Backhoe NEW MT225S owner....mechanical thumb issue

[kormidoit]

The mechanical thumb appears not to be adjustable the way it was installed....take the adjustment pin out and it only drops down 2 inches from folded up position. There are three holes for further adjustment but two tabs at the bottom are prohibiting the thumb to fold out any farther. Any suggestions ?
BTW....Great Tractor. So far.

 

[workinonit]

Need some pics.

 

[kormidoit]

Apparently cant load the photo. Sorry. I'll call the vendor.

 

[PCABE5]

Could it have been installed upside down? So the tabs are at the top and not the bottom.


Just grasping without seeing the setup

 

[kormidoit]

Called the dealer and sent them pics....the tabs at the bottom need to be ground 1/4 inch to clear the bottom of the adjustment 'sleeve' as it were. Dealer said they would do it...but I advised I could take on that project...installation of thumb by dealer was correct. Just forgot to ground these tabs for proper rotation of the thumb for adjustment.

 

[PCABE5]

That's good news.

I do wonder why there are tabs in the first place if they are too large and have to be ground off.

 

[kormidoit]

Good question. In the instruction manual for the LB1300 it shows the schematic of the "optional" thumb, part number IMBH90....it shows the tabs at the bottom of the sleeve part #2. Pin #5 sets the tube where the tabs are into the base of #3. when seated, the tabs bind...& don't allow the sleeve to rotate up to allow adjustment. I suppose if I moved the sleeve up to the second hole on the base #3 it might rotate and allow rotation.

 

[kormidoit]

So, I figured it out....no grinding tabs. Pulled pin #5, moved the sleeve up to the middle of the thumb #3 to the holes and reinserted the pin #5.....now the thumb is adjustable up or down....and it forms a triangle for better strength. I am pretty sure that the reason they mounted it was for stowing...flush to the boom.

 

[Underdog57]

I'm just curious, is a hydraulic thumb available as a factory installed option on LS backhoes?

 

[kormidoit]

Don't know. I am fine with the mechanical. Moved boulders today...worked just great.

 

[PCABE5]

Glad you got it figured out.

 

[kormidoit]

Me also.

 

[870m]

If you don't mind, how much was the thumb for the 1300 bh ,my dealership asked if i wanted it at the time of sale. I believe he said it was a addition of 500.00 dollars. I got a set of forks instead for the loader. I didn't think the thumb would be useful, and have changed my mind since then.

 

[kormidoit]

My dealer in Nor-Cal charged 450. 00. Dealer in Reno said it was 250.00. I have used it mote than the FEL.

 

[870m]

Thanks for the info, i was hoping to aquire the thumb and install my self, 250.00 seems ok to me , just prefer to install my self gonna have to work that out with the dealer i guess, thanks again

 

[preacher1]

Is the thumb hydraulic or stationary?

 

[kormidoit]

Is the thumb hydraulic or stationary?

Mechanical

 

[64impala]

how does a mechanical thumb work? is it a set and forget type thing? Been researching LS tractors for a couple of weeks, which brought me back to the forum...

Never mind.... found it on youtube. Never knew a mechanical thumb even existed..

 

[kormidoit]

I really LIKE it....works Great...it's just mechanical...three length setting and a setting to stow when traveling.

 

[wraven]

I paid $285 for the mech thumb here in Pennsylvania. I just did my 50 hour service (at 65...shhhh) and I am getting ready to install the thumb that sat in my shop all winter. I'm glad I checked here before starting. Thanks for the discovery, kormidoit.