The TM range of telescopic wheeled-loaders has been a massive seller for JCB into the agricultural market across the UK and Ireland. Recognising a gap in the market between the TM220 (2.2t lift, 4.6m lift height and 6.5t total weight) and the TM320S (3.2t lift, 5.2m lift height and 8.14t total weight), JCB has launched the TM280 and TM280S.
In developing the new models, JCB’s engineers started off with a blank canvas - they set out a cab height of 2.59m and a new front and rear chassis, to ensure the machines would access older buildings with height and width limitations.
With the new design, the engine and transmission sit lower in the revamped, articulated chassis, which reduces the overall height to the top of the full-size cab, while the lower engine cover results in improved rearwards visibility.
Whether opting for 420/75 R20 tyres, or heavy-duty flotation tyres in 500/60 R22.5 or 600/50 R22.5 variants, JCB says its newcomers are up to 18cm lower than competitor machines, without compromising underbelly clearance. The machines are 2.1m wide, or 2.3m on the larger of the two flotation tyres.
The TM280 is powered by a 4.8-litre JCB DieselMax 448 engine with 109hp on tap while the TM280S has 130hp on tap.
The Command Plus cab on the new TM280 is the same as that on the TM320, with some marginal styling differences.
Engine and transmission
Designed for general duties on livestock farms and other rural enterprises, the TM280 is powered by a 4.8l JCB DieselMax 448 engine, with 109hp and 516Nm on tap, which is coupled to a full hydrostatic transmission. This comprises of an engine-mounted hydraulic pump feeding an axial piston motor mounted on a transfer gearbox, that distributes power and torque to the front and rear axles. This hydrostatic unit offers a top speed of 30km/h.
Meanwhile, for operators wanting more performance, the TM280S, features a 130hp, 550Nm variant of the same JCB DieselMax 448 engine. It comes with the in-house built hydro-mechanical DualTech VT transmission. This combines hydrostatic and direct mechanical drive efficiency. First launched by JCB in 2014, it still remains unique to them.
This set-up operates in hydrostatic mode up to 25km/h, and then switches automatically and seamlessly to direct mechanical drive, using a propshaft between the engine-mounted pump and transfer gearbox to bypass the hydraulic motor. JCB claims that direct drive eliminates the power losses inherent in a hydrostatic system, enabling the TM280S to sustain greater tractive effort at faster speeds in the field and on the road, with greater fuel economy than an all-hydrostatic machine.
JCB has added a new pick-up hitch, which tucks neatly into the rear chassis, so that it's away out of sight, to maintain a smooth underbelly when not in use.
New transmission features
With both of the transmissions, operators can select sharper dynamic responsiveness for shifts between forward and reverse, to suit different applications and driving style preferences, and also one of three modes selected by ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ buttons on the boom control joystick.
‘Snail’ or creep mode for powered implements such as sweeping brushes, root chopping buckets, bedding dispensers and silage bale feeders, separates engine speed control from the accelerator pedal, so that full hydraulic pump output is available while operating at up to 20km/h.
JCB says ‘Tortoise’ mode optimises both engine and transmission to help with repeated digging and loading cycles, allowing the engine to rev more freely to meet hydraulic load and oil flow requirements. It says that an adjustable maximum ground speed limiter exploits the best tractive effort characteristics of hydrostatic drive for short-cycle fork and grab work and re-handling.
‘Hare’ mode, which combines engine and transmission control through the accelerator pedal, aims to meet load and speed demands using the minimum revs for best economy.
It’s designed for general operations and long re-handling cycles, while freeing the transmission to reach the machine’s top speed on the road.
The free-roll neutral function removes hydrostatic braking, so that operators can roll up to a silage clamp face or stack of bales in much the same way as a loader with a torque converter. Cruise control maintains a consistent ground speed above 5km/h and at faster speeds responds to changes in load with more engine revs if necessary, such as when driving on to an uphill stretch of road. The TM280 comes as standard with a mechanical handbrake, but can be upgraded to an electric handbrake, which is standard on the TM280S.
The TM280 is full hydrostatic, while the TM280S comes with the in-house built hydro-mechanical DualTech VT transmission.
Boom and hydraulics
Both new models offer 2.75t lift capacity and 4.8m lifting height. The telescopic boom on the TM280 features the same cross-section dimensions and hard-wearing bronze bushes as the TM320. The 500-hour greasing interval is aligned with engine service periods, with all service points accessible from ground level.
The boom is matched to a 140l/min piston pump hydraulics system. The hydraulics also energise the optional smooth ride system boom suspension. Single or twin auxiliary services with a pressure relief switch for easier implement change-overs, and a 12V electric power supply, are available at the boom end. JCB Q-Fit, pin and cone and euro hitch couplings are available.
With the TM280S, JCB offers single or twin-line hydraulic trailer brakes, a simple clevis and captive pin, a Rockinger clevis 31mm or 38mm pin coupling, and JCB’s patented hydraulic pick-up hitch to the rear of the new loaders for towing trailers and other implements. JCB has also added a new unique pick-up hitch design.
The tidy piece of engineering tucks neatly into the rear chassis, so that it’s away, out of sight, to maintain a smooth underbelly when not in use. JCB says it also ensures the trailer drawbar load is as close as possible to the loader’s rear axle to maintain the best weight distribution. An under-belly camera displays the feed to the in-cab display to help with coupling.
L/R- TM280S, TM320S and the flagship TM420S.
L/R- TM280S, TM320S and the flagship TM420S.
Cab
The Command Plus cab on the new TM280 and TM280S is the same structure and layout as that on the TM320, with some marginal styling differences. It features the large curved windscreen with a full-width glazed roof window. JCB fits a rear-view camera display as standard.
The servo joystick that operates the boom and attachment movements has a ‘free’ button that can be assigned to selected functions. Operators can choose which way to scroll the auxiliary hydraulics roller switch using a dial on the control console that also regulates the flow rate from zero to 100%. Essentially, this means if you plug in the hydraulics pipes the wrong way, you can alter the function from the cab.
JCB's engineers started off with a blank canvass. Setting out a cab height of 2.59m and a new front and rear chassis to ensure the machines would access older buildings with height and width limitations.
An under-belly camera displays the feed to the in-cab display to help with coupling.
The TM range of telescopic wheeled-loaders has been a massive seller for JCB into the agricultural market across the UK and Ireland. Recognising a gap in the market between the TM220 (2.2t lift, 4.6m lift height and 6.5t total weight) and the TM320S (3.2t lift, 5.2m lift height and 8.14t total weight), JCB has launched the TM280 and TM280S.
In developing the new models, JCB’s engineers started off with a blank canvas - they set out a cab height of 2.59m and a new front and rear chassis, to ensure the machines would access older buildings with height and width limitations.
With the new design, the engine and transmission sit lower in the revamped, articulated chassis, which reduces the overall height to the top of the full-size cab, while the lower engine cover results in improved rearwards visibility.
Whether opting for 420/75 R20 tyres, or heavy-duty flotation tyres in 500/60 R22.5 or 600/50 R22.5 variants, JCB says its newcomers are up to 18cm lower than competitor machines, without compromising underbelly clearance. The machines are 2.1m wide, or 2.3m on the larger of the two flotation tyres.
The TM280 is powered by a 4.8-litre JCB DieselMax 448 engine with 109hp on tap while the TM280S has 130hp on tap.
The Command Plus cab on the new TM280 is the same as that on the TM320, with some marginal styling differences.
Engine and transmission
Designed for general duties on livestock farms and other rural enterprises, the TM280 is powered by a 4.8l JCB DieselMax 448 engine, with 109hp and 516Nm on tap, which is coupled to a full hydrostatic transmission. This comprises of an engine-mounted hydraulic pump feeding an axial piston motor mounted on a transfer gearbox, that distributes power and torque to the front and rear axles. This hydrostatic unit offers a top speed of 30km/h.
Meanwhile, for operators wanting more performance, the TM280S, features a 130hp, 550Nm variant of the same JCB DieselMax 448 engine. It comes with the in-house built hydro-mechanical DualTech VT transmission. This combines hydrostatic and direct mechanical drive efficiency. First launched by JCB in 2014, it still remains unique to them.
This set-up operates in hydrostatic mode up to 25km/h, and then switches automatically and seamlessly to direct mechanical drive, using a propshaft between the engine-mounted pump and transfer gearbox to bypass the hydraulic motor. JCB claims that direct drive eliminates the power losses inherent in a hydrostatic system, enabling the TM280S to sustain greater tractive effort at faster speeds in the field and on the road, with greater fuel economy than an all-hydrostatic machine.
JCB has added a new pick-up hitch, which tucks neatly into the rear chassis, so that it's away out of sight, to maintain a smooth underbelly when not in use.
New transmission features
With both of the transmissions, operators can select sharper dynamic responsiveness for shifts between forward and reverse, to suit different applications and driving style preferences, and also one of three modes selected by ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ buttons on the boom control joystick.
‘Snail’ or creep mode for powered implements such as sweeping brushes, root chopping buckets, bedding dispensers and silage bale feeders, separates engine speed control from the accelerator pedal, so that full hydraulic pump output is available while operating at up to 20km/h.
JCB says ‘Tortoise’ mode optimises both engine and transmission to help with repeated digging and loading cycles, allowing the engine to rev more freely to meet hydraulic load and oil flow requirements. It says that an adjustable maximum ground speed limiter exploits the best tractive effort characteristics of hydrostatic drive for short-cycle fork and grab work and re-handling.
‘Hare’ mode, which combines engine and transmission control through the accelerator pedal, aims to meet load and speed demands using the minimum revs for best economy.
It’s designed for general operations and long re-handling cycles, while freeing the transmission to reach the machine’s top speed on the road.
The free-roll neutral function removes hydrostatic braking, so that operators can roll up to a silage clamp face or stack of bales in much the same way as a loader with a torque converter. Cruise control maintains a consistent ground speed above 5km/h and at faster speeds responds to changes in load with more engine revs if necessary, such as when driving on to an uphill stretch of road. The TM280 comes as standard with a mechanical handbrake, but can be upgraded to an electric handbrake, which is standard on the TM280S.
The TM280 is full hydrostatic, while the TM280S comes with the in-house built hydro-mechanical DualTech VT transmission.
Boom and hydraulics
Both new models offer 2.75t lift capacity and 4.8m lifting height. The telescopic boom on the TM280 features the same cross-section dimensions and hard-wearing bronze bushes as the TM320. The 500-hour greasing interval is aligned with engine service periods, with all service points accessible from ground level.
The boom is matched to a 140l/min piston pump hydraulics system. The hydraulics also energise the optional smooth ride system boom suspension. Single or twin auxiliary services with a pressure relief switch for easier implement change-overs, and a 12V electric power supply, are available at the boom end. JCB Q-Fit, pin and cone and euro hitch couplings are available.
With the TM280S, JCB offers single or twin-line hydraulic trailer brakes, a simple clevis and captive pin, a Rockinger clevis 31mm or 38mm pin coupling, and JCB’s patented hydraulic pick-up hitch to the rear of the new loaders for towing trailers and other implements. JCB has also added a new unique pick-up hitch design.
The tidy piece of engineering tucks neatly into the rear chassis, so that it’s away, out of sight, to maintain a smooth underbelly when not in use. JCB says it also ensures the trailer drawbar load is as close as possible to the loader’s rear axle to maintain the best weight distribution. An under-belly camera displays the feed to the in-cab display to help with coupling.
L/R- TM280S, TM320S and the flagship TM420S.
L/R- TM280S, TM320S and the flagship TM420S.
Cab
The Command Plus cab on the new TM280 and TM280S is the same structure and layout as that on the TM320, with some marginal styling differences. It features the large curved windscreen with a full-width glazed roof window. JCB fits a rear-view camera display as standard.
The servo joystick that operates the boom and attachment movements has a ‘free’ button that can be assigned to selected functions. Operators can choose which way to scroll the auxiliary hydraulics roller switch using a dial on the control console that also regulates the flow rate from zero to 100%. Essentially, this means if you plug in the hydraulics pipes the wrong way, you can alter the function from the cab.
JCB's engineers started off with a blank canvass. Setting out a cab height of 2.59m and a new front and rear chassis to ensure the machines would access older buildings with height and width limitations.
An under-belly camera displays the feed to the in-cab display to help with coupling.
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