Head to head
JCB 270T against JCB 3TS-8W Teleskid
The JCB 270T saves $4,100; only the JCB 270T runs tracks, so their advertised capacities are not measured the same way; only the JCB 270T runs rubber tracks.
These two are rated differently on purpose. A wheeled skid steer is rated at half its tipping load and a track loader at 35 per cent, because the track machine holds back more reserve. So the capacity rows below are not a like-for-like contest, and the tipping load row is the closer thing to one.
| Spec | JCB 270T | JCB 3TS-8W Teleskid |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $75,490 | $79,590 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 2,723 lbs | 3,208 lbs |
| Rated at | 34% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 7,990 lbs | 6,418 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 2,797 lbs | 3,209 lbs |
| Engine power | 74 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | JCB EcoMAX | JCB EcoMAX |
| Auxiliary flow | 24 GPM | 24 GPM |
| Lift height | 125 in | 159 in |
| Operating weight | 11,003 lbs | 9,859 lbs |
| Lift path | Vertical Lift | Radial Lift |
| Rubber tracks | Yes | No |
| High flow available | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | Yes | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
JCB 270T
- The 4.4L EcoMAX makes 295 lb-ft of torque from just 1,200 rpm, so it lugs through heavy digging without downshifting drama.
- A 24 GPM standard circuit - bigger than most competitors' base flow - runs many attachments without paying for the 31.7 GPM high-flow option.
- The Hi-Viz boom design and low rear deck give a genuine 270-degree view, reducing spotter dependence on busy sites.
- The pressurized cab is one of the largest in the class with a 7-inch touchscreen, reverse camera, and adjustable joystick response.
- Vertical lift with a 125-inch hinge pin height places pallets and loads over high truck sides cleanly.
- At 11,003 lbs it's one of the heaviest machines in its capacity class, which complicates towing and turf work alike.
- JCB's compact equipment dealer coverage is spotty in parts of the US, so support quality depends heavily on your local dealer.
- Only one entry door on the left side means obstructions on that side can lock you out of the cab.
- The 74 hp rating, while torquey, leaves it giving up peak horsepower to 100+ hp rivals for high-flow mulching duty.
- Purchase price runs high for the capacity - you're paying a premium for the safety and visibility engineering.
- Proprietary parts and the EcoMAX engine are unfamiliar territory for many independent shops, stretching repair timelines.
JCB 3TS-8W Teleskid
- The 13'3" lift height and 8 feet of forward reach are unmatched by any wheeled skid steer - it loads high-sided grain trucks, stacks bales three-high, and reaches across trailers like a small telehandler.
- It digs 3 feet below grade with the boom extended, something no conventional skid steer can do, covering light trenching and pit-loading without an excavator.
- The single-arm PowerBoom and side-entry door mean operators never climb over the attachment, and the 270-degree field of vision beats any twin-arm rival.
- The 74 hp JCB EcoMAX diesel needs no DPF or DEF, so no regen cycles interrupt work and there's no emissions fluid to manage.
- Wheels make it cheaper to buy and run than the tracked 3TS-8T - no undercarriage to wear out - while keeping the same telescopic boom capability.
- The cab is roughly 33% larger than the class average with standard climate control and switchable ISO/H-pattern controls.
- Capacity drops from 3,208 lbs retracted to 1,300 lbs at full extension, so the boom's headline reach carries real load limits.
- Wheels sacrifice the flotation and muddy-ground capability of the tracked 3TS-8T, limiting it on soft sites and torn-up dirt.
- At 9,859 lbs it's heavy for a wheeled machine of this capacity, pushing trailer requirements up compared to conventional skid steers.
- Around $80,000 to start, it costs substantially more than conventional wheeled skid steers with similar lift capacity.
- JCB's compact-equipment dealer network is thinner than Bobcat's or Cat's across rural America, and the specialized boom really wants dealer service.
- The left-side door is the only entry, so parking tight on that side locks you out of the cab.