Looking to add 2 way auxiliary hydraulics to my jd 490e excavator. Got prices from a few companies for the kits...lowest was 5k....not installed. Is it worth on a machine this size and age? Anybody know of a part break down of what I need instead of buying the kit? I have a feeling the parts are half of what I am being quoted.
What are you needing to do with your hydraulics? Are you adding a hydraulic thumb? This machine is very easy to add aux. hydraulics to.
Good day If you need detailed instructions post a hydraulic schematic to us Im sure we can help. Kind regards Uffex
Adding a 2 way...so I can run a hydraulic thumb or a breaker.
Do you want to control it with a switch on your joystick or a foot valve? To run a thumb with a switch you need a DO3 solenoid valve, A&B ports blocked, on a block with #6 ORB ports. The machine will have an auxiliary section in the control valve and the DO3 operates that. You will also need a handle with either a rocker or push button switches. Then you need to run plumbing from the control valve up the boom to the thumb cylinder. If you are also wanting to use a breaker then the line on the right side of the boom is usually used as a return line and it goes to either a high pressure 3 way ball valve or a diverter valve with one port going to tank so your return flow goes back to tank and not through the control valve. I hope this is clear, I'm sure I can find a diagram somewhere or Uffex will send something.
I imagine a foot switch with a hydraulic switch would be better so I can control how fast or slow the thumb moves? And a diagram would be great. I was quoted a price of 5k for the kit to do this. Im just wondering if it would be better to buy the parts myself. I don't know what their mark up is compared to shopping it ourselves.
Good day please see attached adding the extra circuit should not be so costly if you are willing to put in a little work, please see attached. Thanks excavator for the plug have a good day. Kind regards Uffex
Good day This may be of interest hope it helps Kind regards Uffex
I’m also trying to add a thumb to my ex120-3 (same as the deere 490e). The above pdfs helped but I still had a few questions. 1. If only using a 2-way hydraulic thumb does the return flow simply go back through the main control valve? Or do you still need some sort of diverter valve like the breaker setup? 2. I would like to have a joystick switch to operate the thumb. Is this the correct D03 solenoid? If not could you post a link for the correct solenoid. https://www.ebay.com/itm/D03-hydrau...814945?hash=item544e2cd961:g:3ScAAOxyxU1Q8JG3 3. Any part numbers for a good universal joystick with switch and wiring? Thanks for any help!
Good day Everytime5.9 1/ normal installations will have a direct line to tank for the hammer return and use a common feed for both hammer and thumb. The thumb will make use of the remaining connection to the main valve. 2/ You will need a double proportional valve and controller to go down the scroll button route or you could use one of the existing control circuits for the thumb with a button or switch. We can make specific instructions for you if you provide us with photo's of the valve house and a hydraulic schematic, normally your dealer would be able to Email this to you. We have worked with many installations such as your requirements and the help is totally free. PM me if you would like additional support. Kind regards Uffex
The valve you have pointed out is oK for a switching circuit however this will not work with scroll buttons it has to be a proportional valve these are more expensive way to go but you need to make the choice how you need it to operate. The valve also requires a sub plate an alternative which is straight forward is that of the attached.PM me and we can make the choice clearer. Good luck with the project
Good day We have updated some information made for a contact which you may find informative, the best help we can give is when you oblige with a hydraulic schematic and photo's of the valve house. Keep smiling Uffex
Thanks Uffex! Lots of good info to look through. I'll be back at the machine next weekend and I'll get some photos then. Thanks
Hi Guys, Attached is a picture of my control valve on the ex120-3. Also found some info on how the lines are ran for a breaker setup with foot control valve. But I'm not sure if i need all that for just a thumb. 1. I would prefer to use a "DO3 solenoid valve" that @excavator mentioned earlier with a rocker or buttons on my joystick. 2. Can anyone post a part number or link for the correct D03 valve? 3. Do i need the breaker style setup with a direct return line to the tank if I'm only running a thumb? Or can it hook up directly up to the main valve. Thanks for any help!
Good day For breaker you will require a direct line to tank for return for a thumb you will require two directional which means both lines have to connect to those blank plates in your photo. To have both options on your machine you end up with three lines going along the boom & arm- two go direct to the blank plates - one to tank - connect the two lines to thumb cylinder and have a three port two position valve for the feed to both thumb and breaker. May have some illustrations if I can locate those I will post them on. Kind regards Uffex
The attached is from Hitachi Operators manual it is another explanation of the same, you may well have a spare position for a solenoid valve on the machine indeed some machines have this as a standard provision. Kind regards Uffex
Hello there, I am installing a thumb on an ex120-2 and the main valve looks the same as Everytime5.9. What ended up being needed and what connections to get it working?
I planned to plumb the thumb where the block off plates are and use a D03 valve controlled with buttons on the joystick. 1. Do I need to add external pressure relief (as it does not appear to have this on the main valve)? 2. Do the pilot lines go in place of the jumper hose seen in the picture supplied by Everytime5.9? Chad
Good day 68 Your plan is to control the thumb by buttons on the R.C.V. that will require a reversing soleniod valve or two sepererate valves these will require relays to prevent the switch taking the load, note that will be an On-Off sytem (No proportional control) be sure this is what you are looking for as most operators prefer proportional control. Those blank plates are the main lines to use for an option such as thumb our suggestion is that and auxillary in line relief be installed to the positive side of the thumb to just provide enough force to retain material preventing overload. If you have a read of those PDF's posted it will give you a better idea of what options are open to you, if you need specific instructions drop us a line happy to help. Kind regards Uffex
On all the machines I have worked on proportional controls didn't show up on thumbs until probably 10 years ago and for the most part are not necessary. It complicates the system and adds costly parts for very little gain. I have also never installed relays on an electric thumb control system, until you get into something like a log loader which are switching constantly for hours on end they really are not necessary.
Thank you Uffex for the reply! I am unable to see any of the attachments that you post. Probably something on my computer.
Yes, you need to have reliefs on both lines going to the thumb. Either installed in the control valve or you can buy a relief block and install it in-line on the boom. Factory reliefs are the best way but that requires buying 2 from the dealer. The pilot lines to control the thumb need to go from the DO3 to the control valve, one to the top and one to the bottom. If you look at the control valve you will see small 1/4" lines coming from under the cab running up to the valve. Some models go into the front of the valve spool housing, some go to the top. There should be a plug in the spool housing auxiliary section which you remove and replace with a JIC fitting. Check the Deere parts site as sometimes the top fitting is a special fitting. If I have time later today I will look as I made drawings ect. for the thumb installs I did in the past. Are you in Poulsbo Washington?
Thanks excavator! I have never used relays either and rarely had switches fail. I have not used proportional control for thumbs and don't care to. The ex120-2 is new to me and I am unfamiliar with Hitachi/john deere so was unsure of how the main valve worked if there was any built in relief for the circuit I'm trying to use. Sounds like I need to get an inline relief valve to allow the bucket curl to overcome the thumb. Q; When the thumb is pushed back by the bucket will the main valve fill the vacuum on the other side of the thumb cylinder?
Good day 68 There seems to be an issue with PDF files at this time I to have had issues with Firefox not sure if it is but I found dragging the file onto the desktop solved the problem or you can download the file is on the web site free at excatech.org. I have taken excavators coimments on board and to a certain extent agree as I assume the comments are refering to proportional electric valves (Control by PWM signal ) proportional control refers to the normal excavator pilot control be it foot pedal or cross directional valve i feel it is correct to point this out and avoid misunderstanding. It is possible to control the thumb within the normal two pattern control and remain with proportional regulation the choice is yours. With regard to relief valves what is worthy of consideration is the thumb cylinder can generate high flow and high pressure on the positive side when the force has been generated from the bucket cylinder normal factory port relief valves are low flow high pressure not capable of offering the correct protection. Kind regards Uffex
Yes excavator, I'm in Poulsbo. I talked to JD yesterday and it doesnt look like there are provisions to add relief valves to the aux section. I think the other connections are straight forward enough.
Oddly, with my screen maximized, the pdf attachments are not present. If I minimize the screen the links to the pdf's magically appear! Thanks for all the information
I will have to look on the Deere website but I'm sure there are provisions in the control valve for reliefs in the auxiliary section. I'm about 2-3 hours north of you up by the Canadian border and I'm quite sure I have more than a few Deere/Hitachi reliefs lying around that would work. Other wise a relief block on the boom works, I'll do some checking and try to get back to you.
HI Excavator, I plan to setup a thumb on a Kobelco sk210 using the the DO3 control valve and a "universal" block /w A&B, P (input) and T (tank). Do I block off A&B ports on the bottom of the DO3 or on the block? What feeds the top and bottom spools on the sk210 main Aux valve? You mention using #6 ORB fittings and plumbing from the block into the aux spools..