JCB set its sights on the landscape market with the Midi CX, a 50-horsepower backhoe loader with a two-speed hydrostatic transmission which debuted in April.
In terms of size and performance, JCB plans to use the Midi to bridge the gap between its 1CX and 2CX models. With a removable 10-foot-dig-depth center-mount backhoe, the Midi CX can handle a variety of attachments such as hammers and multi-purpose buckets, including all attachments from the 2CX, 803 excavator and Robot skid steer models. Jim Blower, mid range product manager, JCB, says the applications are virtually unlimited. The removable backhoe’s Category 1 three-point hitch makes the Midi unique, according to Blower. “The Midi CX is the only machine with a removable backhoe in our current lineup,” he says. The Midi is a four-wheel-drive, two-wheel steer machine that has 25-horsepower PTO under the removable backhoe. The optional PTO comes with a creep speed function, allowing you to set the machine’s travel speed independently of the PTO speed – a practical function when powering attachments.
The hydrostatic transmission delivers a top speed of slightly more than 16 mph, which the company says is eight times faster than comparable compact excavators. Four-wheel drive is standard, and the Midi CX features an anti-spill mechanism to help you retain the load when raising the loader. The machine has a ROPS/FOPS approved canopy, with a fully glazed cab available later this year.
At 8,000 pounds, the Midi CX can be trailered without a CDL. Blower says the machine’s size will be a good fit for different types of work. “The Midi CX is lightweight enough to be easily transported from job to job,” he says. “You can use the machine to fit in tight areas, and have a machine that can do a whole variety of jobs because of the skid steer quick hitch on the loader.”
The Midi CX will initially be manufactured in the United Kingdom, with production shifting to the company’s North American facility in Savannah, Georgia, by the end of the year.
