So I'm going to get a thumb for my backhoe, and I'd like to get the hydraulic model. But I'm not sure I'll have time to figure out making the hydraulics work before I need to put it to use. I do have a hammer/breaker circuit, but not sure what setup it is, but figure it's probably a one way valve due to the foot button. I put the options I see into the poll, but am open to other options on how to proceed.
I have had both a manual and now a hydraulic. Manual thumbs are always in the way if they are not in the stowed position. One smashed hand or finger when deploying or stowing a manual one will make you wish you had never used it. I converted a manual -Titan super duty to hydraulic and it was really easy to do. I posted a thread about it a while ago. The versatility of hydraulic is unlimited. My advice is to buy a manual and install it. It won't take long to figure out the plumbing. There are other style thumbs that are quite different from the Titan. They are also quite pricey !
I ordered a manual one a few days ago , plan to do the reinforcement suggested here, maybe convert to hydraulic after I use it . Step by step.
I have had the 36" manual for 6 years. Haven't moved it to the stow position for 5. You can learn to dig with it at the 90 degree setting. Just depends on how you position the tractor to the work.
NH575, your posts are the ones making me think I could get away with the manual thumb. But Tinkerer and several things including fact the wife operates the backhoe sometimes makes me want hydraulic. So I bit the bullet and ordered the hydraulic thumb kit this morning. I have breaker plumbing, so I'm hopeful I can convert that for reasonable to thumb use. I looked best I could and I'm pretty sure it's one way, but my knowledge of hydraulic parts is limited. So I'll get the thumb mounted and see if I'm making a manual strut or using the hydraulics. I really want to get some brush piles gathered and burned before it dries out to much.
Hydraulic will be the best choice no doubt. Just more work to plumb. The manual diverter valve another member installed looked like a good way to go. I used a electric solenoid selector valve for the third function on my little tractor. It works pretty good. I just have to push a momentary switch to change from one function to the other on the same lever. I've not seen any of those with a large enough port size though.
I would love to add a thumb to my Cat 426. Just not sure how to do it hydraulically
I searched back to find Tinkerer's thread on his hydraulic conversion. It looks like the best I have seen. When I need to replace my stabilizer hoses I may convert. He used a manual Parker #DS12 selector valve on one of the stabilizer circuits. If your machine didn't work for putting the handle through the side you could easily rig a cable to operate it. Here is the link: HeavyEquipmentForums
I'd like to put it on a foot pedal, but I haven't found one yet that's 2 way, and not pilot control. But I just searched ebay and a couple hydraulic sites. Found a part number for the oem extendable dipper pedal but just found diagrams and not prices and I'm sure a new one, if available, is more than I'm willing to spend.
Have you considered an electric switch ? It could prolly be mounted on the bucket lever or anywhere convenient. LINK to one here.
That is what I used on my small tractor. #8 ports are only 1/2".
I have, I really haven't had much time to look into it. My lack of experience with hydraulic parts means I was struggling with what to look for. I know the hoses going to/from the hammer valve are 3/4". Not sure if adapting down is ok, or do I want to upsize valve. At this point I'll get the thumb here and see what cylinder and lines it comes with and then I have more choices to make. I'm wondering what will happen if I just hook up the lines. Will it hurt anything? My logic says that I should be able to push thumb against bucket but I suspect it will not have holding ability when I release button.
1/2" hoses are very adequate for thumb speed in my application. It would be interesting to see the result of using the hammer lines. I'm not sure it would be a good thing to put the amount of pressure on the hammer valve, with the pressure that the thumb would create with the bucket pushing against it.
In my reading of thumb hydraulics, I have learned there are many methods. But I was interested in the relief valve aspect to prevent overload damage to parts - know some folks who bent the ram on the thumb. My U17 Kubota has an aux circuit which is pretty much like the solenoid activated circuit for a hammer that is on my backhoe: a starting point for sure. Pretty much convinced myself a crossover relief is not the best solution because the thumb ram is not equal displacement. Have perused some pressure regulating valves with a piloted control.... No definitive ideas yet however, project in the making. One solution that has caught my fancy for the backhoe is to have a hydraulic thumb as a part of a bucket - and built stout to take full pressure (avoids concern about system relief setting). Convert extendahoe circuit to run the attachment with a manual valve (and pin the extendahoe if necessary).
I don't have an extendahoe but the control pedal maybe the correct type and I do have holes in the floor for it. So if I found one it might be the best option, but I have a Volvo BL60 so it's not the common parts...
If the thumb cylinder rod diameter is the same as the bucket cylinder rod I don't think one will damage the other. The relief valves in my stabilizer and bucket circuits seems to be adequate protection from any damage to the cylinders.
I found out quite quickly that when my manual thumb was in the working position it was royal pain in the a@@ when the boom was extended very much. With the boom flat out it was nearly impossible to start digging because the thumb tine was sitting on the ground.
I have a bunch of granite boulders, that have been dug up around the place and am planning to turn them into more retaining wall. That and the brush piles are why I got the thumb. I can see lots of angles not playing nice. I hope to start my install this weekend.
I'd like to see the granite boulders, please!
I found the same at first. You are correct that the thumb is in the way with the boom extended. Most of my digging allows me to position the tractor closer to the work. I try to get positioned so the thumb end is pointed towards the tractor as I begin. This allows me to dig 3' down before it gets in the way. Digging the hole closer to me I can keep digging in 3' depths for clearance for the thumb. It limits my straight on digging of stumps to the depth of the bucket but I can dig as far as I want to the sides and the area between the stump and tractor. I can usually dig 6' down around most stumps then pull them. I may have to pull or push the tractor back and forth to get it where I need it to dig. If I have to dig deeper on the far side of the stump I reposition the tractor to the side of where I was. A monster sweetgum will require repositioning several times. It just took a little practice and I'm not on a clock when I work. A hydraulic thumb will be the most time efficient.
Nor familiar with sweetgums, but I have a hillside in Idaho and a few huge Doug fir stumps I've pulled and usually have only 90-180 degrees around tree to work from. To hard to pull from the uphill side... The weather doesn't look promising for outside work tomorrow. Probably not going to weld in the rain. But maybe I can look at and decide on bracket placement.
Here are fresh pics of the walls we built 4 years ago.
Sweet! Thanks! Good ones, I even have some of those small boulders with the holes in them!
If your referring to the cinder blocks they are just leaning against the rocks, I'm to lazy to find another spot for them. I have piles of rock to build with, and a couple half built walls to work on this year.
I got the thumb kit up to the backhoe on Saturday. My friend doing the welding is a few weeks out. First opinion is I had higher hopes for the pin quality. And nothing is 5/8" steel but the 1/2" looks plenty strong. I want to get the hitch clips and some hydraulic fittings figured out before we weld.
Which length did you get? My 36" was 5/8" on certain parts. Some pieces were thicker.
Where did you buy the thumb ? I had a Titan made with 1/2" and it and the pins bent as if they were rubber. I replaced it with their extreme duty model. Much better thumb. Made with 5/8 inch steel. The pins that came with it did bend somewhat. I replaced them with 1" grade 8 bolts.
Got the 36" straight from palletforks.com https://www.palletforks.com/tractor...n-weld-on-hydraulic-backhoe-thumb/122986.html Specs read the same for both the 36" models, if I remember correctly. The pins are 1 1/4", and I'm inclined to replace them with bolts, but wife saw the price on 1 1/4 bolts and said I need to use it before I spend over $100 for 3 bolts, washers, & nuts ( I haven't got to the farm supply store yet and hope they are better pricing if they go that big, most places stop at 1") I can see the play in the parts allowing stuff to bend, I'd like to do similar to what Tinker did, but times, skills, and money may make it tough.