THE LM5030 is the latest addition to New Hollands range of compact telehandlers. James Rickard puts it through its paces.

New Holland’s new LM5030 telehandler, launched at this year’s Royal Welsh Show, is aimed squarely at small to medium livestock farms.

Along with its smaller stable mate, the LM5020, round off the bottom of New Holland’s range of telehandlers. Product specialist Steven Basnett says he expects the LM5030 to be a big seller for New Holland, so how does it perform?

The machine we tested was a low specification LM5030 Delta with only its hydraulic lock carrier being specified from the options list. Powered by a mechanically governed 4.4 litre 101hp stage 3a Perkins engine, it has lift capacity of 2.8 tonnes. Its overall dimensions, excluding attachment, are 4.7m long, by 2m wide, by 2m high, which proved to be useful in our test around a tight Cheshire farmyard.

In-cab, the 5030 is fairly roomy for a compact telehandler. Even tall operators should have no problems fitting in. Its controls are simple and predictable too, which makes this machine very easy to just jump on and drive.

Boom functions

All boom functions are controlled via the right-hand joy-stick, which now incorporates a dead-man’s switch which must be depressed to activate any function. This is due to recent legislation changes.

Changes also include a system designed to prevent forward tipping from over-reaching or excessive loading, says Mr Basnett.

Although this sounds frustrating, it did not impede general operation of the machine, and it would only interfere in extreme circumstances. For example, if an operator does boom out too far with a load, the hydraulics will lock-out at a certain point, which then need re-setting via a key on the dash.

However, a better system could perhaps be applied like Claas’s Smart Handling system on its Scorpion range where boom extension is automatically limited, but the operator can retract the boom instead of having to faff about unlocking hydraulics.

As for storage, the 5030 does have a small pocket behind the seat and one to the side, but they are not big enough to hold anything major, however this probably is not too much of an issue with the machine spending most of its time around the yard. But, a cup holder would not go a miss.

Instead of a split door, the 5030 employs a whole door with an electric window, which is far better and safer than having to fold back the top half of the door.

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