Backhoe Thumbs are handy but......

[CurtisC]

Back in 2014 I installed a mechanical thumb on my B26TLB and proceeded to use it for grappling logs and rocks. Fast forward to yesterday when I installed a new $700 bucket. The B26 TLB is a pretty rugged little machine capable of taking a lot of abuse and I initially assumed the bucket curl closing power would not overpower the structural integrity of the bucket or thumb - bad assumption. A large rock with its irregular shape can require a lot of closing force to pick up and unless you're paying close attention you can apply way too much force on the small ones as well. The bucket curl cylinder apparently has the power deform the structural tube at the top of the bucket. After the deformation became apparent I became a lot more cautious when working with rock but damage eventually got worse resulting in cracks at the welds to support brackets. I could weld up the cracks but there wasn't any practical way to straighten out the bucket. Fairly certain it was picking large rocks with the thumb that was the culprit for me but be careful when closing against any immovable object.

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[4570Man]

The pictures won’t load. Was it an after market bucket?

 

[CurtisC]

The pictures won稚 load. Was it an after market bucket?

Sorry, tractor is a 2009 and the bucket is the original that came with it

 

[BX23S-1]

Sorry, tractor is a 2009 and the bucket is the original that came with it

Pretty easy fix. And certainly cheaper to fix than replacing it. I`ve seen alot worse that got fixed.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Not everybody looks at things the same, but an hour in the barn with a grinder and some 7018 welding rod, and put it back to work... unless the damage is more significant than the pictures can show clearly. I've seen worse, and fixed it, and put it back to use.

 

[fried1765]

Not everybody looks at things the same, but an hour in the barn with a grinder and some 7018 welding rod, and put it back to work... unless the damage is more significant than the pictures can show clearly. I've seen worse, and fixed it, and put it back to use.

An hour?
You and I have very different work speeds!

 

[Peter 315]

Junk send it to me its just in your way now..........

 

[BX23S-1]

Junk send it to me its just in your way now..........

LOL.... i see what you did there

 

[Industrial Toys]

Kind of having a real stong grip and brittle bones.

 

[4570Man]

Not everybody looks at things the same, but an hour in the barn with a grinder and some 7018 welding rod, and put it back to work... unless the damage is more significant than the pictures can show clearly. I've seen worse, and fixed it, and put it back to use.

It looks to me like you’ll need to cut the ears off for re use and then cut and replace cross tube. It’s fixable but it would take me a lot more than an hour. Or you could probably press it straight ish and keep using it which is what I would do.