cat 301.8

[ellrod]

One more question and I will leave you fellows alone This 301.8 has a thumb on it and it's great ! but I would like to make it hydraulic and I think I might have enough junk laying around to do that. I will have to plumb it for it but the connectors looks to be on the front of the cab so I guess it's buy & secure lines to the thumb cylinder. I would like to have another bucket 36 inch or anywhere around that but I have had little to no luck using search engine finding anything for this thing other than the cat people and boy they make their stuff out of gold I think. What else would fit it or do I just measure and look for the measurements ? If I could find a old bucket that was destroyed with the right hookups for the boom I could make the rest of what I need. A plasma cutter & mig welder was the best purchase I ever made One of my few resources is a friend that works at a place that sells steel:notworthy If somebody could lead me to a junk dealer that keeps buckets or things like that it would sure be helpfull and the closer to Tennessee the better. If I am about to run into something I don't know about while pluming the homade thumb in this would be a good time to find that out also
Thanks again for the help fellows and someday I will be smart enough to help somebody else that needs it.
Thanks again
Bubba

 

[strott]

As far as the larger bucket goes - as long as you make the 'holes' for the pins the same diamater as the ones on the bucket(s) which you already have (most likely 30mm) and the 'pin centres' (distance between the centre of 2 pin holes on the side of the bucket - when looking side on) the same design then the bucket should fit the machine and retain the same digging parameters as the current buckets. N.B: If you make the pin centres different than the standard bucket then the new bucket may lose its ability to retain a load at height or visa versa.

Here in the UK there are a few manufacturers making new/spare/extra buckets for most makes and models of excavator so getting a new 36 inch bucket would be easy!!!! shame it isn't the same for you.

Sounds as if your machine isn't piped for a breaker up to the dipper arm so as you said a bit of plumbing will be required - you may need pressure release valves on the thumb cylinder to stop the bucket ram crushing the thumb when curling the bucket to grab an item because the pressure release valves on the auxillary lines may be set higher than the pressure that your ram can stand upto!!

Hopefully somebody will be able to advise you in greater detail.

 

[ellrod]

curling the bucket to grab an item because the pressure release valves on the auxillary lines may be set higher than the pressure that your ram can stand upto!!

thats what I was talking about.. the little things I don't know can cause me much trouble. I would have thought of that just after the parts started flying or metal started bending. I looked around today for more junk and I have decided I might as well build the bucket. I have a son-in-law that owns a machine shop but I am dangerous when he turns me loose in it. The other employees just put on goggles & coats and start watching :LOLOL.. not really but I do tend to get in a hurry when I get close to finished and have been known to take a extra .020 off on the last pass or so with a mill and have seen bit's cover a pretty good area. Can’t help it, when I get close I got to hurry
Thanks again Strott and if have to build one I will post a pix. for our amusment ..

 

[ellrod]

Another problem !

Has anybody changed the bushings on the track expander. I checked and found them for $36. each so I ordered 2 of those and 4 bolts. Credit card got a $390.+ hit. I called and the old bushings were not available and I have the new & improved version at 147.++ each, I ordered 2 and the box came with the 4 bolts & 2 plastic bushings. 4 bolts w/nuts very cheap and the total was $390.++. Best I can tell I have apx. &318. in parts and the rest was getting them to me & tax & total weight was less than 2 lbs. Box was half the weight but they had to ship it a full 50 miles Anyway I am over the cost shock & now figure I am stuck with them and wondering if a easy way to install them exist. I have a plan but might not be a good one. If any one has changed these things before any help here would be great:notworthy
Fellows thanks again in advance.
Bubba