Construction Equipment Guide
470 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
800-523-2200
Mon November 14, 2022 - National Edition #25
For more than a decade, Holly and Stephen Ingham maintained 4 mi. of trails on their North Carolina property with nothing but a pole saw and tractor.
The couple recently decided they wanted a more efficient means of preserving the area. They researched several options before purchasing a JCB 270T from Company Wrench.
As inexperienced operators, the Inghams were looking for the safest compact track loader on the market. Two features set the 270T apart — its single boom design and side door entry.
According to JCB, the single boom adds 60 percent visibility compared to track loaders that have dual booms. The side door entry gives operators safe, easy access to the cab. Most track loaders require operators to enter or exit from the front of the cab by climbing over attachments or walking under unsupported booms.
The Inghams consulted Company Wrench Sales Territory Manager Will Byrd when deciding on the proper attachments to pair with their 270T. They determined a CID built swing boom cutter, 78 in. JCB general-purpose bucket, 78 in. CID brush grapple bucket, CID X-treme stump bucket and CID three-point hitch adaptor were the best options for their property.
The Inghams chose the swing boom cutter because it tilts up to 90 degrees with 8 ft. horizontal reach and 16 ft. vertical reach. This attachment's reach and tilt functions allows the Inghams to cut areas that were previously inaccessible.
After clearing overgrowth, the Inghams can use the general-purpose bucket, brush grapple bucket and stump bucket to clean up the area. The general-purpose bucket picks up piles of smaller branches and the brush grapple bucket moves larger logs. The X-treme stump bucket can reach more than four feet underground to easily remove stumps and roots.
The three-point hitch adaptor allows the Inghams to use attachments normally reserved for their tractor on the 270T. This means the Inghams can use their hydraulic log splitter on the 270T to cut firewood onsite. Then they can quickly swap from the three-point adaptor to the general-purpose bucket to transport large piles of firewood across their property.
Byrd personally delivered each piece of equipment and spent several hours showing the Inghams how to properly operate the 270T and its attachments. On their first day with the 270T, the Inghams cleared brush and overgrown limbs from a large portion of trails in less than two hours with the swing boom cutter and general-purpose bucket. This process previously took more than a day to complete.
Once the Inghams become more comfortable with the 270T and its attachments, they plan to sell their tractor. The 270T will be their go-to machine for grading their driveway, mowing pastures and unloading supplies, in addition to servicing their trails.
"It takes a lot to maintain our property, and my husband and I are not getting any younger," Holly said. "We decided to get the 270T now because we want to live here for the rest of our lives. This equipment is going to make it much easier for us as we get older."