Old 526 vs new 532

[manfromhill]

Has anybody had a demo or bought the new jcb532-60 as a replacement for a 526-56
Have looked at the brochure and looks to be up a weight class and I presume in price

 

[manfromhill]

Nobody driven one ?

 

[PSQ]

We had one on demo for a few days. Punches well above our 526s as you would expect, lots more grunt and grip.
What do you want to know?

 

[manfromhill]

Does it feel a bigger machine to work with I know that it’s longer taller and wider and some of my sheds are tight already
The cab visibility looks a lot better but whOle package Looks a higher spec and I bet that’s reflected in the price

 

[Colin]

I don't like all the electronics on them now. We run 2 2008 526s, all mechanical everything. Perfect size for what we do. Would be nice to load lorries a bit quicker but that's about all. If we changed one to a bigger machine the we would need to buy all new attachments as well, don't think the bigger ones can use the toolcarrier attachment.

 

[PSQ]

It is bigger, certainly taller, but not by that much. Cab visibility is improved, the new '3 series cab' one piece glass windscreen/ roof is more sharply curved than the likes of Manitou, so no problems with headroom.
Our 526s is the last of the rear engined loaders (2006) so the short rear overhang of the 532 was nice. The previously mentioned 'grunt and grip' which is lacking in the 526 when pushing up pig muck at a midden - the 532 was in a completely different league and was playing with an 8 foot grab.
But I do agree with Colin, the cab was filled with electrics and gadgets, an iPad like digital dash with multiple layers of menus, rows of switches, and an adblue pump whirring away on shut down.
Over 14 years the 526s owes me a set of tyres, routine services, 2 sets of extension ram seals, a compensator ram seal, a boom hydraulic pipe and a diesel filter housing. Speak to owners of newer JCB's and they seem to be plagued with regular niggling electronics issues, I wouldn't want to be left 'holding the baby' outside of warranty, certainly not for 14 years like the 526.

 

[manfromhill]

Went from a matbro 200 to a jcb engine 526s in 06 and have traded every 3 years since for another 526 With warranty and yes have found that the reliability has declined with every one usually just electrical glitches .The latest one had a problem with the ad blue a couple of times but still low hours .I will probably need to get a demo but I think I’m not going to like the price

 

[T C]

It is bigger, certainly taller, but not by that much. Cab visibility is improved, the new '3 series cab' one piece glass windscreen/ roof is more sharply curved than the likes of Manitou, so no problems with headroom.
Our 526s is the last of the rear engined loaders (2006) so the short rear overhang of the 532 was nice. The previously mentioned 'grunt and grip' which is lacking in the 526 when pushing up pig muck at a midden - the 532 was in a completely different league and was playing with an 8 foot grab.
But I do agree with Colin, the cab was filled with electrics and gadgets, an iPad like digital dash with multiple layers of menus, rows of switches, and an adblue pump whirring away on shut down.
Over 14 years the 526s owes me a set of tyres, routine services, 2 sets of extension ram seals, a compensator ram seal, a boom hydraulic pipe and a diesel filter housing. Speak to owners of newer JCB's and they seem to be plagued with regular niggling electronics issues, I wouldn't want to be left 'holding the baby' outside of warranty, certainly not for 14 years like the 526.

We have a 2016 536-60 with 3500 hrs (no warranty), so far it has had a fuel lift pump, rubbed a hose underneath and had a broken wire on the overload sensor (fixed under warranty). Fingers crossed the next 4 years are similar. Think electrical issues are often a factor of age rather than hours.

 

[Farmer_Joe]

It is bigger, certainly taller, but not by that much. Cab visibility is improved, the new '3 series cab' one piece glass windscreen/ roof is more sharply curved than the likes of Manitou, so no problems with headroom.
Our 526s is the last of the rear engined loaders (2006) so the short rear overhang of the 532 was nice. The previously mentioned 'grunt and grip' which is lacking in the 526 when pushing up pig muck at a midden - the 532 was in a completely different league and was playing with an 8 foot grab.
But I do agree with Colin, the cab was filled with electrics and gadgets, an iPad like digital dash with multiple layers of menus, rows of switches, and an adblue pump whirring away on shut down.
Over 14 years the 526s owes me a set of tyres, routine services, 2 sets of extension ram seals, a compensator ram seal, a boom hydraulic pipe and a diesel filter housing. Speak to owners of newer JCB's and they seem to be plagued with regular niggling electronics issues, I wouldn't want to be left 'holding the baby' outside of warranty, certainly not for 14 years like the 526.

ive got the same, a 526 rear engine on 2006, mines done high hours at 7500 but i really like it, a little bit of extra lift would be great though. Im a pauper so will have to wait some year before i can afford its replacement, looks excellent though!

 

[farmerdan7618]

Is the 525-60 not a closer comparison?

 

[dowcow]

Or what about the 527-58?

 

[fermerboy]

We had a 1999 526s that we took to 13500hrs was as hard as nails, what a good tool it was.
Swapped it for a 526.56 which we took to 11500hrs, good loader but didn't seem to be as well put together somehow, little things, wires, steering solenoid, oil leaks, nothing major though.
Swapped a year ago for one of the last before ad blue, done 1600hrs in last year, making 5800 now, been good so far, couple of hoses, and a solenoid. This one, although supposed to be the same has more hydraulic power for some reason.
Each one has had more electronic crap, which really isn't needed on a tool to load stuff on a farm.
If the new 532 is bigger then I'll be looking at a 536(what's the new number?) sized one, always thought they are a better buy secondhand anyway.

 

[manfromhill]

Now had a demo of a 532 And the cab is definitely a step up in space and visibility but not a fan of the I pad dashboard
also had demo of a Kramer 30 6 it seemed really well put together