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Welding a thumb on a 580K Extenda Hoe

Joe Friday ยท 2020-01-22 13:28

I have 2 concerns about a 580K extenda hoe that I just purchased. I have not even had it delivered yet. It comes Friday. I will be using it to thin a forest. Therefore I want a thumb for the bucket. Can I weld on the extenda hoe dipper arm? Is it cast? I have not even seen this hoe yet. What about the wear strips? Do I run the risk of the heat destroying them? Should I go with a clamp on version? Thanks in advance for the help.

Replies11
  1. #1melben2020-01-22 15:04

    You should not have an Issue with welding on the extendahoe tube it is steel, the boom and upper part of the dipper are cast. you should be nowhere near the wear strips.

  2. #2Joe Friday2020-01-22 17:43

    Thanks! I appreciate it!

  3. #3mitch5042020-01-22 20:23

    Yep, I have done exactly that with no problem.

  4. #4Joe Friday2020-01-23 01:40

    How long of a thumb did you guys install? 24"?? - 32" ??

  5. #5Tinkerer2020-01-23 08:28

    It depends on the bucket size, Joe. You want the end of the thumb to reach the tips of the bucket teeth. Buy the heaviest duty thumb you can find. I didn't and bent the daylights out of my first one. A lot of info here ---> HeavyEquipmentForums

  6. #6Joe Friday2020-01-23 18:09

    So which Thumb did you end up with? I would rather only buy one. It looks like you bought the 5/8" think one. Where did it bend? can it be re enforced?

  7. #7Tinkerer2020-01-23 19:51

    The tine twisted. I picked up a very large log on the end of it. I shouldn't have picked it up like that. My bad. I don't think the one I have now will need any reinforcement. Ya, I bought the 5/8ths one.

  8. #8Joe Friday2020-01-25 16:31

    Looks like I need a 32" thumb

  9. #9NH575E2020-01-26 21:16

    Sounds like the Titan Extreme 32" thumb is made from the same heavy material my 36" is. I don't like that it doesn't have the separate stow bracket but not sure if you would have room for that on an extendahoe anyway. If you get one replace the hitch pins that won't need removing with heavy cotter pins or you will be looking for them in the dirt.

  10. #10Tinkerer2020-01-27 07:17

    Prior to bending the tine on my first thumb I had to replace the pins on it with grade 8 bolts. The original pins were too soft and bent. My new thumb has 1 inch OD pins. I'm going to wait and see how they hold up.

  11. #11Willie B2020-01-27 21:30

    I'm in process of building my own, the second on this tractor. The first was a repurposed claw from a log loader on a log truck. I had failures of the pins or cross tube at the base of the hydraulic cylinder. My new design is based on 40" long 3/4 x 5". I'll cut the side rails in a miter cut, and weld back together.