New telehandler time

I'm not a fan of hydrosatics and haven't driven a Merlo for a while now but the Claas and Kramer aren't in the same league as our old 536-60 which I think was the best JCB made. The new JCBs I haven't tried yet but I can't think they dropped the ball that badly.
Jcb haven't changed the basic design that much or a lot of the major components. What they have done is added complicated electrics etc driven by the customer wanting more bells and whistles like the competitors have, the same competitors who may have added bells and whistles to try to make you buy their arguably inferior to many people machine. Problem is add the additional stuff which maybe isn't as reliable to the general niggly stuff that jcbs have always had and they start to get a bad name. IF you get a good one with jcb it'll be bad to beat imho. Despite having a jcb telehandler (construction spec basic as) I am definitely not a jcb fanboy btw before anyone thinks that. Telehandler is about the only machine they make i would have.
Everyone expects or wants some major leap forward but in reality as a working machine if ur happy with what you've had you just want something to do the job as well as it did. You can't keep reinventing the wheel (even though jcbs marketing dept tell you that on a weekly basis).
 

JMTHORNLEY

Member
Location
Glossop
While I agree with the JCB comments I’d happily buy one, if, the price wasn’t extortion and they weren’t as big as they actually are. Christ a 541-70 is a giant in comparison to my 32.6 and I’ve had them side by side in the yard. Due to my yard layout (that has been adapted to the size of the Merlo) the Merlo bullied the life out the 541 and did twice as much muck loading as it wasn’t fiddling about even with a slightly smaller bucket.
So I’m kind of stuck with something of that size if I’m honest, but I’ve never really liked powershift boxes and I keep hearing mixed reviews on the Dueltech
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
Is it only me that finds the Manitou driving position a bit like sitting up in a double bed, with the front wheels seeming way out front.?,
Perhaps it's being used to a super compact Matbro 270 makes it seem that way.
 

puntabrava

Member
Location
Wiltshire
JCB are just trading on their name these days and they are pricey compared to the competition. Merlo, Claas, Kramer, better machines overall.
No, I have 4 with no 5 on order. Fair enough quote Manitou as opposition but the rest of your list you can keep. The view out of the back of the big Kramer is shocking, might be great out in a field loading but put it to work in a yard and I find it worrying to operate.
 

stevedave

Member
While I agree with the JCB comments I’d happily buy one, if, the price wasn’t extortion and they weren’t as big as they actually are. Christ a 541-70 is a giant in comparison to my 32.6 and I’ve had them side by side in the yard. Due to my yard layout (that has been adapted to the size of the Merlo) the Merlo bullied the life out the 541 and did twice as much muck loading as it wasn’t fiddling about even with a slightly smaller bucket.
So I’m kind of stuck with something of that size if I’m honest, but I’ve never really liked powershift boxes and I keep hearing mixed reviews on the Dueltech
Is a 541-70 not a much bigger machine than the Merlo, I'm assuming the Merlo is 3.2ton to 6 meter. Would a 536-60 new version not be a better comparison.
 

willyorkshire

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
East Yorkshire
JCB every time. Manitou lost the plot. Kramer ok but hydro odd and visibility not as good. But I know a contractor who just swapped 2 JCB for 2 Kramer and saved himself £50k! Yes, 25k less per machine. I've no reason to doubt the figures, know him quite well.
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
Is a 541-70 not a much bigger machine than the Merlo, I'm assuming the Merlo is 3.2ton to 6 meter. Would a 536-60 new version not be a better comparison.

Miles bigger, not sure why anyone would actually put a demo in of any brand that isn't suitable or what the customer wants. its just a waste of everyone's time and money and person receiving the demo is now deceived in to thinking all JCB will be the same and not suitable which isn't the case at all as they have several models a lot closer in size and performance to that little Merlo compared to the 541 :X3:
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
Is it only me that finds the Manitou driving position a bit like sitting up in a double bed, with the front wheels seeming way out front.?,
Perhaps it's being used to a super compact Matbro 270 makes it seem that way.

An MLT 634 has the wheel fairly close to the cab, 735 and 741 they have a longer chassis out the front but they are a bigger machine than your 270 which is only 5.5metre lift. The newer MLT 630 105 will be fairly close in size to your TS270 but they are only about 3 years old at most so still quite expensive when they do come up for sale.
 

icanshootwell

Member
Location
Ross-on-wye
JCB every time. Manitou lost the plot. Kramer ok but hydro odd and visibility not as good. But I know a contractor who just swapped 2 JCB for 2 Kramer and saved himself £50k! Yes, 25k less per machine. I've no reason to doubt the figures, know him quite well.
I thought the two machines were similar in price, are you sure they were specked the same? thats the problem today, you can soon add 20k of extras on. The depreciation on these new machines now are out of this world.
 

Jamer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Glos
I thought the two machines were similar in price, are you sure they were specked the same? thats the problem today, you can soon add 20k of extras on. The depreciation on these new machines now are out of this world.
Kramer and JCB very close in price on like for like spec when we bought 18mths ago. Within 00s not 000s. That was for 538-60 Super 6speed; Dualtech would’ve been another £3k+?
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
An MLT 634 has the wheel fairly close to the cab, 735 and 741 they have a longer chassis out the front but they are a bigger machine than your 270 which is only 5.5metre lift. The newer MLT 630 105 will be fairly close in size to your TS270 but they are only about 3 years old at most so still quite expensive when they do come up for sale.
It was a 735 I was driving, actually not that bad when you get the feel of it.
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
It was a 735 I was driving, actually not that bad when you get the feel of it.

634 has the front axle tight to the cab.
As does the older 7 metre manitous like mlt 730 and 731.

On the 735 they moved front axle forward and took the counter weight off so they were lighter in the field.

741 they put the counter weight back on and put fatter rams on it, down side its heavier but also slower cycle times as pump output was the same as ones with small dia rams.
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
I found a teleram yesterday sat in a horsey paddock with a genuine 3000 hours on the clock. Trying to persuade the owner to let me buy it but I don’t think they will sell it even though it’s not used.

When they get old the hours are not important.

Seen Plenty machines over the years with less hours that are knackered😂🙈
 

JMTHORNLEY

Member
Location
Glossop
Miles bigger, not sure why anyone would actually put a demo in of any brand that isn't suitable or what the customer wants. its just a waste of everyone's time and money and person receiving the demo is now deceived in to thinking all JCB will be the same and not suitable which isn't the case at all as they have several models a lot closer in size and performance to that little Merlo compared to the 541 :X3:
Oi, easy on the little Merlo 😉 Out punch most of these fat barstewards quoted 🤣🤣
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
Oi, easy on the little Merlo 😉 Out punch most of these fat barstewards quoted 🤣🤣

Well known on here i hate Merlos, although i dont recall knocking it on this thread though but i cant be arsed to scrole back 6 pages to see IMO.

Fortunately i have penty of other work to do which means i dont have to work on them so i say NO thanks. 🙂
 
Good luck finding any ag handler for a fair price. i really dont know what ill replace mine with but for now ill just keep it going thank god its not that new so not many "electrics " to worry about ... all far to dear for what they are of great ive found a yellow one for 35k looks tidy only 12000 hrs on the clock and add blue .... nope
 

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