That would have gotten some 4 letter words out of me, for sure. I hate fixing something twice! $500 for a new rod is really a pretty reasonable deal. Nice work on this job.
It’s always something, seams like you never catch up. Thanks for making these videos. You rebuild a lot of equipment to use building your house. Now it’s your house, next the shop, more equipment. Don’t forget to save time for your family and God. Enjoy your videos.
You forgot to do what every operator does when a rod bends: suck it back into the cylinder so it scores the barrel and makes it impossible to get it apart.
Dang Jesse this thumb fought you since the beginning but with your persistence, strong work ethic and the want to do things the rite way you got it done and it works and looks great!! We need more people like you in this world.. men, real men that get things done and care and provide for their family’s, people like you are the backbone of this world. Keep up the great work my friend I really enjoy watching your videos👍👍
feel for you. Had something similar. I put a thumb on a new to me Bobcat , sent to the bobcat dealer to set the reliefs correctly. Got it back 3 months later only for the thumb to bend my bucket curl rod like a banana. They said they set the reliefs but apparently did not. They replaced for free.
When you started clearing the culvert, I thought I seen that new shaft bending again. I guess it was just the camera angle. Had me cussing for you. LOL
Jesse I have been watching your videos from the time you were doing some fabricating in your garage. That was a long time back and you sir have come a long way. I worked before retirement with the railway here in Canada operating heavy equipment. You have a break down on day shift 2 plus hours to fix by two men. same break down on afternoon shift, one man 25 minutes alone. Some can't adapt and go forward as they learn where others like you blast forward with your knowledge. I so enjoy thanks, Jesse.
You were wondering why the new setup felt so much more natural. If I understand what you said, the left side of the joy stick is controlled by your thumb, so if the thumb activates with your thumb, what could feel more natural than squeezing your thumb, squeezes the thumb. Cool video Jesse!
Jesse Thanks for the comment about the locktite hydraulic formula. I immediately ordered it and when I had a hydraulic repair today, I was very happy to use it for the first time. Thanks!
Hydraulics can generate an amazing amount of force. Plus, that thumb cylinder has leverage working against it. Bucket curl is usually the strongest function of an excavator, as it equates to break out force (digging force). It might have around 10 tons of force at the teeth, where that cylinder is located, it may have easily 5x that. No relief valve, something's gotta give.
Man this thumb is giving a lot of grief I hope it stop giving any more grief. This thumb was a nightmare right from the start, the cool thing I like about you is you never give up like me, we are stuber and keep going till there is no more options to continue.
My Kubota was doing the same thing. It had relief valves changed before I got it .I have to run a solid pin not a greaseable pin. Greaseable pin can bend or break. I watched Andrew's video on changing to a solid pin. I have same machine he has. My thumb is aftermarket not Kubota OEM. Your video has good info. Thanks
0:44 i'm sorry but the defeated claw coming back in slowly had me dying laughing for a sec, i've been there too just sitting in disbelief that some crazy series of things happened to catastrophically destroy my project
Glad to see you are a Loctite 545 convert! Been using it for years and have never had a single oil, air, hydraulic, water leak on any equipment fitting I used it on. One note though, you are using about two times too much.
Can't wait to see your ICF house being finished off. That bucket jaw looked like a dinosaur's jaw that was broken. Made a lovely job of it though. Typical with the phome numbers though. I been there ! Nuther great video blog, and very funny in fast motion, thankyou :)
Thanks Jesse as always I loved the video! In the late 1970s I operated a mini excavator in an underground gold mine in northern Ontario Canada, this machine did not have a thumb but I managed to pick-up some hefty rocks to load into a 5 ton ore car, if there is a will, though having a thumb would have made the job easier!
If you put the pressure relief valve on the pressure line before the control valve, it will relieve the pressure on both sides of the cylinder - extension and retraction. I really like your channel
I didn't quite understand why you wanted to put the T in the middle of the hose, which would have required adapters on both sides so that there wouldn't have been much hose left. Couldn't you have just put the T on one end of the hose instead?
I would never use a bent rod as it will wear out your wipers and seals very quickly as well as stress the heck out of the cylinder housing. Can't believe a reputable shop would have recommended that. The only other option is to straighten the rod (ala Keith Fenner) which takes a bit of experience. You went right with just replacing the rod.
Correct. Bent rod will have stress cracks in it, its hardened like tungsten or close to it. it's unsafe to use again. Guaranteed if it was examined it would be stress cracked
Thank you for using hydro/pneum. loctite. Teflon tape is never a good option for hydraulics on npt. That Teflon gets into the system, you got bad valves on your hands. Also, I would think you system is good for 3000psi. Be careful of setting that relief too low. You will build up some heat if you use the grapple alot. I love how many fittings you have. Npt, jic, sae, bspt, inverted flare. Goodness, that is a Frankenstein. Good stuff bud. I sell many of the parts you used. Heavy equipment is its own animal, for sure
Jesse - I just discovered your two videos on the thumb. It's great to see your creativity at work, and I see you also attract some expert viewers/commenters. You have taught this 73-year-old a few things. I have done a lot of mechanic work, but never messed with hydraulics. Now you've got me wondering about the thumb on my KX-121... it's way strong, and I always have to worry about shearing a tooth pin on the bucket... definitely need to figure out if it has a relief valve! By the way, I subscribed.
Hey Jessy, i am a machanic from germany. You need an check valfe from the other line to the hydraulik tank. You will distroy your seals in the zylinder of air beeing pulled in. Always cool videos
I was thinking about this issue. Shouldn't the output from the new relief go through a one way valve to the other side of the cylinder? That way the displaced fluid can be returned to the other side so it doesn't generate a vacuum.
Maybe it is best that he never uses the curl ram to overpower the thumb ram, as that will cause a vacuum in the thumb return side. I suppose the absolute solution is to use even more valves..!
I think you should do something about the other side from the cylinder. If its get pushed in, it generate a vacuum. Naybe connect the one port with a one way valve to the other end. Anyways a good Video.👍
I am amazed you're still alive with some of the dumb stunts you pull Jesse, glad, but amazed. I feel like you're the only person in the world that think a car brake rotor face would hold up a massive machine...
Just so you know... the valve selector box with the two wires coming off. After you take off the outer sleeve it's just the toilet roll looking thing. It unscrews, may or may not have two tiny flats for like a 1/8" thick shitty wrench. I just use a leather strap wrench. They normally just have 20ish threads and an o ring. For next time 🤙
They need to be able to handle a lot of flow when the system pressure is set higher then the relief pressure. Like in this case. I would have done this differently then jesse has done on this excavator. Set the working pressure at the desired pressure, and set the relief valve slightly higher. Like 200 psi or something.
With a hydraulic press with soft placement parts one does not have to spend over 500 dollars to replace said cylinder. Do NOT stroke the cylinder when in this condition. Otherwise ya'll can straighten such a cylinder and seals will still not leak. Try not to bend quite so far as the brass bushings also screw up. One must keep after control valves to inhibit such errors. Ya'll can unbend such without a cylinder kit. While still just removed from machine and not opened up. I did cylinders a lot years ago not having to disassemble. Measure rod with dial indicator to straighten. If heated rod can be reorganized back to straight condition crystal strength alignment. NEW ROD NOT NECESSARY.
The best thing I ever did was make professional business cards and give them to people instead of me reciting my info over and over. No spelling mistakes.
@ 38:30 0w40??? You must have some kind of Daimler Benz product laying around.... My Challenger takes that too..... Never thought I'd see that being wiped on a hydraulic cylinder..... Heh heh heh!!!
Next time your working on hydraulic s use your vacuum! Put vac to hydraulic tank so system’s have vacuum pressure pulling pin back to tank! (Farmcraft101)
I love how the new welder has EXACTLY the same metal case as the 60 year old welder 🤣🤣 Probably still made on the same machine, just the internals changed (hopefully 👀).
I'm surprised you don't have an engine drive welder! A lincoln ranger 225 or miller bobcat or trailblazer would probably be a good thing for you to have and they come up at auctions all the time. Avoid gasoline engine models over 1000hrs as a general rule, you don't have to worry as much about hours with diesel engine drives though. I bought a Miller Big Blue 300 pro at auction with 6000hrs on it, runs like a sewing machine.
