Stonehaller
Platinum Member
After nearly having one of the hydraulic filters on my L39 punctured by a downed branch in the woods, I decided to make a guard for the filters. I see where others have made full skid plates for their L39s, but I though that was excessive for my needs, plus it would have been a lot more work than I wanted to do. 
Scrounging through my scrap, I found a piece of 6 inch channel that would tuck up nicely against the TLB frame and cover the filters. I welded a piece of angle across one end so I could support the channel on the frame cross member behind the filter. I notched the sides of the channel so it would clear the front tube of the frame and I had to put a couple of notches to clear the bolts that hold the FEL valve to the frame. I put a little nose on the front of the channel to help prevent it getting full of debris.
While I was at it, I figured I could make a better guard for the FEL valve. I notched a piece of 3 inch angle to clear the valve and made it long enough to protect the hose out of the PB port on the bottom of the valve.
I then got the idea to add a step to the valve guard. I frequently have to get on and off the tractor from the right side as the left side is against brush, a hole or whatever. I hated not having a step on that side. So I fabricated a step out of some 1.5 by 3/16 inch stock and welded it the angle. I would have preferred something a little beefier, but it came out sturdy enough.
The step and valve guard is bolted to the frame with two bolts with nuts on the back side, plus there are four bolts that go through the valve guard and frame into tapped holes in the filter guard. There is a fifth bolt on the filter guard on the front inside through the frame member that bolts to the engine. To change the filters, I take out 5 bolts, swing down and slide out the filter guard. The step and valve guard are still held in place by two bolts. I am quite happy with how this project turned out.
Scrounging through my scrap, I found a piece of 6 inch channel that would tuck up nicely against the TLB frame and cover the filters. I welded a piece of angle across one end so I could support the channel on the frame cross member behind the filter. I notched the sides of the channel so it would clear the front tube of the frame and I had to put a couple of notches to clear the bolts that hold the FEL valve to the frame. I put a little nose on the front of the channel to help prevent it getting full of debris.
While I was at it, I figured I could make a better guard for the FEL valve. I notched a piece of 3 inch angle to clear the valve and made it long enough to protect the hose out of the PB port on the bottom of the valve.
I then got the idea to add a step to the valve guard. I frequently have to get on and off the tractor from the right side as the left side is against brush, a hole or whatever. I hated not having a step on that side. So I fabricated a step out of some 1.5 by 3/16 inch stock and welded it the angle. I would have preferred something a little beefier, but it came out sturdy enough.
The step and valve guard is bolted to the frame with two bolts with nuts on the back side, plus there are four bolts that go through the valve guard and frame into tapped holes in the filter guard. There is a fifth bolt on the filter guard on the front inside through the frame member that bolts to the engine. To change the filters, I take out 5 bolts, swing down and slide out the filter guard. The step and valve guard are still held in place by two bolts. I am quite happy with how this project turned out.
