When it comes to maintaining a top-level golf course, the JCB 135 HD is no handicap.
At Rose Bay, about 10 minutes from Sydney’s CBD, Woollahra Golf Club is a public-access course with well-manicured greens and fairways to rival some of Sydney’s best private courses.
Superintendent on the immaculately maintained grounds is Josh Kelly, and after two years with JCB’s 135 HD skid steer, he’s a big fan.
Reliable
The JCB 135 HD predominantly does duty loading the course’s top dresser, but there are times when it’s needed for tasks above and beyond the normal call of duty.
“One of our arborists got his truck stuck on the course,” chuckled Josh. “We used the JCB to help get him out of a difficult situation.”
The 135 has been in service with the Woollahra club for around two years, and the reliability has been as first class as the surface on the clubhouse green.
“We keep up with daily maintenance and servicing, obviously,” said Josh, “and it’s fine. It’s reliable, comfortable and a trustworthy machine.”
Aside from carrying heavy loads, the JCB is sometimes called on to level turf or waste areas, and Josh sites its capability in those situations as a particular strength of the machine.
“With the tyres on the 135 it doesn’t cause too much wear and tear on the surface.
You don’t really notice where the machine’s been,” he said.
135 HD skid-steer loader
The small-platform, 612kg-rated JCB 135 HD is the lightest model in JCB’s range. It incorporates the unique PowerBoom and side entry, and is designed for comfort, safety, economy, productivity and durability.
The 135 HD has, on average, 60 per cent better visibility and a 46 per cent larger cab singlethan its competitors.
Other benefits include:
• Ergonomic controls
• An extremely tough, powerful boom, and
• A low cost of ownership. Combined with a low purchase price, the 135HD offers exceptional ROI.
Operator comfort
The cabin of the JCB is a well thought out work area, with the operator’s needs at the forefront of design. The cabin holds a seat with mechanical suspension, a 12V charger, simplified, easily readable control panels and a mechanical, cable-operated hand throttle.
Hydraulic servo controls make handling smooth and intuitive and, all in all, the JCB 135 HD skid steer loader is a comfortable favourite with operators.
“It’s got the easy-access side door, which is handy,” threw in Josh. “And it’s very smooth to operate. The noise level isn’t too much, either, especially considering how much power’s on offer.”
All in a day’s work
The JCB 135 HD has safety as a major consideration. The PowerBoom single-loader-arm design means operators can enter the machine from the side, avoiding slip hazards, crush hazards and contact with the loader arm and its attachments. It also offers much improved visibility over its competitors, partly due to a low-profile single rear-loader tower and the absence of a conventional large rear torque tube.
The canopy front opening doubles as an emergency exit, the fuel tank is integrated into the chassis for added protection, and the hoses run through the boom to reduce the possibility of damage.
The 135 HD is also designed to be serviced easily. The engine’s longitudinally mounted for access to the drive belt and associated components, and there are 30 per cent fewer grease points than the average vertical-lift twin-arm skid loader. There are front and rear chassis clean-out plates, with a fluid drain point in the rear, as well as durable O-ring face seals on all hydraulic fittings. Service access is excellent through the full-width hinged rear service door and the lift-off cooler pack screen. The cab can be easily tilted by one person for hose access, and daily check points are grouped and easily accessible.
“We couldn’t do the job without the JCB loader,” summed up Josh.
See the whole JCB range at jcbcea.com.au.
