Backhoe BH thumbs.....mechanical vs hydraulic????

[kully]

I have a woods 9000 hoe on my m4900 with a manuel thumb ,I do not think the extra money is worth it for the hydraulic! because most rocks and stumps when you curl the bucket it jambs up against the thumb in its up right position anyway .the ones that do not so you pull the pin and it drops down anyway.my thumb is up most of the time.I installed it so as to not damage the dipper stick when curling up objects to carry and move .

 

[leeinmemphis]

I think that I have made my mind up to go with the hydraulic thumb. I'm gonna sleep on it over the weekend and probably get it ordered next week. thanks again.

 

[3RRL]

When you guys are talking about a "Mechanical or Manual Thumb", is that a "Stationary Thumb"? ... One that does not move once set? Is that what costs six or seven hundred bucks? I know you can fold them back or set different positions on them, but basically it is stationary when working, right?

 

[leeinmemphis]

When you guys are talking about a "Mechanical or Manual Thumb", is that a "Stationary Thumb"? ... One that does not move once set? Is that what costs six or seven hundred bucks? I know you can fold them back or set different positions on them, but basically it is stationary when working, right?

right

 

[3RRL]

lee,
Don't know if you saw this thread or not?
Mechanical Articulated Thumb

It's about a "Moving" Mechanical Thumb...not a stationary one. It's not as independently controllable as a hydraulic thumb, but then again it cost me about $130 to make and install myself. That is quite a difference from the $2350 hydraulic thumb cost you mentioned. I'm only telling you this for the money aspect. If you can afford to get the hydraulic thumb, by all means do it. No doubt, hydraulic is the ultimate as far as thumbs go.

 

[leeinmemphis]

I saw that thread and I could probably do something like that but my main problems with doing something like that are: 1. having the time to do it and 2. I don't have the raw material so buying it would be a problem for me. I'ld have to buy all the steel and the local metal supply place usually wants me to buy a minimum order to buy from them.

 

[3RRL]

They should have a "scrap" bin where they sell remnants cheap per pound. All my projects are made from remnants and I get it at about 45¢ to 60¢ a pound, depending what it is. Heck, you could buy a complete grapple for the difference? Maybe add more remotes and hydraulic cylinders or an ATV etc.?
But like I said before (and others) the hydraulic thumb is the top of the line. I was just giving you something else to think about.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Lets make sure we are comparing apples to apples here:

I am getting a price on a bh90x with a subframe and a hydraulic pump to run off of the pto for $8052.00 The mechanical thumb is a $600 option and the hydraulic thumb is a $2350 option. (in other words it is about $1700 more than the mechanical). Is your prices on a subframe or 3pt and did it include the pump or are you gonna run off of your tractors hydraulics?

The price I got was a frame mount, they are totally opposed to a 3-point on an 80 or 90 series back hoe. I believe I was totally clear and got clarification by repeating back what I wanted and the one guy was $9100 the other $9400. My repeat back was basically, 'that is a 4-point mount with the full frame set up like the Kubota BH, not the 3 point; BH90, 16" bucket, lines to the back of my tractor, and the hydraulic thumb with the foot control valve.'

'Yes sir' was thier reply.

The one guy did say that here in the NW that Kubota sold by far more excavators with thumbs than anywhere else in the country. He said most other regions sold the excavators with just buckets. The he went on to say that with the Woods BH90-x, that they have been selling lots of them all with some type of thumb.

BTW, to go with the hydraulic tank and pump set-up that would be a $600 upcharge over using hydraulic lines at the rear of the tractor.

steve

 

[dfkrug]

There is actually a 4th kind of thumb, tho I have not built or
operated one like this before.

1st kind is hydraulic with a 2-way spool valve activating it. The
valve is near the other hoe controls, sometimes operated with
the right foot.

2nd kind is a stationary adjustable mechanical thumb, where the
the user can set it in one or more fixed positions on the dipper
stick. My own thumbs use a cat 1 toplink that is infinitely
adjustable for length. Woods uses a link with several different
pin holes.

3rd kind is an articulating mechanical thumb that uses a linkage
connected to the curl cylinder to open/close the thumb at the
same time as the bkt is curled. 3RRL's example is a great illustration
of this type.

4th kind, which I have never seen mentioned, uses a hyd cylinder,
but it is plumbed in PARALLEL to the curl cylinder. This makes the
thumb move when the bkt curls, but it can close in different
positions. If the thumb cyl is smaller than the curl cyl, then curling
the bkt with something grasped between it and the thumb will move
the load. Hyd fluid flows to cyl with lowest pressure. I can see this
kind of thumb as an easy upgrade to a fixed thumb by replacing the
toplink with a hyd toplink and plumbing to T fittings on the curl cyl.
This thumb requires no additional valve.

 

[MarkV]

How are the Wood’s hydraulic thumbs operated and are they run off the hydraulic pump provided with the hoe? The hydraulic thumbs I have used have been operated with your right foot and are very handy. Now if it were operated by another lever I am not sure I would find it as useful. My hands are generally pretty busy adjusting the hoe when closing the thumb.

MarkV