Bobcat 324 Thumb

[Pete F]

I can see the value of adding a thumb to the 324, but don't know how the genuine Bobcat thumb is attached to the dipper.

Would anyone have any pictures and specifics of their thumb, or at least tell me how they are attached?

Obviously I could just weld something on, but I try to keep everything as close as the original manufacturer's designs and intent where I can.

I have some other attachments I will fabricate for specific jobs waiting, so will add this to the list when I can.

Thanks

 

[Pete F]

Nobody has a thumb on their 324?

 

[melli]

Just google Bobcat 324 with thumb, and hit images...

 

[Pete F]

Just google Bobcat 324 with thumb, and hit images...

Yes, I have obviously done that. Perhaps you would be so kind to send a link to a photo(s) obtained through Google that shows specifically what I asked in my first 2 sentences?

 

[melli]

Haha...seriously?
'Bobcat 324 with thumb' - insert that into google, hit 'enter', then click on 'images'. Takes 10 seconds...

 

[Pete F]

Haha...seriously?
'Bobcat 324 with thumb' - insert that into google, hit 'enter', then click on 'images'. Takes 10 seconds...

Obviously I have spent quite a lot of time trying to Google this before asking here. I was not able to find any images that clearly showed how the original Bobcat thumb was attached to the dipper, nor were there any pictures of 324s with the thumb clearly displayed such that I would be able to fabricate a facsimile from those details. The only images I could find were simply sales shots from a distance, generally of the whole machine.

Rather than continuing to waste people's time with statements of the obvious, if you have seen images that ANSWER THE ORIGINAL QUESTION ASKED, why don't you instead demonstrate your extraordinary Google-fu by posting them?

Thank you and have a nice day!

 

[hvy 1ton]

Thumb pivots on the main bucket pin and the cylinder mount is welded to the stick. Needs a longer than normal main bucket pin to accommodate the thumb. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yrjZul8Bk94/maxresdefault.jpg

 

[Pete F]

Awesome, thanks 1ton. Is that an original Bobcat thumb?

From what I can understand, unlike virtually every other machine I've seen, the ears for the cylinder mount are welded to a plate and that plate is in turn attached to the dipper. I presume that's because the steel being used for the arm on this sized machine is really quite thin by heavy machine standards, and it would be easy to set up stress points that would crack. I wasn't sure how the plate/ears were actually attached from the photos I could, wait for it, Google (because, you know, I would never have thought of doing that), but it now confirms it is simply welded. The distant photos of the originals I, yes Googled, show the plate as Bobcat grey instead of white like the rest of the arm, and I wondered if it was therefore somehow bolted on.

Much appreciate you going to the trouble to help. Thanks mate!

 

[hvy 1ton]

Welding and fab work looks crusty to be OE stuff, but the geometry is right. A fish plate between the stick and cylinder mount wouldn't hurt. I saw several pics of what might be the factory thumb hooked to the bucket linkage pin instead of the main pin. Can't have much better geometry than a weld on thumb.

 

[Pete F]

Agree, the first picture you linked to doesn't look like any factory thumbs I've seen, but the only photos I've seen have been more like the second photo ie from a distance. That one definitely looks like a Bobcat thumb to me. You can see how the mounting plate is the same grey colour as the rest of the thumb, yet the arm is white. I wondered why they would paint that a different colour to the rest of the arm if it's just welded on, hence why I wondered if it was bolted on.

Since posting this question I've spoken to the Bobcat guys during a field day and they suggested fabricating a plate with ears and welding it on with runout welds at the corners for stress relief.

 

[Coastal]

Oe bobcat thumbs are a poor design, not quite as bad as the ones cat is putting on their minis, I'd look into aftermarket. You can tell they're designed by engineers who don't run machines. Lol