adding a thumb to backhoe

[somich]

My son wants us to add a thumb to my backhoe. This is a tractor a year or two newer than mine.

2003 TLB L35 BT900 Backhoe Hydraulic Thumb

I wanted to share my latest project on the L35. I could not find anywhere on the internet where someone else has attempted this type of thumb installation. Long story short, I Frankensteined a way to add a hydraulic thumb that is as close to a factory option as possible when it was never...

www.orangetractortalks.com

I have a couple questions for someone that has a backhoe or excavator with a thumb. How far does your thumb open to allow you excavate. I don't want to have to remove the thumb to excavate.

We can do the work, just looking for what has been best for others.

Thanks, Tom

 

[Telemark]

Is he married to the idea of a hydraulic thumb?

You can get one that's stationary but adjustable, and it just folds down onto the arm. Probably a lot cheaper.

 

[somich]

We'll discuss it. He wants me to pick up things like rail ties, rocks, limbs and stuff out of our stream and ditches. Makes me think the hydraulic thumb would be great but, I don't have one and never used one so I'm searching for more experienced peoples opinions.

 

[Tangler]

I know almost nothing about this but I have used an excavator with a thumb and I didn’t think it impacted my ability to excavate soil. It was helpful when picking up big rocks.
However, i just rented it and I didn’t know much about what I was doing

 

[somich]

I know almost nothing about this but I have used an excavator with a thumb and I didn’t think it impacted my ability to excavate soil. It was helpful when picking up big rocks.
However, i just rented it and I didn’t know much about what I was doing

Any guesstimate how far the thumb went back toward the boom?

Thanks

 

[Tangler]

Any guesstimate how far the thumb went back toward the boom?

Thanks

I forget. I don’t remember because it was a
while ago but I remember it didn’t mess anything up. It was a little Caterpillar mini excavator

 

[Ohio Darin]

I have an excavator with a thumb. It lays fairly flat on the stick when opened all the way. No issues digging whatsoever and no wider than the bucket linkage. It's an after-market hydraulic thumb. Wouldn't want to be without it for the same reasons your son wants to add. It just comes in too handy and I can also grab autumn olive and honeysuckle and pop them out of the ground. Not sure how it is on a backhoe but mandatory to me on a excavator for how I use it.

 

[somich]

I have an excavator with a thumb. It lays fairly flat on the stick when opened all the way. No issues digging whatsoever and no wider than the bucket linkage. It's an after-market hydraulic thumb. Wouldn't want to be without it for the same reasons your son wants to add. It just comes in too handy and I can also grab autumn olive and honeysuckle and pop them out of the ground. Not sure how it is on a backhoe but mandatory to me on a excavator for how I use it.

Excellent, how close to parallel to the boom does the thumb cylinder go?

Is there a stop of some sort to prevent the thumb from opening too far?

 

[Ohio Darin]

The cylinder lays flat on the stick when fully opened if that is what you are asking. The thumb lays pretty flat on the stick with it fully open and the cylinder fully retracted. This isn't my machine but from the interweb. It's what my set up looks like though.

 

[somich]

The cylinder lays flat on the stick when fully opened if that is what you are asking. The thumb lays pretty flat on the stick with it fully open and the cylinder fully retracted. This isn't my machine but from the interweb. It's what my set up looks like though.
View attachment 90612
View attachment 90612

Yes, that's exactly what I was asking.

I may give my son the go ahead getting parts.

Thanks to you and othes for the help.

I'll try to take pics and post some progress shots.