machine matters | by Richard Ries
WHEN IS
BIGGER
BETTER?
The performance advantages of 15-foot backhoes over
smaller diggers are narrowing but have not disappeared
T
here's a reason 14-foot backhoes comprise
the bulk of backhoe sales. That size is wellsuited to most of the tasks that backhoes
perform. And as OEMs find ways to further
improve the performance of 14-foot machines, the advantages of bigger diggers become less
obvious. Andy Capps, Volvo backhoe product manager
for North America, says advances in hydraulics and
electronics have been great equalizers. "Flow-sharing
valves, variable-displacement piston pumps, and load-
sensing electronics have enabled improvements so that
the higher horsepower of larger machines is no longer
critical to overall performance."
JCB's six new 3CX Super and 4CX Super models illustrate the similarities among machines of various sizes.
Hydraulic flow (44 gpm) and relief valve pressure (3,650
psi) are the same for all of the models whether they're
in the 14-, 15-, or 17-foot class. While there are differences in digging and breakout forces, lift capacity is the
same for all models except the 3CX Super 14-foot.
EquipmentWorld.com | August 2013 15
