Rule of Backhoe Thumb?

Paul007 · Jul 21, 2021

I bought a thumb for my old backhoe, just a manual one with a few adjustment holes for angle. 32", same as my bucket length. I have to bolt or weld the mounting plate on, and wondering how far back from the bucket pivot to put it?

Steve@Advance · Jul 21, 2021

Just a matter of the easiest way to figure it out.

If you have the bracket, probably tacking it in place and manually putting it through the motions
will be the easiest.

Keep in mind, if you have extra travel on the cylinder, mount it so the cylinder is never fully
extended. They are stronger that way, less likely to buckle.

rick n ohio · Jul 22, 2021

I put a homemade hydraulic thumb on my
mini excavator to hold logs up off the
ground to cut up into firewood. I tack
welded everything thing made adjustments
accordingly

Paul007 · Jul 22, 2021

Thanks guys. Appears they are much closer to the bucket pivot, within a foot, not the two feet I was thinking.

Nordic · Jul 22, 2021

I have done this on two machines. You need to visualize the needed spot of the thumb to clamp something on flat ground with the hoe extended. Secondly you need the right amount of room between the bucket and the thumb once it's done 'the bite', if you have too much room for 'grab' you have a problem picking up on ground level, with too little not enough room for let's say a good size stump or a decent heave of tree branches. I trust you get the idea. On my big excavator I had it at 12 inches and on my mini-excavator 6 inches. It worked out perfect on both.

DRussell · Jul 22, 2021

Can you temporarily attach it to the backhoe using a tiedown strap, then test it to make sure you
have it positioned correctly?

That would be what I would try to do.

Rule of Backhoe Thumb?

Paul007

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Steve@Advance

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rick n ohio

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Paul007

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Nordic

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DRussell

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