In a significant move for the regional construction equipment industry – and certainly among the most major launches this year – JCB has unveiled the updated version of its entire 3CX range of backhoe loaders in the Middle East.
Building on its global leadership of the backhoe loader segment, JCB launched the new 3CX range to the regional media at an event held in Dubai on March 1, unveiling three new models of what continues to be one of the most popular machines in the regional – and indeed the global – construction machinery industry.
Held at the Jebel Ali Resort in Dubai, the launch event saw top management from JCB’s regional and global arms give detailed presentations of the new machines to media representatives from the Middle East and beyond where the 3CX range finds its market, followed by a working demonstration of the range and hand-on operation time./
According to JCB’s statement accompanying the launch of the new 3CX range, the “JCB backhoe loader is celebrating 70 years in production and it continues to be one of the most popular machines in the global construction industry”. Bringing together the capabilities of a loading shovel, a forklift, an excavator and a tool carrier in a single versatile machine, the JCB backhoe loader remains the ultimate master of all trades.
A new cab and an extensive range of new features and options for 2024 will help customers to reduce costs and increase efficiency, with improved operator comfort, versatility and productivity when loading, roading and excavating.
Key new developments in the new JCB 3CX range are:
- New ROPS/FOPS cab as standard, with a new interior and HVAC system
- Single loader lever with integral directional control
- Seat-mounted joystick controls standard on PRO models
- Variable flow pump, auto idle, auto stop and work modes leading to 24% fuel saving versus leading competitors
- EasyShift transmission as standard and Smooth Ride System for improved roading performance
- JCB LiveLink telematics reporting of fuel levels
Group Product Innovation Director Richard Brooks said: “This new range of machines represents a huge investment by JCB and shows our commitment to the future of the backhoe loader. This will maintain JCB’s position as the world’s leading manufacturer of backhoe loaders, by making life much easier for the operator. Through increased comfort and by significantly improving efficiency and productivity, JCB has ensured that the JCB 3CX backhoe loader remains the first choice for customers and operators. What better way to celebrate 70 years of the JCB backhoe loader than the launch of this new machine range purposely designed for the non-legislated markets? ”
The revised range includes three models – the 3CX, 3CX Plus and the 3CX PRO. The 3CX is powered by a 55kW naturally-aspirated diesel engine, has a fixed dipper arm, and comes with manual controls. The 3CX can be equipped with a general purpose (GP) or a 6-in-1 front shovel.
The 3CX Plus is powered by a 68kW turbocharged engine. It comes with a fixed or an extending dipper arm and a GP or 6-in-1 front shovel with the option of flip-over forks. At the rear, a 600mm bucket comes as standard. An optional 300mm bucket and a grading bucket, as well as optional hammer pipework or bucket-to-grab changeover, are also available. The 3CX Plus has a new integrated HVAC system as standard and comes with manual excavator controls.
Topping the range is the 3CX PRO, which gets the same engine, shovel, dipper, and rear bucket options as the 3CX Plus. For the first time, the 3CX PRO comes with seat mounted servo controls as standard, providing effortless control of the excavator and loader and unobscured visibility to the rear of the machine when excavating. The machine also comes with a hammer/bi-directional auxiliary circuit as standard.
All models benefit from a new cab interior, with high quality moulded plastics and a light grey roof and pillar colour that gives a spacious, airy feel to the cab.
The seat rotation within the new ROPS/FOPS compliant cab has been made easier with the introduction of a tilting steering column and increased space for the operator providing effortless transition between loader and excavator working positions. Improved cab sealing helps to keep the operator clean and comfortable even in the most arduous working environments.
There is plenty of storage in the cab, while Bluetooth connectivity and a USB charging port are standard features. There are screens to the front and the side of the cab, providing all necessary operating information. A new HVAC system is standard on 3CX Plus and 3CX PRO, delivering improved cooling and heating performance through 12 adjustable air vents and a further nine demisting vents positioned around the cab. The air conditioning filter housing has been redesigned to prevent water ingress while washing down the machine.
The loader lever has been simplified to work like a wheeled loader. The single lever allows one-handed control of the loader and the transmission, with a forward-neutral-reverse switch as standard with a front auxiliary control roller switch on 6-in-1 variants built into the head of the lever.
JCB improves performance
All models benefit from a high flow piston pump, delivering 150 litres/min. This allows the engine to run at lower rpm while maintaining productivity The variable flow pump only provides flow on demand, reducing fuel consumption when the hydraulics are not in use. The machines have Eco, Standard and Power working modes, allowing the operator to tailor performance to the task.
Auto idle and auto stop functions also reduce unnecessary fuel use, by returning the engine to idle rpm when the machine is not being used and switching off the engine after a pre-determined period of inactivity.
The combined impact of these efficiency improvements result in a 24% lower fuel consumption, and reduced emissions compared to leading competitors. This represents an 8,800-litre fuel saving over 3 years, which will reduce running costs significantly compared to competitor machine offerings.
These efficiency improvements do not come at the expense of productivity as the new machine can load 20 tonnes into a lorry in less than 5 minutes, move material up to 20% faster than a 13-tonne excavator and grade in less than half the time of a 13-tonne excavator. It can also excavate 150 tonnes per hour and travel 40km in an hour.
An EasyShift transmission is standard on all three backhoe models, allowing the operator to easily shift between forward and reverse gears. Removing the manual gear lever also provides additional space on the cab floor. A limited slip differential is available on the Plus and PRO models, delivering improved off-road traction when required.
A hydraulic breaker circuit is offered on both fixed and extending dipper models on Plus and PRO models. 3CX PRO models also feature two-way bi-directional pipework, to power a wider range of attachments, with a rocker switch on the side console in the cab making the switch between low and high flow – to suit the attachments – effortless. In addition to a hydraulic breaker circuit, Plus models have the option of a changeover valve mounted on top of the bucket ram to provide a low flow bi-directional circuit.
A mechanical excavator quickhitch is optional for Plus and PRO models, providing fast and easy switching of attachments. In addition to the 600mm general purpose excavator bucket, which is standard on all machines, a grading/ditching bucket and a 300mm bucket are available to order. For the loader end, a 6-in-1 shovel is available for Plus and PRO models, which the first time can be enhanced with flip over forks.
Choice for operator
Also, on the 3CX PRO, the operator can choose between ISO and SAE excavator control patterns on the servo levers, by rotating a valve beneath the cab. Manual control machines use JCB’s traditional X-pattern controls, although these can be changed by the dealer to SAE pattern if preferred on the 3CX and 3CX Plus models.
Six high powered LED 1,000 lumen working lights are standard across the range with two to the front and four at the rear of the cab. An auto on light provides a ‘guide you home’ feature, switching on the working lights for 30 seconds after the ignition is turned off. A new battery isolator is standard and there is an in-cab boom lock release, making it easier to release the boom from its locked position upon arrival at the working area.
This new range of 3CX machines for 2024 raises the bar for efficiency, operator comfort, versatility and productivity when loading, roading and excavating.