Downsizing from jcb 535-95

Magik22

Member
I’ve had a jcb 535-95 for a little while now and I’ve realised it’s not the machine for me. It’s too big for my sheds, the visibility is pretty bad, lack of joystick for controlling aux hydraulics is a bit awkward and it’s very very slow up the hills, which there is many around me! I dread taking it on the road! It’s the construction spec machine.

What would you recommend instead? I’d need an Ag spec machine, 7m reach would be handy but could get away with less. Smaller jcb? Merlo? Manitou?? Budget around 15-20k. Thanks in advance
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
I’ve had a jcb 535-95 for a little while now and I’ve realised it’s not the machine for me. It’s too big for my sheds, the visibility is pretty bad, lack of joystick for controlling aux hydraulics is a bit awkward and it’s very very slow up the hills, which there is many around me! I dread taking it on the road! It’s the construction spec machine.

What would you recommend instead? I’d need an Ag spec machine, 7m reach would be handy but could get away with less. Smaller jcb? Merlo? Manitou?? Budget around 15-20k. Thanks in advance

The 7m jcb would be a 531-70. That's basically the same chassis just a single stage boom so it isnt really going to be smaller physically for sheds etc just a little shorter maybe a foot or 2 at most.

A 7m manitou so a mlt 735 will be more compact than jcb. Or a mlt 731 will be about 10 inches shorter than that.
 

Magik22

Member
The 7m jcb would be a 531-70. That's basically the same chassis just a single stage boom so it isnt really going to be smaller physically for sheds etc just a little shorter maybe a foot or 2 at most.

A 7m manitou so a mlt 735 will be more compact than jcb. Or a mlt 731 will be about 10 inches shorter than that.
Thanks for the reply. I have to admit I’ve no experience with manitou at all! Mostly merlo around my area. How would they compare to a merlo? Ideally like something fairly simple, minimal electronics and easy enough to repair....probably asking too much!
 
Thanks for the reply. I have to admit I’ve no experience with manitou at all! Mostly merlo around my area. How would they compare to a merlo? Ideally like something fairly simple, minimal electronics and easy enough to repair....probably asking too much!
I’ve heard from a couple of my friends that merlo can be bother. Some of the 531/70 were bad too but I can’t remember now what was the problem with them. I use 535/95 construction spec as they are cheaper and have the same issues as you have with poor road speed and the rest. Tier 3 or whatever it’s called are more bother than the previous ones. Also slower response on the engine and hydraulics which is annoying. Use it nearly every day though
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
Thanks for the reply. I have to admit I’ve no experience with manitou at all! Mostly merlo around my area. How would they compare to a merlo? Ideally like something fairly simple, minimal electronics and easy enough to repair....probably asking too much!

I hate Merlo so your asking the wrong person there! If you have good back up with merlo in your area and you like them fine. In general though with a JCB or a Manitou it is a lot easier to find someone that knows the products and how to fix them and source parts either genuine or aftermarket. There are hardly any independent Merlo specialists in the UK so mostly you are screwed to main dealers most of the time.

Personally Merlo do not interest me what so ever and i dont need the work so i turn it down to concentrate on what i know most about manitou.

Its fairly well known that Merlo electrics are not that great though! but any machine in your price range is going to have its share of issues as they will be older and higher hours than any equivalent sized construction spec machine in the 15 to 20k budget.
 

jondear

Member
Location
Devon
I’ve had a jcb 535-95 for a little while now and I’ve realised it’s not the machine for me. It’s too big for my sheds, the visibility is pretty bad, lack of joystick for controlling aux hydraulics is a bit awkward and it’s very very slow up the hills, which there is many around me! I dread taking it on the road! It’s the construction spec machine.

What would you recommend instead? I’d need an Ag spec machine, 7m reach would be handy but could get away with less. Smaller jcb? Merlo? Manitou?? Budget around 15-20k. Thanks in advance
JCB 536/60 or whatever new equivalent is.
 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
526 are a handy machine but I'd guess you'd find it quite a comedown as it's a much lighter machine. 536 would be more suitable for you I'd have thought.
 

clbarclay

Member
Location
Worcestershire
Generally the older Merlo are about as compact as they come for the lift height. A 7m Merlo is shorter than many 6m telehandlers. The 32.6 is about the same length, but noticably narrower and lower, while actually lifting to about 6.5m unlike quite a few other 6m loaders that actually only go up to around 5.8m
 
IMG_0429.jpeg
 

Magik22

Member
Again, that’s a very nice looking machine but I would guess it might be out of my £20k budget!

The 535-95 is a very large machine for what I need, first telehandler I’ve bought and I got it wrong, didn’t look so big until it was in the shed! I just need a machine to take the pressure off my loader tractor on a livestock farm, bit of extra reach would be great for some the taller sheds
 
Again, that’s a very nice looking machine but I would guess it might be out of my £20k budget!

The 535-95 is a very large machine for what I need, first telehandler I’ve bought and I got it wrong, didn’t look so big until it was in the shed! I just need a machine to take the pressure off my loader tractor on a livestock farm, bit of extra reach would be great for some the taller sheds
Your 535/95 will not feel as clumsy in time
 

DeeGee

Member
Location
North East Wales
Maybe JCB 530-70 Agri or similar? Have seen some tidy looking machines such as these or 536-60 Agri machines for around the £20,000 mark. Also maybe the lighter 526S models which can be got from about £10,000 and upwards.
 

wuddy

Member
Location
Scottish Borders
Thanks for the reply. I have to admit I’ve no experience with manitou at all! Mostly merlo around my area. How would they compare to a merlo? Ideally like something fairly simple, minimal electronics and easy enough to repair....probably asking too much!
If looking for something simple to repair we used to have a jcb 530-70 from 1998 it was a bomb proof little thing we just out grew it! Now running a 560-80 and two 535-95’s!!
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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