Hello to all from a new member, I have just recently bought a Cat 304 c cr with 2700 hrs, for farm use, unit seems to operate well, have changed all fluids and added a new seat, the next step I am researching is find an affordable hyd thumb for brush and such, any info would be greatly apricated as far as the best place to find a thumb and any other wisdom anyone would care to pass on, I have no experience on const. equip. other than many years using farm equip.
Only thing I might suggest is do not buy a TAG thumb! My Takeuchi has one from factory and it's not useless, but is as close as a thumb can be in my opinion. It needs more curvature at the end where you should be picking up logs. I may try to redesign it to get it more to my liking.
I would consider Werk Brau and PSM.
Thanks for the replies, I will definitely mark TAG off my list and look into the Werk Brau and PMS
I have two machines with TAG thumbs. They seem pretty good to me. I haven't tried any other brand really with a watchful eye, so I don't know if there is much difference. What I do know is that the thumb can work quite differently depending on what buckets you have on your machine, the object you're picking up, your skill at using the thumb and how big a machine you have vs the object. Grabbing items is not as simple as reaching over to grab it. You may need to select the right bucket, move the machine closer or further away from the object, adjust the arm angle, grab the item from the sides, grab the items by clawing a bit under the object, or curling the bucket under the object, etc. I do rockery and landscape construction for a living, and have thumbs on my three mini excavators. Also, note, you can adjust the thumb to fit the object, then close the bucket
My reply is only my opinion, but since I use my TB260 as much for loading and moving logs as for excavating, the difficulty in handling fairly large logs (24+ inches in diameter) slants my opinion to the negative. The thumb needs more curvature near the end where logs are contacted to lift. I intend to try to modify the thumb to better suit my needs.
I hate those thumbs like Tag that have such a straight design. The best Progressive Link Thumb I had found was HPF. Unfortunately they sold their operation in Washington. I have had three of them and they are very heavy, the perfect (in my mind) teeth curvature design. I think PSM has a very similar design. I helped a buddy find a thumb for his Taki TB257, and he is going with WB simply because the dealer is closer than PSM. WB has an altered design that you buy beyond what you see on their website with more curvature. It is also PRO link. I am a bit OCD on thumb design, because it make a huge difference in productivity. Here is one example. A couple years ago I was working with another contractor on a large concrete demo project for DOE. I couldn't get my Taki 257 back on the job when they needed it so they rented a 305.5 with a direct link Amulet thumb that Cat had as a rental. After a half a day they parked it and had Cat come and get it. They saw for themselves what difference the thumb made in production compared to the HPF PRO link thumb. This is also the guy I had helped getting a thumb for his new machine. Sometimes to understand the differences and benefits of a different design you need to experience it yourself.
Well I've never tried any other thumb that seemed a lot better, but I also have not been on that many different brands of machines. But I have often thought about getting a grapple attachment to not only grab better, but also align better. And I sure have dropped things when I didn't want to damaging driveways, roads, the bed of the truck, and dropping items down hills and then having to set up some chains to pull it back up. I also hate the TAG bucket quick connect. Would love a hydraulic connect system.
Taki uses Strickland hyd couplers on their machines as an option. I have one on my Taki 257 and I one on my Link Belt. I like it in both applications. Sure beats manual couplers. The teeth on the thumb should align with the bucket. I have four tine teeth on my HPF thumb, and it interlocks with my 2' Werk Brau bucket. It doesn't interlock with any other size bucket.
I'd look into Werk Brau, I've had good luck with their products. Regardless, you really need a thumb/bucket/quick coupler that are all made to work together. I also echo the others comments on the shape of the thumb, a flat profile does not work well.
Ok guys, school me on this. I've heard progressive thumbs are very good. Is that the same as just a more curved thumb? When you say curved, is that more of curved at the very bottom of the thumb, or more like the whole thumb? When picking up objects, the item is sometimes grabbed by the whole thing, like a two foot dia log or the concrete as seen in my image above. In the image attached, I'm grabbing concrete with just clamping force. Will a curve thumb or progressive thumb be better for that type of grab. Two things to bring up. The clamping force on the thumb. The other thing is aftermarket welding on a non OEM thumb to the stick. This is the liability of the thumb not installed correctly, and the other one as seen in this forum of stress cracks around the weld. My TB240 came with the thumb, but my TB153 did not. The Takeuchi dealer welded it on. If you saw the welding, you would have thought it was done by a non professional welder. I actually made them re-weld/add more welding to it.
These guys look like they make a solid pin-on thumb for a fair price: https://www.bedrockattachments.com/...-fits-cat-303-5-3043-304-5-40mm-pin-excavator I would expect to spend at least $1500-2000 for a decent thumb that ain't gonna bend and break the first time you use it. I recently added a thumb to my komatsu pc35mr-2. Unfortunately it uses 35mm pins and bedrock doesn't make thumbs for 35mm. I ended up buying an oem deere 27d thumb kit for about $1800, it fit perfectly (I also added a 27d wedge lock coupler).
Thanks for all the info it really helps someone like me that is new owner of this machine. One particular thumb I have looked at is made by Showtime fabrication it is a complete turnkey bolt on thumb for $2310 with free shipping, does anyone have any experience this this company.
Progressive thumbs have a linkage that connects the cylinder to the bucket. This allows the thumb to travel much further and aids in grabbing objects further from you. Very much the preffered type, but more costly as well.
I have a 304C CR as well.. I got it from Finning here in canada and they use EFI brand thumbs.. very happy with it.. I'm curious what you intend to do for controlling it? do you already have a rocker switch on the right joystick and is your unit plumbed for a thumb already?
Hello, I am glad to meet someone else that owns a 304c cr, mine is 2009 I have just gotten it and changed all the fluids, so far no problem with it at all had to replace the seat and it needs tracks may get those after I find a thumb. Yes my joystick has the rocker switch and is plumbed already. Let me know what problems you encounter with your 304, how many hours are on it.
sent you a message with my email gladly give you my thoughts