As I mentioned in the other thread about relief settings I recently installed a thumb on my JCB 212S backhoe (JCB 2CX in Europe). I purchased it from Showtime Fabrication (out of Minnesota). Their pin on thumb was about 1/3 the price of what I could find local, even though it seems to have good specs. 3/4" AR400 tines, hardened pins, and made in USA hydraulic cylinder. They answered my emails right away and were available over the phone. I've put together two videos. First goes over the install: http://youtu.be/cEjhr2V3GXA It covers what I had to do for the hydraulics as well as fitting up the thumb. The second is me trying it out on some rocks (I'm a novice operator!): http://youtu.be/pUYcdUwdKjU Hopefully the first will be useful for anyone else with a JCB 212S who is thinking about a thumb. It's a fairly straight forward install since every JCB 212S I've seen already has auxiliary hydraulics on the hoe. The only complication is that the hydraulics are probably setup to run a hammer (one way). The good news is the valve and foot pedal operate two way. So just have to add one hose from the valve and plug another that goes back to the tank. Happy to answer any questions on it. This is the best picture I have of the thumb, that shows how it's made. Kind of hard to see the detail in the pictures with it installed.
Very nice, and timely for me. I just bought a JCB 215 with the extenahoe. I want to put a thumb on it but I think I will have to face some other issues. Your post and videos gave me a lot to think about. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Dan603, If I believe the extenda hoe on that machine has the inner part that extends. This adds a bit of a challenge for adding a thumb. But here is a video of someone who has done it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anhKIUMfHaE Looks like an AMI thumb they have created a mount for that moves with the extenda hoe.
Greg: The video is pretty good. I couldn't find much information at their web site unfortunately. My machine is a 1995 and I have had it only a week now so I am still familiarizing myself with it. I have been going through the manual to see what options I have for the hydraulics. I can't rule out a mechanical thumb that attaches to the bucket if I can't come up with a reasonably priced hydraulic thumb. I plan to move a lot of stumps, rocks, and wood on the old homestead and the thumb would be a pretty useful tool. Thanks again Dan
I went with an Amulet Hoe-Clamp on my 214. It has an inside slide and I don't know how you can use a hydraulic thumb, unless you only use it with the slide all the way in. I'm happy with the Hoe-Clamp.
Hi Dan, Here is a link to the thumb on AMI's page: thumb Here is a better video of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWRalsf45vU Another option is to lock the extenda hoe and use the thumb only when retracted, but that wouldn't be ideal. You'll have the same problem with a mechanical thumb that you will with a hydraulic with the extenda hoe. Most are designed for the mount for the link to be welded to the stick. There is however the hoe clamp by Amulet , that can be used with the extenda hoe. Here's a video from their site that shows it being used on an extenda hoe like yours where the inner stick extends video