Weld-on mounting
Hydraulic Thumbs come with a weld-on base plate, allowing for compatibility with a wide range of excavators. The single base plate welds directly to the dipper arm, meaning there is no need to remove the dipper pin.
Hydraulic Thumb
Available for 1.7 – 35T
Starting from $1,915
$1,341
Or with AB 0% Finance from $15/week (ex. GST)
- 5 year
warranty - Lifetime
support - Nationwide
delivery
A hydraulic thumb for 1.7–35 tonne excavators, matched to the bucket it closes against. Grips pipe, timber and rubble, then folds fully clear of the teeth so the bucket digs as it normally would.
Gallery
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In action
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Product
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The difference
EveryAussieBucketshydraulicthumbkitispurpose-builtforapermanent,secureinstallation,asinglebaseplateweldsdirectlytothedipperarmwithnoneedtoremovethedipperpin.Whenyou'renotgrabbing,thethumbretractscompletelyoutoftheworkingzone,soyourunyourbucketnormallywithoutinterference.
Anoversizedcylinderwithbalanceandreliefvalvesincreasesgrippingforceonheavyloadswhilereducinghydraulicsystemstressduringpeakdemand.Everysizeisengineeredforthespecificbreakoutandgripforcesofitsexcavatorclass,withthehydrauliccylinderandsealpackagesourcedfromprovenKoreanhydraulicmanufacturers.
AllHydraulicThumbsareaccompaniedwithourstandard5-yearwarranty.
Built for secure material handling, this excavator hydraulic thumb features weld-on mounting, high-grade Korean hydraulics, and an oversized ram with balance and relief valves for consistent grip strength and broad excavator compatibility.
Features
Universal design & fully retractable
The thumb is fully retractable preventing interference with other non-grabbing operations.
Oversized ram with balance & relief valves
The thumb is equipped with an oversized ram and integrated relief valves. The oversized ram provides increased gripping force, allowing the thumb to handle heavier and more awkward-shaped materials. This reduces stress on the hydraulic system, extending the lifespan of the thumb.
Manifold distribution blocks
Hydraulic hoses are routed into the distribution blocks, then to the grab’s main manifold block. This prevents damage to the main cylinder in case of a snagged hose, facilitating easier maintenance. Relief valves protect the hydraulic system from potential damage, ensuring there is no need for costly repairs.
Technical Breakdown
Nine build sizes covering 1.7 tonne to 35 tonne machines. Catch length, catch width, thumb arc, tyne count, flow rate and pressure are listed per build.
| Excavator size(T) | Catch length(mm) | Catch width(mm) | Thumb arc(°) | Tyne amount | Flow rate(L/min) | Pressure(bar) | Weight(kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.7 – 1.9 | 630 | 266 | 119 | 2 | 20 – 30 | 80 – 100 | 34 |
| 2 – 2.5 | 630 | 266 | 119 | 2 | 20 – 40 | 100 – 110 | 44 |
| 2.6 – 3.5 | 870 | 266 | 120 | 2 | 20 – 40 | 100 – 110 | 58 |
| 4 – 6 | 1,015 | 380 | 115 | 2 | 30 – 55 | 110 – 140 | 96 |
| 7 – 11 | 1,130 | 480 | 115 | 4 | 30 – 55 | 110 – 140 | 126 |
| Excavator size(T) | Catch length(mm) | Catch width(mm) | Thumb arc(°) | Tyne amount | Flow rate(L/min) | Pressure(bar) | Weight(kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 – 18 | 1,400 | 650 | 106 | 4 | 90 – 110 | 150 – 170 | 310 |
| 16 – 26 | 1,742 | 824 | 117 | 4 | 100 – 160 | 180 – 220 | 675 |
| 27 – 30 | 1,800 | 880 | 114 | 4 | 120 – 180 | 180 – 220 | 838 |
| 33 – 35 | 1,900 | 1,200 | 114 | 4 | 140 – 220 | 190 – 240 | 1,011 |
Built to fit the machine you run
Nothing here is an off-the-shelf pattern that you have to make work. Every unit is manufactured to your machine's tonnage, hitch and pin centres, so it bolts up to Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Kobelco, Volvo, CASE, Kubota, Yanmar and Takeuchi alike. Send us the make, model and pin sizes and we match the bracket before it ships - if your machine isn't on this list, it still fits.
What they say about our gear
See all reviews on GoogleMechanical Grab
We bought a mechanical grab for 20T excavator. Good communication during the whole process via email or phone. Good quality product which we haven't had a problem with at all. They also offered to help install when we picked up but was not required. All departments from order to pickup were very helpful.
Grab Bucket
Purchased a grab bucket through Aussie Buckets. Andrew and the team were super helpful and very thorough with all the measurements, information and communication. Bucket arrived today and have easily attached and straight into work. Super happy and will purchase more attachments with Aussie Buckets again.
Hydraulic Grab
Recently purchased a hydraulic grab for my mini excavator, great piece of equipment, great quality and pricing also customer service was fantastic. Easy partial assembly required, great bit of kit.
Hydraulic Grab
The hydraulic grab is better than any Christmas pressi. I use it on my farm dealing with trees and firewood. Also pipe laying. Try lifting 450 dia 12m long HDPE pipe and the grab fits perfect. OK the little Kubota knows it got a big fish on the hook but I can do what I can't do otherwise. Great choice - by me, great product thanks to you.
Rotating Grab
Great product, great service, Nick made the process very easy. The rotating grab has been an awesome addition for our scrap metal yard. Cheers from YP Recycling
Hydraulic Grab & Auger
Great company to deal with. Excellent quality hydraulic grab attachment. The company was so nice to deal with I placed another order for a different attachment. Also kept me updated on my order from start to finish. Received my new auger and it is an amazing piece of kit coupled with a 350mm auger and I got the 1m extension also. Had a bit of time to test everything out and the grab is great for moving posts rocks and anything else to save my back. The auger has plenty of torque and because I'm in a bit of rocky ground I got the combination auger and it's busting through it quite well. Still very happy with my order and Aussie Buckets support and after sale check in just to see how everything is going.
5 Finger Grab
Great team at Aussie Buckets. Very helpful and thorough in getting the correct dimensions. Regular updates on manufacture progress. And the 5 Finger Grab fitted perfectly and wow how powerful and useful. Tripled the use of my little 1.6 Takeuchi.
Hydraulic Grab
Huge thanks to Hayden and the whole team at Aussie Buckets!! Great price and really fantastic service. I purchased a hydraulic grab for my 305CR, great communication from the team throughout the order and delivery process and the attachment went straight onto the machine effortlessly and is very well built! I have already ordered a ripper and will be saving up for a stick rake next!!
Hydraulic Grab
We bought a hydraulic grab for our 5t excavator from Aussie Buckets and couldn't be happier. The square edged jaws help with gripping material while filtering out the dirt. So far, our customers have loved using it
Hydraulic Grab
We purchased the hydraulic grab for our Kubota 1.7T for the purpose of moving rocks and logs which it does with ease. Exceptional design and construction I would highly recommend Aussie Buckets.
Rock Breaker & Mud Sieve Buckets
After receiving our first order which had a rock breaker and some mud sieve buckets we knew we'd come back for more, just placed the 3rd order, great service and advice from the sales team, the quality and finish of the attachments are better than I can get locally and a better price.
Rock Breaker
Good service answered any questions i had about matching the new rockbreaker to my machinery. And does the job intend for. Prompt delivery and hassle free. Definitely recommend Aussie Buckets.
Rock Bucket with Ripper Tooth
Great rock bucket. Very effective for separating large rocks out of fill material. The ripper tooth is solid and well fabricated. I am very satisfied with my purchase after several weeks of use.
Ripper & Rake
Recently bought a ripper and a rake for a 8ton digger, both great quality attachments. The guys at Aussie buckets are very easy to deal with, straight forward for ordering and purchasing. The rake is great for any job in grass or vegetation, even when mixed with rocks or rubbish.
Auger & Drive
Purchased a new Auger and drive with Aussie Buckets. The whole process including checking my dimensions I provided were correct was very easy, even for a backyard excavator operator. Now making tree planting and farm fencing a breeze.
Tilt Hitch & Auger Drive Package
Have bought a tilt hitch and now an auger drive package through the team, can't fault them at all, from Hayden in sales to the whole team. Will definitely be purchasing my equipment through Aussie buckets in the future
Heavy Duty Stick Rake
I recently took delivery of the 1200mm wide heavy duty stick rake from Aussie Buckets. I was very impressed with the price I received and the staff kept me up to date during the procurement process. I love the design and the quality. I would very much recommend this product and I will look to source some more attachments through them in the future!
Rock Hammer
Needed a new rock hammer. Aussie Buckets delivered a quality product that is exactly what I required. Definitely would recommend
Frequently asked questions
What is a hydraulic thumb on an excavator? A hydraulic thumb is an attachment that mounts to the excavator's dipper and closes against the bucket to grip pipe, timber, rock and rubble. It is also called an excavator thumb or hydraulic clamp. Aussie Buckets hydraulic thumbs cover 1.7 to 35 tonne machines across nine builds.
What is a thumb on an excavator used for? Picking up and placing material a bucket cannot hold: pipe, timber, demolition rubble, rock and cleared vegetation. It turns the bucket already on the machine into a clamp, which is why it suits operations that dig and handle in the same shift rather than running a dedicated grab.
Does a hydraulic thumb affect digging? Not on the Aussie Buckets design, because the thumb retracts fully clear of the bucket teeth when it is not in use. A thumb that only partly folds away costs breakout force and fouls in a trench, which is the main reason operators reject them. Full retraction removes that trade-off.
What size hydraulic thumb fits a mini excavator? The range starts at 1.7 tonne, which covers the mini machines used on landscaping, small civil and rural work. Each thumb is matched to the bucket it closes against rather than to machine weight alone, so send your machine and bucket details and we will specify the pairing.
Is a hydraulic thumb better than a grab? Neither is better. They solve different problems. A thumb uses the bucket already on the machine and folds away for digging, which suits mixed work. A grab has far more opening and grips independently of the boom, which suits sustained handling. Digging in the same shift usually decides it.
How much does an excavator hydraulic thumb cost? Aussie Buckets hydraulic thumbs start at $1,915. Price moves with machine class and ram specification, and 0% finance is available on approved purchases. Every thumb is protected by a 5-year warranty and lifetime technical support. Get a tailored quote against your machine and bucket.
