Tractor modifications

[bgott]

I vote for metal. I was cleaning a yard yesterday and one of the objects I had to move was the back half of a Toyota. When it came off the ground it swung into the tractor hard enough that I could feel it in the driver's seat. It caught the hood and the beginnings of a grill guard I've never completed. I had the groundman re- center the load and loaded it into the trailer and then I went up front to check out the damage. I was figuring on buying a grill and headlight frame but the only damage was a black smudge from the rubber bumper cover. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[dltimmons]

Well today, I had a 60 lb. cinder block come off the loader, onto the hood of my 4310. Now I have a 12 inch fracture though the hood. I was lucky that the block didn't hit anything else, including me.

I was trying to be careful, but tearing down an entire house, all cinder block walls, I picked up too many blocks, and when the loader hit the end of it's upward travel, while I was rolling the bucket forward, it gave a llittle hop, and the one extra block, landed on my hood.

I am going to try to glue it back together, and sand and touch up the paint. Can't see any sense in buying a new hood, I'll just drop something else on it next week.

Tractor has 68 hours on it, after the demo work this last week, it looks like it's ten years old.

Wish it still looked like new, but can't save the paint, when I need to get the work done.

I have been real impressed with the amount of work this little tractor can do.

2003 4310, e-powerreverser, w/420 loader, 47 backhoe, and a complete dumbass on top.

DT

 

[centex]

I hope you have luck finding something that will bond to the hood. I have never found anything that will bond well to plastic. Even epoxy doesn't really bond well. I ordered a new hood but if I had the time I would form one up from 18 gauge steel. I think I will make a cover like the one from the extra armor kit when I get time.

 

[MarkV]

Centex,
We have a mountain house that is sort of carved into the side of the hill. There is nothing level that has not been done by heavy equipment or my little Kubota. I have been pretty successful using the backhoe to pull earth down and building a ramp or terrace for the tractor to work off of when digging into hillsides like yours. Often the tractor has been 8 to 10 feet above finished grade to enable me to reach where needed. The walls backing our parking area are over 15 feet high now.

You may want to consider a similar system if you have much more fill to move. I don't want to sound like the tractor safety preacher but as Taylortractornut was saying rocks like to roll down loader arms. That little rock sure did a number on your hood and I would guess a larger one could do a real number on the operators compartment or operator.

Looking forward to seeing more of your bridge repair project. With your fence in rock project and the bridge project you sure have had your hands full.

MarkV

 

[centex]

Mark, I agree that I would be better off - maybe - if I built up a ramp to get to the top of the hill but I have been in sort of a crisis situation in that if I don't get the big washout filled in before a big rain comes, and one is way, way overdue, all my work will be washed away. I have completed a path across the creek now and was able to drive the tractor across but I still need to get a lot more fill in place or the "dam" will not hold. The other problem that I have is that when I am digging or filling the loader the wheels just spin and dig in to the dirt. I know I could fill the wheels but I refuse to put a liquid in my wheels. I just rely on the weight of the backhoe and the 4WD. I have hit a solid rock ledge now.

It has finally started raining at my place after 7 months of drought and now I am limited to waiting a few days for the ground to dry out before I can work again. I tried to work a couple of days ago right after a rain but I just loaded the tractor up with mud which I could not wash off.

I have attached picture of the fill as of now. This channel is 50' wide and between 6 and 8 feet deep.