BH92 backhoe, factory manual thumb and add on quick attach?

[cstamm81]

I searched, but couldn't come up with anything. I have a BH92 hoe, without quick attach for the buckets and without any sort of thumb. This hoe does have the spot for the factory hydraulic thumb.

1. Can the bucket attachment system being changed over to the factory quick attach setup? I'm looking for a ripper attachment, and possibly other size buckets. From what I am reading, removing and reinstalling buckets can be a pain with quick attach.

2. Does Kubota (or anyone else) offer a manual thumb that utilizes the factory mounting? I see no reason to weld on an aftermarket thumb, or get one of the ones that bolts around the whole arm, if the factory mounting can be used. I'm assuming getting the factory hydraulic setup will be very costly, as I'd need to add third function or diverter hydraulics on the hoe, in addition to the cylinder and thumb itself.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

Kubota offers a manual thumb. Same actual thumb as the hydraulic, with a pinned tube instead of the cylinder.

Bro-tek also offers a thumb.

No opinion on the quick attach system except your existing bucket won't be compatible and you will lose breakout force.

 

[downsizingnow48]

If you can weld, it is straightforward to make a pin-grabber type quick coupler, as shown on the bottom of the photo. This is a common accessory on excavators and larger backhoes. It is true you lose some breakout force, but you gain a lot of utility, and can also use standard pin-on buckets and other attachments.

 

[cstamm81]

Kubota offers a manual thumb. Same actual thumb as the hydraulic, with a pinned tube instead of the cylinder.

Bro-tek also offers a thumb.

No opinion on the quick attach system except your existing bucket won't be compatible and you will lose breakout force.

Thanks, I'll most likely go for the factory manual thumb, as it sounds like I could then switch to hydraulic down the road and keep everything minus the pinned tube.

 

[cstamm81]

If you can weld, it is straightforward to make a pin-grabber type quick coupler, as shown on the bottom of the photo. This is a common accessory on excavators and larger backhoes. It is true you lose some breakout force, but you gain a lot of utility, and can also use standard pin-on buckets and other attachments.

I can weld fairly well, but I wouldn't be able to properly cut that thickness of steel. I could have a local machine shop do it easily though. I'd have to get my hands on some exact measurements though, any ideas on that? I'm surprised nobody makes a quick coupler, to me, the versatility would outweigh the decreased breakout force.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I had to figure out the measurements to make the coupler in the photo. Turns out pretty easy. The lower or pin grabber part fits in between your bucket ears, so the inside width of bucket ears = outside width of the pin grabber. pin spacing is the same. The upper part just duplicates your bucket ears, very simple.

A company called bXpanded makes one for the B76 backhoe, you can see from their photos how it is designed to be as compact as possible.

One thing to take note of, adding a quick coupler will screw up the relationship between thumb and bucket. So I would not buy that Kubota thumb unless you are sure you will not do the quick coupler. If you do the quick coupler you will have to make a custom thumb.

Folks on this forum will have lots of good ideas about cutting out the metal parts if you decide to do that.

 

[Carl_NH]

I have the ripper and just drop the bucket on a dolly and remove the pins and put the ripper on - its a 10-15 minute job total. Usually only do this 2 x per year so not a big deal.

The ripper is great for stumps, trenching and rock picking/placing with the mech thumb.

 

[cstamm81]

I had to figure out the measurements to make the coupler in the photo. Turns out pretty easy. The lower or pin grabber part fits in between your bucket ears, so the inside width of bucket ears = outside width of the pin grabber. pin spacing is the same. The upper part just duplicates your bucket ears, very simple.

A company called bXpanded makes one for the B76 backhoe, you can see from their photos how it is designed to be as compact as possible.

One thing to take note of, adding a quick coupler will screw up the relationship between thumb and bucket. So I would not buy that Kubota thumb unless you are sure you will not do the quick coupler. If you do the quick coupler you will have to make a custom thumb.

Folks on this forum will have lots of good ideas about cutting out the metal parts if you decide to do that.

Very good point on the quick coupler making a factory thumb inoperable, thanks for that. I'm sure I could have a coupler built locally, I have a local machine shop with very reasonable rates.

What have you mounted on your coupler? I'm envisioning different sized buckets, and a ripper. I have a current need for some type of rake to clean overgrown watercress out of my stream. I was contemplating bolting a receiver hitch to the bucket, and attaching a lightweight pine straw rake I have to the hitch. It wouldn't be elegant, but I'm thinking it would work as I wouldn't be applying much force at all to the attachment. I'm trying to think through other useful attachments that could use the quick coupler, in order to justify it.

 

[cstamm81]

I have the ripper and just drop the bucket on a dolly and remove the pins and put the ripper on - its a 10-15 minute job total. Usually only do this 2 x per year so not a big deal.

The ripper is great for stumps, trenching and rock picking/placing with the mech thumb.

Good to know, thanks. That is my debate, try to get a quick coupler and have the ability to run whatever is compatible, or stick to the bucket I have and buy a direct fit ripper and commit to driving the pins in and out for each changeover.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I switch between a 24" landscaping bucket, a 12" digging bucket, a 6" trenching bucket, and a ripper. The ripper I would say is pretty much a must-have item if you deal with stumps and roots.

I used to do it by removing and re-installing the two bucket pins. But after adding the thumb (which shares a bucket pin) that became quite a bit more difficult. The quick coupler makes it about a 3 minute chore depending on how good you are at snagging the fixed bucket pin.