During this year's CONEXPO show in Las Vegas, JCB continued their market-leading innovation with the unveiling of their Teleskid. The JCB Teleskid is the only skid steer/compact track loader on the market with a telescopic boom. The boom gives the skid steer a 60 percent longer reach when compared to similar skid steers from competitors. The machine can also dig 3 feet below grade. Coming in wheeled or tracked formats, JCB's new skid steer can be set up to tackle most tasks on the jobsite along with completing tasks that a normal skid steer wouldn't be able to accomplish.

"As contractors get to know the machine, we believe they are going to want to sell their conventional skid steers and step up to the Teleskid with the extra reach," said Cliff Anglewicz from YES Equipment and Services at YES JCB in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

According to Anglewicz, one of the more difficult things contractors encounter when using a skid steer is dumping a bucket load of material into the back of a quad-axel truck. Most skid steers can reach over the side of trucks, but don't have the ability to properly dump the load in their bucket in the center of the truck bed. This could potentially be hazardous to the truck driver due to the fact that the load could be off-center causing the truck to tip or be uncontrollable.

"Skid steers usually reach about 10 feet and that's about 2 feet short of what they need," said Anglewicz. "Having a 13-foot reach plus the extended reach outward allows operators to dump the load in the center rather than a side."

The JCB Teleskid gives contractors the ability to reach out over obstacles, backfill retaining walls, and generally use them in new methods that normal skid steers couldn't handle. Anglewicz says one of his contractors has been using his Teleskids to put up fencing. "He would reach out with his auger and bore the holes without disrupting the grass between the street and fence line."

The benefit of the extended reach of the Teleskid is providing contractors with the ability to be more masterful and fastidious on the jobsite. 

Increased Productivity for Small Contractor

S.V. Penix, Owner of Penix Snow Plowing, Concrete & Landscaping based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, received his 3TS-8W Teleskid in May. Since taking delivery, Penix has spent the majority of his workdays in the seat of his new JCB Teleskid. This is Penix's third JCB skid steer and immediately put it through its paces working his many jobsites.

Penix wishes he could have been using the Teleskid years ago. His company is a one-man operation that mainly does work excavating patios, sidewalks, and basements in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. He's been excavating now for more than 15 years and has found himself operating a skid steer in many tight spots, especially when working in basements and doing foundation work. According to Penix, the extended length of the Teleskid has increased his productivity because he doesn't have to track back and forth from where he's excavating to properly dump a load in one of his trucks. He can extend the reach and get his bucket-load precisely where he needs it on the truck.

There were a myriad of factors that JCB had to consider when developing the Teleskid, one of the biggest ones being balance. Incorporating a teleboom on to the skid steer moves the balance point further forward as the boom extends, this is especially true when there's a full bucket-load. The engineers from JCB took this into consideration to prevent the skid steer from tipping as the bucket moved further away from the chassis by making their skid steer 30-percent larger and pushing the engine and ballast weights further back.

Another feature that Penix loves about his Teleskid is the side entry door. Penix stated that it's difficult to keep climbing over the bucket and making a U-turn into the seat. And with the entry door being placed on the side of the machine, it allows it be around twice as large as the entry doors from competitive manufactures.

Skid steers from competitive manufacturers require the operator to step over the bucket and control surfaces to enter the machine. Not only is the side-door entry more comfortable to operate when getting in and out of, it is also safer. Operators don't have to climb in and under and unsupported boom and attachments.

Power and Performance

Penix also is impressed by the power of the JCB Teleskid.

"It's a powerful machine," Penix said. "What it does at an idle, many machines would be working in a higher gear."

JCB put their JCB EcoMAX engine in the back of the Teleskid. With 200,000-plus engines being built since 2004, the EcoMAX is field-tested and a proven workhorse within the JCB line-up. The EcoMAX engine uses a proprietary combustion process that pulls in high injection pressures of around 29,000 psi in the common rail system. The proprietary combustion, along with variable geometry turbocharging - which acts as an anti-lag and keeps the turbo spooled for maximum power at lower rpms - allows the Teleskid to use its full torque and power at lower rpms. Having the ability to work at full strength at such low rpms increases the lifespan and efficiency of the engine, which works well into a contractor's bottom line. 

Another factor that works into a contractor's bottom line is that fact the 3.0-liter EcoMAX engine doesn't require any special oils, no diesel particulate filter, and no diesel exhaust fluids. The lighter, more compact engine is Tier-4 rated by the EPA and is allowed to work in any job market.

The service-ability of the machine is also easier for contractors since the cab incorporates a tilting cab system, which can be done by one person without raising the boom. A large rear service door provides access to daily maintenance points and the engine bay. The entire cab can also be tilted forward for access to more hard-to-reach areas, without raising the boom.

When it comes to skid steers, Penix knows his stuff. Throughout his 15 years working in the industry, Penix has owned a variety of skid steers from multiple manufacturers, and the JCB Teleskid has been his favorite so far. The side entry along with many other factors is what attracted Penix to JCB. And now, with JCB's innovative teleboom, Penix plans on continuing the trend of being a JCB owner and customer.