I have to assume that their is a design justification for this. They must have weighed the statistics of broken fans/cans in direct relation to end user satisfaction, I.E. changing the filter by reaching under with a wrench without having to get right in their and spend 20 minutes unbolting a skid plate, dropping the wrench, slipping off a bolt, cutting your finger, skinning your knuckles, losing bolts, etc. Hence the plastic fan placed above the now open space. Rather than a bent metal fan which might, say,
cut something delicate nearby like wires or hoses when malformed as to a plastic that just loses a blade. Maybe its still good without, say, upto three blades missing. I think there is tremendous quality in these tractors and anyone having ever been in a brainstorming session with a company known for quality products will testify that seemingly lame ideas are always challenged and, when justified, have substantial reason at the basis of their implementation.
Reflections?