Thumb Back hoe thumb picture

[Rowski]

I got this picture from ASI. It is model CT824HD. I hope this file come out.

 

[MChalkley]

Rowski - The picture came out fine. It looks exactly like the one I've got on my Bradco 609, except that mine is black.

Mark

 

[Rowski]

Did it come black or did you paint it?

 

[MChalkley]

It came black.

Mark

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hey Rowski!: where can I find out more about this thumb-Like pricing,whether it will fit on a woods 7500,etc. ? thanks,Dan

 

[MChalkley]

Dan - Check out http://www.attachmentsales.com for product info (but no pricing), phone number and email address. (They sell direct by phone order - that's how I got mine.)

Mark

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by MChalkley on 7/23/00 06:09 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[Rowski]

Dan, Mark is the one who got me going on the thumb. They quoted me a price of $500 including shipping. I will be ordering my this week.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks fellas, I think,no,I know I could use one of those for all kinds of fun stuff!.Guess I'll work some OT and order one!.Dan.

 

[Rowski]

Mark,

Ordered my thumb today. Should have it by end of the week. The salesman told me that the claw of the thumb should not go inside the bucket when you curl the bucket. He also said to put the bucket at a 90 degrees to the dipper stick when aligning. Does this sound right and is there anything else I need to know. Also where abouts would that place the thumb mounting flange on the dipper stick (near the bottom?). How do YOU store the thumb when not in use?

By the way I knew the hoe would be handy but it has been more than I knew it could be. My father and I have been making an overflow from our resevoir with "large stone steps" could not have done it with out the hoe.

Thank for all your help. It is really nice to talk to someone how doesn't mind sharing thier ideas with others. This is very true for my self as I do not have much experience in life (I'm still a young pup). Many thanks.

Rowski

 

[MChalkley]

Rowski - You're welcome! And thanks for the kind words. Certainly somebody should get some benefit from all my phone calls, web searching, magazine reading, and trial-and-error mistakes. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I mounted mine by getting another guy to help me hold it (two more would've been a lot nicer - that thing is heavy!). I assembled it in the position closest to the bucket and lowered it down the dipperstick until the end of the thumb was even with the bucket teeth when the bucket is curled about 45 degrees (assuming 90 degrees is at right angles to the dipperstick), and marked that spot. That way, if you use it in the position farthest from the bucket, it will hang over the teeth just slightly when the bucket is curled to meet it, which I've found to be what works best. Then I removed the thumb from the bracket that gets welded onto the dipperstick and we welded it in the spot we'd marked earlier. For storage, I usually leave the thumb on the dipperstick, but remove the brace that holds it in the extended position. If you really needed to save the extra 100 lbs or so, you could remove it entirely and leave only the welded-on bracket, but I haven't found that it matters on my backhoe.

Mark

 

[Rowski]

Mark,

Thanks. I'll let you know how it comes out. If I get it this week it will get put on this weekend along with the 50hr service.

Rowski

 

[Rowski]

Mark,

Well put the thumb on today. And used it tonight. Set about 25 stones (med to large) in a small water hole (aprox. 10' x 18') from the over flow of our resevoir. Had to load the stones first in the dump truck. Beats chasing them around trying to curl them in without a bucket full of dirt /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif. Dump them into the hole and set in place.

The thumb works really, really well. Now if I could just twist the dipper stick (any ideas) /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif. I was trying to set the rocks with out the thumb and it was almost impossible. My dipper stick is two halves welded together. I had to grind a channel in the backside of the mounting plate so it would mount flush before welding. This was a pain and time consuming but I wanted it done right. By the way, blew a hydrualic hose on the hoe last night. The idiots that put the hoe together (at the factory didn't route a hose properly. When the boom was put into the park (all the way back) the block for the hyrdrualic hose on the boom pinched the dipper stick hose. I was lucky I was working of center, it blew the fluid over my shoulder. Got a new hose made, installed it and routed properly. Still waiting for a new spool valve for the boom problem, hopefully this coming week.

Anyways, Many thanks. If the hoe is of a large size (9.5 ft) I can say the thumb is well worth the money.

Rowski

 

[MChalkley]

Rowski - Thanks for the note; I'm glad you like it.

Your ruptured hose emphasizes why we should never work under a raised backhoe or loader bucket. Sometimes we forget how little is holding them up.

Mark