Extreme Metal Products thumb purchase - bad report

[Tachdriver]

I recently bought a EMP( Extreme Metal Products) thumb for my new BX-25. I like the construction but the after purchase help sucks. When I went to install it there were two long 1/2" bolts missing. When I asked the company to send me two in the mail they told me to go buy them locally. I was too early to give them a favorable feedback

So if you go this route with these folks, make sure you get all the bolts :thumbsup: - OR just go Bro-Tek :thumbsup:


Later

 

[funwithahoe]

I recently bought a EMP( Extreme Metal Products) thumb for my new BX-25. I like the construction but the after purchase help sucks. When I went to install it there were two long 1/2" bolts missing. When I asked the company to send me two in the mail they told me to go buy them locally. I was too early to give them a favorable feedback

So if you go this route with these folks, make sure you get all the bolts :thumbsup: - OR just go Bro-Tek :thumbsup:


Later

Maybe try calling back - Every company has a "you know what" that works there. If the same person answers asked to be switched to someone else. It's the squeeky wheel that gets the grease!

 

[greasemonkeyok]

This thread exposes valuable information. The value of customer goodwill to EMP is less than two bolts. I agree with kubotafan, but am glad to know EMP's priorities.

 

[Tachdriver]

I ended up getting them myself. But just to let others know, hold back that feedback until you are satisfied.

Later

 

[Skyco]

The bolts should have been there, and they should try to help, but in all reality it would cost them more to mail them to you than they are worth. I would likely be too impatient to wait for them to be shipped and buy local to save the wait.

Exactly. I've had similar things happen many times with small missing hardware....yeah it stinks but not worth getting worked up over.

 

[yooper jim]

I agree Skyco. Not worth getting worked up over. I'd just go buy the bolts to play with my new toy NOW....... Not a week from now. But that's just me.:2cents:

 

[herringchoker]

About 10 or 12 years ago I was installing 2 new overhead doors in my garage. I found 2 of the special flush head screws to fit in the track were missing from one of the hardware packages. I searched the local hardware stores and couldn't find anything that would work, so I called the 1-800 number for the manufacturer. I got the HQ in (I think) Ohio: he said I would have to deal with the Canadian warehouse and he transferred me to their Toronto number. A very friendly guy answered, apologized for the missing parts and said he would have them shipped out first thing the next day - Friday. (This was late on a Thursday afternoon and I had missed the last pickup of the day.)
The following Monday at about 10AM, a CanPar courier van pulled up with a box about 12" x 12" x 5". Inside, among a bunch of packing paper, were 2 complete hardware nut and bolt kits, 2 ball point pens and 2 coffee mugs. Now that's what I call customer service.:thumbsup:

The overhead door manufacturer was Clopay.

 

[ctgoldwing]

This thread exposes valuable information. The value of customer goodwill to EMP is less than two bolts. I agree with kubotafan, but am glad to know EMP's priorities.

+1

their attitude says everything I need to hear

 

[CT Jay]

Two things on this thread...

A while back I needed some grade 8 bolts & nuts in lengths that HD, Lowes, & TS didn't stock......so I found this place - Bolt Depot - online, and their service was fast delivery and they had everything I needed, nothing back-ordered, and their prices were good. Check them out. I'll use them again.

Bolt Depot - Nuts and Bolts, Screws and Fasteners online


I also have that same EMP thumb, by the way! Got it for my BX25. Here's my own horror story with it. and it's a lot more serious than just a couple of missing bolts.....

I fiddled around with the mounting parts (2 pieces, plate and U-bracket that fit completely around the dipperstick and bolt tight to each other....but I couldn't quite get the two parts to really fit snugly enough on the dipperstick, though I tried several combinations of the various pre-drilled holes they put in the parts to accomodate varying size dippersticks.

Anyway, finally I thought it was probably tight enough after really snugging them up as tightly as possible, so I went out to dig up some rocks that I had been wanting to remove, and I picked them up easily with the thumb and I'm all smiles.....pretty nice size rocks about 2 ft diameter, some larger, some smaller, on average. The thumb grabbed them nicely, but after grabbing a few of them, I suddenly sprung a hydraulic leak, shooting from the 90 degree hydraulic connector on the cylinder on the dipperstick for the bucket. Stuff started spraying out all over the stick and bucket, nearly got me too, and so I quickly dumped the bucket to the ground and shut off the tractor to figure out what was going on.

Turns out the thumb's 2-piece mounting bracket had slid UP the dipperstick a few inches, even though that direction was toward the thickening wider end of the dipper....and the bucket, squeezing the rock against the thumb, had forced the entire thumb assembly upwards a few inches over the course of grappling about a half dozen rocks.....and those couple of inches slid it up to right where the 90 degree hose connector on the bucket cylinder is, which is very close to the dipper arm depending on the configuration of the arm and bucket at certain positions. The thumb bracket pushed so hard against it that it bent the connector and pulled the insert right out of the threads....and out shot the oil under big pressure.

Drove to my dealer about 20 miles away, brought the broken connector to show him so he could find the part, bought 2 new ones (extra for spare), came back, got the wrenches and took off the thumb altogether, then replaced the 90 degree connector.....torqued it down tight, using teflon tape to seal the thread connection.

Checked the hydraulic level, added a bit to replace what I had lost, fired up the tractor, everything nice & tight on the replacement connector, no more leak.

A few days later I figured out a way to put the thumb back on and not have to worry about having it ever slide up the dipperstick again. Been working great ever since. The thumb is heavy duty, solidly made, and works well....as long as you're careful to make sure it can't slide up the dipperstick when under great force. No amount of tightening the bracket prevented the mishap originally.

 

[adjusterr]

I purchased a Bro-Tek thumb for my Kubota L2250 with a Woods hoe. Neither I nor Richard at Bro-Tek: Tractor Add Ons realized was there 2 model 7500 Woods Groundbreakers. The mounting plates sent to me had one hole drilled out of position for my boom. I contacted them and Richard did some research and determined the problem. Because it was wood cutting time, I hogged out the hole so I could mount the thumb and get to work. I sent Richard pics of the set up with measurements where the hole should be and was promised a new set of mounting plates. They have not yet arrived but I am confident they will. The Bro-Tek Thumb works great and sure makes handling 30' logs a lot easier to lift and cut. I can now cut at waist height rather than bending over with a chainsaw.