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.

 

[lutt]

Get the thumb, I am tickled with mine! I agree with the others. 1000 dollars for a foot of digging is steep. LUTT

 

[newbury]

When I bought my BH70-X for my B7610 one of the reasons I chose it over the Kubota offering was the extra foot of depth. 6' wasn't deep enough.
A backhoe without a thumb is like an animal without an opposing thumb. Limited.

 

[7000]

Thanks all,

Since I won't be using the backhoe for much more than digging trenches I have decided to opt out of the thumb and will instead get a root grapple instead. I will be moving cut trees and brush more with that then with the thumb.

Thanks again.

 

[grm61]

Thanks all,

Since I won't be using the backhoe for much more than digging trenches I have decided to opt out of the thumb and will instead get a root grapple instead. I will be moving cut trees and brush more with that then with the thumb.

Thanks again.

I think that is a wise choice, any big rocks you pull up out of a hole you can drive around and pick up with the grapple, and put wherever you want.
I think the grapple is much more versatile and a lot faster than mounting and dismounting the hoe to haul stuff around.

 

[TomSeller]

Since I won't be using the backhoe for much more than digging trenches I have decided to opt out of the thumb and will instead get a root grapple instead. I will be moving cut trees and brush more with that then with the thumb.

if that is your primary intended use, you made an excellent choice. Backhoe thumbs are good, but grapples are almost mandatory.

 

[NHbotanut]

I have both a grapple and thumb on the BH. I still use the BH thumb a lot more than I do the grapple. Don't get me wrong, I love my grapple, but the usefullness of the thumb can't be over stated. Besides, if you go with a mechanical thumb, they are only a few hundred dollars, or least mine was when I got it. I wouldn't get another BH without the thumb.

 

[lutt]

I got mine with cleaning up brush and small trees in mind. The mechanical thumb on my woods bh 70 x was around 350 or so from the factory. If dealer installed it was gonna be around 650. Kind of a no brainer. I also have a lot of water line trenching to do of irrigation purpose on the pastures. Which was another reason for purchase. We cut firewood for our own use. I figure putting blocks in the splitter, be handy for that. It really don't end. What I'm saying is for the money being put towards a add on backhoe, you just as well spend the little extra for the thumb. To me it's kinda like hitting a home run and stopping at third. I am also saving up for a grapple. To help said backhoe with the cleanup work. LUTT

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Short answer.

Absolutely!

 

[Mjl1226]

I agree with JJ 1,000 is a steep price to pay for one foot of depth. Especially since all you have to do is use the loader and remove a foot or two of dirt under the tractor to reach the depth you need. I would put the money towards a good hydro thumb. I know I wish I did.

 

[smitesmash]

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.

You don't say what your intended use is for this backhoe, so it gets hard to say. If this was primarily for digging out stumps, then no. Construction trenching, again no. Digging out a house basement, possibly. Digging out a geothermal trenches... probably yes. And so forth.

The other thing to check is if the extra 130# is at full extension. If it is, then it may mean that its really 260# of force at the smaller depth.

My primary purpose has been to manage some forestry land. In my case, he backhoe has been used to dig up stumps. The thumb has been useful, but I think I really need a grapple (on order). On. The other hand, I have virtually no rocks to deal with here.