Can someone tell me what all is involved to install auxiliary hydraulics on an EX200-2 to run a thumb? Is this already build into the valve block and just needs to be plumbed, or is this something very complicated and expensive? I am looking at a couple of Hitachi's right now and once I buy one I really want to add a hydraulic thumb. I got spoiled really bad clearing property with a Cat 323F rental with a progressive link hydraulic thumb. I have a lot more clearing to do and can see the productivity of the hydraulic thumb and the progressive link..... Also, I want to control the thumb with thumb buttons on the right joystick.... Thanks
does it have an empty section of valve in there already? does it have a foot pedal or thumb buttons in it already? your best bet is to find one that has a lines group on it already for a 2way attachement. (breaker kit is only one way flow) unless you can find a clean straight machine and have some money left over to install an aux valve section, lines group, eletric over hyd control and lastly the pro-link thumb.
I have not seen the machine yet and have not gotten clear pictures of the valve body. I was hoping that someone with a EX200 would chime in on how the valve body was configured and if there was an empty section. It does not have a foot pedal and I have not seen clear enough pictures in the cab to see the top of the joystick handles. I will continue looking for schematics of the EX200-2 control valve configuration.
All EX and ZX model Hitachis have an extra spool that you can run the thumb off. It's a fairly simple job to plumb it up and install a new handle on the joystick.