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Telehandlers

23K views 48 replies 30 participants last post by  Mags 
#1 ·
who has one on the farm. what is the make and model and how do you like it, any suggestion what you would like.
 
#2 ·
I have a JCB 524, second smallest one they build.
Rented it to aid in building a house, kept it so long it didn't make sense to give it back.

The building contractor had never used a telehandler before but they used mine everyday.
At one time I had considered a forklift but for what I do a telehandler is a far more versatile and capable tool.
I now have a bucket with a grapple fork, a bucket, and a forklift attachment.
They are extremely easy to learn how to run, people seem to catch on to it very quickly.

Don
 
#3 ·
There are loads of them in the UK, I would say 85% of farms have one, we have 6 JCB handlers for our straw contract, good tool, do the job, But I used a Claas tele last year and will do again this year and I prefer it. Manitou are also popular here.
We also have to do a test if you are using them of the farm or were the public could be.
 
#4 ·
I've run a CAT TH 62 alot the last couple years at a local feedlot. It has 8000 hrs and some age on it but it's still a good machine. In a feedlot setting I think it is an excellent machine. Easy to get in and out of and simple to operate. Not the most stable machine so you really have to be careful how much you lift and be aware of your boom extension at all times. This one doesn't have a pto so it really can only be used in one way. I think other models can come with a pto and I wouldn't buy one without it. On a farm I would look at one as a luxury item. On most farms a 150 hp fwa with a good loader will be handier and see more use.
 
#7 ·
I would say in high use applications RRRRUUUUUUNNNNNNNNN like the wind. In this area Telehandlers took off for a while then all the problems started, and not any particular brand. Broken booms, in boom hose and wiring issues, transmission issues, axle issues and on and on. Brands used around here ar JCB, CAT, John Deere, BobCat/Ingersal Rand,, New Holland and Manitou. None have any better luck than the others, now please note I said in high cycle applications like feeding at medium to large dairies of 1500 head + and smaller feedlots. They are great for a guy that loads his own hay or feed for his few hundred head of cows.
JMHO
 
#8 ·
We have an older RT100 cat. it does have a few issues but are fixable but never get around to be done. Dont know how a farm can function without one. If you move bales with one you will cry and cry and cry for not having one for all those years you horsed around with something else.

I would think jcb would be king of them all. however a Dieci, (italian made) marketed by degelman in canada and extreme in usa, is a hydrostatic unit and have unbelieveable features which puts them in a different league from the north american built units.
 
#9 ·
Harsh, realise that is your opinion but we have units where telehandlers commonly exceed 4,000 hours per year. They are the most used units on most farms and on the intensive units . chicken units they are in use from before dawn till after dusk.

What I think may be the cause of all the short comings you mention is the usual one - the nut behind the wheel. If the machines are operated beyond their design limits then of course failures will occur - it may be the case that folk are buying them then driving them expecting them to do everything and then some.

Like everything it is a case of training and familiarity - in Europe people have to have an operators training course for the machines and most farms have been using them since the 80's so there is a degree of feel for the machines.
 
#10 ·
Agree with you Tellarian, if they were not up for the job they would not sell in droves, and as Tellarian says its the NUT behind the wheel that controls the outcome of the machines life, So Harsh, what would you suggest we all use for materals handling on a day to day basis with the manuverability of a tele ? in my experiance the 2 machines that do some of the highest hrs on the farm are the tele handler and the sprayer.
 
#11 ·
We own an '05 Cat 560, if I remember right. Anyway it's the 11000# lift model with outriggers. One word comes to mind on how I feel about it, Awesome! We don't use it a lot but when we do need it, it works like a champ. Excellent a/c and heater with great visibility. Would recommend this model Cat or newer one to anybody.
 
#14 ·
I own a Merlo multifarmer with 3pt hicth and all. Awesome to work with and once you've tried it, you can't do without on your farm. We did had several issues with ours though. We bought it used and I think that is one big part of the problem. Biggest downside of the Multifarmer version is there are so many hydraulic hoses and it is so compact, there is often leeks because a hose had been rubbing somewhere. New ones are probably better for that.

The Multifarmer is probably the telehandler with the best all around visibility though which make me wonder even though I had many problems with mine, I might still change for a new Merlo one day as it works so great.

New one with boom and cab suspension are pretty sweet! Sale rep was telling me they are coming with a version with hydraulic couplers and Pto, no 3 pts hitch. That makes a simpler unit, cheaper and more room to work with than what I have.
 
#46 ·
I own a Merlo multifarmer with 3pt hicth and all. Awesome to work with and once you've tried it, you can't do without on your farm. We did had several issues with ours though. We bought it used and I think that is one big part of the problem. Biggest downside of the Multifarmer version is there are so many hydraulic hoses and it is so compact, there is often leeks because a hose had been rubbing somewhere. New ones are probably better for that.

The Multifarmer is probably the telehandler with the best all around visibility though which make me wonder even though I had many problems with mine, I might still change for a new Merlo one day as it works so great.

New one with boom and cab suspension are pretty sweet! Sale rep was telling me they are coming with a version with hydraulic couplers and Pto, no 3 pts hitch. That makes a simpler unit, cheaper and more room to work with than what I have.
Was wondering how they would work pushing snow- does bucket float very well- doing yards etc?
 
#15 ·
We have a mustang ml 53 which is a rebadged Kramer it is a hybrid between a pay loader and a telehandler works well and is compact. we have rented other bigger units and they are nice. We rented a 844 gehl to cover silage piles and that made short work of it. For normal loading a skidsteer or payloader depending on the job s the tool of choice. I am not a fan of a loader on a tractor all we use one for is hauling bales when we use a trailer we do no bucket work with the tractor
 
#17 ·
We have a cat mh55, it's the smallest one they make. We love it, can't imagine not having it around and using a tractor now . It has 1000 hours on it and has been mostly trouble free, the hood latching system is junk but other than that it's been great. This on a grain farm, and excavating business, no livestock.
 
#20 ·
my advice don't buy one with out rigger right pain in the butt they are construction spec so under powerd an ag spec telehandler is 120hp construction spec one is 70 easy way to tell if there construction spec or not one are they turbod two the leavers are weird like up and down then side to side boom out the other is tilt

we run a jcb 530 70 turbo great machine we have jcbs for years never let us down we have run them im thinking 30 plus thousand hours between the 3 I no for a fact no more than 3 break downs between all them machines the first was water pump 2nd steering pump on the one we have now one tire
now I say that equals cheep to run if you ask me
I if a buddie borrows my jcb im bloody lost with out it

some asked regarding nh telhandler my advive run
same for deci
same for mani toy

first choice jcb
2nd choice cat
3rd class
4th merlo
 
#28 · (Edited)
I would try out a tracked skid steer, a few years back I bought my first one while looking for a telehandler. "C185 NH" I picked one with no cab as I thought it would just be a handy thing around the shop aside from my forklifts. It wasn't long and we were doing all of our loader work with it "we had 2 tractors with loaders at the time" everything from stacking hay to loading scrap, this year in the mud we found that if we dug our equipment out before pulling on it we were usually able to push or pull where needed we could get it out with just the skidder. We also have a GP planter we can set the pro boxes on so it even serves as a seed tender for us. It goes with the service truck most of the season, I like the CTL for its size, maneuverability, traction, flotation, great view of the bucket, ability to do things like loading scrap iron, tearing out concrete and tearing down buildings and not worrying about flat tire. I bought a 333e Deere and I can lift just over 6000lbs.

Just something to think about
 
#29 · (Edited)
It's horses for courses, but a skid steer is not in the same league as a decent, farm spec telehandler. Ours lifts 3.1 tonnes and has 7 meters of reach and I'd take a punt that you 333e would be huffing and puffing to load a semi (it couldn't even reach over the sides) with wheat as fast as I can with the Manitou. Never mind the myriad of other jobs we do with it.
 
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