normal skidsteer, and I know where you are coming from, my left knee has little life in it, what about a mini wheel loader like a Deere 244 J. I'm not recommanding the Deere, it is just the modle that comes to mind to give you reffrance.

 

[SeaMac]

I think some clarifications are in order.

I am a firm believer in a "one stop" source for all my equipment needs, it really does make conducting business that much easier. All of my machines will be Volvo, there is a great Volvo CE dealer very near me. The Skid Steer I am choosing is for the reasons of safety, meaning a side entrance and the ability to place caging all around the cab and having the operator at eye level with the ground personnel which it will work in very close proximity of.

This machine will be used on the pre-sort floor in a C&D recycling environment. It will be fully equipped with solid wheels and all necessary guarding as required in the waste handling industry. It will carry as a primary attachment a scrap grapple bucket, at times it will sport a angle broom for floor clean-up at other times it will sport a 48" pallet fork for general forklift work.

It will not have to work hard as most "pushing" is done on concrete, it will do precious little lifting as well. It will work in a very hot, humid and extremely dusty environment. If there is the need for heavy pushing or lifting there will be three Volvo L120's nearby to assist.

My goal here is to gather information regarding any issues I might have to contend with as far as reliability, longevity, fuel consumption, operator feedback etc. I need to know as much as I can so there are no surprises down the road. I know this machine has a completely different configuration than any other skid steer on the market more akin to a mini-telehandler than the venerable Bobcat. I appreciate the input so far and consider it quite valuable but what I am interested in is those who have experience with these machines.

 

[Bobcatdan]

The machine I was talking about is used to move recycled paper that is dumped from trucks. It runs in a scoops up a load with a grapple, spins around and drives a U pattern and dumps into a compactor. Paper is surpisingly hard and they go threw grapples pretty quick. They break the tilt cyclinder pins so often they refur to them as shear pins. The JCB mechanic is there about three times a week. This is a union shop, machine training is little to none and nobody gets into trouble, the mill dosn't want to put up with grieves. The machine has been a huge failure and they want it gone.

 

[SeaMac]

Bobcatdan- Yes, I am beginning to get the same picture about the JCB/Volvo skids. I'm reevaluating my actual need for a skid steer machine at all. An important factor in my decision making process is customer support, what I am now finding is my Volvo CE dealer is not exactly as good as I once thought. I am very happy I joined this forum, in just a few days I have learned more with the insight from others than I have in months of research on my own. I can't thank you guys enough, I haven't spent any money yet but I have definitely saved some already.

 

[Bobcatdan]

The mechanic at the mill who I am pretty good friends with, thinks using skidsteers for this is stupid. He personally thinks a forklift with a baleclamp would move the paper much better.

 

[SeaMac]

Bobcatdan- I haven't decided yet if for my application a skid steer is unwarranted, I honestly don't care for them that much though, a little too jerky for my taste. I will have at least three med/lrg wheel loaders and a good grapple/excavator Operator should be able to accomodate pre-sorting adequately. I still haven't come to any final conclusions one way or another.

 

[KSSS]

I agree with Bobcatdan on suggesting a compact wheel loader. Much easier on tires, much better visibility, less fatiguing to run and I have to think (although I dont know by experience) they would hold up better. They cost more upfront to purchase but it appears to me that they hold their value better. They of course would be much more safe.

 

[SeaMac]

KSSS- I'm still on the fence with this decision. If I can make the process work productively and effectively without a skid steer or compact loader I'm ahead of the game altogether. I appreciate all the input however...

 

[xcmark]

KSSS- I'm still on the fence with this decision. If I can make the process work productively and effectively without a skid steer or compact loader I'm ahead of the game altogether. I appreciate all the input however...

skidsteer is the jack of all trades , master of none! just like a mini excavator that weights 8000~10,000 lbs can out trench a 20,000lb backhoe .

 

[SeaMac]

Agreed, they're the right machine for many applications same as the mini-ex. My application is C&D Recycling and there will be three med/lrg 20t - 22t wheel loaders present so I'm just not certain if a skid steer or compact loader are going to be worth the extra money. It would be great if some of you had experience in C&D recycling and could give me your insight in a real world application but I really appreciate any input at this point.

skidsteer is the jack of all trades , master of none! just like a mini excavator that weights 8000~10,000 lbs can out trench a 20,000lb backhoe .

 

[RAD]

Any thoughts or opinions on these machines, conducting as much research as possible on subject matter pertaining to new business venture. All input provided is appreciated. Thanks...

Stay away from both, great machines as far as cab entry and visibilty but are mechanical nightmares. I have yet too see one not have some sort of problem.

 

[SeaMac]

Thanks RAD, that's what I have come to accept as reality with these machines. I have decided against any skid steer.

Stay away from both, great machines as far as cab entry and visibilty but are mechanical nightmares. I have yet too see one not have some sort of problem.

 

[dave esterns]

ah i am back. did you miss me?? ah we should be getting our new jcb 205 in a week or 2. it is going to be sweet. i will be able to inform people indefinitely about the machines reliability.

 

[SeaMac]

Glad you're back, can't say I missed you since I never knew you existed. It would be nice to here how things go with your new JCB in the long term since most in here do not think highly of the reliability of the machines. You could change some minds...

ah i am back. did you miss me?? ah we should be getting our new jcb 205 in a week or 2. it is going to be sweet. i will be able to inform people indefinitely about the machines reliability.

 

[Bobcatdan]

I am just going to throw this out there, I know you don't like the front entry, but how about a bobcat A300 or it's replacement the A770. It is an all wheel steer steerskid. There is a switch on the dash to switch between aws and skid mode. Overall vey reliable and everybody who owns one LOVE them.