Show us your Arb Diggers please.

[Matthew Storrs]

I think if they can just get it right, plus ease their way through the towing legislation to allow the carrying of attachments only whilst travelling to/from sites in a suitable trailer, this really could see the return of your local Owner Operator type guys who were bread and butter JCB 3cx type men.

Everyone used to know the local guy with the JCB who would just nip in and do the job, but the advent of the Mini/Midi excavators has really hit this market hard.

Not hard to see a forward thinking guy with a range of attachments and the correct choice of tyres, making himself very useful in the local area, without the need for low loaders.

Be some tool on floatation tyres, with felling head, towing a decent chipper setup?

Interesting times, certainly got my full attention, as all my Kubota attachments would fit.

 

I think the Diverto would need giving to a few high profile UK users to gain some credibility, before it would stand any chance of taking off here?

 

 

Eddie.

 

 

Interestingly- i don't really find this the case, i pretty much run my buisness off a 3 ton digger towed by 4x4. However local contractors to me run a pair of Cat/JCB Backhoes, they can turn up with one machine with out any of the hassle of loading/unloading, finding somewhere to put the truck and trailer and then having the loader on the front allows them to do even small earth shifting tasks which would normally mean i have to get a dumper in. Id say for small jobs in particular the JCB is still king especially given the considerable extra digging depth/power they have compared to sub 3 ton (towable) minis.

 

Access permitable of course and i wouldn't fancy taking a 3cx accross a steep clay hillside:laugh1:

[IVECOKID]

Interestingly- i don't really find this the case, i pretty much run my buisness off a 3 ton digger towed by 4x4. However local contractors to me run a pair of Cat/JCB Backhoes, they can turn up with one machine with out any of the hassle of loading/unloading, finding somewhere to put the truck and trailer and then having the loader on the front allows them to do even small earth shifting tasks which would normally mean i have to get a dumper in. Id say for small jobs in particular the JCB is still king especially given the considerable extra digging depth/power they have compared to sub 3 ton (towable) minis.

 

Access permitable of course and i wouldn't fancy taking a 3cx accross a steep clay hillside:laugh1:

 

Try finding a Good Backhoe driver , I was brought up with them and they need respect near houses or else demolition order in place lol .

 

 

Ste

[LGP Eddie]

Interestingly- i don't really find this the case, i pretty much run my buisness off a 3 ton digger towed by 4x4. However local contractors to me run a pair of Cat/JCB Backhoes, they can turn up with one machine with out any of the hassle of loading/unloading, finding somewhere to put the truck and trailer and then having the loader on the front allows them to do even small earth shifting tasks which would normally mean i have to get a dumper in. Id say for small jobs in particular the JCB is still king especially given the considerable extra digging depth/power they have compared to sub 3 ton (towable) minis.

 

Access permitable of course and i wouldn't fancy taking a 3cx accross a steep clay hillside:laugh1:

 

Close to the factory here, this was Owner Operator city, with dozens of guys having them back in the day, many now seeing out their time with a pick up or 7.5 tonner with mini in tow.

JCB be have been having a real push to get people back into the Backhoe, but the ease of operation has seen the mini/midi really take most of their core work, but when you need a Backhoe nothing else will do.

It takes a very skilled man to operate a Backhoe properly, and manufacturers resorted to putting in excavator type controls to attract the mini digger generation onto them.

Ask an true Backhoe man, and he'll almost certainly prefer the old style sticks instead of the servo levers, and the jack leg controls between the sticks.

Mr Bamford got that right first time with the x pattern, and once mastered it all just flows together.

 

The Midi Duck is on the rise, and this is where the market will go I'm certain? Expect a multitude of trailers and loader type buckets for carrying materials or attachments to go with them.

 

 

Eddie.

[IVECOKID]

I keep saying every year I am going to get myself another Backhoe digger but never happens , I love them and I started off with the early extra dig .

 

 

Ste

[LGP Eddie]

I keep saying every year I am going to get myself another Backhoe digger but never happens , I love them and I started off with the early extra dig .

 

 

Ste

 

I have a good friend with a fantastic 2.7 tonne machine and 13 tonne Hookloader setup. I keep telling him to go the Backhoe route and add a nice used example to his armoury, as you really can pick up some serious versatility for not stupid money if you keep away from the JCB kit.

He can handle a Backhoe too, which many of his generation can't, and as Matthew rightly said they are a lot of power in a versatile package.

 

These caught my eye?

 

JCB T.C. Harrison

 

 

 

Eddie.

[aspenarb]

Not to many left that could walk one of those across a site Eddie.

 

Bob

[LGP Eddie]

Not to many left that could walk one of those across a site Eddie.

 

Bob

 

Don't get me started!!! A thread on the CE Forum, had someone with one of the latest JCB saying his front bucket and back actor don't work simultaneously anymore??

If only we had camera phones back then, as I did nearly nine years straight on front line Backhoe duties, and basically had to leave to get off them!

Money no object I'd have a mint 1990 Turbo+ Grey Cab Sitemaster with front mudguards sitting outside! JCB were really top of the pile then.

 

 

 

Eddie.

[IVECOKID]

I have a good friend with a fantastic 2.7 tonne machine and 13 tonne Hookloader setup. I keep telling him to go the Backhoe route and add a nice used example to his armoury, as you really can pick up some serious versatility for not stupid money if you keep away from the JCB kit.

He can handle a Backhoe too, which many of his generation can't, and as Matthew rightly said they are a lot of power in a versatile package.

 

These caught my eye?

 

JCB T.C. Harrison

 

 

 

Eddie.

 

Grand piece of kit that , I had been looking Slightly older Case 580sr which my local dealer had in Stock (3) but again my brain says no and my heart says yes , I have up spent a small fortune last 6 months so will have to wait .

 

 

Ste

[Matthew Storrs]

Grand piece of kit that , I had been looking Slightly older Case 580sr which my local dealer had in Stock (3) but again my brain says no and my heart says yes , I have up spent a small fortune last 6 months so will have to wait .

 

 

Ste

 

I have seen a few volvo BL70s around at reasonably realistic money- I get tempted every now and again purely for portable power and mainly to assist with larger stone walling projects i get- but to be honest the contractors i mentioned earlier have pretty much got the local market nailed for backhoe work and for good reason- their work is bang on. so gonna keep the 3 tonner and get an 8 ton 360 for the longer term projects- every one needs to findtheir niche.

[Stephen Blair]

The lad I Keep my stuff at was brought up on JCB's, he picked up an old 3cx a few months back! What he can do on it blows my mind! He spends most of his time with his feet on the independent breaks, twisted round operating the controls with his arms and on the back 2 wheels!

I'm tempted for a newer 1! I do loads with my 3 toner and dumper but I could do it with a backhoe, it's just getting my skill level up! I'm ok with the front end,mother back end is tricky! I would want the servo controls

There is a case like that locally to me Eddie that just sits on a building site owned by a big developer! Cracking bit of kit but my pal says the bent back arm is a pita at times trying to work next to a banking!