JCB 538-60

DCM

Member
Location
Co Down
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20210917_100356.jpg

Hi Folks,

Looking for a few thoughts.

I have bought my very first telehandler. Always been tractor and loaders on our farm, and decided on a JCB 538-60. Finished the deal in February, promised delivery end of June, beginning of July, and got it mid September, but glad to see it arrive.

As the grain handling work had been finished for the season, and because we moved onto field work the handler wasn't used for a few days. But we noticed the machine when standing behind it, leaning to the left. Upon further inspection we discovered a spacer plate, wedged between the black axle and yellow chasis on the right, but nothing on the left hand side.

At this stage we hadn't used the grain bucket, and mentioned to the dealer, who immediately removed the plate and suggested it was added in error at the factory. The handler immediately levelled up, and we were happy.

Unfortunately the machine had to go back to the dealer for some time on a separate issue, but was returned this week. I went to fill a lorry with some grain today using the bucket for the first time and discovered the bucket as shown in the photo. This was checked several times to rule out levels on the shed floor. I immediately took to and out the spacer plate back in place, as we still had it, and the bucket is now level, but the handler is again leaning.

Has anyone else had a new machine, or any JCB machine, delivered with such a spacer plate? The spacer is approx 10mm. My initial thought is that the chasis has twisted when welded, but I am wondering if this is a common thing with JCB?

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
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DCM

Member
Location
Co Down
@Ducati899 , had a sqiffy JCB
I mentioned on another thread a way around your problem is to have part worn tyres on one side and new ones on the other! :facepalm:
I can see why a tin shim or the likes being used, but not the type of plate that is in this. Went to the dealers yard to see several old and new machines, and not one had a spacer plate in.

The machine has 15hrs on the clock.
 

Jim B

Member
I have seen the same thing a couple of times with another brand of telehandler. Only when its particularly bad did they consider changing the boom section under warranty.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
If other new machines in the dealer's yard do not have the plate, but yours does, then clearly something wrong with the chassis/boom on your new machine. Therefore ask for a replacement machine.

Only accept the machine if ALL new JCB's of that model have the same plate fitted.

Looks like a sub-standard quality component, and then a bodge to fix it.
 

DCM

Member
Location
Co Down
Ok, so an update. The dealer and mechanic arrived this morning to look at the machine. Measurements taken etc, and have discovered the issue, they think, is in the inner boom, with packers and spacers in the wrong place, resulting in the headstock being unlevel. This has then resulted in a packer plate being used to level the headstock.

The dealer is collecting the machine next week to remove the inner boom and make corrections.

If this does not sort it, further discussions will need to be had.

Thanks for all the comments thus far.
 

Wellytrack

Member
Ok, so an update. The dealer and mechanic arrived this morning to look at the machine. Measurements taken etc, and have discovered the issue, they think, is in the inner boom, with packers and spacers in the wrong place, resulting in the headstock being unlevel. This has then resulted in a packer plate being used to level the headstock.

The dealer is collecting the machine next week to remove the inner boom and make corrections.

If this does not sort it, further discussions will need to be had.

Thanks for all the comments thus far.

Good work by the dealer. Shoddy enough job of JCB 🤨
 

Bongodog

Member
Ok, so an update. The dealer and mechanic arrived this morning to look at the machine. Measurements taken etc, and have discovered the issue, they think, is in the inner boom, with packers and spacers in the wrong place, resulting in the headstock being unlevel. This has then resulted in a packer plate being used to level the headstock.

The dealer is collecting the machine next week to remove the inner boom and make corrections.

If this does not sort it, further discussions will need to be had.

Thanks for all the comments thus far.
This sounds closer to the truth than the chassis being distorted. The design of the chassis is so simple with the axle attachement plates welded to the side frames, you would defy people to mess this up.
 

Lawless

Member
We have one of these machines - took delivery of it in May. There are no shims or packers on the axle like that. Quite poor from Jcb to send it out like that - real can’t be bothered attitude.
 

ACEngineering

Member
Location
Oxon
Any shims under the pads should be the same left to right, cant see how or why anyone would do anything different when assembling a machine so if they level it up by taking more shims out one side than they have on the other that isnt a fix either.

JCB tend to just fob it off with its "within tolerance" normally, which is a cop out for we f**ked up but its ok.

Whats it like with a spirit level across the main outer boom compared to the chassis, compared to the ground?

What it like with a plumb bob line off the headstock both on the floor and in the air?

Theres no way they are assembling machines randomly with odd shims in the boom, theres too many machines over the years with spacers in the axle for it to be as simple a boom shims not being equal. it to do with the chassis or the main pivot pin to chassis, or a twisted boom section as someone elses was above.
 

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