I have the BH77 on my 3200. Kubota price for a thumb seems way to high for some orange paint. Has anyone found a aftermarket thumb for less than $479.00 that will work.
Backhoe thumb
- Thread starter diegokid
- Start date
I presume you're talking about a mechanical, and not hydraulic thumb for that price?
I bought the mechanical from Bro-Tek a year ago. Works OK, certainly better than having none, but hydraulics would be so sweet. The Bro-Tek has a little U-shaped spacer required to connect everything which is poorly designed and is a PITA to put it all together. Still... does the job.
The Bro-Tek is considerably cheaper, and he ships fast. It's even painted orange! - One word of caution however, don't use the light-duty Kubota top-link on it if that's what you have. Get the strongest, beefiest link you can, cause the bucket can and will bend it.
When I bought my BH 76 I got the kubota machanical thumb. We have alot of boulders here in volcano land...and I knew I would need one. Whithin about 1 hour of use...in and out of the seat...I realized that I love the idea...but that a hydraulic thumb was the way to go.
I re fitted for the rear hydraulics and loved it ever since. Would highly recommend going straight to the hydraulic thumb...and if you plumb the rear remotes...they should be set up for the top n tilt for your box blade or other attachments...
It cost me about a grand more for the entire set up...including the rear remote set up ( which I did myself)...but the hydraulic set up is WAY better...and easier to use...you will not regret the cost after about two or three jobs...
I re fitted for the rear hydraulics and loved it ever since. Would highly recommend going straight to the hydraulic thumb...and if you plumb the rear remotes...they should be set up for the top n tilt for your box blade or other attachments...
It cost me about a grand more for the entire set up...including the rear remote set up ( which I did myself)...but the hydraulic set up is WAY better...and easier to use...you will not regret the cost after about two or three jobs...
My dealer told me they didn't make a hid for the BH77. Really wouldn't be that hard to put a cyl. on one though.
As with the OP, I have a 77 w/ mechanical... do you have any pics or further description of this mod? I'm really interested in seeing if it would be an option for us 77 owners.
Side note and this being said, I do have to say that even the mech thumb is such a huge help! Anybody on the fence of whether to buy one, I'd say that if you have ANY heavy lifting to do then absolutely! I didn't recall how much mine really cost (was part of my full quote) but even the sub-$500 price tag for a bit of metal with orange paint has been well worth the cost.
I don't have any good photos handy...I will take some pics the next time I am up at my place and post.
If you search this site...there are some excellent tips and photos scattered around that I picked up to do mine....the other thing I did was went to the dealers...and took alot of photos of their set ups for the rear hydraulics for TnT set ups...lots of plumbing pics etc...that way I could figure out the hose set up and where to put the valving...
If you search this site...there are some excellent tips and photos scattered around that I picked up to do mine....the other thing I did was went to the dealers...and took alot of photos of their set ups for the rear hydraulics for TnT set ups...lots of plumbing pics etc...that way I could figure out the hose set up and where to put the valving...
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This is not a great photo but you can sortof see the after market hyd ram ( essentially figured out what ram would fit in the manual set up...that had the most throw).
The rear remotes are above the tool cage or the area near the rops...sorry about the crappy photo...
You can see the two hyd hoses on the side of the dipper arms...I was worried that they would catch on something or get crushed...no problem so far...
Like I said...I will get some detailed photos posted...it may be a few weeks though.
Someone noted that they don't have a factory hyd set up...they didn't when I did mine...so not sure today...
This is not a great photo but you can sortof see the after market hyd ram ( essentially figured out what ram would fit in the manual set up...that had the most throw).
The rear remotes are above the tool cage or the area near the rops...sorry about the crappy photo...
You can see the two hyd hoses on the side of the dipper arms...I was worried that they would catch on something or get crushed...no problem so far...
Like I said...I will get some detailed photos posted...it may be a few weeks though.
Someone noted that they don't have a factory hyd set up...they didn't when I did mine...so not sure today...
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