IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 17,101
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
This will start a new thread on the topic.
A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with another TBN member Charlesaf3 about the Woods BH and he commented that it might be possible to convert the factory mechanical thumb to hydraulic as most of the hardware and weldments were identical. For those who have not priced factory thumbs from Woods, there is about a $1200-1500 price differential or something close to that between the mechanical and hydraulic factory thumbs. If, as suspected, the only real differences are 1) a hydraulic cylinder, 2) hydraulic lines and fittings and 3) a control valve, then it should be fairly easy to convert the mechanical thumb to hydraulic. I will be looking into this over the fall and am starting the thread over so that others can offer insights, warnings etc as well a perhaps do the same thing.
By way of background, it is pretty clear that the thumb itself is identical in both factory versions. The weldments and bushings on the bucket arm are also pretty clearly the same. The mechanical thumb is controlled by a simple tube within a tube lengthening rod. The hydraulic thumb version appears to simply replace that mechanical lengthening device with a standard hydraulic cylinder (anyone know the exact size???) along with appropriate lines and control valve. If I recall correctly it draws power from the left stabilizer circuit.
The hydraulic lines are nicely led back to the operator station in the factory version and control of the thumb is via a foot operated "treadle" switch. Of note the operator station on the standard BH and the mechanical thumb version have the cut outs on the left foot platform for this treadle controlled valve. I have not seen such a treadle controlled or foot controlled valve in my perusing of the Surplus Supply site so I was thinking of just using a standard two way spool valve and mounting it someplace convenient near the other BH controls. I learned today however that dfkrug used an electric over hydraulic valve set up on the thumb he installed so there are other options for controls than what Woods offers. It would be nice to find a source for the Woods supplied valve. I imagine if no primary source is found that Woods would be able to supply that as a repair/replacement item.
Bottom line at the paper planning stage is that it appears possible to convert the factory mechanical to a hydraulic thumb for considerably less than $400-500 (guessing $100-150 for cylinder, $50-150 for hoses/fittings and ?$100 for a control valve). I would be interested in doing that.
Let's use this thread to explore options, costs and issues.
A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with another TBN member Charlesaf3 about the Woods BH and he commented that it might be possible to convert the factory mechanical thumb to hydraulic as most of the hardware and weldments were identical. For those who have not priced factory thumbs from Woods, there is about a $1200-1500 price differential or something close to that between the mechanical and hydraulic factory thumbs. If, as suspected, the only real differences are 1) a hydraulic cylinder, 2) hydraulic lines and fittings and 3) a control valve, then it should be fairly easy to convert the mechanical thumb to hydraulic. I will be looking into this over the fall and am starting the thread over so that others can offer insights, warnings etc as well a perhaps do the same thing.
By way of background, it is pretty clear that the thumb itself is identical in both factory versions. The weldments and bushings on the bucket arm are also pretty clearly the same. The mechanical thumb is controlled by a simple tube within a tube lengthening rod. The hydraulic thumb version appears to simply replace that mechanical lengthening device with a standard hydraulic cylinder (anyone know the exact size???) along with appropriate lines and control valve. If I recall correctly it draws power from the left stabilizer circuit.
The hydraulic lines are nicely led back to the operator station in the factory version and control of the thumb is via a foot operated "treadle" switch. Of note the operator station on the standard BH and the mechanical thumb version have the cut outs on the left foot platform for this treadle controlled valve. I have not seen such a treadle controlled or foot controlled valve in my perusing of the Surplus Supply site so I was thinking of just using a standard two way spool valve and mounting it someplace convenient near the other BH controls. I learned today however that dfkrug used an electric over hydraulic valve set up on the thumb he installed so there are other options for controls than what Woods offers. It would be nice to find a source for the Woods supplied valve. I imagine if no primary source is found that Woods would be able to supply that as a repair/replacement item.
Bottom line at the paper planning stage is that it appears possible to convert the factory mechanical to a hydraulic thumb for considerably less than $400-500 (guessing $100-150 for cylinder, $50-150 for hoses/fittings and ?$100 for a control valve). I would be interested in doing that.
Let's use this thread to explore options, costs and issues.