Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone?

   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #1  

Anonymous Poster

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Hi,

My Kubota B2910 has a plastic cover over part of the front drive shaft. It is damaged, but is a self distruction type warrenty repair, due to poor fit and rubbing on the U-joint.

BUT, even though the loader sub frame offers some protection, with two heavy cross braces under the frame, there is still opportunity for a stick or something to get up in there and do some damage. I am thinking of bolting a sheet of something like a piece of 1/8 steel plate or almuinum plate [whatever I can find] over the opening to fashion a sort of skid plate for protectioin after the cover is fixed under warranty.

Once it is fixed right I don't want any question to arise as to why it failed a second time, in the event it does. But more importantly, I just want to protect the tractor. Just in case...

Any of you guys have skid plates on the bottoms of your tractors? Come standard or did you have to devise it yourself?

I figured I could drill a few small holes in the loader subframe and tap them 1/4-20 and bolt a plate on the bottom using some stainless hex bolts that I happen to have.

So...whatdaya think? Good or bad idea? I don't think a couple small threaded holes in the subframe would weaken it. The plate would need to be easily removable for servicing in the future...

Any pointers/advice?

Thanks!

Bill in Pgh, PA
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #2  
Bill,

The TLB's 21,35,48 have a solid removable bottom under the factory subframe (but not the engine area) that protects most of the hyd filters rods and such, and I haven't added any more protection.

Some suggestions for mounting are;

- have a plate made with slots on the side then band clamp it to the frame with two 3" or so SST clamps
- make it oversize (wider) if you want with two slots for the clamps to pass through
- Drill and bolt on an L channel to the side of the subframe that the plate would slide into then put one bolt in this to secure it. This would minimize the potential for the bolts to fall out and the pan dropping off in the middle of working.

The reasoning behind the clamps is that you would hear/see it moving or loose before it falls off, plus you could remove one side and loosen the other as a hinge to go in for service etc.

Carl
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #3  
Macher
Skid plates are good ideas if you are working in brush or rough areas. We have fabricated skid plates for some of our rental tractors up to an M9000DT. You do definately want to make sure access to filters, drain plugs, grease zerks and linkage pivot points is not restricted. Having to remove the skid plate each time will affect servicing your tractor.
Lewis
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #4  
Lewis covered most of my thoughts regarding skid plates. But one I would like to add is to remember that you will pack a lot of dirt, mud, etc up there. And you should incorporate a way to wash that out of there.
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #5  
Deere has a kit, called an armor kit, that includes a skid plate, along with other plates that protect the hood, hydraulic lines on the loader, the grill, and the under belly. I don't have it for my JD 4300, but have taken some hits on the lines when in the woods. But even with a skid plate under the belly, that proverbial stick will find its way in between the openings to cause some headache, IMO.
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #6  
I installed a skid plte on my Kubota L2250 to protect the hydraulic lines and brake/clutch linkages, as I'm in the woods frequently. I built a 1/4 x `1 1/2 angle frame with tabs to connect to existing holes just forward of the clutch housing and at the rear. I used a 1/8" plate for the bottom because I had it. I cut a hole for access to the one zerk fitting it covered. It makes a good place to carry a piece of chain, too.
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #7  
I built a belly pan for my L4610 HST. It has been a life saver, but like someone mentioned, you always need a little more. I used 1/4" steel because I had it. Put Service access doors for oil changes, ETC. If the front loader is on & no implement on the rear, it can be removed with a impact & floor jack, in 15/30 minutes without getting under the tractor.

You can see part of it by searching all forumns for "belly pan" entire phrase, & look at the pictures on four post by ns_in_tex
about 04/15/02.

I either found exiting bolts to attach mounting legs, or welded angle iron onto the loader frame to bolt to.
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
ns_in_tex

I tried to locate that thread by searching as you suggested but failed. I even took a look at your...profile... and posts you made about that time...but ran out of time myself and had to do something...so I failed again.../w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Would really like to see the photos if you can post the link leading to them.

Thanks...Bill inPgh, PA
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #9  
OK, will try to relearn how to post links.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-134335-BellyPanbottomview.JPG> belly pan </A>
 
   / Skid Plates/Belly Pans Anyone? #10  
another guard I made after running limb over front axle & under hood.
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/5-134342-Bellypanrtfrontaxle.JPG> click here </A>
 
 
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