thumbs up for thumb?

[Buddyo]

I thought someone out there might have something to say about manual thumbs. After fixing a lot of leaks and doing a few repairs I am coming up to 60hrs running time on the toy. After the beans come off I have a lot of fence line cleanup ( prickly ash, buckthorn and small trees). I watched a lot of you tube videos on thumbs and think a 32" manual one might do, Titan has a 5/8 plate one that looks good. Anyone have any experience with thumbs?

I rip the stuff out and pile it in the field near the edge, let it dry over the winter and burn it in the spring. The 4 in 1 clam bucket worked well but with the thumb thing should go faster, if you add up all the dirty field edges I have it would be a couple of miles and I must remove about 15' of brush encroaching on the fields.

 

[bam1968]

No matter what you are considering, if you are even a little bit skeptical about it 'being heavy enough' move on to one that is built heavier or better. They can take a beating. Just my $.02

 

[Buddyo]

I agree, some are 1/2 inch and this one is 5/8 and built better.
Any tips on use from someone who has one would be appreciated.
Looks like most use them at a 90 degree angle to the dipper, I wondered how that hampered the use of the bucket. Can see how a hydraulic one would be better, but will not go that route.
On another note: since I got this hoe and worked the bugs out it has been a lot of fun, should have bought one 40 years ago.

 

[Oliver W D]

https://jet.com/product/32-Extreme-...y-Adjustable/f33f44e706e843a586af7f904c3cc6f4

Not sure if it is free to your location, I was going to try this one 15% off and free shipping.


I also looked at the lighter one \,...

 

[Buddyo]

Oliver:
I checked out that jet site. It is the same one I looked at on Amazon at 199. That jet site looks too good to be true 15% and free shipping. I think I'll stick with Amazon. Let me know if you have any luck with Jet.

 

[Willie B]

I put a manual thumb on my 580K It didn't work except a specific distance from the swing pin. My hydraulic thumb is much better. I can change the thumb to work best depending how far I'm reaching.

Willie

 

[Oliver W D]

Oliver:
I checked out that jet site. It is the same one I looked at on Amazon at 199. That jet site looks too good to be true 15% and free shipping. I think I'll stick with Amazon. Let me know if you have any luck with Jet.

I just saw it's 125lbs and the free shipping does sound pretty good, it's 15 % on first three orders so I'll let ya know how it comes out.

I do a lot with Amazon also just because they do stand behind what they sell,...

 

[bobbyblades]

its sturdy but i cant get the bolted part to stop shifting up when i grab too hard i cant weld .. i got them torqued down till i broke the sockets off but they shift up an i miss the hole to stow it

adds lots weight to the arm too

 

[Buddyo]

Willie: Is yours the Titan 32 inch? How did you plumb the hydraulics in for the thumb? Where is your source for hydraulics?

Bobby: Have you used the thumb for brush? I watched some youtube doing brush removal with the manual thumb, seemed to work okay.

 

[Grady]

Buddyo, One way is to use a diverter valve with an a/b switch that's tapped into an existing hydraulic line. I've heard some speak of tapping into the bucket curl circuit since the plumbing is handy but I would tap into one of the stabilizer circuits even though it involves more plumbing because then you can use both thumb and curl at the same time. The stabilizers and thumb aren't commonly used at the same time. You can use the stabilizer control valve for operating the thumb and don't need an additional valve or foot pedal, just flip a switch mounted in the cab.

 

[Willie B]

Mine is homemade. It's on an extend a hoe. They are very short when retracted. I was concerned that attaching it to the bucket pin would put undue strain on that joint, so I welded ears to the dipper stick. I'm half tempted to switch to using either the bucket pin, or the linkage pin further up the dipper. This would afford more length for a better quality cylinder. I have bent the first cheap cylinder, (it was a Prince, the most compact 24" stroke I could find) A local shop rebuilt with a 1/8" larger rod, and added a cross valve to move crush oil to the other side of the piston. This worked great until the eye snapped off the butt of the tube.

I used a third valve already on the tractor for four in one loader bucket. I would consider an electric selector valve offered by Anbo, or plumb power beyond in the return line.

These things are heavy. Mine has extend a hoe, that adds 2050 lbs to the transport weight. Part is better tires, part is an extra 500 lbs counter weight. A thumb adds hundreds of pounds. It limits lifting capacity, but most important, it makes things significantly more jumpy. Extra counter weight helps. My solution is a 5000 lb boulder I scoop up with the front bucket. It settles it nicely.

Willie

I believe brush is less sensitive for thumb position. Boulders was what I needed to move. My thumb has two hooked points that fit each side of the boom when in transport. Lifting a boulder it's important they be opposed to the bucket teeth. Lifting logs, or boulders I need to adjust the thumb position.

Is your dipper malleable? Don't weld to it if it is. If it isn't, weld two ball mounts either side. The pin fits through them, and the cylinder butt.

 

[Oliver W D]

I just ordered from Jet, 32" Extreme Weld On Backhoe Thumb Hoe Clamp 5/8" Steel Plate Assembly Adjustable, $199.00 + free shipping, plus 15% off for new orders, $166. My arm looks like something was welded on it in the past so hoping it welds right on. I'm ok with the manual setting as I'll be stacking logs and tree tops to burn mostly

 

[Buddyo]

Oliver:
Please keep us in mind and let us know how it works out, both the buy from Jet and the install. The pointy end on the weld shadow from a previous install looks an awful lot like a thumb mount that also uses the link pin for the bucket. What model backhoe do you have?

 

[Oliver W D]

Oliver:
Please keep us in mind and let us know how it works out, both the buy from Jet and the install. The pointy end on the weld shadow from a previous install looks an awful lot like a thumb mount that also uses the link pin for the bucket. What model backhoe do you have?

A John Deere 310D, it came from a local water dept. I've put rear tires and just the usual filters and fluids with good luck so far not finding much wrong with it.

 

[Buddyo]

Looks great! That weld shadow on the dipper looks like the footprint of a TRK thumb, they used a pointed end on the plate. Good luck with the new toy.

 

[XessReality]

I just acquired a 1972 case 580B and it came with a thumb, pretty heavy duty and seems to be plumbed into a manual switch on the boom that taps in to the bucket curl circuit. It seems you are meant to reach out and throw the lever when you want to activate the thumb... If anyone needs pics let me know, however it seems I need that functionality activated in my forum privileges... hint hint

 

[NH575E]

Any updates on install of the titan thumbs?

I ordered one for my 575e. Not sure if I need to reinforce the boom before welding the thumb on or just weld it straight to the boom.