1.5 tonne dumper

[GazCro]

This is exactly why I chose the 1.5t for me. Its also a lot more compact than a 2/3t as its built on the same chassis as a 1t skip loader but with wider axels. I wont go over the decision making that went on behind the scenes again - its all listed in my members thread from page 13 onwards but as a refresh, this was Thwaites pricing as of May 2020

I paid £16k +vat for my 1.5t swivel.

Out of interest for other readers, dumper prices are currently,
£14,200 for 1t hightip Thwaites
£14,900 for 1t hightip JCB (with road lights)
£12k for 2t straight tip manual Thwaites
£17,293 for 2t straight tip hydrostatic Thwaites
£15,728 for 2t swivel manual Thwaites
£17,936 for 2.3t hydrostatic swivel Thwaites
£12,750 for 3t straight tip manual Thwaites
£16,600 for 3t hydrostatic straight tip JCB (with road lights)

These were the best prices I got quoted, the 2t manual Thwaites ranged from £12-£14,400 so it paid to shop around for some models. My 1.5t swivel only differed a couple of hundred between the 3 dealers I tried. And if you add road lights to any of the Thwaites its a £500 upwards extra. So that makes the JCB's more competitive but still expensive considering the name and resale value of Thwaites.
I would imagine Mecalec are pretty competitive but I don't like their dumpers - especially the swivels. Really odd shaped skip, so didn't get quoted on them.

Mec dumpers aren't that different from jcb they are both formerly terex are they not?

 

[GazCro]

Different ways to skin a cat as ever but it's nice to have a dumper the same width as the digger- especially doing footpath work and the like. I had a 3 ton on hire the other day and really didn't find much difference productivity wise - if it's too much for a 2 ton I'd want to jump up to 6 or 9. The real beauty of the 2 ton is the sheer convince of putting it on the same trailer as the digger- but probably not so much of a deal if running a 12x6 anyway.

Footpath work is the reason we went 1 ton. At the time old fella was doing a lot of national park footpaths and they were 1200 wide. I think some of the newer 3 ton (Thwaites certainly) are more like a 2.5 in size so you could easily go smaller for not much productivity loss. The reason i like older 3 tonners is as an all rounder they are bad to beat.

 

[Vinpetrol]

Update on the dumper front , I was keen on the guvnors 1.5 tonne but I wasn’t fast enough and someone has beaten me too it . . I defo want one that weighs less than 2 tonne that has hydrostatic drive so a heads up If any come up would be appreciated. I’ve also realised that my 2 tonne manual Terex will fit on my trailer reversed up and the skip turned so that’ll do me in the short term !

 

[Gunners]

Mec dumpers aren't that different from jcb they are both formerly terex are they not?

The JCB Terex deal ended a few years ago. JCB make their own range of dumpers now. Not bad machines either in their own right

 

[GazCro]

The JCB Terex deal ended a few years ago. JCB make their own range of dumpers now. Not bad machines either in their own right

Yeah but very much still based on the terex design they haven't changed much.

 

[Regy53]

Update on the dumper front , I was keen on the guvnors 1.5 tonne but I wasn’t fast enough and someone has beaten me too it . . I defo want one that weighs less than 2 tonne that has hydrostatic drive so a heads up If any come up would be appreciated. I’ve also realised that my 2 tonne manual Terex will fit on my trailer reversed up and the skip turned so that’ll do me in the short term !

Typical of the market place. As we spoke yesterday somebody else called and spoke with a colleague, a 5 second call, is it still available.

Today the phone went and it was a finance broker asking me for a email to send invoice instructions. In a way as easy as that but sad for @Vinpetrol

 

[Vinpetrol]

Typical of the market place. As we spoke yesterday somebody else called and spoke with a colleague, a 5 second call, is it still available.

Today the phone went and it was a finance broker asking me for a email to send invoice instructions. In a way as easy as that but sad for @Vinpetrol

No problem Ross , I should of bought it without enquiring about trade in and then sold mine privately. I will be sharper next time

 

[Gunners]

Yeah but very much still based on the terex design they haven't changed much.

I really have to disagree with you on this Gaz. JCB have come up with their own design and across their range, have taken some of the good points from both Thwaites and Terex/ Mecalec. They are the only manufacturer to make their own engine, axels, gearbox and dumper chassis/ body. Benford - subsequently Terex were using JCB gearbox's for years, and then subsequently their engines in later models too. Thwaites only make their chassis/ body, everything else is bought. So actually I think hats off to JCB for getting it together and making everything themselves.

Don't misinterpret this post as a "JCB dumpers are the best thing since sliced bread" because they aren't, and from the ones I've driven, I would like to see a few improvements, but for a first attempt they aren't far off and considering the other brands have been making dumpers in some guise for years now, JCB have pushed the boat out in some aspects of their design and the machines are all the better for it. I am merely standing up for what is factually right and as a plant enthusiast, I cant allow you to tar the new JCB dumpers with the Tereblex brush!

 

[Vinpetrol]

I really have to disagree with you on this Gaz. JCB have come up with their own design and across their range, have taken some of the good points from both Thwaites and Terex/ Mecalec. They are the only manufacturer to make their own engine, axels, gearbox and dumper chassis/ body. Benford - subsequently Terex were using JCB gearbox's for years, and then subsequently their engines in later models too. Thwaites only make their chassis/ body, everything else is bought. So actually I think hats off to JCB for getting it together and making everything themselves.

Don't misinterpret this post as a "JCB dumpers are the best thing since sliced bread" because they aren't, and from the ones I've driven, I would like to see a few improvements, but for a first attempt they aren't far off and considering the other brands have been making dumpers in some guise for years now, JCB have pushed the boat out in some aspects of their design and the machines are all the better for it. I am merely standing up for what is factually right and as a plant enthusiast, I cant allow you to tar the new JCB dumpers with the Tereblex brush!

At the risk of upsetting my new Besty , jcb have some history with doing this and have gone wrong before when they’ve gone there own way. There also not the only ones to have done this in the past .
If the components are good and used widely then why not stick with them . Sometimes they are guilty of trying to reinvent the wheel

 

[6feetdown]

Maybe they have seen how volatile supply chains are and are now bringing more in-house

 

[Vinpetrol]

Maybe they have seen how volatile supply chains are and are now bringing more in-house

Personally I’d love to see them do more off this but only change to home built components if they are an improvement. I’d love to see JCB kit be revered the world over with a great reputation like they used to have for the 180s .
It is great to see them still going in the uk and world wide when so much British engineering has long gone

 

[Shovelhands]

Maybe they have seen how volatile supply chains are and are now bringing more in-house

If your talking about JCB then I have no doubt about it and who could blame them!
but with regards to dumpers, JCB have been supplying many of the major components to other brands for years. They are simply offering their own take on a dumper whilst using a lot of components that they have been manufacturing for years. They’d have probably done it years ago, but I think there was a gentleman’s agreement between Joe Bamford and Thwaites that JCB wouldn’t build dumpers if Thwaites didn’t build diggers…..

 

[Gunners]

At the risk of upsetting my new Besty

Never Vince, I separate business from pleasure, and this forum is strictly pleasure .
I don't think JCB have gone too far off the well trodden dumper path here with their range. The engines are well proven, the drivetrain is especially well regarded even amongst the hardened of haters! Yes, they went on a bit of a tangent with the hi viz range but have come back to what I think is a reasonable compromise of load capacity and visibility now. They also have really thought about how you access the engine with a cab on a dumper, something Thwaites have a lot to learn from!
Personally I think its nice to see a manufacturer pushing the design a bit. The Thwaites and Mecalec must have been hired the same designers who were in charge of the Defender and 911 for so many years..... The dumper has a long way to go, I think Wacker Neuson are pushing the boundaries with their range too, some very tidy cab installs on their new kit.

 

[GazCro]

I really have to disagree with you on this Gaz. JCB have come up with their own design and across their range, have taken some of the good points from both Thwaites and Terex/ Mecalec. They are the only manufacturer to make their own engine, axels, gearbox and dumper chassis/ body. Benford - subsequently Terex were using JCB gearbox's for years, and then subsequently their engines in later models too. Thwaites only make their chassis/ body, everything else is bought. So actually I think hats off to JCB for getting it together and making everything themselves.

Don't misinterpret this post as a "JCB dumpers are the best thing since sliced bread" because they aren't, and from the ones I've driven, I would like to see a few improvements, but for a first attempt they aren't far off and considering the other brands have been making dumpers in some guise for years now, JCB have pushed the boat out in some aspects of their design and the machines are all the better for it. I am merely standing up for what is factually right and as a plant enthusiast, I cant allow you to tar the new JCB dumpers with the Tereblex brush!

Everybodys dumper with a torque converter transmission is using itl/jcb transmission. Fair enough they may have their name on a lot of main bits but to be fair they always did with thwaites until thwaites didn't want to use jcbs engine. A dumper isn't a very complicated machine to build but it's easy to f up. I'm not saying don't buy jcb dumpers just that they are imo still largely the terex design as are the mecs. In any case any of the 6 ton and above dumpers post emissions regs tightening up don't interest me as much as a cab would be nice, 74hp just ain't enough.

 

[Old Operator]

One make maybe overlooked is Winget ( https://www.winget.co.uk/ ) I had a look round starting from auto trader to see what makes still exist? Present makers only Thwaites & the above seem to offer direct drive simple machines in the smaller sizes. Thwaites went synchro mesh on the clutch models a few years ago - a step forward indeed! The prices of manual vs hystat Thwaites units make interesting reading.
It crossed my mind that manual is easier to maintain / diagnose in a basic workshop. I owned a little Winget 1500 for some years, it was very reliable.

 

[Brendan]

@Gunners is yours also a high tip version?

 

[Gunners]

@Gunners is yours also a high tip version?

No, it’s not. I don’t believe they make a 1.5t high tip anymore?

 

[6feetdown]

One make maybe overlooked is Winget ( https://www.winget.co.uk/ ) I had a look round starting from auto trader to see what makes still exist? Present makers only Thwaites & the above seem to offer direct drive simple machines in the smaller sizes. Thwaites went synchro mesh on the clutch models a few years ago - a step forward indeed! The prices of manual vs hystat Thwaites units make interesting reading.
It crossed my mind that manual is easier to maintain / diagnose in a basic workshop. I owned a little Winget 1500 for some years, it was very reliable.

They look so old fashioned and still available with a manual start!

 

[Lancs Lad]

One make maybe overlooked is Winget ( https://www.winget.co.uk/ ) I had a look round starting from auto trader to see what makes still exist? Present makers only Thwaites & the above seem to offer direct drive simple machines in the smaller sizes. Thwaites went synchro mesh on the clutch models a few years ago - a step forward indeed! The prices of manual vs hystat Thwaites units make interesting reading.
It crossed my mind that manual is easier to maintain / diagnose in a basic workshop. I owned a little Winget 1500 for some years, it was very reliable.

Winget 2b Lister petter...surprised didnt sponsor cop26

 

[6feetdown]

Winget 2b Lister petter...surprised didnt sponsor cop26

Make a nice taxi for Greta