L2800 Grill Guard mesh protection added

[Kyle241]

Very nice. :thumbsup: Very interesting mod and something I may need to consider. Can you respond to a newbie welder and explain what you did exactly?

Tks.

 

[arrow]

That's on the list to build :thumbsup: I've already bent one tie rod. There *was* a metal guard but my dealer removed it when he installed the FEL and Grill Guard... It wasn't much but at least it was something. He went out of business before I knew there was one that *should* have been there. #70 on the attachment...

I looked at this series long and hard for my next tractor. I was so turned off by this exposure of the tie rod that when the salesman started acting like a jerk when I inquired about it "Well sir if you buy one of our tractors, then maybe we can address it" that I just walked out. ( plus a year ago they wanted 19.5K for an L3400) I'd be interested to see what you come up with as a guard. I bent my one piece tie rod on my JD 750 and that resides behind the the front axle! That was an easy fix as I just slammed on another pipe over it and welded the ends. Yours look a bit more challenging as that bend in the tie rod which would seem to preclude you from fixing it as I did mine. Maybe Kubota will sell one more tractor after all. Thanks

 

[teg]

Kyle241, From one newbie welder to another??? :laughing: What you don't see is any close up photos of my welds They're "gorilla welds" - butt ugly, rough, grounded down and rewelded a few times...

I guess I need to man up and show it... I don't want too but maybe someone can let me know how to do it better with the photo below.

Instructions for building the whole thing: I used a 4" grinder with a cut off wheel to get the mesh about the correct size I wanted. I left extra on the sides just in case something didn't work out. Once I got it close, I use a hammer to bend the mesh. Pounding on the mesh against a 6x6" block of wood to bend it like I wanted to match up with the guard.

I don't have the box in front of me so this is a guess but I used small welding rods... 3/32" 6011 on DC - negative?? Thinking this would help melt the rod and not burn through the mesh. (hot glue - my term). This was done at low 50 amps. I would make contact with the guard's base metal first, heat it then move to the mesh and try melt the two together.

Just kept tacking it here and there... let it cool. Primed and painted.

 

[teg]

...I'd be interested to see what you come up with as a guard...

There are two hole on the side of the grill guard, I would angle back towards the underside of the tractor with flat bar until I was below the tie rods. Then use another flat bar to extend a few inches under the tie rods. For extra strength... I could bolt flat bar down where the original guard should be (no drawn in since I just thought of it... ). Then box it in and use mesh to cover it.

Most likely I will build this right after I bend the tie rod again . I want to build a step for the right side of the tractor first

 

[GlennaR]

Good idea n nice job (gorilla welds and all).

I am always driving right into my burn pile with my L28oo trying to dump brush on top if possible, never thinking I bound to one day poking a stick in my Kub's eye or rad.

Thanks for clueing in the clueless ones like me......

Keep on Kubbing, Glennnnnnnn

 

[71bronco]

Just looking at those tie rods on a L3800 and the thought of being in the woods with them was one of the reasons I bought a L3240.

Jeff

 

[sandbag3]

do you have a picture here?

 

[Gary Fowler]

Every one is mentioning photos, but I haven't found anything showing a photo. Is my computer not tagged right to show photos or something. It has been showing them on other threads.

 

[k0ua]

Every one is mentioning photos, but I haven't found anything showing a photo. Is my computer not tagged right to show photos or something. It has been showing them on other threads.

No photo's now Gary. I think there was on Teg's originally but they seem to be lost.