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Excavator Thumbs

Started by Randall, July 31, 2006, 01:43:06 PM

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Randall

I'm thinking of buying a certain excavator (cheap) for logging and other stuff for the farm. The trouble is it only has a manual, hinged thumb. I would off course like a hydraulic thumb but wonder if a manual is OK for log stacking, stump pulling, etc.? I could make it hydraulic if I wanted to spend the money. Any thoughts?

Scott

If the price is right go for it. Most outfits around here who do ocassional demolition or land clearing run manual thunbs although some are starting to switch to hydraulic. Like you said you could convert to hydraulic if you wanted. Good luck.

RoadKill

If you think you need the hydraulic thumb, make sure the machine has an auxilliary spool to power the thumb cylinder.  Manual thumbs are fine if you are not switching between picking rocks and digging every few minutes.
Yah, born in da UP, but 20 yeahs heah neah Baahstin.

Norm

Mine has the manual thumb I added a couple of years ago. It really makes the machine do tasks faster easier better but does have to be moved to go to digging with, otherwise I leave it the same spot for most other uses. You can still dig with it there but to do any serious dirt work you want it fully opened.

The excavator is the second handiest tool on the farm after the tractor with fel. I've never regretted spending the money.

thecfarm

I've seen thumbs on excavators and back hoe and thought they were all hyd.What is a manual kind?
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Norm

Here's a picture of the one on my excavator thecfarm. You adjust it by moving the arm into different holes. Takes about 15 minutes.



In the setting I have it here or fully open you cannot hit the cab with it. The ones in between you can.

Randall

Norm, I see you've got a LinkBelt. I'm looking at a LinkBelt 2800. What size is yours? The seller wants to give me a Hitachi 200 track set as a replacement. He saids the rails are worn out on the 2800. Do you have any idea if that would work and how much work that would be?

Norm

Randall mine is a 160lx, yours would be the next size up in an older model. Not sure if the track set would be the same but would be a little leary of replacing it with a different manufacturer's parts. On the plus side even though link-belt is not as big a name in excavators as say cat is there are a few of them around here and we've all had good luck with them.

sprucebunny

I have a thumb question....

How would a thumb be attached to a backhoe that's an extendahoe ??? The sleeve goes almost to the end of the arm and I can't figure how the back support or base of hyd. cylinder would be attached.
Can anyone enlighten me ??? I have an extra hyd. line out there...
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

Topper

FWIW if you have the aux hydraulics, it is easy to convert the manual thumb.  I have a Komatsu PC38.  It has an offset boom.  I put a manual valve on the boom and ran new line to a new hyd. cylinder that I attached to the manual thumb.  It works well and I have never needed to operate the offset and the thumb at the same time.

Jim

Randall

As I said before, this is a LinkBelt 2800 excavator. 1989 modal C. It seems to be in fair condition except for the tracks for which he may have a good usable replacement set.
Does about $13,000 seem like a reasonable price. From what I can find it does.

Norm

Look real close at the hydraulic cylinders, run it and see if they move smoothly. Look for any leaking, scoring our pitting on them. It really depends on the hours on the machine and things like if it's had any major overhauls of the hydraulics or engine, but the price doesn't sound too bad to me.


Roller

Depending on how much work your doing i'd definatly consider a hydro thumb..
Rock 'on' Tommy

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