JCB has added a 9 tonne zero tailswing midi excavator to its rapidly expanding midi excavator range, to meet growing demand from customers across Europe. The 90Z-1 boasts a more powerful engine than the recently released 8.6 tonne 86C-1, with a larger dig end and increased hydraulic capacity to further boost performance.
Key features include:
- Increased productivity compared to a conventional A-frame excavator
- 30º tilting cab for excellent service access
- 500-hour greasing intervals
- Spacious operator cab
- Excellent all-round visibility
- 100% steel bodywork for superior durability
As with all models in the growing range of JCB midi excavators, the 90Z-1 benefits from a revised H-design undercarriage, robust steel body panels, a spacious operator environment and a powerful Stage IIIB/Tier 4 Final engine that delivers increased efficiency and lower ownership and operating costs for the customer. The machine is powered by a JCB by Kohler diesel delivering 74hp (55kW). This drives through industry-leading Bosch Rexroth hydraulic valves, Nachi slew motors and track drives.
With an operating weight of 9,733kg, the excavator shares the same width and height over the cab as the lighter 85Z-1/86C-1. The counterweight remains inside the width of the undercarriage, making it a true zero tailswing machine. The all-steel bodywork provides space for the more powerful engine, with increased hydraulic pump capacity and larger hydraulic cylinders resulting in superior bucket tearout and dipper arm tearout forces.
Longer digging equipment provides the 90Z-1 with maximum digging depth 4,153mm, a dump height of 5,420mm and a reach at ground level of 7,389mm. A patented reduced loss hydraulic system operates with reduced back pressure, eliminating parasitic losses, while this hydraulic system puts less demand on the engine, reducing fuel consumption. All hoses feature O-ring face seal technology and are colour coded for rapid identification.
Both models have a sturdy kingpost design with widely spaced bearings to prevent wear. In addition, all JCB midi excavators use a new graphite-based pin and bush design for 500 hour greasing intervals, reducing daily maintenance and delivering lower operating costs. The kingpost design, with slewing boom, is proving increasingly attractive to customers when compared to a conventional 13 tonne fixed boom crawler excavator, particularly for confined site access.
Digging equipment has individual hydraulic piping for easy maintenance and hose replacement. Twin auxiliary circuits will be available and operators will be able to programme individual hydraulic flow settings for attachments through the in-cab monitor, making it easier and faster to change between powered attachments such as breakers and grabs.
Comfortable Operator Environment
That monitor sits in a sturdy midi excavator cab, built in-house by JCB, that delivers greater space and increased visibility than on previous midi machines. It features flat glazing all round, for ease of repair. A revised heating and ventilation system, with optional air conditioning, offers greatly improved airflow throughout the cab, improving operator comfort and rapidly clearing windscreens in colder months.
The machine is available with optional FOGS guards at level 1 and level 2. It features ‘auto idle’ that can be set by the operator to activate after 2-30 seconds without using the levers. There are also two digging modes, including an ECO mode for maximum efficiency and a Heavy mode for increased productivity, tailoring the machine’s performance to the application.
The cab incorporates an ergonomic switch layout and a new full colour LCD display screen, with an additional monitor for a rear view camera. There is plenty of in-cab stowage and the machines come with a 12V phone charger and a cup holder.
Rapid Travel Capability
The midi excavators sit on an all-new H-pattern track frame, with an open design and sloping side frames for easy cleaning. The tracks, with longer frames, deliver improved strength and stability and can be ordered with steel, rubber or road liner (GeoGrip) tracks. Tracking speeds are impressive, at a maximum speed of 4.4km/h-4.6km/h, allowing fast repositioning on site and cutting downtime.
The machines also benefit from the completely redesigned dozer blade and arms. The blade profile has been optimised for smooth material flow and there is no requirement for strengthening gusset on the rear, allowing easy cleaning of the machine. Blade edges are angled to prevent damage and a four-way tilt adjustable dozer will be available as an option, all controlled with an electro-hydraulic dozer control lever in the cab.
Safest by far
The machines incorporate JCB’s 2Go hydraulic safety system, seen on the company’s larger JS excavators. In addition to the standard hydraulic cut-off that is activated by lifting the left hand isolation lever, the operator is required to activate the hydraulic system through a button on the right-hand console. This reduces the chance of operators working the hydraulic levers from outside the cab, improving safety on site.
The 90Z-1 is available with a twin-locking, factory-fitted quickhitch system, incorporating a flashing red LED warning light on the boom that indicates quickhitch operation in progress. The machine will also be available from the factory with a roto/tilt function installed, ready for use with a number of rotating and tilting bucket mount systems.
