The right way to install a thumb on a BX24
- Thread starter MessickFarmEqu
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Tom_H
Veteran Member
Any chance of pics, please?Skyco said:
Tom_H
Veteran Member
MessickFarmEqu said:
Neil,
Could you cite specific examples, please? I don't remember any posts here that were negative re. the Bro-Tek, other than not wanting to use the top link. If I missed something, links would be appreciated. If these complaints were from your customers to you, explaining the problem(s) to us would be helpful and appreciated. Thanks in advance.
ore540
Bronze Member
MessickFarmEqu said:
My local Kubota dealer cold-called me last week and left a flyer for what appears to be a Wallenstein thumb on my doorstep. The sales guy said that they started carrying them. I've only had the tractor for a few months but hadn't had them call like that and certainly not run the 10 miles out to my place with a flyer. Have Wallenstein & Kubota made a deal recently?
I don't remember the price (flyer's at home) but $399 for one for my BX24 sticks in my mind.
OP
MessickFarmEqu
Super Member
Tom_H said:
I don't have time to do all the serching, but dig though TBN here and you will find a good 4-5 page thread about it. We specificly had one of our customers who had trouble, also noticed 2-3 guys here. Thats what prompted the welding. In a nut shell, if pushed too hard the thumb can slip back the boom and take out the hydraulic hose on the bucket cylinder.
Tom_H
Veteran Member
Ken_CT said:
That's what I thought too. I remember several who had the sliding problem with Wallenstein, but I just don't remember any TBN posts re. the Bro-Tek sliding. I do remember someone writing about the U shaped Wallenstein design being a bit too wide, leading to an inability to torque it down with equal pressure in parallel planes from opposite sides, whereas the Bro-Tek has a separate planar plate for each side, allowing it to be torqued to uniform pressure throughout the surface area of both plates, which prevented sliding.
Wallenstein also had that issue with the brace arm buckling, which has apparently been resolved by using a beefier arm. Some don't like using the top link on the Bro-Tek, but it seems like a good idea to me. The teeth on the Wallenstein look more agressive, but I wonder if they really are. Finally, Bro-Tek has a little better price. I am hoping to get a BH6000 within a year and am currently planning to put a Bro-Tek on it. I am thinking about using some inner tube material, pond liner, or something similar to fashion rubber gaskets to go between the arm and plate on each side.
ChuckinNH
Elite Member, R.I.P.
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I had the Wallenstein thumb on my BX22, and found it very useful. I guess the older booms are slightly larger because mine fit very well, and I had no slippage problems. The teeth, however, look like they would be a lot more help than they are. They do work fine with brush, and logs, but a more pronounced curve in the thumb, or an angle iron lip on the tip of the thumb would be more useful overall. Since our New England rocks are rounded, and usually irregular in shape the teeth don't do anything to help. They slide along the rock surface like they weren't there. I saw one homemade thumb here that had a piece of perhaps 2" angle iron welded across the end of the thumb, and if I had kept my BX22, I think that is what I would have had done to it. All in all, a thumb is a very handy addition!
Chuck
Chuck
I've been following the thumb problem threads, and while my memory isn't what it used to be, I believe the problems were with the Wallenstein. The spacing on Bro-Tek's sideplate bolts prevents it from sliding up the dipperstick on my BX24. The only problem I have with my Bro-Tek is where to put the toplink while I'm using the BH with the thumb "stored." I'm thinking about making something to store it on the BH railing...
