JCB 1550 Value help.

[Coytee]

How many hours?

The truth is, I don't know. It's certainly not a full time thing (it doesn't earn its keep). I'm usually on it most every weekend during warmer months and couple times/month during colder months.

I've got a regular full time job so this is my helper getting things done around the farm AND it's a bit of my mental vacation, as is simply cutting the fields on my tractor.

 

[Delmer]

I've never worked on a JCB. There are none around here. I've only read the horror stories on here, mostly about incompetent dealer support. How many dealers are there in the US? It sounds like you are exactly what I describe, a homeowner with a machine that you don't mind waiting on parts to be shipped.

I don't know what fittings your machine has, but if you ever need a hose on a Saturday, in most of the country, you're much better off if the machine is NOT British.

 

[AusDave]

In 2020 JCB built it's 750,000 backhoe having started production in 1954. I wouldn't doubt that JCB is the worlds largest manufacturer of backhoes. They are manufactured in the UK, India, Brazil and the USA and a large number of old machines are still working globally. It helps that older machines are simpler to maintain and repair than current computerised machines.

In Australia they're very common as are other jCB machines. They're not perfect, as few machines are, but with reasonable maintenance and operation they'll run as long as or longer than comparable machines from other manufacturers. With such a large manufactured base parts are generally readily available. In Australia at least, the large installed base of JCB machines means there are secondary suppliers outside the official JCB channel. These secondary suppliers are competitive in pricing, have good stock levels and knowledge and can airfreight items globally if necessary to get you back to work. The JCB parts supplier I use also dismantles a lot of machines and has a large range of used parts

I don't have the most popular JCB models, my three are 1CX compact backhoes from 1994 to 2017, however I've never had a parts problem so far and I've worked the machines hard with good maintenance. I do most of the repairs and maintenance myself which makes me careful not to break my equipment! The hydraulic fittings are common all over Australia so hoses are not a problem. I think in the USA there may be a parts or service issue as they haven't been as common as they have been in other countries over the past 20 years. However a quick look online did show some alternative JCB parts suppliers in the USA.

 

[Coytee]

I don't know what fittings your machine has, but if you ever need a hose on a Saturday, in most of the country, you're much better off if the machine is NOT British.

I'll admit I've not gone there to "own them up to it" but my local NAPA dealer said they can make hoses for this machine when I specifically asked them. (did they fully understand my comment when I said it had those metric fittings??? I don't know) So right now, all I have to go on is their comment.

 

[edgephoto]

British Standard is not metric. I am not sure what JCB uses for fittings but if they truly are BSP or BSPP I am sure finding a shop with them in stock will be tough. If there is a contractor or company near you that has JCB equipment you may ask them where they get hoses.

 

[Coytee]

I've never had an issue getting a hose made for me HOWEVER....

1. I'm just a simple home owner so nothing I do is critical to be done "today"
2. I live roughly 10 miles out of town that as best I know, only has a place like NAPA or O'Reileys that MIGHT have the hoses but, no idea of the fittings. Therefore...
3. I'll wait until work-week, drive into Knoxville and have them made... reinstall them the following weekend.

If this were on the payroll then immediate parts access would likely be a higher importance to me.

 

[Coytee]

For the 2 cents it's worth.... maybe 20'ish years ago, the dipperstick cylinder needed redone. Grunted and got it off the machine. Took it to the dealer. Went to pick it up and the bill was OVER $1,000.

I about croaked. To their credit, they DID give it an overspray of sticky yellow paint to make it look more pretty than it was. (this kind of irritated me as now it clashed with rest of machine, but I digress)

Anyway, I (to use too strong of comment) challenged the cost and they lowered it to about $900.

That was the last time I have ever been back to them......ever. I have done literally everything myself since then.

I don't know what it should have cost AND I know it was a dealer so I get that much. My thinking was if these are hard to get parts then I know it's going to be done correctly by them. To that end, I've rebuilt the same cylinder ON the machine (so I didn't have to break my back carrying it to the truck)

That motivated me to just dive in (I'm pretty fearless on taking something apart and admit putting back together can sometimes be challenging!)

Since then, I've rebuilt both stablizers, boom cylinder, dipperstick, trunions and loader. In addition, I rebuilt the backhoe 'control box' (not sure of official name) with the spools in it.

None of this is difficult, just have to pay attention and keep things clean. It amazed me how sharp the edges of the spools are (if that is the correct name for the correct part)