JCB has updated its 3TS-8T tracked Teleskid, combining the company’s telescopic single-boom loader design with a high-traction tracked undercarriage and a rated lift capacity of 1,705 kg, or approximately 3,759 lb.
Built in the United States alongside the wheeled 3TS-8W, the 3TS-8T is aimed at jobs where conventional compact track loaders can be limited by lift height or forward reach. Its telescopic boom can raise loads to approximately 4.05 meters, or 13.3 ft, while providing 1.7 meters, or about 5.6 ft, of forward reach at full lift height.
For agricultural users, that combination makes the machine particularly relevant for stacking and retrieving bales, loading feed mixers and manure spreaders, handling bedding equipment, and working inside livestock buildings where space can be tight.
3TS-8T Lift Capacity
One of the most important differences between the tracked 3TS-8T and wheeled 3TS-8W is lifting performance.
The tracked machine is rated at 1,705 kg, compared with 1,483 kg for the wheeled model. That gives the 3TS-8T approximately 222 kg, or 490 lb, of additional capacity, an increase of roughly 15%.
The extra performance comes with the added weight and stability of the tracked undercarriage. The 3TS-8T uses 450 mm, or 17.7-inch, tracks that increase ground contact and traction while spreading machine weight across a larger surface.
That matters on farms where machines regularly move across muddy yards, loose material, wet ground or softer field surfaces.
There is a tradeoff in travel speed. The tracked 3TS-8T reaches approximately 13 km/h, or 8.1 mph, while the wheeled 3TS-8W can travel at up to 20 km/h, or 12.4 mph.
For applications centered around a livestock yard, feed storage area or construction site, however, traction, stability and lifting capability are likely to matter more than maximum road speed.
Telescopic Powerboom
Both versions use JCB’s patented single Powerboom architecture rather than the twin-arm arrangement commonly found on skid steer and compact track loaders.
That design is central to the Teleskid concept.
The telescopic boom gives the loader significantly more forward reach than a conventional fixed-boom compact track loader. Operators can load over the side of trailers, reach farther into spreaders or feeders, place material beyond obstacles and retrieve loads without positioning the machine immediately beside them.
Maximum lift height with the boom extended is approximately 4.05 meters on both the tracked and wheeled machines, while forward reach at full height is approximately 1.7 meters.
The 3TS-8T also has a substantially longer wheelbase, at about 2.1 meters compared with 1.25 meters on the 3TS-8W. Combined with the tracked chassis, this contributes to the different stability and handling characteristics of the machine.
74-hp DieselMAX Engine
Power comes from JCB’s 74 hp DieselMAX diesel engine.
The engine meets Stage V emissions requirements without requiring a diesel particulate filter or diesel exhaust fluid system. Eliminating both DPF regeneration requirements and DEF handling can simplify operation for machines that spend much of their working life on short, interrupted loading cycles.
JCB also equips the machine with a reversing cooling fan. By periodically reversing airflow through the cooling package, the system can remove accumulated dust, straw and other debris from the radiator.
That feature has particular value in agricultural environments, where loaders may operate around hay, bedding, grain dust and other airborne material that can quickly restrict radiator airflow.
Power reaches the tracks through a two-speed hydrostatic transmission. Steering is controlled hydrostatically by varying track speed on each side of the machine.
450-mm Track Undercarriage
The 450 mm tracks distinguish the 3TS-8T from the wheeled model in more than appearance.
Compared with tires, the larger ground-contact area can improve traction and reduce ground pressure. This should make the tracked version better suited to loose soil, mud and softer surfaces where a wheeled skid steer can lose traction or create deeper ruts.
Its 13 km/h top speed means it is less suited to applications involving frequent longer-distance travel, but the configuration is designed primarily around loading, handling and confined-site work.
The tracked chassis also contributes to the machine’s higher rated lift capacity.
For farms, the practical choice between the 3TS-8T and 3TS-8W therefore comes down largely to operating environment. The wheeled machine provides higher travel speed, while the tracked model places greater emphasis on traction, stability and lifting performance.
Larger Teleskid Cab
The single-boom layout also changes the operator environment.
JCB says the Powerboom configuration allows it to provide a cab more than 30% larger than would otherwise be possible. More importantly, the lack of a second boom structure alongside the operator improves visibility, particularly to the left side of the machine.
Visibility remains one of the major practical limitations of conventional skid steer loaders, especially when maneuvering around buildings, animals, vehicles and workers.
The Teleskid’s design attempts to address that while retaining compact overall dimensions. Both the 3TS-8T and 3TS-8W are approximately 2.1 meters, or 6.9 ft, high.
Side-Door Cab Access
JCB also retains side-door access to the cab.
This can be more than a convenience on a farm. Operators working with feeders, bedding machines or livestock gates may enter and leave the cab repeatedly during a single job.
On conventional skid steer loaders with front-entry cabs, the attachment and loader arms can complicate entry and exit. A side door allows the operator to leave the machine without climbing over the attachment area.
The arrangement can be particularly useful when opening and closing gates or moving between tasks inside livestock buildings.
7-Inch Control Display
Inside the cab, a 7-inch touchscreen provides access to machine and control settings.
Operators can select either ISO or H-pattern control configurations and adjust joystick sensitivity to suit the job or personal preference.
The screen also manages several automated functions intended to reduce unnecessary fuel use and engine operating hours.
These include settings for the reversing fan interval, automatic engine idle speed reduction and engine auto-stop.
The adjustable control response can also be useful when switching between different tasks. Faster joystick response may suit loading work, while more progressive settings can provide better control when positioning bales, pallets or other loads at height.
Teleskid Targets Farm Handling Jobs
The 3TS-8T occupies an unusual position between conventional compact track loaders and larger agricultural telehandlers.
Its telescopic boom gives it loading height and forward reach that standard compact track loaders cannot normally provide, while its overall dimensions remain much smaller than a full-size telehandler.
The updated machine is therefore less about replacing one specific type of loader and more about covering several jobs with one compact platform.
For livestock and mixed farms in particular, the combination of a 3,759-lb lift capacity, 13.3-ft maximum lift height, 5.6-ft forward reach, tracked undercarriage and side-entry cab creates a machine capable of working both inside buildings and around the wider farmyard.
About JCB
JCB was founded by Joseph Cyril Bamford in Staffordshire, England, in 1945 and celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025. The privately owned company remains controlled by the Bamford family and is headquartered in Rocester, Staffordshire.
JCB currently employs more than 20,000 people and supports customers in more than 120 countries through a network of more than 750 dealers operating from approximately 2,000 locations. The company has 22 manufacturing plants worldwide and produces more than 300 different products.
The manufacturer’s portfolio includes backhoe loaders, Loadall telescopic handlers, excavators, wheel loaders, compact equipment, agricultural machinery and engines. JCB produced its one millionth backhoe loader in 2025, while its Loadall range has been in production since 1977.
Recent published financial figures show the scale of the business: JCB reported record revenue of £6.5 billion in 2023, profit before tax of £805.8 million and sales of more than 123,000 machines that year.
Source: www.jcb.com
