JCB BackHoe Control Valve Rebuild Cost/Specialist?

[gmoon]

I am looking at a JCB 214 that needs the control valve for the backhoe rebuilt. It leaks enough that it probably won't last long, before the seals fail completely.

Any ideas about total cost? One shop said over $5,000, mostly because of labor and difficulty removing and installing the value.

Also both stablizer rams and the 2 rams for swinging side-to-side are leaking .. another $$$? each to fix?

[Mark.Rive]

Hi GM, if you have the time, tools and with a bit of effort you could do this job youself. That would save a small fortune.
If you look at this link JCB 214 3CX 1400B workshop manual
you can download the workshop manual for a 214. Then you can read through the procedures. If its not the right serial number breaks for you let me know and I'll see if I have the correct manual for you. I would say if you are at all hesitant about dealing with the hydraulics do not "just have a go" Cheers Mark

[gmoon]

Hi Mark,

My 1995 JCB Sitemaster needs the manual for serials pre-dating the manual you linked. Someone said it was 90+MB, but my searching has not turned up a copy yet.

If the tools needed to rebuild the control valve don't cost a fortune, then I would most definitely be willing to buy the JCB kit and replace the seals/etc. myself, but my local tractor shop (use to be a JCB dealer) swears that removing and re-installing the control valve is extremely difficult and constitutes about 2/3rds or more of the total labor cost. My local tractor shop wants $95/hour for labor, but hasn't told me how many hours they need to rebuild the control valve. I also need to reseal/repack the stablizer rams and rams controlling the side-to-side swing of the backhoe.

Without two incredible hulks helping me and special tools/hoists/etc., I am not aware of a practical method I could use to remove the control valve.

BTW, my closest JCB dealer wants $1200+ in just labor only for changing hydraulic/transmission/oil/antifreeze/axle fluids, greasing fittings and waxoyl boom. Does that seem right? The parts they listed that I could find online seemed within 5% of market price.

[gmoon]

I scanned through the manual for newer JCB (newer than mine), and the removal process shows the excavator valve assembly can be lowered straight down to the ground. The manual does not seem to imply this procedure is anywhere near as difficult as my local tractor shop did. Perhaps they have not done this for a JCB, and some other brands are much more difficult to remove the excavator valve assembly?

[gmoon]

Ah, I see your post in the other thread .. reading through the manual for my serial, it does not seem to have a section on "removal", only assembly/disassembly.

[gmoon]

Sigh, it seems the differential also needs more than TLC.
Rebuilding a JCB 214 differential is a 10, 20, or 40 hour labor size job?

Also, transmission has enough water in the fluid that the lab wasn't able to complete their normal analysis of the transmission fluid. I'm guessing that parts in the transmission are now rusted from sitting for 9+ months with water in the fluid.

Well .. spent a few hundred in mechanic's time evaluating it and lab sample analysis, but at least I haven't bought it yet .. sounds like I better keep looking for another loader backhoe with fewer problems.