Thumb Hydraulic thumb for BX23 BH

[nasdaqsam]

The thumb is 99% done, just doing the final welding and paint work. Will be ready tonight.

Just adding the additional valve seems to work fine. Although we will know better once we put it under load. I can say this much it is a nice neat installation doing it this way.

We had two choices for installing the valve.

#1) We could have just added it between the 6th valve and the end cap and cut the housing to fit it and make a cover.

#2) Add the valve in the same manner but redrill the valve assembly bolts over 3/4" from there original location, this centers the assembly in the space allowed. This requires making a new top plate and some modification to the outrigger arms placement. I suppose you could have just notched the top plate more but if you want it to look factory a new plate will look better.

We went with number two as it looked more factory. There are some issues with shims and sleeves to get the valve arms a little tighter but it was more chasing parts than anything.

From what I have seen at this point the thumb has a lot of throw and "should" work out great but time will tell.

I will try to get pictures tonight although I have no idea how to get them up on this site.

Stay tuned.

 

[jim_wilson]

Please do post any and all pics you have of this installation. To post a pic make sure you leave the "I want to preview my post and/or attach a file" option checked when replying to a post - the next page will give you a box where you can go select the pic you want to post from the filesystem on your computer. The pics have to be below 99KB in size to be accepted - they will be bigger coming directly out of you digital camera. I use Adobe Photoshop to resize my pics - I think a lot of the other members use something call Pixresizer or some such thing.

 

[nasdaqsam]

Pictures of thumb

 

[nasdaqsam]

Another

 

[nasdaqsam]

Cover plate, We ended up using the original plate by cutting one end and lengthening the other. We had a problem getting the right sleeves for the control arms. They were just to sloppy any other way.

 

[nasdaqsam]

Valve assembly with 7th valve added. Still have not tested under load but so far seems to work just fine.

 

[SkyPup]

Man, that is some nice work! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[nasdaqsam]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Man, that is some nice work! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )</font>No doubt the guy is good. I have to work on the lines a little. The routing is not quite what I want yet but that is really no big deal.

 

[AntrimMan]

Yeah, very nice indeed.
You must post followup pics in action, please.
Please also give us the skinny on all the parts used, p/n & $ too.
What is the hose heading up toward the control levers that is shown in front of the valve stack?
I think I saw some dirt on the hoe too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wicked nice job. Talentus abundus.
Thanks for the post and pics.
I want one for the BH90.
All the best,
Martin

 

[nasdaqsam]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yeah, very nice indeed.
You must post followup pics in action, please.
Please also give us the skinny on all the parts used, p/n & $ too.
What is the hose heading up toward the control levers that is shown in front of the valve stack?
I think I saw some dirt on the hoe too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wicked nice job. Talentus abundus.
Thanks for the post and pics.
I want one for the BH90.
All the best,
Martin )</font>The hose you speak of is for the thumb. We used after market elbows for the valve which left that hose in an ackward postion. This will be changed soon to factory fittings to match the rest of the valve. Being that this is our attempt we were not sure of what we needed to make it all work.

I will come up with a list of the parts we had to buy in the near future.

I will also post action picture this weekend.

Oh and thanks.