Airmaster

[grant]

Hi just wondering if anyone knows if there any other brands of tracair available nowadays I know there used to be the ford industrial the mf and international etc but haven't seen any of these for years and I was told yesterday that Jcb have discontinued the 2cx and as we're meant to be replacing our 2 54 plate airmasters my boss was asking if we knew of an alternative

Thanks

[Joes1989]

I think they still make the 2CX but only in backhoe config! Ive not seen a 2CX airmaster on tarmacking gangs for about 4 years!

[grant]

I read an article a year or 2 ago saying they weren't stopping the air master as it didn't cost any more to mount a compressor or a backhoe but the 2cx seems to be missing from the Jcb website now it goes from the midi cx to the 3cx and I don't think a midi cx would lift high enough to load a 6 wheeler I was told they were discontinued 2 months ago

[bigkit]

We've been moving some 2cx type things and new ones to. They all seem to have hydraulic breakers on now and not air ones. They say......! "health and safety, faster, safer, no vibration white finger, oh and its dry and has a radio........more appealing?!"

[grant]

I think we were meant to be getting one with a back actor for the tar squad and one air master for our squad but I was told they were discontinued 2 months ago I wonder if you could get the likes of an mf or newholland tractor with a loader and rear mounted compressor as I don't think a midi cx would let high enough

[jcb4cx]

i think you will find as bigkit has said , that due to hand arm whole body vibration and anything else they can think of is the demise of the airmaster
hydraulic breaker solves the problem for the big companies

[grant]

This is true graham we have a lot of hassle getting people to use the handheld guns we don't even have a breaker for the 3cx my digger is now 10 years old and I've had a breaker hired for it once we're meant to be getting a patch planer finally after years of asking which will save a bit of jack hammering which we can use to cut along joints etc

[jcb4cx]

This is true graham we have a lot of hassle getting people to use the handheld guns we don't even have a breaker for the 3cx my digger is now 10 years old and I've had a breaker hired for it once we're meant to be getting a patch planer finally after years of asking which will save a bit of jack hammering which we can use to cut along joints etc

i still have and use a proper Thor jack hammer ,no springy handles on that bastard ,some of the younger colleagues have a look of horror on their face first pull of the trigger

[bigkit]

And don't they roar Graham! I had one twenty years ago and the agent wouldn't let me use it 'cos it had no jacket.....well not until I put the fluorescent around it with a bit of rope!!!!!

[IBH]

I think they still make the 2CX but only in backhoe config! Ive not seen a 2CX airmaster on tarmacking gangs for about 4 years!

In the last fortnight JCB have updated their website- the 2CX isn't listed as a model nor is it in the latest backhoe loader range brochure- though one is pictured in the front mosaic and the attachments section.
A 1CX or 1CXT with High Flow hydraulics and the optional hand held hydraulic tool circuit might be an option though probably won't have the reach to load large wagons that a 3CX Pothole Master will.

Kramer Allrad were offering a two-tool compressor fitted to the rear of one or more models of the all-wheel steer rigid chassis wheel loaders - a few were sold in the UK, but I can't find them listed anymore.

I've seen blacktop gangs using skid steer loaders, compact track loaders (usually with patch planers and handling buckets), Avant Tecno loaders and even a CAT 906H wheeled loader in one case.