Recently picked up a used JD 310SG and would like to add a thumb soon but I am seeing a wide variety of options from way cheap to expensive. We're plumbed up for hydraulics as previous owner looked to be doing some breaking and packing. What are some options and opinions on best thumb for your dollar? Not sure whether rigid of hydraulic is way to go and would like to hear some opinions and/or experiences. Company founded on Landscaping and recently getting into more construction work and snow with my background/education. Not as experienced yet with operating big boy equipment going from skilled hands on labor to management, to all that and in between now. Amulet seems to make a couple nice options, but is $2000+ normal for rigid or hydraulic thumb? They even have rigid option that is upgradable to hydraulics later if you want. Thanks in advance for your input!
First thing you should do is confirm if you have bidirectional hydraulic flow on the aux circuit. Hammers are intended to have flow only go in one direction, the return will be hi flow usually straight back to the tank. So easiest way to check is look where the lines go. Do they both go back to a valve? Or one to the tank? Next find the valve that actuates the hammer (by following the lines), get a picture of it and post it here. Now it is possible that it is currently set up to only go one way but that the valve that operates it is two way, just with one side blocked. Then all you need to do is route the return to the other side of the valve instead of the tank. That's all I had to do with mine. I am NOT a full time operator, I just use my machine around my place... but here is my opinion on hydraulic vs manual: I couldn't image using a manual thumb, if you search on here most people will say that hydraulic is the only way to go. To give you and idea of what is involved in installing a hydraulic thumb here is a video I made that covers the install on my JCB 212S http://youtu.be/cEjhr2V3GXA It goes over the hydraulics. Of course your machine is much bigger but the concepts are the same. On edit: just to add if you do modify the hydraulics to make them two way, do NOT run a hammer. I've been told that will destroy the hammer if you accidentally run it reverse flow.
My opinion says you would despise a rigid thumb on a backhoe. Backhoe thumbs are cheap. Probably.could find one for less than couple thousand bucks.
one mite look at Amulet i have one on my ford. it did take a little getting used to but it is head and shoulders above a rigid. i dont think it is as easy to use as a hydraulic but i like it.
If it's not a rigid, and not a hydraulic, what else is there?
It is mechanical, I believe it is called a hoe clamp by Amulet
Amulet makes some with a linkage that as you curl the bucket, the thumb rotates toward the bucket and it's like pinching something. I made my own version by making up wood models of the thumb and temporarily attached them to the boom and played around until the arcs and speed of movement were correct. Amulet was asking over $4K back in 2000 when I made it. Price has come down since then.
Hmmmm, my new knowledge for the day. An automatic thumb.
I was quoted a price of $2500 for an Amulet for my Deere 310c. It was attractive since it didn't require any welding to install. Couldn't justify the price for my usage though.