A System for Success
When developing its straight-mast forklifts, JCB relies on a proven, 30-year design philosophy.
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At the Equipment Showcase, JCB showed its Model 930 forklift.
| February 17, 2010 – JCB, Savannah, Ga., has been building rough-terrain forklifts since the late 1970s, following a design philosophy that requires the units to be strong, easy to operate, and simple to maintain. If a machine meets these criteria, the company believes it will provide a good resale value for the owner. To accomplish this goal, the company focuses on commonality of components in the product line, easy serviceability features, and a variety of options for different applications.
At the Equipment Showcase, JCB brought the 6,000-pound capacity, two-wheel-drive Model 930 straight-mast forklift, which featured the 22-foot Clear View mast that can lift its full capacity to 15 feet and 3,500 pounds to its full lift height. It has an 18° forward pitch to minimize the height, as well as 10° back tilt. Optional masts include the 12- and 15-foot Triplex masts with free lift. The Showcase unit employed a 66-inch floating fork carriage—72- and 84-inch options and ITA-type industrial carriages to fi t rotators, clamps, and squeezes are also available. Forks range from 48 to 72 inches in size, and diff erent styles of forks, such as masonry tines and block forks, also can be used.
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The Showcase unit featured a 22-foot Clearview mast.
| Relying on the concept of commonality, the 8,000-pound capacity Model 940 uses the same 8'5" tractor chassis as the 6,000-pound 930 except for the counterweight. Four-wheel drive units can be disengaged to increase fuel economy. Tires and a number of the components will be the same, despite the size and drive confi guration of the units and drive systems. Greg Gresty, district manager for JCB in the Northwest United States, noted the similar appearance of the two-and four-wheel-drive machines. “When you fi rst look at this machine, it looks like a four-wheel drive with the torque hubs,” he said. “What we’ve done is taken all the components out of the drive portion and made it a steer axle.”
Axles are purpose-built for JCB’s forklift line. The rear axle oscillates 11º either direction and features remote grease fittings. The front axle features a multi-disc hydraulically actuated self-adjusting system, so no maintenance is required on the service brakes. The dry disc parking brake is located on the drive shaft and is easy to adjust. “One thing nice about the JCB park brake is you can’t drive through it,” Gresty said. “If it is on, you get an audio and visual warning, and it dumps the oil back to the tank.”
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The Dieselmax engine is close to the ground and accessible via a lift-up hood.
| Powering the Model 930 straight-mast forklift is the 85-hp Tier 3-compliant JCB Dieselmax four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The unit also incorporates JCB-manufactured axles and transmission. Gresty notes the Dieselmax engine is low to the ground, making it easy to see and service. The Dieselmax only has one engine filter and one fuel filter; a turbo filter is available as an option. Instead of glow plugs, the engine features a standard integral grid heater that heats intake air for easier cold weather starts. Gresty noted JCB’s rough-terrain forklifts will soon be available with a six-cylinder engine, and the engines will be available to other OEMs in the future.
Adding to the Model 930’s serviceability, the lockable steel hydraulic and 20-gallon fuel tanks located on each side of the machine are easy to remove, clean out, and reattach. JCB features a “clean hydraulic design.” In lieu of rubber hydraulic hoses, zinc-coated steel lines are used where possible. Hydraulic hoses are kept short for easier replacement. As a safety feature, all hoses on the lift cylinders have load burst check valves. If a hose should break, it locks the oil in the cylinders.
The machine is a heavy steel construction, and at the back, a heavy gauge hood protects the engine. Fenders are all metal. With a sturdy structure in mind, a number of JCB products incorporate bolt-on steps. If the step is crushed, a new one can be purchased separately. The machine features a powder-coat paint finish.
The operator compartment can be accessed from both sides of the machine, and lift, tilt, and side-shift are operated via three standard control levers. A fourth valve for auxiliary hydraulics is available. The brake pedal is used as the service brake, declutch, and disconnect for the four-speed synchro-shuttle transmission. It will allow you to keep the machine in gear, clutch the machine, and rev the engine to work the mast quicker. A fixed vinyl seat with a 3-inch seatbelt is standard.
The Showcase unit was a canopy machine, but an enclosed cab with heater and air conditioning are options. The canopy cab can be converted to an enclosed cab with heater in the fi eld. The cab is made up almost entirely of flat glass, which is not proprietary to JCB, making it easy to have replacement glass cut. A rubber mat on the cab fl oor makes it easy to clean. The JCB features work lights as standard, and an optional road light kit features headlights, turn signals, brake lights, and a reversing light.
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