Freelance technical journalist Dan Gilkes put JCB’s new wheeled loading shovel lever steer system to the test.
Many wheel loader operations can, by their very nature, be repetitive. Driving into a stockpile, reversing back, tipping into a truck and repeat. For the operator that means plenty of repeated inputs, mainly twirling the steering wheel from left to right and back again.
Lever steer, or stick steer as some call it, is the most comfortable, productive alternative. Rather than using the steering wheel, many manufacturers offer a small servo lever to the left of the operator’s seat. This acts as a tiller, steering the machine left and right with fingertip control. The pod that contains the lever will usually also house a forward and reverse switch and a transmission kickdown button.
Factory Fit
While it has been possible to have a JCB wheel loader converted to Lever Steer, as an after-market option, the company has never offered the system as a factory option, until now. The company has developed a Lever Steer system that can be included on all 457 and 457 Agri models, along with any of the smaller 427 or 437 loaders.
The option includes a sidepod to the left of the operator’s seat with a short lever to steer the machine. There is a fingertip transmission selector, offering F/N/R positions and a kick-down button that drops the transmission to the lowest gear ratio for hard stock piling. The pod also includes the activation button, that switches from steering wheel to lever steering, along with buttons for the horn and the front windscreen wipers.
Reduced fatigue
This allows the operator to drive the machine without needing to take their hands off the levers, with the right hand working the bucket and boom control. It also greatly reduces the effort required by the operator, as there is no need to constantly spin the steering wheel from side to side, it’s just a slight movement of the wrist to work the lever.
The steering lever is proportional, so the further you push to one side or the other, the faster the machine will turn. With JCB’s lever steer it is possible to make very gentle inputs and there is none of the jerkiness that could be found on some earlier after-market systems. The transmission control is also well placed for repetitive stock piling and loading operations.
While using the lever, the steering wheel can be pushed forward, increasing the feeling of space around the operator’s seat. Likewise, if you move to the steering wheel, the Lever Steer pod can be folded back out of the way, making it easier to access the seat or to leave the machine.
If Lever Steer is specified, JCB automatically includes a three-point seatbelt as part of the installation. Operators may not realise how much they brace themselves with a hand on the steering wheel when turning and on rougher terrain. With no steering wheel to hold onto, the three-point belt provides far better location in the seat, boosting comfort and safety for the operator.
Weighing In
JCB is also boosting productivity for its wheel loader models, with the launch of Intelliweigh. Available across the 427, 437 and 457 models, the Intelliweigh Loadmaster 100 weighing system, can now be specified as a factory option. Offering both dynamic and target weighing, the system allows for multiple operator profiles and a range of attachment settings.
Intelliweigh can be used to load and weigh multiple vehicles on a site, using a split system. Individual target weights can be set for each truck, while maintaining the overall target weight for a contract. This allows for combined weight tickets, to provide customers with total material moved figures.
An on-board printer provides weight tickets for individual trucks from within the loader cab. The data can also be uploaded to a customer’s own in-house system if required, to provide live updates on production and machine use.
Intelliweigh comes with a 7” touchscreen display with separate keys for regular functions. It is compatible with up to 10 attachments, including a range of buckets and pallet forks and offers a +/- 2% accuracy rating. The touchscreen can also be used as a reversing camera monitor if preferred.
Enhanced Performance
By having both systems available from the factory, there is no lost time during machine supply waiting for third-party installation.