What are the JCB 3CX Varients and a basic Operators guide?

[Slooby]

As a few may have seen me mention, in introducing myself to the Forum, a bit of 'man-maths' has resulted in me agreeing to buy a 1987 (on a 'D' so post January but pre-August '87 registration here in the UK) JCB 3CX Sitemaster, it's a 2WD model with Extradig on the backactor (is that the correct term?) and rather unusually a Qfit quick change set up on the 4 in 1 front bucket.

Anyway, I found this site while searching for a service manual for it, joined up, and after downloading all three of the manuals in the download section figured out by flicking through them that the '1400B' manual was the closest to my machine.

My next task was to try to get my head around exactly what I have bought (until it arrives next week I won't have the serial number, although I could ask the seller I guess) and how to operate it...and that is turning out to be a bit more tricky to pin down as I don't seem to be alone in asking on here about Operators Manuals which appear to be as thin on the ground as flying rocking horse beaks...



In researching what to buy, and then completely ignoring it as the prices all seemed mad for stuff with rotted out cabs and various bits hanging off, I soon figured out there are so many variants and subtle differences of what are all generically called '3CX': White Cab, Grey Cab, Black Cab, 2WD, 4WD, N/A, Turbo, Turbo 4x4 etc etc and that was just on the first gen machines that I think ran from 1981 to 1995 ish!

So has anyone tried to list them all down?

But even more importantly has anyone got a basic guide on what levers, pedals, switches and stalks do what, preferably with pictures.

The last time I drove a JCB I was 16 and it was 1989...all I can remember from that was that that machine (which had a breaker attachment, so I know is subtly different again...) was that it was a semi-automatic drive and the backactor controls were diagonal and therefore different to the 6 Tonne Midi Excavator I had been more used to operating.

Youtube has so far yielded videos where typically only a fleeting glance of the top of one control appears in shot...

My great fear at the moment is when I hope into my own machine, that I will have to fix, with my money, I'll promptly break something on it or nearby it while exploring what that button/level/pedal etc does!

All pointers gratefully received

[jcb4cx]

Rear levers work on an X pattern rather than + pattern , don,t jack it high of the ground , just level the machine and take the weight . give it some revs will respond better than on tick over , just pull less on the controls , trans dump pedal and button on loader , use only for changing gear , or the need for quick revs to up the loader etc

[Slooby]

trans dump pedal and button on loader , use only for changing gear , or the need for quick revs to up the loader etc

The what-not? The bit before I could get what you mean, but sadly I don't know which levers do what, bar the two for the backactor.

The only pics I have of my 3CX's cab interior are a bit small, and lacking in detail from the steering wheel and to the left:





So as I recall the two long levers in this image of the controls at the rear are for the backactor, but the two short levers I don't recognise (are they the jacking legs?) nor the pedal to the right.

[essexpete]

You will have the electric shift and transmission dump pedal/button. Allow the revs to drop before releasing to drive. I have not used your machine in anger but you may have 3 transmission dump choices. 1 on 4 speed gear lever and one on the loader control lever. The Jacks will be the 2 small levers. Place the machine in an area clear of obstacles and have a go. Put the front bucket on the ground and just ease the front axle. You can totally level the machine by use of front loader and Jacks. Placing one side of the front bucket half on a bank is not ideal as you tend to twist the loader. When using the rear hoe offset be aware of a heavy bucket full when swinging to the side the king post (slew post) is located. Do not swing a heavy load with the front bucket off the ground. When moving about best to tuck in the rear hoe for manoeuvrability and balance.
When using the front bucket travel with it as low as possible at all times. Turning with bucket in the air, particularly with a load and/or uneven ground can cause an upset.
The pedal at the rear by right foot will be extending hoe or extra service.

[Slooby]

Ah, ok

So I'm guessing from this pic, yoinked off an ad for another 2wd 3CX of '88 vintage:



That the yellow stalk with the button on the end nearest the camera, on the left of the steering column, is the gear shift selector and that the button is the transmission dump?

Are the two pedals directly in front of the steering column left and right brakes, and the one off to the right the accelerator, when driving, or is it all hand throttle like on our old MF65?

As for the levers to the right of the seat are they for the front bucket raise, lower, tilt and clam shell?

Thankfully bar the ditches and our rather large earth mounds everything around this neck of the woods is dead flat... The main snag is we won't get a low loader up to the farm and be able to turn it round, so I was thinking of getting the JCB delivered next door to what was the packing shed, when this whole area was fruit farms, but is now an industrial unit where we can easily get an articulated lorry in and out. That then leaves me to drive it about 100m down the road to our entrance, try not to collect the cars that no doubt will be parked outside the old farm cottages at the bottom of our track and then crash through our 5 bar gates to come to a shuddering halt in the farmyard with the phone line wrapped around the backactor

[essexpete]

Yes watch the rear hoe height wise.

[Slooby]

So it would appear that despite my initial concerns I do actually have a rough idea of what all the bits in the cab do then...Good stuff...

Getting rather ahead of myself I have been eyeing up some extra buckets (it only has an 8" trenching bucket on the back), a tin of Tractol enamel in the right shade of yellow, a tin of Tractol 927 cold galvanising paint (amazing stuff), weighing up getting some more ACF50 or possibly trying some Boeshield T9 to wipe everything down in to keep the rust in check, replenishing our supply of 15W40 oil, led light bars etc...

I did however buy 3 sets of these beasts:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181280163442

The idea being to bolt them on either end and side of the front clam shell to help with staying hold of logs, and on a rear bucket for the same reason

[Slooby]

Ok, maybe I haven't quite got all the controls figured out as well as I first thought...the button on the end of the yellow stalk is for the horn, not the transmission dump So what/where is the transmission dump?

I've got the serial number of the machine now, so at least can look that up against the service manual to look at the relevant sections. It is 325564/P/S, I'm guessing that the 'P' is for Perkins, and the 'S' for Sitemaster

[Slooby]

As part of my ongoing research, and to try and collate the information in one place after trawling through many posts in many places I've put together the following list of what I believe are the various lubricants used by a 1st gen 3CX, and where to source them from one of the cheapest places that I know:

Engine: 15W40 Mineral, 11 litres; https://www.smithandallan.com/products/ ... il---suto/

Gearbox: M2C33G, 18.8 litres; https://www.smithandallan.com/products/ ... f-m2c33f-/

Back Axle: 10W30 UTTO/GL4/M2C, 28 litres; https://www.smithandallan.com/products/ ... ion-fluid/

Brake Fluid: Hydraulic Oil ISO 15 HVI (NOT VG!), 1.2 litres; Try: https://www.westwayoils.co.uk/

Slew Gearbox: EP90 GL-4 or GL-5, 4.3 litres; can use either:
https://www.smithandallan.com/products/ ... gl4-ep-90/
Or:
https://www.smithandallan.com/products/ ... le-fluid-/

Hydraulics; HP Hydraulic Oil ISO 46, 118 litres – should only need to only change the filter and top up; https://www.smithandallan.com/products/ ... aulic-oil/

[gecko.cx]

My manual specs iso 15 for the brakes. (P7 3cx)
32 will work, but it won't flow as fast, so the brakes will feel less responsive.

For the Slew Gearbox, it's slow moving with straight cut gears, so not very demanding of the oil (I don't think it needs to be an EP grade)
90W is good, 80W-90 or 85w-140 is fine too.
Be aware the slew box collects water that needs to be drained or the water will displace the oil. The oil will leak out leaving water in the bottom.