cat 330 d thumb decision?

[TandM]

ok well here it goes we have a clearing job comin up that is quite massive so my dad put me in charge of buyin a thumb for the 330. what I was wondering is does it make sense to buy a hydraulic thumb over a standard. all Ive ever used is the standard any suggestions?

[Dirtman2007]

Absolutely! Once you go hydraulic you never go back. I have hydro thumbs on all my machines, I've ran machines with fixed thumbs and they are worthless in my opinion, don't get me wrong it's better than nothing but hydro is the way to do. with a fixed thumb it is always in the way, you have to track the machine more to get to your material. With a hydro your able to move it to the position need and tuck it away when its not needed. all with the push of a button!

[TandM]

ya well what brands are the best?

[ksss]

Absolutely! Once you go hydraulic you never go back. I have hydro thumbs on all my machines, I've ran machines with fixed thumbs and they are worthless in my opinion, don't get me wrong it's better than nothing but hydro is the way to do. with a fixed thumb it is always in the way, you have to track the machine more to get to your material. With a hydro your able to move it to the position need and tuck it away when its not needed. all with the push of a button!


Ditto.

I have a solid thumb and it sucks. Better than nothing but only when you need a thumb.

Get a progressive link of course. I priced one for a 210 the other day and it was 11K installed for an Esco.

[Dirtman2007]

I don't know the brand name but here's a good one.

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/Letsdig18/Picture476.jpg

[Junior M]

HIJACK! Chris, whats with the circles on the sides of that bucket? Never seen that before..

[Dirtman2007]

HIJACK! Chris, whats with the circles on the sides of that bucket? Never seen that before..

wear protection, keeps the side and bottom of the bucket from wearing thin. this company gets the best of the best when it comes to buying equipment. Did I also mention they also spend $30,000 a day in fuel!

[Junior M]

wear protection, keeps the side and bottom of the bucket from wearing thin. this company gets the best of the best when it comes to buying equipment. Did I also mention they also spend $30,000 a day in fuel!
I kinda figured, but I know you NC guys do some wierd stuff.:laugh: Never seen a bucket with that before though, thats why I asked..

[bobcat_ron]

Cat's thumbs hold up pretty good here, but I like the one that Chris posted better, the thumbs we have on our 320's start wearing out the center plate and they get dinged up.
The only problem with the thumb in the picture is the heel goes too far inside the bucket, get one that is more flat or rounded for grabbing rocks and really big logs.
As far as cost, for a 35 ton machine, expect to pay over $40,000 including piping and valving, unless you can get a deal on a used one.

[NateV]

Isnt that a Cat thumb Chris posted?? It looks like there is a cat logo on it. Its got the same square as the bucket where it says cat

[bobcat_ron]

Isnt that a Cat thumb Chris posted?? It looks like there is a cat logo on it. Its got the same square as the bucket where it says cat

Cat has 2 styles of thumb designs that I know of, the ones we have and the one that is pictured.

[Dirtman2007]

Could I interest you in a stump shear too?

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/Letsdig18/Picture470.jpg

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/Letsdig18/Picture467.jpg

[stuvecorp]

Could I interest you in a stump shear too?

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/Letsdig18/Picture470.jpg

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee145/Letsdig18/Picture467.jpg

Do they work good? I have only seen them in RockNDirt or MachinerTrader never on a job.

[TandM]

ok Ill check with cat on the hydro. and man that stump shear looks like it could save some time poppin stumps. is that what its used for??

[Dirtman2007]

They were using it to cut up logs (anywhere from 8- 16") to fit into a tub grinder. I've never used one but it seems like it would do a good job poping stumps out and cutting them apart.

[Gravel Rat]

With all the hard surfacing on that shear it looks like it must wear alot. I never seen one of those shears either.

[TandM]

I am still workin with the cat rep hes gettin me a price for it and I think I found a stump shear I might go look at. they look pretty cool

[Junior M]

I am still workin with the cat rep hes gettin me a price for it and I think I found a stump shear I might go look at. they look pretty cool
You serious about getting a stump shear? I would come down before I got my license to see that thing..

[Dirtman2007]

I am still workin with the cat rep hes gettin me a price for it and I think I found a stump shear I might go look at. they look pretty cool

Expect to pay a pretty penny for a stump shear, kinda of a custom option. I'd just go with a hydro thumb and hire a few laborors with chainsaws.

[Junior M]

Expect to pay a pretty penny for a stump shear, kinda of a custom option. I'd just go with a hydro thumb and hire a few laborors with chainsaws.
And it looks like an option you put on a machine and leave on a machine, definetly not a quick tach attachment..

[t190]

if your good enough on hoe, you don't need a pro link for land clearing, building rock walls on the other hand, yes. The way i see it prolinks are good for 0 tail machines. That gives you that edge to work closer to yoursefl in tight areas.
The best thumb to me, for what i do is, direct, 3 twines, closed face, with good curve, rounded twines. And a about 42 inch dig bucket(210 carrier)
A stump shear is a waste of money, spend a fraction of it on a sthil 044 and get someones whos a hand on a saw, way better off. Mind you i have neve needed someone to buck while piling brush, logs. Need to break them in half(larger stuff) drop the log on a pile of brush, dirt, push down in the center, crack, done.
Have you looked at a rake?

Heres a few pics of my landclearing(logging cleanup) ride for the past week.
i had to add the last pic, even with corks it was slickk

[t190]

another pic(best thumb)
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/Csquare/n602430715_4011140_5623.jpg?t=1230914753
A log loader is the best for piling, long reach, high lift, high cab so you can rake brush into you to a 10 foot pile under you. High walker carbody, so you can go over stumps rocks etc. but the best thing its guarded to the nuts! half inch plate everywhere
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/Csquare/logging021.jpg?t=1230914836

[coopers]

If all you do is clear than a direct link can do the job...as T190 said. But if you do many things than a pro link is better. Using a grade beam with a direct link is a complete joke...as well as doing rockeries. It's just my opinion but I would never have an excavator with a direct link thumb. I am open to too many different types of jobs.

[coopers]

T190- You should post more pics of your jobs. I like seeing them. Is the 160C LC yours?

[t190]

Ill have soem good pics tomorrow, as i have got 2 loads of chips into walking floors, with the bandit beast 3680, loading with a 2054 loader.

The 160clc is a guy out of the coast, who owns the grinder and loader, to do cleanup of the chipping. He has also got a bunch of other new deere construction stuff. 200,225,27,75,270 deere hoes and 450,650, 850 dozers and few rock trucks

The hyundais are ours tho

[Gravel Rat]

Unless you are doing lots of landscaping and rock placing work I don't see any benefit for a link thumb. Most hoe operators here build nice walls with a direct link thumb.

I have used a hoe with a fixed thumb you learn quite a few new ways of say the "F" word :laugh:

You can actually bend parts with a mechanical thumb because it is ridgid and when you curl the bucket against it there is lots of force there. With a hydraulic thumb the thumb cylinder gives a little.

A excavator without a thumb is useless. When I was running hoe I used the thumb constantly sorting rocks or using one of the thumb tines to pop out a rock. When your loading trucks and your picking out the large rocks out of the material your loading. When you start moving quick your chucking rocks into a pile. I watch one operator I know he could chuck a rock and have it land right where he wanted it.

Landclearing bailing brush would be impossible to do with out a thumb a brush rake helps but if your carefull a dig bucket works good.

If you have a machine without plumbing you could have two circuts plumbed so if you wanted a hoe pack or rock hammer you have the lines there for it and not have to disconnect the thumb hydraulics.

If your lazy and want a hydraulic quick connect you will need the plumbing for that.

Last thing what ever you do is don't buy a cheap thumb or you will have troubles with it. You don't want a foot pedal for a thumb control myself I find it too awkward to use especially if your multi tasking like crawling the machine at the same time your using the thumb.