JCB 400T vs JCB 4TS-8T Teleskid

JCB

JCB 400T

$103,000

4.6★ (20)

JCB

$112,000

4.6★ (15)

Quick take: The JCB 400T costs $9,000 less; the JCB 4TS-8T Teleskid has a higher rated operating capacity (3,999 vs 3,994 lbs).

✓The single-arm PowerBoom and side-entry door mean operators never climb over an attachment or under a raised boom - JCB claims up to 60% better sightlines than twin-arm machines, and the boom carries a lifetime warranty.
✓The 109 hp 4.4L EcoMax engine hits Tier 4 Final with no DPF, so there are no regen cycles interrupting mulching or grading work and less emissions hardware to maintain.
✓The optional Super Flow package delivers up to 42.3 GPM at a selectable 3,300 or 4,000 psi, putting it in true high-production mulcher and cold-planer territory.
✓This is JCB's biggest CTL ever - a 3,994 lb rated capacity and 12,544 lb operating weight built on a redesigned chassis and cooling system for sustained heavy work.
✓The cab is up to 33% larger than competitors with a heated air-suspension seat, 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and electro-hydraulic joysticks with ISO and H-pattern options.
✓The PowerBoom on this model contains 20% more steel for extra strength, and vertical lift geometry gives clean reach at truck-loading height with a 9'6" dump height.
✓MyChoice settings let each operator tune joystick response and drive behavior, which fleets appreciate when multiple people share the machine.
✓It's built in Savannah, Georgia alongside JCB's other North American compact machines, keeping parts supply domestic.

✗It's a brand-new model launched in April 2026, so there's no long-term reliability track record and early adopters are effectively field-testing year one.
✗The 123-inch hinge pin height is modest for the 100-plus hp class - Case's TV620B and Cat's 285 both place the pin noticeably higher for loading tall trucks.
✗At 12,544 lbs before attachments, hauling it legally requires a heavier truck and trailer setup than most compact fleets already own.
✗JCB's compact-line dealer network is still thinner than Bobcat, Cat, or Deere in much of rural America, which matters more on a flagship machine you can't afford to have down.
✗Pricing starts around $101,000 and climbs past $114,000 equipped, right at the top of the CTL market.
✗The left-side door is the only entry, so parking tight against an obstacle on that side locks you out.
✗Resale value for single-boom machines is unproven at this size because the used market for them is narrower than for conventional twin-arm loaders.
✗Getting maximum attachment performance requires stepping up to the optional Super Flow package - the standard 24 GPM circuit is ordinary for this class.

✓The 15-foot hinge pin height is untouchable in the CTL world - no conventional track loader comes close, so it loads silage trucks, hoppers, and second-story scaffolds that normally require a telehandler.
✓The single-arm PowerBoom and side-entry door mean the operator never climbs over an attachment, with up to 60% better sightlines than twin-arm machines and a lifetime boom warranty.
✓The 109 hp 4.4L EcoMax hits Tier 4 Final with no DPF, so there are no regen interruptions and less emissions plumbing to maintain.
✓It retains full hydraulic flow at full boom extension - up to 42.3 GPM Super Flow at a selectable 3,300 or 4,000 psi - so attachments keep working at height and reach.
✓It digs 3 feet below grade and reaches over 8 feet forward, letting one machine handle work that normally takes a CTL plus a mini excavator.
✓The 3,999 lb retracted capacity is genuinely big-frame CTL territory, not a compromise for the telescoping ability.
✓The cab is up to 33% larger than competitors, with a heated air-suspension seat, 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and switchable ISO/H-pattern electro-hydraulic controls.
✓It's built in Savannah, Georgia, and JCB's telehandler heritage - it invented the category - shows in the boom engineering.

✗Capacity falls to 1,878 lbs at full boom extension, so the spectacular reach numbers come with real load planning requirements.
✗At $112,000-plus to start it's one of the most expensive compact loaders on the market, and the price climbs fast with Super Flow and options.
✗It launched in April 2026, so long-term durability of the bigger telescoping boom is unproven and early buyers carry that risk.
✗13,000 lbs of operating weight before attachments demands serious truck-and-trailer capacity that many compact fleets don't have.
✗The telescopic boom adds wear items - slide pads, internal hoses, extension cylinder - that fixed-boom machines never need serviced.
✗JCB's compact dealer network trails Bobcat, Cat, and Deere in coverage, a bigger concern on a specialized flagship than a commodity machine.
✗The left-side door is the only way in, so tight parking against that side locks the operator out.
✗Resale is uncertain because the used market for large telescopic-boom skid loaders is essentially brand new.