Thumbs can be installed with one person but we recommend having two people to install the thumb. Both for ease of installation and safety.
To protect the new grease fitting, we recommend welding bushing around the grease fitting. If you would like a bushing to weld around the grease fitting. Leave a note is your thumb order at check out. We will include it at no extra charge, if requested.
When your newly installed hydraulic cylinder will only go one direction, change the hydraulic settings on the excavator first. Older machines have a one way/two way valve switch for the hydraulic settings. This switch controls the hydraulics ability to go only one way or both ways (up and down). This setting is found in the access panel on your machine, right before stepping into the cab. See video for location.
Before you can start installing your excavators new thumb kit you will need to remove the bucket and original main pin. To remove the bucket a adjustable wrench will be needed. To remove the original main pin a mallet and roll pin punch will be required. This video goes over how to remove a John Deere Wedge Style bucket and how to remove the existing roll pin holding the main pin. This is a short how to video