JCB has launched a new backhoe-loader that it claims will appeal to farmers and agricultural contractors wanting to undertake their own on-farm groundworks, building projects, ditch cleaning and water pipe installation. The new 3CX Sitemaster will be available to a single and well-equipped specification for just £55,000 or from £271 per week through JCB Finance. Irish prices have yet to be confirmed.
When JCB launched the world’s first backhoe-loader in 1953, it set new standards for machine versatility and utilisation with its ability to dig and load, not just one or the other. Over the years, the modern JCB backhoe-loader has become better equipped and more sophisticated as an indispensable tool for construction works.
This new 3CX Sitemaster has been introduced as a highly cost-effective solution for small plant hire and owner-operator contracting businesses, and with potential for use in agriculture for specialist on-farm infrastructure works. Available through JCB construction equipment dealers, the new JCB 3CX Sitemaster backhoe-loader is powered by a 55kW/74hp JCB four-cylinder engine, with no requirement for exhaust after-treatment making it simpler and cheaper to run. It comes in one well-equipped specification, including a comfortable cab with air conditioning and heating, and light-touch servo controls that make the machine easy to operate, whether working with the excavator at the back or the loader at the front.
For maximum flexibility, the new 3CX Sitemaster has single and twin auxiliary hydraulic circuits for the excavator to operate a wide range of tools, while the loader can be equipped with a JCB Quick Hitch to operate familiar farm implements such as bale spikes and grabs, including those from the extensive JCB Attachments range.
Sideshift and a telescopic dipper arm also feature on the excavator for versatile reach and digging depth, particularly handy for farm and estate ditch cleaning. The telescopic dipper arm adds another metre to the excavator’s side reach – up from 5.57m to 6.57m – while up front, the loader has 3.65 tonnes maximum lift capacity and a lift height of 3.59m to the bucket pin.
The loader comes with a six-in-one shovel with pallet forks, a return-to-dig function making loading and re-handling cycles quicker and easier for the operator, and JCB’s Smooth Ride System (SRS) loader arm suspension for improved ride and load retention on the move.
JCB’s proven 3.0-litre 55kW/74hp diesel engine, generating 440Nm of torque and meeting the EU Stage V emissions standards with no requirement for exhaust after-treatment, is paired with a four-speed manual gearbox providing a travel speed of up to 40kph. This engine/transmission combination results in reduced service and maintenance costs, with easy access for daily checks and to all filters and fill points, cutting downtime and total cost of ownership.
Key features of the machine include:
JCB 3.0 litre Stage V, 55kW (74hp) engine, no DEF
1.0 cu m 6-in-1 shovel with integrated pallet forks
Sideshift excavator with extending dipper
Seat mounted servo excavator controls
Single-lever servo loader control
Return to Dig function for faster re-handling cycles
Air conditioning and LED work lights
LiveLink for maximum security and maintenance monitoring
