PROFI TEST

Third incarnation of itTelemaster TM310 Agrbenefits from more po

Driving impression: JCB Telemaster TM310S Agri pivot-steer telehandler

Cheadle keeps faith with the artic alternative

s pivot-steer telehandler, JCB’s i, tested here in 145hp S spec, wer, lift and hydraulic output.

The pivot-steer handler would appear to offer a mix of some key advantages of the telehandler and the loading shovel but, despite this, the ‘artic’ market remains the preserve of just a handful of manufacturers. Four years on from our JCB TM300 driving impression (profi 06/03), Martin Rickatson spends a day with the S version of JCB’s Cheadle-built Telemaster TM310

A solid rear counterweight replaces the TM’s previous pressed steel version, while total fuel

capacity is now 160 litres from a single tank.

Bigger, better, faster, more. That’s generally how the wish list goes when users of a particular machine are asked by the manufacturer what they’d like to see in the current design’s successor. And that is exactly how it was, according to JCB, when the firm surveyed owners and operators of its Telemaster TM300 pivot-steer telehandler. Bigger engine, better visibility, faster hydraulics and more lift capacity were just some of the upgrades requested, and the maker duly obliged on those four points, and others, with the spring 2007 launch of the TM310 and its slightly more powerful TM310S sibling.Before proceeding any further, it’s worth defining the difference between the two variants that makes up the £1,100 price premium for an S model. Both machines employ JCB’s own Dieselmax 444 power-

plant, with fuel capacity up 10 litres to 160 litres courtesy of a new single tank. The critical difference is that, on the S model, the 4-cyl, 4.4-litre engine is tweaked to generate an extra 15hp, giving the TM310S a 145hp rated output; the standard TM310 produces 130hp. Respective max torque figures at 1,500rpm are 550/532Nm, and the torque curve is more graduated than that on the old 300, the engine holding on longer when lugging down. These

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Loader back-end stays securely planted when the nose is hard at work on a muckheap. Vision

is excellent to the front, less so to the rear – but then the

latter is true of most handlers.

stats compare with 121hp/434Nm ratings for the superseded TM300. Other engine upgrades common to both models include a stacked cooling pack. A new wider one-piece bonnet, which can be opened from the ground, extends to cover items such as the fuel cap on the offside mudguard, but overall width remains just over 2.3m. The engine and transmission oil dipsticks/filters are grouped and easily accessed, and there is an outer sight glass on the opposite side for hydraulic oil level.Aside from the power hike, the two TMs are identical, lifting to a maximum height of 5.2m (as on the TM300) and with a max

Power comes courtesy of JCB’s own Dieselmax 444 engine. The only difference between standard and S specification models is an electronic tweak to the fuel pump, which provides an extra 15hp on the S.

Hoses in the pivot area

are now encased in full nylon wrapping

and sit on a nylon wear

plate, to extend the

working life.

lift capacity of 3,100kg (up 100kg), both benefiting from a solid counterweight to replace the previous pressed steel unit. Whether the additional £1,100 cost of the S’s extra power is justifiable very much depends on the type of work the machine is likely to be asked to do: If a lot of silage clamp or muck loading work is involved, for example, it’s probably warranted.

Perhaps the most significant JCB upgrade from 300 to 310 specification, though, is in the transmission department. Whereas the 300 driver had a 35km/hr four-speed powershift at his right hand, the 310/310S operator now gains two further speeds and a top travel rate of 40km/hr, courtesy of a transmission donation from the JCB Loadall range. There is a torque lock that operates in speeds five and six to limit torque converter slippage and ensure a true 40km/hr travel.

The transmission can be worked in one of three switch-prompted modes – Power, Field and Eco – via an armrest switch that illuminates symbols on the new electro dash, which supersedes the familiar JCB silver dials. The first of these modes suits laden trailer haulage, using the full rpm range of each gear for optimum pulling power. Field mode auto-changes through all the speeds, except for sixth, for faster in-field movement between bales, for example, whereas Eco mode is suggested as ideal for road travel without a load, it changing through the gears quickly to make it up to speed as fast as possible while sipping minimal fuel. Additionally, a kick-down button on the shuttle allows the driver to shift down/up one speed in the first three gears, according to the preset gear on the stalk, for work such as silage clamping.

As is becoming the fashion, the shuttle can be operated from the main joystick, although JCB continues to also spec a column-mounted shuttle, allowing the operator to choose his preferred method of changing direction. Upside is that this gives both options to the operator who needs time to convert to the benefits of shuttling and operating the boom with the same hand. Downside, however, is that it can be a little confusing unless the operator is solely focused upon using one or the other. For the uninitiated, it’s easy to head for a heap with forward selected on the column shuttle, apply the brake as

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JCB Telemaster TM310S Agri

Engine: JCB Dieselmax 444 unit with four cylinders and 4.4-litre capacity, common-rail electronic fuel delivery. Turbocharged and intercooled. Max output 145hp (130hp on standard TM310). Max torque @ 1,500rpm is 550Nm (532Nm on standard TM310). Fuel capacity 160 litres

Transmission: 6F/4R auto powershift and torque converter with torque-lock in 5th/6th; Power, Field and Eco modes; transmission kick-down. Shuttle via steering column lever or joystick switch. Standard front and rear limited slip diffs. Full-time 4WD. Top speed of 40km/hr

Axles: JCB epicyclic hub reduction drive axles for the front and rear with Max-Trac torque-proportioning diffs. Oil-immersed inboard multi-disc brake on front axle providing braking to all four wheels. Parking brake via disc on gearbox output shaft

Hydraulic system: 140-litre/min Variflo piston pump. Max pressure 230 bar. Max lift capacity 3,100kg (to full height), max lift height 5.20m, max reach 3.0m, reach at max lift height 1.38m, lift capacity at max reach 1,650kg. Smooth Ride boom suspension fitted as standard

Tyres: Michelin XM CL 460/70R24 (500/70R24 option)

Dimensions: Overall height 2,695mm, overall width 2,344mm, overall length (minus carriage) 4,715mm, wheelbase 2,500mm, machine ground clearance 444mm, turning radius (outer) 4,382mm

Weight: 8,000kg

Price (excl. VAT): £50,330 (130hp 310), £51,465 (145hp 310S)

DATA SHEET

PROFI TEST

JCB’s retro silver dials are replaced by a new digital dash, which includes a performance monitor function with fuel use display. Layout is clear and effective.

Joystick accommodates proportional control thumb switches for boom extend/retract and auxiliary service, plus a F/R shuttle switch. Column shuttle is still fitted.

the load is lifted and then inadvertently select reverse via the joystick switch with the column shuttle still in its ‘forward’ position, whereupon either the switch or column shuttle must be returned to its neutral position before further progress can be made.

That said, having worked with joystick-operated shuttles before, we found it relatively simple to adapt to one-handed operation of the boom, the other firmly on the wheel, and once the operator has established a preference for one or the other, the above comment is not really an issue. Operating on a fresh – read soft – muckheap, we found shuttle response swift and the engine to provide plenty of climbing ‘grunt’ when pushing into the heap or clambering up it to build material higher. Loader grip was also in plentiful supply, thanks going primarily to the fact that JCB now fits as standard front and rear limited slip differentials, an essential option on previous yellow pivot steers. As an aside here, standard tyre fitment is now the Michelin XM CL boot in 460/70 R24 spec, with a 500/70 R24 option. A semi-industrial tyre with 10% thicker sidewalls, the XM CL design is claimed to last up to 43% longer than comparative rubber.

While on the subject of clamp-climbing, it’s worth noting all the different design approaches taken by pivot-steer handler makers to articulation, and more to the point, oscillation. While several makers site the oscillation point on their models on the rear axle, the Telemaster, like its predecessor unit, oscillates ahead of the articulation point. The merits/minuses of each type are probably outside the scope of this article, but the Telemaster keeps its wheels planted and feels stable and secure on the clamp even when the front and rear sections are at different angles. Incidentally, the TM310/S uses the same pivot as the old TM300 model, but hoses in the pivot area are now encased inside nylon wrapping and sit on a nylon wear plate, which should prolong hose life. Engine power, of course, is only half of the loader design story when shifting and lifting. Answering customer calls for more hydraulic output at the same time, JCB has rethought the issue of oil delivery and switched from a multi-gear pump unit to a piston unit with ‘Variflo’ variable flow capability, raising flow rates by 20 litres/min to 140 litres/min. The advantages of greater flow were clearly evident on our

test day, with minimal right foot required to lift a hefty forkful from the heap, which should also have a beneficial effect on fuel consumption. Variable flow to auxiliary services should also bring operational pluses to those using equipment such as auger buckets or dispensers, ensuring that changes in engine rpm do not affect feed-out rates. To pair with the TM’s increased hydraulic output, JCB has revised the boom’s front-end geometry, upping the performance from fully dumped with greater tear-out force. Smooth Ride boom suspension is now standard on both models.Controlling all of the boom functions, the TM joystick includes proportional control of boom extend/retract and the auxiliary

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service. These are worked via a pair of roller wheels on top of the joystick, and while these do the job, we have to profess a preference for the roller wheels used by some other makers. In all other aspects, however, JCB’s joystick is a pleasant unit to work with, and is further enhanced by a pair of little buttons above the thumb switches, one button for diverting the oil to the rear spool for trailer tipping, the other permitting constant pumping for operation of auger bucket/road brushes. There is also a boom isolation switch for when working with a man platform.

Externally, the cab looks similar to that used on the previous TM, save for new cab steps angled into the mudguard, but there are some key interior differences, starting with the seating position. While the machine itself is the same height as its 300 forebear, the cab floor has been lowered by 80mm and the seat by 40mm. Downside of this is that the formerly flat floor now gains a hump to accommodate the main hydraulic pump, whereas the upside is that the operator enjoys much-needed extra headroom. Vision-wise, the glass area remains unchanged, and view from the seat is impressive, save for out to the TM handler’s rear, where it could be very easy to scrape the outer edges of the counterweight. Doors can be latched open, but it’s unfortunately not possible to release them from inside the cab.While the dash pod itself stays the same, JCB’s silver dials are replaced on the 310 /S by a digital display, and the steering wheel which sprouts from beneath it is adjustable for reach as well as rake. The offside console is largely unchanged, but to the left of the operator JCB has done away with the old storage box in favour of a large moulded tray around the hand-brake. Air-conditioning is still an option, though justification probably depends on how much intensive work – field bale-shifting, for instance – the machine will be expected to perform.

Summary: JCB’s latest Telemaster pivot-steer handler answers many of the key demands on the ‘want’ list of owners and operators of its previous TM300, in areas such as fuel capacity, operator headroom, hydraulic flow and lifting power. Then there are the extra horses available, particularly if the wallet is levered open that little bit wider for an ‘S’ spec model. In short, the new JCB TM310 pivot-steer handler is clearly a lot more than just a reworked TM300.