JD 448 backhoe - anyone add a thumb?

[CrashedCT]

Hey everyone.. I have been looking quite a bit and am in desperate need of a thumb for my JD 3320 with 448 backhoe.. has anyone found a bolt-on one that fits or a weld-on one? any help, pictures, or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[DanMc77]

I put one one my model 48 backhoe, but this was a custom-built hydraulic thing. I think you're looking for something that's more off-the-shelf and a little bit faster than this.

Backhoe - Building a thumb for a model 48 Backhoe

Hello! I am embarking on a project to build a thumb for the model 48 backhoe on my JD 4600 tractor. Here's a pic of the model held in place by magnets. Problem is, the tractor is not near by, so I can't measure this. I need to know what the diameter is of the bucket pivot pin. I want the...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[CrashedCT]

Thank you for the response.. I was looking for a bolt-on solution.. but to gain the versatility a thumb provides I am open to any solution at this point. very helpful. thank you.

 

[DanMc77]

So my recommendation would be to start out with a fixed thumb that shares the pivot with the bucket, if at all possible. Then later you can add the hydraulics. Having the hydraulic thumb is such a huge improvement. You can bring it out and just go pick stuff up, then tuck it away when it’s not needed. But, it’s a bit of work to get that all worked out, and I couldn’t find any other alternative and the build it. I had considered the fixed weld on or bolt on ones.

 

[beenthere]

The Thumb I added to my forks was bolt-on, also could for a bucket. Price was reasonable, IMO.

The Thumb - Add-on Grapple Attachments

Don't know what your limits or possibilities are with your backhoe bucket.. a pic would help with dimensions. Or let you take it the next step and contact greens-machine.

 

[DanMc77]

Beenthere: What the heck? Now I won't be able to sleep until I put one of these on my loader. Fantastic addition!

 

[hidden hollow]

I am also trying to add a thumb to the 448 backhoe. The thumb itself seems easy to find. There is a Vevor thumb on sale for $205.99, all 1/2" steel with an 18" thumb. My issue is how to add the hydraulics. I am thinking of using the valve off an old Fisher belt drive snow plow. All I need to do is to get the hydraulic flow to the valve. I have used the same valve for other operations. I use one to drive the chute in my old JD 7' snow blower. The fluid pump attaches to the drive shaft via a vee belt running just behind the slip clutch. The hydraulic hoses go from the pump to the fisher valve and from there to a little hydraulic motor that has a chain sprocket on it . Then a bicycle chain runs of that which goes around the base of the chute and turns it. If I can pick up hydraulic fluid near the backhoe valve I would be all set, just need to make up a foot pedal to engage the valve. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[DanMc77]

I am also trying to add a thumb to the 448 backhoe. The thumb itself seems easy to find. There is a Vevor thumb on sale for $205.99, all 1/2" steel with an 18" thumb. My issue is how to add the hydraulics. I am thinking of using the valve off an old Fisher belt drive snow plow.

If you want to have a nicely operating thumb, my recommendation is to put the right valve on, not something that you just laying around. They’re not all that expensive.

 

[hidden hollow]

If you want to have a nicely operating thumb, my recommendation is to put the right valve on, not something that you just laying around. They’re not all that expensive.

I would like to do that and I think that my post was asking for help. I don't know what the "right valve" is. Could you advise me? Thank you

 

[DanMc77]

I would be delighted to help you. Earlier in this thread I posted a link to another thread where I detailed everything I went through to develop a thumb for my model 48 backhoe. Everything you need is in that thread. I received a lot of valuable help from people on this forum. Now it’s my turn to return the favor.