Backhoe Should I ad a Thumb to my backhoe purchase today?

[7000]

What purpose other than to pick up occasional odd debris does a thumb provide on a backhoe? Also, would a pneumatic be necessary or will a mechanical one suffice? Does one foot digging depth and 130# difference in the digging force make a real difference? Just want to know before the purchase today. I have my thoughts but wanted to know what other "users" think.

Thanks for replying.

 

[J_J]

The thumb is useful for many things.

Large rocks.

Logs

Trash pile.

Any number of things you want to clamp on to.

You can use a stationary thumb or a hyd powered thumb.

Depends on how much you want to spend and what you want to do with less effort.

Pneumatic is air and that will not work. Should be hyd.

Just add a valve to your BH valve or use a diverter valve and use one of the levers on the BH for the thumb control..

 

[7000]

Thanks JJ.

I work, sit and think the same.

It shall be done.

 

[HarryN]

Yes, get it!
JJ is right.... hydraulic is the way to go.

 

[grm61]

Yes , if you get a thumb go hydraullic, My dealer had talked me into a mechanical, he must have had one on the shelf Wish I had gone hydraulic
When I get a grapple for my loader I probably won't use the machincal thumb hardly at all anymore.
If you are talking hoe for a compact tractor,you might think about a grapple bucket for the loader instead of the thumb, or get em both:thumbsup:

 

[7000]

JJ

Also, since I have your communication, I would like to have your thoughts on the following.

I have decomposed granite soil, regular dirt and clay areas to contend with. I have selected a LS tractor and backhoe combination for the job. Have a choice of a LB 3100 series, LB2100 series or LB 1100 series backhoes. Price stops me from the LB3100 series and there is only a 130# difference in the digging force and 1ft reach and depth capability difference between the LB2100 and LB1100 series backhoes. There is a $1000 difference. Is the $1000 worth the extra foot dig depth, 1ft reach and 130# of digging pressure?

Thanks again.

 

[7000]

Thanks grm61. I will add the Hydraulic. It was my first thought anyway.

I will ask you also the same question I am now asking JJ.

I have decomposed granite soil, regular dirt and clay areas to contend with. I have selected a LS tractor and backhoe combination for the job. Have a choice of a LB 3100 series, LB2100 series or LB 1100 series backhoes. Price stops me from the LB3100 series and there is only a 130# difference in the digging force and 1ft reach and depth capability difference between the LB2100 and LB1100 series backhoes. There is a $1000 difference. Is the $1000 worth the extra foot dig depth, 1ft reach and 130# of digging pressure?

Thanks again for the added response.

Thanks again.

 

[J_J]

A $1000 for another foot of depth is steep.

I would apply that money to a good hyd thumb.

 

[nikdfish]

We have a JD 1025R FILB as our house tractor & added a mechanical thumb (& ripper) from Bro-Tek for more backhoe utility. The thumb has been good for holding downed timber up off the ground for cutting, lifting logs & stumps from ground to truck bed, transporting log sections or stumps for relatively short differences without manual effort, stacking/moving log sections on the pile, grabbing & extracting root sections, etc. It lets the backhoe do double duty as a general purpose lifting/moving tool for us... All this with just a mechanical thumb positioned via turning a cat2 top link. It is easy to remove the top link & lock the thumb back out of the way when doing straight digging.

Nick

 

[TomSeller]

A $1000 for another foot of depth is steep.

I would apply that money to a good hyd thumb.

I second this.