bbse
Platinum Member
Anyone have experience with adding a brush guard and ballast to a 3325/3525 or 4500 series? Have to brush cut up hill on some parts and front end is floating.
Ballast Brush guard and ballast
- Thread starter bbse
- Start date
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RNeumann
Elite Member
If you have a FEL-
I’ve added a rock or dirt to my bucket for weight and just kept the bucket low to keep the brush out of the grill.
If you don’t have a FEL-
Ignore the comment above and consider this a bump!
I’ve added a rock or dirt to my bucket for weight and just kept the bucket low to keep the brush out of the grill.
If you don’t have a FEL-
Ignore the comment above and consider this a bump!
Not the same model tractor but if you don’t have a FEL maybe you could do what my dad did. He welded a piece of Chanel across the front of his tractor then he had weights that he mounted to a square tube that would fit in the channel and he held that on with 2 pins so it was easy to remove. Then he took a panel (not sure where he got it) and he welded brackets to the front of the tractor and back by the operator on the right side. He mounted the panel to the brackets and it basically set at a bit of an angle covering the front and right side of the tractor. The brush would be pushed over and to the right as he was brushing and keep it all off the tractor and the operator. Wish I had pictures to share of the set up he had as it worked really great. The panel was made of thin wall tubing and the gaps were maybe 3 or 4 inches between the tubes. I hope this help you.
OP
bbse
Platinum Member
It is killing me that I have a Lincoln arc welder but I don't have the money to run the wire to hook it up. As soon as I can I am going to make something for weight. But if they made a reasonably priced brush guard I would consider it.
oosik
Epic Contributor
View attachment 567207 OK - hope this is what you are talking about. The frame is OEM "brush guard". I read several threads here on TBN about sticks, stobs and associated crap coming thru front grill work and doing a real job on radiator, battery & electrical. So I added the expanded metal. The "tongue" came as an after thought to cover the guard at the pivot point.
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How does the top half of your guard fold down with that tongue on there?
oosik
Epic Contributor
There is a pin and snap ring on each side - keeping the top half in the upright position. Actually folding the top half down takes a considerable amount of "pull". A lot of friction is built in to the two large bolts holding the top half. Pull both pins and the top half folds forward to a position about ten degrees "up" from true horizontal. The tongue DOES keep it from folding completely down but there is more than enough room to open the hood and do any other work on the front of the tractor.
If you want - I can go out and take "folded down" pics as soon as its light outside. Right now its blacker than the inside of a rain barrel outside.
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I got it now. I saw the upper bolt on the left and incorrectly thought that was the hinge point. Since the hinge bolts are lower than that I can see how the top half pulls the tongue out and away from the lower half as it folds. That's a nice clean designed guard you have!
oosik
Epic Contributor
View attachment 567214View attachment 567215View attachment 567216View attachment 567217
Ok - so what does a guy have better to do at 5AM than to stumble around outside taking pics.
The pics are - folded down pic taken from each side. Pics of large bolt and "snap ring" on each side. Actually - the right side isn't really a pin & snap ring arrangement. Its sort of a spring loaded sliding bolt arrangement.
The pic I uploaded in post #5 shows the large bolts that hold the top half and the bolt/snap rings on each side pretty well also.
Boy - its almost HOT outside. Sure hope the smoke, ash & crud goes away one of these days.
NOTE: Some or all may not be able to open the pics in this post. I resized and reposted - #13.
Ok - so what does a guy have better to do at 5AM than to stumble around outside taking pics.
The pics are - folded down pic taken from each side. Pics of large bolt and "snap ring" on each side. Actually - the right side isn't really a pin & snap ring arrangement. Its sort of a spring loaded sliding bolt arrangement.
The pic I uploaded in post #5 shows the large bolts that hold the top half and the bolt/snap rings on each side pretty well also.
Boy - its almost HOT outside. Sure hope the smoke, ash & crud goes away one of these days.
NOTE: Some or all may not be able to open the pics in this post. I resized and reposted - #13.
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oosik
Epic Contributor
Hope the pics - post # 9 - helps also. I know it has saved the grill, at least, a couple times. I'm so careful using the grapple when dealing with limbs - I could be classified as ****. Even with all my care - I've found limbs stuck tightly in the expanded metal - obviously looking for a chance to get at the grill or battery or radiator.
You are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT on the pic in post #5. The lower bolts are the hinge bolts, the upper ones are the "locking pins".
NOTE: I can open the pics in post #9 - some or all may not be able to. I resized and reposted in post #13.
You are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT on the pic in post #5. The lower bolts are the hinge bolts, the upper ones are the "locking pins".
NOTE: I can open the pics in post #9 - some or all may not be able to. I resized and reposted in post #13.
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