JCB
JCB 215
The JCB 215 is a small-platform vertical-lift wheeled skid steer built around JCB's single-arm PowerBoom and side-entry door. A 74 hp turbocharged JCB by Kohler diesel with no DPF powers a 2,112 lb rated capacity machine that JCB pitches as small-platform size with large-platform power and hydraulic flow.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓The side-entry door means operators never climb over the bucket or duck under a raised boom - a genuine safety advantage no conventional twin-arm skid steer offers.
- ✓The single-arm PowerBoom eliminates the right-side loader arm, giving up to 60% better all-around visibility and far fewer blind spots in tight quarters.
- ✓The 74 hp JCB by Kohler turbo diesel meets Tier 4 Final with no DPF or DEF, so there are no regen cycles and no emissions fluid costs.
- ✓Vertical lift geometry with a 118-inch hinge pin loads trucks cleanly - strong reach at height for a small-platform machine.
- ✓An 18.5 GPM standard circuit with a 30 GPM high-flow option runs a wide attachment range that small-frame rivals can't match.
- ✓At 7,253 lbs it's light enough to tow behind a well-equipped three-quarter-ton pickup, unlike the heavier Teleskid and track models.
- ✓The sealed cab is quiet with available heat and A/C, and switchable ISO/H-pattern controls let any operator feel at home.
- ✓It's priced in the mid-$50,000s, undercutting comparable vertical-lift machines from Bobcat and Cat with more standard visibility and safety.
Cons
- ✗The single-arm boom still meets skepticism from traditional buyers, and some avoid it on looks alone despite JCB's engineering record.
- ✗JCB's compact-line dealer network is thinner than Bobcat's, Cat's, or Deere's in much of rural America, slowing parts and warranty work.
- ✗The 2,112 lb rated capacity is midpack, and operators who regularly move heavy pallets will want the larger 270 or 300.
- ✗Resale values trail the big four brands because the used market for single-boom machines is narrower.
- ✗The left-side door is the only entry, so parking tight against an obstacle on that side keeps you out of the cab.
- ✗Wheels limit it on mud and soft ground where the 215T track version keeps working.
- ✗Electro-hydraulic controls and electronics add complexity that's harder to field-diagnose than older pilot-control machines.
- ✗The 18.5 GPM standard flow is only average, and hungry attachments require paying up for the high-flow option.
Compare the JCB 215
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