New thumb

[FF Bob]

Has anyone recieved the newly designed wallenstein thumb for the BX24?
I have one ordered and was told they were reworking it , Any news ?

 

[KeithInSpace]

I'm getting mine today after a 2 week delay. Not sure if it was a redesign or a supply issue.

My understanding is that the "redesigned" unit is the one with two adjustment holes for the black link rather than the three adjustment holes as has been shown on the e-bay site for some time.

I'm pulling stumps now, so I'll take pictures of my new BH unit with thumb attached with pictures and assessments.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I picked up a Wallenstein thumb at my Kubota dealers a week, or so ago for $315. Mine has the two holes in the thumb support, and not three. Today I had a chance to give it a good workout on a couple of old pine stumps, a large rock, and a very stubborn Elm stump. It seems to work pretty well. I did bend the "D" ring handle on the cross pin down in the dirt against a rock I guess. Perhaps a bit more curve in the jaws, or a projection on the end of the thumb would make it easier to grasp things like the larger rock I have pictured here. Take a look at the photos, and see what you think. I'd be happy to answer any question.....
Chuck

 

[FF Bob]

Thanx for the reply , GREAT pics
Do you think the thumb is well built/designed? and worth the $$ ?
can you replace D-ring pin with another style that doesn't stick out as much?
There is a lot of big rocks in NE digging

 

[ChuckinNH]

There sure are some big rocks around here! I have taken the big ones leaning against the stone wall out of my yard with the bota, and I had to work around this one, (not the little one in the foreground) to get this stump out. The two iron bars and the (gasp!) shovel? The rock in the foreground got caught behind a front wheel when I was loading the stump in the loader, and I had to get it out of there to get out of there......... In the end I won, and carted the thing off to the woods.
I think the "D" handle will be OK now that it is christened. Some have said that the clevis pin that holds that pin in place can come off easily in the brush, and I expect that is true. All in all I think it is a very useful addition to the hoe, and worth what I paid for it. A big advantage for me over the Bro-Tek was that it was at the dealers where I could see it, and pay a fixed price for it. I had to put the thumb in it's storage mode several times while working today, and don't know if other thumbs can be stored that easily. Time will tell if it is strong enough or not, but I know that I couldn't lift that stump any higher with the backhoe, and couldn't budge it with the boom, just with the dipper stick. I couldn't swing it quite out of the hole, and that is why I got a little close when loading it in the loader.

 

[FF Bob]

Thanx again for the info,and nice job on that stump (man vs nature).
I hope to pick my thumb up tomorrow ,and put it to use @ the end of the week.

 

[RPK]

That is a great looking thumb. It appears to be a bolt on and not a welded on thumb? That would be great for me since I'm not much of a welder. What model backhoe is that? I have a BH90. I am going to search around and try to find one. Thanks for any help you can give me

RPK

 

[ChuckinNH]

As far as I know, the Wallenstein thumb that I have only fits the BX series backhoes, and possibly the Kubota BH75. They do make other thumbs for their own backhoes, and a member here "Bird" might make you a bolt on for your BH90. Do a search on Bro-Tek. I think his design is a little stronger than the one I have, but I like mine too.

 

[ChuckinNH]

My thumb is a bolt on (2 bolts) and I have a BH600 on a Kubota BX22.... sorry to have left out your answers.

 

[mike69440]

There sure are some big rocks around here!


Duh!

Any thumb is better than none.