Home Made Backhoe thumb

[GuglioLS]

Ive got a Bradco 3265 3 pt hitch Backhoe and made a "Thumb" for the bucket so that I can pick up heavy rocks, Logs, and any other stuff that needs to be picked up and moved.
The Backhoe has a 12" bucket & I have an 8" bucket for trenching. I used the 8" bucket for the Thumb and mounted it to the Backhoe with a couple of leaf springs salvaged from a 1959 cadillac and some 3-9/16" square "U" bolts. My neighbor helped me to mill out some metal for the mounts. I did not drill or weld the backhoe. The mounts can stay in place during normal operation. I can remove the bucket Thumb by pulling two 1" pins. I tried it out on a heavy rock and it works great.

 

[HomeBrew2]

That looks like a GREAT idea!!! Very ingenious! I can't quite make out your attachment hardware, could you kindly post a closeup?
Cheers!

 

[PineRidge]

Very interesting. I would like to see more pictures how it looks folded back out of the way in the non-working position.

Welcome to TBN!

 

[Henro]

Great idea, GuglioLS!

I have a 10" bucket just sitting there when I have my 16" on the backhoe... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Thanks for a great idea and most important, Welcome to TBN! ( I see this was your first post /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif )

Please do post more detailed photos if you can.

 

[GuglioLS]

I used a couple of leaf springs from an old car it had 1" diameter ends. Perfect for mounting the bucket that had 1" clevis pin mounting holes.
I have a question - How do I post multiple pictures to my posting?

 

[GuglioLS]

Here is another picture.
This one is of the Mount attached to the Backhoe.
The Thumb bucket is removed.

How do I attach multiple pictures? I am new to this site and don't have it quite figured out yet. Please forgive me if I am doing this wrong.

 

[Defective]

You're doing a perfect job of posting multiple pictures. The correct method is to post each one as a reply to your initial post.

 

[GuglioLS]

Backhoe Thumb mount closeup 1

 

[GuglioLS]

Backhoe Thumb The "Big Picture" (Whole thing) With some of my land and home in the background.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Thanks for the add'l. pix! Very cool job. Beautiful property too !
Cheers!

 

[rswyan]

Definitely a great idea. I, like Henro, have 10" and 16" buckets. I also found some old leaves from a set of override springs in the attic of the shed last time i was up there.

Unfortunately they don't have tubes on them, but that should be a relatively easy matter to fix by welding a little DOM tubing on the ends. That, some u-bolts, and a spare set of pins and I should be good to go.

Thanks !

 

[GuglioLS]

rswyan,

That DOM stuff sounds like I want some for other projects.
I have called around several steel suppliers here in the Albuquerque NM area and they do not know what that stuff is let alone have any.

Do you know of a supplier that I can contact to get a couple short peices of 1", 7/8", & 3/4" ID
THANK YOU.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Metkit (click here) </font> sells some 1/4" wall, 1" and 1.5" DOM by the inch, as well as some round stock in matching sizes.

Expensive when shipping is included for small amounts though. My 1" ID pieces that I bought would not slip over 0.996 round pins though, so I had to drill them out with a 1" drill to get them to work.

www.baumhydraulics.com (1800-228-9222) has a variety of sizes of telescoping steel tubing in their current catalog, on page P4. Don't know if it is "DOM" but it is cold drawn to size... looks like it is sold in 5' lenghts though.

Hope this helps

 

[GuglioLS]

Well the darn thing broke.
Seems my Idea of using Spring steel for the thumb mount was Smart but not Wise. The spring steel snapped in half under too much stress.
Here is a new & improved version. The only thing I was able to salvage were the square U bolts and the plates that pinch the mount to the dipper. I used Cold Rolled Steel 1/2" thick - (the good stuff) This mount is rigid it does not bend or spring. It works much better.

 

[GuglioLS]

Attachment New & Improved 1

 

[GuglioLS]

Attachment New & Improved #2

 

[GuglioLS]

Attachment New & Improved #3

 

[GuglioLS]

Attachment New & Improved #4

 

[GuglioLS]

Attachment New & Improved #5

 

[Henro]

Love those action shots!

Now I remember what I should have been doing these last couple weeks! Copying your work!

Love it! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif