Mechanical thumb for L39

[caballero59]

I was hoping someone could direct me to a quality company for adding a mechanical thumb. I have one on an M59 and now I'm sold on the idea.

 

[Oldoak]

The Thumb

 

[caballero59]

I'm thinking of the thumb for the dipper stick on the hoe.

 

[Oldoak]

My mistake. :confused3:

I had the "The Thumb" on my mind because that will be one of my next purchases.

 

[100 td]

Direct Pin Thumbs
MT824 Mini Excavator Thumb

 

[caballero59]

Also found a BroTek. I don't know if they are any good. It is bolt-on instead of weld-on.

Bro-Tek

 

[fried1765]

I was hoping someone could direct me to a quality company for adding a mechanical thumb. I have one on an M59 and now I'm sold on the idea.

I have always wanted a thumb, but never could find a mechanical thumb that I thought was large/strong enough for my Ford TLB.
I had one custom built, but it was not cheap!
Over $900, but it is excellent!

 

[CurtisC]

Try Michigan Iron & Equipment (miemachinerydivision). Bought a mechanical thumb for my B26TLB that was very well made (bullet proof) and a drop-in using the existing ftg. on the dipper. The replacement wrist pin length they initially sent was too short but they immediately made and shipped another based on the length I gave them at no cost. I noticed their website fit chart has changed listing only fits for Kioti models and while they made one for the BT850 on my tractor not sure if they offered one for the BT1000. Good company - worth a call too see if they do.

 

[caballero59]

Thank you, that is good information.

 

[MRCONCDID]

I just received the DIY thumb from titan attachments, the thumb weights 60lbs by it self, its 1/2 plate steel, once I get it welded up I will post some pics.
It was on sale "presidents day" cost me $135 w/ free shipping.

MrC.

 

[ovrszd]

I have always wanted a thumb, but never could find a mechanical thumb that I thought was large/strong enough for my Ford TLB.
I had one custom built, but it was not cheap!
Over $900, but it is excellent!

Can you post pics?? Thanks!!!

 

[caballero59]

I just received the DIY thumb from titan attachments, the thumb weights 60lbs by it self, its 1/2 plate steel, once I get it welded up I will post some pics.
It was on sale "presidents day" cost me $135 w/ free shipping.

MrC.

Me To, want to see photos.

I called the dealer and Kubota does not make a mechanical thumb for the L39. Is it possible that a person could part the hydraulic kit to purchase only the thumb and longer pin and the bracket that welds to the dipper stick for securing one end of the hydraulic cylinder. In other words, replace the hydraulic cylinder with a 3-pt link.

 

[MRCONCDID]

I have just installed it tonight, this is the 24 inch DIY thumb Kit from titan attachments. $135
Its heavy and pretty well made, one of the teeth arms had a twist in it. I assembled the pieces and straighten them up using 6 inch C clamps prior to welding. after welding there is a very minor twist, you will never notice it. I feel the twist came when they cut the pieces out, I did have to use a hammer to make every thing fit, but no grinding was required, after welding all pins slide in and out easily with no binding.
Over all nice product.

Now My L48 hoe bucket would curl about 10 inches from touching the dipper, so using a thumb means you loose 25% of the full curl, as you can see below i choose to move the thumb up the dipper, since there were no instructions, I guess it is up to me, as to were I mounted it. It may be too high, it may be to low, I really dont know. I choose this spot because it allows me to pinch logs and thing with out digging with the bucket (scoop from behind) or plow the thumb into the dirt to grasp things.
After I attached it, I had to test, I grabbed some debris and literally crushed it, then and picked up some 12 foot sections of pine tree I fell last week. The thumb is sharp and holds very well. Over all I am very pleased, it will require removing the thumb for any real digging jobs, part of it folds back and pins out of the way but not all of it.

In the photos this is about 75% of how far I could curl the bucket when the thumb is removed. It does NOT hit the boom when the dipper is completely retracted. If I where to raise it up any it would, and If I lowered any I would loose more of the bucket sweep.

Let me know if I have it to high or low, I really just guess at the placement.
MrC.

 

[caballero59]

Thanks for taking the time to snap those photos. Looks like a nice unit, and not expensive.

 

[mike69440]

Thank you, that is good information.

PS

Fixed thumb better than no thumb, buy Hydraulic is nice if you can swing it $$.

This is mine (actually!)

MT824 mini thumb installed on an Kubota L39 mini backhoe #mt824
My L39 was shiny new then. Now it is like an old up armored Humvee. Below is a recent Picture
I also have Hydraulic thumb on my excavator.

 

[mike69440]

I have just installed it tonight, this is the 24 inch DIY thumb Kit from titan attachments. $135
Its heavy and pretty well made, one of the teeth arms had a twist in it. I assembled the pieces and straighten them up using 6 inch C clamps prior to welding. after welding there is a very minor twist, you will never notice it. I feel the twist came when they cut the pieces out, I did have to use a hammer to make every thing fit, but no grinding was required, after welding all pins slide in and out easily with no binding.
Over all nice product.

Now My L48 hoe bucket would curl about 10 inches from touching the dipper, so using a thumb means you loose 25% of the full curl, as you can see below i choose to move the thumb up the dipper, since there were no instructions, I guess it is up to me, as to were I mounted it. It may be too high, it may be to low, I really dont know. I choose this spot because it allows me to pinch logs and thing with out digging with the bucket (scoop from behind) or plow the thumb into the dirt to grasp things.
After I attached it, I had to test, I grabbed some debris and literally crushed it, then and picked up some 12 foot sections of pine tree I fell last week. The thumb is sharp and holds very well. Over all I am very pleased, it will require removing the thumb for any real digging jobs, part of it folds back and pins out of the way but not all of it.

In the photos this is about 75% of how far I could curl the bucket when the thumb is removed. It does NOT hit the boom when the dipper is completely retracted. If I where to raise it up any it would, and If I lowered any I would loose more of the bucket sweep.

Let me know if I have it to high or low, I really just guess at the placement.
MrC.

That is a lot of thumb for the money.

 

[fried1765]

Can you post pics?? Thanks!!!

Sure wish I could, but the thumb and I are FAR apart.
I am in Sarasota, Fl., and the thumb lives on Cape Cod, Ma.
We will not see each other again until early May. (may the Battery Minder keep doing it's thing)

You may have an issue somewhat similar to mine.
I have a big bucket on my hoe (cemetery hoe), and none of the inexpensive thumbs would be nearly long enough.
As I recall, my thumb length needed to be 34", and there was nothing like that available in the marketplace, unless it weighed 200+ lbs.
My hoe is not as beefy as yours (48 HP gas machine - 10' hoe) and I wanted a thumb that was light enough for me to assemble/remove, yet heavy enough so that it would not bend in use. All my thumb parts together, weigh about 90 lbs.
I will never pick up rocks,..... because there are NONE!
As a matter of interest, I used a Cat 3 top link as the stiff arm for the thumb.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

32 inch backhoe thumb | eBay

This is similar to the one we bought like 7 years ago. We mated the teeth on the hoe and thumb when it is fully curled and tacked it there then tested it in all three positions and liked the angle options and teeth on both mated. Then we welded in enough places to hold and so far it has been an awesome addition to the value of the backhoe. When the thumb is pinned up to the boom it is still useful when picking up larger options in that position.

Hydraulic would be nice I would have got the cylinder too hot in active burn piles.

 

[MRCONCDID]

Nice Piece Gale,

Murray Kentucky!, wow small world, I grew up just down the road from you, in Paris, Tennessee. I sure do miss the seasons changing. I miss the cold weather too, Oh how I miss it.

MrC.

 

[caballero59]

OEM Kubota thumb, longer bucket pin, and bracket for the dipper stick will run about $1000. This is pricing the pieces separately out of the hydraulic thumb kit.