Show us your Arb Diggers please.

[Matthew Storrs]

13 minutes ago, doobin said:

Is that on a front quick hitch? Easy enough to put a grab on the front ??

Yes well spotted. Looks like the same hitch you get on telehandlers etc?

[LGP Eddie]

Sorry no Fords apart from a demo at the old SED show.

Plenty of owner ops had them and I don’t foresee any issues if it’s all there.

 

All depends on budget, but a Volvo BL71 are well worth finding if they haven’t all been exported.

 

 

Eddie.

[Matthew Storrs]

Yeah the Volvo BL71 looks like a nice machine with the wider front tyres and servo controls- but finding one seems to be a bit  of a hens teeth scenario. That Ford is £8k which wouldn’t go far on a more modern machine- but might be a good exercise in seeing if backhoes work out for my needs and wouldn’t think I’d loose much on it. Got no 3rd service on the backactor so not sure what might be involved in fitting one for the hydraulic thumb- perhaps a diverter on the extending dipper?

[dig-dug-dan]

13 hours ago, carpenter1 said:

Is it really 35p a week?

 

If it is, I'm buying 4 of them!

[carpenter1]

3 hours ago, dig-dug-dan said:

If it is, I'm buying 4 of them!

That is why I questioned it. 35p a week 

[doobin]

Couple from today. Bunching up and pulling out brambles from behind a fence and then removing selected hazel stools on a nature reserve. Loads of lifting power even with the rotator- I didn't take it off in the end as it wasn't struggling and it's so hand to be able to rotate when windrowing waste for rehandling.

 

Turns out the fuel guage reads high when working uphill- so I ended up walking back to the truck...?‍♂️

Edited September 22, 2019 by doobin

[Matthew Storrs]

2 hours ago, doobin said:

Couple from today. Bunching up and pulling out brambles from behind a fence and then removing selected hazel stools on a nature reserve. Loads of lifting power even with the rotator- I didn't take it off in the end as it wasn't struggling and it's so hand to be able to rotate when windrowing waste for rehandling.

 

Turns out the fuel guage reads high when working uphill- so I ended up walking back to the truck...?‍♂️

Looking good- is the rotator  pretty robust- could you grub out small stumps with it or is that a bit harsh?

Edited September 22, 2019 by Matthew Storrs

[LGP Eddie]

One for the Backhoe minded, I can’t find the link I want, but will keep searching.

 

However this Grapple on a Backhoe gives the principle I’m looking for.

Basically instead of piping up a ram for a Thumb or Grapple, you use the Extender to change the geometry.

 

This guy has it mastered and you can see the range of opening he has available.

That setup could go on a quick hitch easy enough and just one extra pin for the stay arm.

 

 

 

Eddie.

[doobin]

1 hour ago, Matthew Storrs said:

Looking good- is the rotator  pretty robust- could you grub out small stumps with it or is that a bit harsh?

If the grab claws will close around it, it’ll often lift or pull straight up/back with the power of the E27. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Takes a bit of getting used to to not use the crowd ram so much- just a different way of working. 

 

They spec a 5ton rotator for an application like this with axial load 

Edited September 22, 2019 by doobin

[LGP Eddie]

Can’t find the video I’ve seen but this is the Thumb setup.

 

Basically you extend the stick to open or close it against the bucket, nothing else required.

 

 

 

Eddie.