Backhoe Added a ripper to my Woods BH90x: Trees beware

[Coyote machine]

This pic is of just the CLAW without being attached to anything but my workbench.

This one shows both MIE's CLAW AND their hydraulic driven thumb. Together they are an AWESOME combination.

Same combo- different view angle.

CLAW in action after ripping out its first 5" Poplar tree root in 30 degree weather, after breaking through the frost of several inches. Took some time, but I have to get used to using it since it is different than using a bucket.

Above, are recent pics of the newest version of what I have named the CLAW, the latest version of MIE's ripper tooth. Check it out!

 

[Coyote machine]

Well Coyote, we know you're a genius already. I don't have a little dolly as I don't have a concrete floor. I usually am in turf or dirt outside when switching. Still you have a point and maybe I should get a piece of plywood so a roller cart could be used.

I've always thought that a transmission jack would be perfect if they were not so expensive. That would allow up/ down fine movements as well as rolling on a flat surface.

IT, thanks for the confirmation of what I already knew:laughing:

I think if you lay down a piece of plywood, (or OSB for longer weather resistance), and get a small roll around dolly; the ripper fit in it, just laying on its back - you should be able to do the hook-up no sweat. I didn't do anything but place the ripper/dolly under the dipper arm after having removed the bucket and then lowered the dipper arm to where the pins aligned and away one goes to rip and tear. It worked surprisingly well for a first attempt, and it needs no mods to do the task.:thumbsup:
And unless you really want/need a tranny jack- just skip it and use your $ elsewhere.

 

[IslandTractor]

Coyote, one of the photos shows a hydraulic line very close to the ripper/claw blade. I don't understand that. The hydraulics for the thumb should be out of the way on the dipper so what is that hose (that looks in danger of snagging on something)?

 

[pclausen]

View attachment 251708 This pic is of just the CLAW without being attached to anything but my workbench.

That thing is bad ***! I'll be calling Woods and then Bob tomorrow!

 

[Coyote machine]

IT, This pic should better show where the thumb hyd line is when the thumb is fully retracted. You can expand the pic to see the layout. I will say I'm still in the process of adjusting the hyd lines for the thumb and how they attach at the OP station. I will be sending my final mods over to MIE for use as they see fit.

The pics below show different angles of the CLAW in action, in the hole where I dug out the root. Some of the root can be seen in these pics and shows up as a fragmented cross section of the diameter of the root- somewhere on the side of the ripper/CLAW.

 

[Coyote machine]

That thing is bad ***! I'll be calling Woods and then Bob tomorrow!

Go for it! You won't be sorry, its CLAWsome!!:thumbsup:

See other pics I just posted of the MIE thumb / claw combo.

 

[IslandTractor]

View attachment 251721

IT, This pic should better show where the thumb hyd line is when the thumb is fully retracted. You can expand the pic to see the layout. I will say I'm still in the process of adjusting the hyd lines for the thumb and how they attach at the OP station. I will be sending my final mods over to MIE for use as they see fit.

I can now see where the lines are. I don't understand why you have the lines so far down the dipper stick. Why not mount them at the top end of the thumb bracket instead so they will be out of harms way?

The only problem I have had with my ripper was managing to snag one of the hydraulic lines on the joint between main boom and dipper which broke the line and put me out of action for several days. And, as noted, that was a line in a location quite far away from the action. I snagged it on a tree branch while reaching with the ripper. I would think that you will snag the lines in question very often. If it were me I'd move them and then armor the things as best I could as well as clamp them flush to the dipper. ANY loop that protrudes will snag when you least expect it. A shower of hydraulic fluid is not fun.

 

[Coyote machine]

I can now see where the lines are. I don't understand why you have the lines so far down the dipper stick. Its partly the way the hose brackets and QAs are already bracketed or welded into the thumb's mounting hardware, and where the hyd cylinder connections are located. Why not mount them at the top end of the thumb bracket instead so they will be out of harms way? In some cases not enough slack in the hoses. I already had MIE send me one longer line because it was too tight and could easily get pinched /cut.

The only problem I have had with my ripper was managing to snag one of the hydraulic lines on the joint between main boom and dipper which broke the line and put me out of action for several days. And, as noted, that was a line in a location quite far away from the action. I snagged it on a tree branch while reaching with the ripper. I would think that you will snag the lines in question very often. If it were me I'd move them and then armor the things as best I could as well as clamp them flush to the dipper. ANY loop that protrudes will snag when you least expect it. A shower of hydraulic fluid is not fun.

IT, see blue text above in answer to your questions.
Reminds me of what I did when checking mount the lines the first time I had the thumb attached. I proceeded to curl the bucket back and completely pretzled the hydraulic cylinder in a millisecond!
Not a good first use of the thumb- really wish it had a relief valve built in to prevent this type of situation.

 

[pclausen]

I just got off the phone with Woods tech support and they told me that since the BH1050 and its buckets are currently in production, they cannot release the technical drawings. The dimensions are different from the BH90x buckets.

IT, do you recall who you spoke to? The guy I spoke to put me on hold, spoke to his manager, and then came back and told me he couldn't release me the drawings.

I guess I'll have to get out a tape measure and my caliber and hope I can be accurate enough. Before that, I'll give Bob a call to see if by change he already has the specs for the BH1050.

 

[Coyote machine]

I just got off the phone with Woods tech support and they told me that since the BH1050 and its buckets are currently in production, they cannot release the technical drawings. The dimensions are different from the BH90x buckets.

IT, do you recall who you spoke to? The guy I spoke to put me on hold, spoke to his manager, and then came back and told me he couldn't release me the drawings.

I guess I'll have to get out a tape measure and my caliber and hope I can be accurate enough. Before that, I'll give Bob a call to see if by change he already has the specs for the BH1050.

YES, try talking to Bob at MIE about the dimensions; maybe he can get them from Woods for you- may have better results than directly with Woods...

 

[IslandTractor]

I just got off the phone with Woods tech support and they told me that since the BH1050 and its buckets are currently in production, they cannot release the technical drawings. The dimensions are different from the BH90x buckets.

IT, do you recall who you spoke to? The guy I spoke to put me on hold, spoke to his manager, and then came back and told me he couldn't release me the drawings.

I guess I'll have to get out a tape measure and my caliber and hope I can be accurate enough. Before that, I'll give Bob a call to see if by change he already has the specs for the BH1050.

That is a drag. I don't recall who I spoke to but it took only one call. Did you explain to them that you wanted the dimensions for a ripper and that Woods/Gannon don't sell one for this size BH? I'm surprised at their reaction to your request as it was 180 degrees off of the response I got.

If you need to measure at least I can tell you that the Woods measurements were in inches and none were finer than 1/4 inch fractions. I think the most important dimensions would be the pin sizes (different front and back on the BH90x) and the width of the "foot" of the mount. I have attached the pdf they sent me for the BH90x so you can at least see what the critical dimensions are on your BH.

 

[pclausen]

Thanks IT. That will help a lot. I'll try my luck again tomorrow, hopefully reaching a different tech. Yep, I did tell them I wanted to built a ripper since they did not currently offer one.

 

[mjncad]

I guess I'll have to get out a tape measure and my caliber and hope I can be accurate enough.

I'd measure it both in inches and metric just to be sure.

If you need to measure at least I can tell you that the Woods measurements were in inches and none were finer than 1/4 inch fractions. I think the most important dimensions would be the pin sizes (different front and back on the BH90x) and the width of the "foot" of the mount. I have attached the pdf they sent me for the BH90x so you can at least see what the critical dimensions are on your BH.

I noticed the release to production date was back in 2006; they may have converted to metric now; hence my suggestion above.

 

[IslandTractor]

I'd measure it both in inches and metric just to be sure.



I noticed the release to production date was back in 2006; they may have converted to metric now; hence my suggestion above.

Nah, this is the good ole USA, we don't go for that foreign pinko elitest metric system.

 

[beppington]

Nah, this is the good ole USA, we don't go for that foreign pinko elitest metric system.

Well, my teachers sure told me we would be switching to it "soon" while teaching us the metric system & conversions ... when I was in middle school in the late 70's :laughing:

 

[IslandTractor]

Well, my teachers sure told me we would be switching to it "soon" while teaching us the metric system & conversions ... when I was in middle school in the late 70's :laughing:

Man, wish they had been correct. Can you imagine how much simpler life would be once a conversion was complete. The limbo period during conversion would be a nightmare though and probably last at least one generation.

 

[nickel plate]

I know this part of this thread goes back some in time, BUT I was wondering if hook- up to the ripper, ( or version two: CLAW) is just a problem with the Woods series hoes? I found that hook-up to the Kioti KB-2485 is real easy! I just put the ripper onto a 4 wheel dolly one can buy most anywhere and faced the point toward the hoe and lowered the dipper stick and everything went together with no problem. Am I missing something or just a genius?:thumbsup:

The dipper stick alignment is fairly minimal with just the ripper tooth or bucket but if you have a hydraulic or mechanical thumb to also align on the same plane, then the problem worstens.

 

[IslandTractor]

The dipper stick alignment is fairly minimal with just the ripper tooth or bucket but if you have a hydraulic or mechanical thumb to also align on the same plane, then the problem worstens.

Good point. I have a thumb but Coyote's method is still simpler than trying to connect with the ripper vertical.

 

[nickel plate]

I just got off the phone with Woods tech support and they told me that since the BH1050 and its buckets are currently in production, they cannot release the technical drawings. The dimensions are different from the BH90x buckets.

IT, do you recall who you spoke to? The guy I spoke to put me on hold, spoke to his manager, and then came back and told me he couldn't release me the drawings.

I guess I'll have to get out a tape measure and my caliber and hope I can be accurate enough. Before that, I'll give Bob a call to see if by change he already has the specs for the BH1050.

The distance between the pins really isn't as critical as the pin's diameter. The forward pin hole on the ripper or bucket mounts to the dipper stick swing arm so you have a little leeway there. The length of the pin channels should also not be a difficult measurement to obtain.
Somewhere there must be a parts list for the BH1050 that gives the two pin's diameters or wrap up your two pins and ship them off to Bob at MIE so he can build around them. He took my BH90-X w/ HT measurements over the phone and I believe he then sent me an autocad sketch for conformation. I said "believe" as I do remember receiving a drawing for the FEL grapple that he also built for me.

 

[pclausen]

I do have the owner's manual, and from it I have the following:

So the pins are 1" diameter. If I measure the distance between the pins, perhaps that is all Bob will need? (along with the pages shown above)

Btw, I'm from Europe (Denmark) and moved over here in the 80's due to my father's work. I grew up on the metric system and it was a huge step back dealing with all these oddball units for everything from temperature, to distances to volume and weight. I guess I'm mostly used to it know, but don't always remember how many feet are in a mile, for example.