El-cheapo BX skidplate

[Volfandt]

It only took one time for a large vine to make it's way up into my HST fan that I decided to add somekind of protection to my BX's vitals. Luckily the fan wasn't damaged and since I have already put the MMM up for the winter, I had to come up with something that would be easy on/off and use the materials I had on hand.
This el-cheapo seems to fit the bill

The plate is an old PBX access panel I had laying around and it's diminsions were close enough to work without cutting or bending.
The hooks on the rear of the plate raise 2" and then are bent back and extend another 3". The two of them slide over the frame just below the HST and hold the rear up and in.
I bent a piece of 3" wide steel up at the ends and drilled a 11/16's hole in each end so the MMM's lift arm pins will attach and hold the plate up for the front support. This was bolted to the plate.
I also added a 4" tall bracket at the front to tighten everything up and keep the front from flopping around.
Theres large gaps at the sides and I may add some wings to block the gaps off if'n the need arrises.
Anyways it's cheap insurance, and I do mean cheap

 

[kubotabilly]

Good job Vol, great engineering on a low cost guard. That should keep those little varmits out of your BX's belly

Bill

 

[gclark94560]

Great job! I need to do the same thing on both of my tractors.

I have a IH2444 and was knocking down 3 inch trees with it. One sheared off 4 feet from the ground and popped up under the tractor. It sheared off the entire oil filter unit!

Man! Was there oil everywhere. That was a good thing, if I had not seen the oil I might have run it long enough to trash the engine.

Greg Clark

 

[srjones]

Can you give me an idea of of the thickness of the steel? Do you think it's too little, too much, just right?

 

[Volfandt]

Thanks all.
srjones, the plate is 1/16" thick and thats about as thin as I would use. It's thick enough to deflect branches and even some small saplings but if I had to acquire the plate I would go thicker.

But as it is, it'll do
Volfandt