JCB 3CX

[tinbum]

Hi, this shows a bit about the quality, attached is a photo of my brand new machine at just over one month old. (Yes thats rust not dirt). This only shows 1 ram but 5 were going like this and one of the replacements also started to go like this. (They wouldn't even authorise the replacements of the rams, only the actual chrome rods).
JCB customer care has been absolutely atrocious. The machine has been in the dealers over 7 weeks in total and out of action for even longer. The last time it was returned it needed 3 gallons of hydraulic fluid putting in it to bring it back to level, the leak that it came back with the previous time hadn't been repaired and cable ties had been left off so hoses were rubbing on the new chrome ram.
The machine was delivered new with faults and with low levels of Hydraulic fluid and coolant despite it being PDI’d. The paint quality is terrible with rust already showing through the paintwork. I have always been a JCB man at heart but I am sorry to say that this once Great British company is going cheap and nasty but still expecting people to pay a premium price.

[jz145]

Nick, i've read about your troubles on another forum whilst doing the rounds. Sounds like a real big issue to me, i bet your absolutley gutted, shouldn't have this trouble with a machine a few years old, let alone a brand new one! Do you think this is just a grouse error with the production of your machine, or a much bigger issue in terms or the quality of machines being produced in recent times at the company?

All the best, take it easy,
Ashley.

[tinbum]

Hi Ashley,

Personally i dont think it's just my machine, i think it has just shown up because i bought the machine just before the Christmas holidays and so i didn't put it on site straight away as we have a 2 week holiday shutdown. I had the machine at my home where it was safer and where i was going to fit various security devices. The chrome rods were not all the same diameter so i can't belive they were manufactured together, besides one of the replacements started to rust. After having it happen the first time i made sure the machine was stood for a while to see if it would happen again. Chrome on rams should last probably 25-30 years as long as its not physically damaged. Our M reg shows no signs of rusting and that can be sat for a month + without use often.

I bought this machine tokeep for some years but it looks as if the old one will last better!

[Jeremy Rowland]

Chrome rams should last for years and years and years................ being as you have said that all of the rams are effected then this sounds to me like a bad batch from a single source supplier.
From an ISO Quality point of view there should be full traceability back to the original supplier who needs their butt kicking.
Also the fact that the replacements have also rusted just confirms my statement above.
Problems like this are firstly communication, the second that JCB started to realize they had a problem then they should of immediately contacted their supplier to find out where the problem is and to eliminate it at source.
Secondly there tends to be a denial that there is a problem, which is the Ostrich approach, just bury your head in the sand.
Thirdly there may be the proverbial back hander involved between buyers at JCB and the supplier in question.
If the problem is in-house and JCB actually manufacture the rams then there is a serious problem with their process which they need to look at and investigate.
As for replacing the whole ram well there is no need for that, if there is a problem with the chrome bar then thats what should be replaced.

Jeremy

[tinbum]

As for replacing the whole ram well there is no need for that, if there is a problem with the chrome bar then thats what should be replaced.

Jeremy

This is a brand new machine, would you seriously accept a ram that has been taken part and reassembled in a dealers workshop with all the contamination around and the damage to the paintwork on the ram. If you saw the quality of the painting the dealer has done on the machine you would understand. It looks like floor paint (and the none slip type)! If they can't keep the area clean for paintwork then i hold little hope for contamination in hydraulics. They originally talked about changing the rods out on site!!

These rams are manufactured in house by JCB from bare metal and the chroming is done in house, so no excuses on JCB's part. They (JCB) blamed the operator of the chroming machine- but i don't believe that for one minute. To me it looks like penny pinching- see how thin a layer of chrome we can get away with to cut costs.

[nick]

please can jcb come on here and other forums and tell us why they dont care about customers or their product after they are are sold and they (jcb) have the money.
nick............

[Martyn Henley]

This would never of had happened if Joe was still alive ..

Nick, it would be interesting to find out if others who have bought new machines at around the same time as you, have had this problem

Martyn

[jz145]

This would never of had happened if Joe was still alive ..

Nick, it would be interesting to find out if others who have bought new machines at around the same time as you, have had this problem

Martyn

Martyn, even though the company is absolutly huge now compared to the old days, i get the feeling that if he had been alive, this would indeed not have happend, or even if it did, im sure that standard of service would be above and beyond what Nick has received, possibly even a personal visit.
I do feel saddend about hearing Nick's problems, the JCB badge has always been very special to me, and whenever my father and i have ever looked at buying a machine, JCB have always been our first choice. Holt JCB in Port Talbort, South Wales have always been very helpfull, our at least they were a few years ago when we looked to buy an 8018, Demo machine 3 days after our initial phone call, had it for around 2 weeks, full tank of fuel and a a couple of visits from the sales man to see how we were getting on with the machine, an seens as we live around 60 miles away, thats no bad thing.

[Hammer man]

I`ll update my workplaces Bayston Hill topic later about the past week with my JS330,but i thinks its cost around £15k+ this week in parts,labour,2 days loss of production,& the problem is STILL there
If i get told to "break it" once more this week i will,beacause as far as i`m concerned,the JS goes,or i go.

[Jeremy Rowland]

As for replacing the whole ram well there is no need for that, if there is a problem with the chrome bar then thats what should be replaced.

Jeremy

This is a brand new machine, would you seriously accept a ram that has been taken part and reassembled in a dealers workshop with all the contamination around and the damage to the paintwork on the ram. If you saw the quality of the painting the dealer has done on the machine you would understand. It looks like floor paint (and the none slip type)! If they can't keep the area clean for paintwork then i hold little hope for contamination in hydraulics. They originally talked about changing the rods out on site!!

These rams are manufactured in house by JCB from bare metal and the chroming is done in house, so no excuses on JCB's part. They (JCB) blamed the operator of the chroming machine- but i don't believe that for one minute. To me it looks like penny pinching- see how thin a layer of chrome we can get away with to cut costs.

The ram should be painted properly and if it was my machine then I would demand that, incidently years ago now when I worked on Seddon Atkinson trucks there were many different parts that were changed under warranty but not one of them was ever painted, rightly or wrongly that was left to the customer.
Shame really cos it often spoilt a nice paint job

Back to JCB, if you have an axe to grind then don't talk to the monkey but get hold of the organ grinder...........................
I would visit the factory and not leave until I had made my grievance known to Sir Anthony himself?

Jeremy