Heavy Equipment

JCB 4CX-15: The World’s Biggest Backhoe Loader

JCB’s 4CX-15 SUPER operates like no other backhoe loader.

Updated on

March 20, 2024

JCB 4CX-15 SUPER backhoe loader. PHOTO/COURTESY

More than 65 years after British firm JCB (Joseph Cyril Bamford Excavators) pioneered the backhoe loader, the company remains a world leader in the backhoe marketplace.

It is therefore not surprising that JCB is today the world’s most popular backhoe dealer – selling as many backhoes globally as all the other backhoe manufacturers combined.

The company’s backhoe loaders combine outstanding trenching, digging, loading, lifting and material handling capabilities with ease of maintenance and operational simplicity.

A key highlight of the JCB range of backhoe loaders is the 4-wheel steer 4CX-15 SUPER backhoe loader. Touted as the largest, and strongest backhoe in the world, the 4CX-15 SUPER backhoe loader offers various performance, comfort, safety and efficiency enhancements that enable it to execute loading operations like no other backhoe loader.

The principal design features of the 4CX-15 SUPER backhoe are its four equal-sized tyres which deliver high ground clearance and traction, and the 4-wheel steer capability for superior manoeuvrability.

Standard apparatus on the JCB 4CX-15 SUPER backhoe include JCB’s state-of-the-art suite of automated features among them AutoDRIVE, AutoBOOMLOCK (joystick controls only), AutoTHROTTLE, AutoCHECK, AutoSTABILIZERSUP (joystick controls only), AutoSRS, and AutoIDLE. Optional AutoPREHEAT is available.

“The JCB 4CX-15 SUPER features a JCB EcoMAX engine, designed and built by JCB, and tested for 110,000 hours in 70 different machines across the toughest applications and environments,” JCB says.

Besides working seamlessly with JCB axles and gearboxes, the JCB EcoMAX engine delivers as much as 109hp (81kW) and 381lbf (516Nm) of torque at speeds as low as 1200rpm – for fuel-efficient matching of the transmission and hydraulics.

The JCB EcoMAX engine requires no Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) for easier and cheaper servicing. When the time comes to buy a newer machine, the JCB EcoMAX engine can be adapted to run on lower-grade fuels, which means they can be sold for higher residue values.

Still, on matters of economy, the JCB TorqueLock system is a standard fit on all Autoshift 4CX-15 SUPER backhoes, thus delivering savings of up to 25% on fuel and 10% on road travel time when matched with the optional 6-speed Autoshift transmission.

The JCB 4CX-15 SUPER comes with a 2-year/2,000-hour bucket-to-bucket warranty.

FAQs:

What is a backhoe?

A backhoe is an excavating machine with a digging bucket at the end of a two-part articulated arm. It is attached on the back of a tractor or a front loader, the latter making a backhoe loader.

Why is a backhoe called a backhoe?

The backhoe is usually attached on the back of a tractor with most types having a front-end loader at the front. It works by pushing the bucket into the soil and dragging it toward the machine. The term backhoe is derived from the movement of the excavating bucket.

What is the difference between a backhoe and an excavator?

The key difference between the two apparatuses is size. While an excavator is bigger and heavier, a backhoe is smaller. Excavators are used for major demolitions, mining, and other large-scale projects.

On the other hand, backhoes are ideal for small demolitions, breaking asphalt, digging holes, light transportation of building materials, light excavation, and other small-scale projects.

How much does it cost to buy a backhoe?

It costs anything between $50,000 and $90,000 to acquire a backhoe with a 14-foot dig depth (the industry standard) and horsepower between 70 and 90.

Larger machines with 15 to 16-foot dig depth cost between $75,000 and $110,000, while giant backhoes with 16-foot dig depth cost $110,000 to $150,000.