Built a steel sunshade

[Sublifer]

Looks really good.. I like it alot and dont cut yourself short it takes alot to learn this stuff. Looks like you did a FINE job.. Those taps suck I know. I have tried the same thing. What I do now is drill the hole thru the metal and weld a nut over the hole and then the bolt screws into the nut thru the hole and does the same thing! Way easier than tapping steel... Great Job...

AndyG

Thanks Andy. Thats a good idea but these brackets wouldn't have had the clearance in the center hole for a nut welded on. It could have saved me making two of the three taps on each of those bars though. I'll have to try that on my next project.

John

 

[Sublifer]

Wanted to ask, if anyone else built their own sunshade, would you post a pic of it and share your own thoughts on why you did it like you did and how you like yours vs mine.

 

[Fastdraw]

I built one over the weekend, very simple, very cheap, very functional , light weight, easy to take off and on. I simply bought a stalk of 16ga 1 inch steel square tubeing:$20/one sheet of PVC corogated paneling:$20/box of self drilling screws:$6. Simply cut the tube to my measured lenghts(basicly 4ft sq frame.) welded them together, made 2 legs to bolt to the rop brackets using my existing bolts and pins just placed them betewwn the brackets marked and drilled holes, welded those to the frame,painted the frame black, sheeted it with the panel and bolted it on. DONE. Works great, its light enough to handle alone, less than 20lbs, rigid, doent rattle, and best of all CHEAP!:thumbsup:

 

[Fastdraw]

One more plus to my top is the fact it does not radiate heat or sound. The white PVC is thin enogh to reflect back the sun and allows sound to pass around it pretty well too. It may not look as fancy but it sure beats being microwaved by the sun!

 

[beppington]

One more plus to my top is the fact it does not radiate heat or sound. The white PVC is thin enogh to reflect back the sun and allows sound to pass around it pretty well too. It may not look as fancy but it sure beats being microwaved by the sun!

The lack of sound bouncing back may also be due to its wavy surface.

 

[Sublifer]

One more plus to my top is the fact it does not radiate heat or sound. The white PVC is thin enogh to reflect back the sun and allows sound to pass around it pretty well too. It may not look as fancy but it sure beats being microwaved by the sun!

Thanks for the pics Fastdraw! I was tempted to do something similar but I have a lot of trees on mine and my BIL's property so I wanted something that would survive if I ran into a branch or twenty by accident. LOL I also thought it'd be nice to have something that might save me some hurt if a branch fell on it. What you've got would be perfect for open fields and removable is nice. I tried to make mine so it would fold back with the ROPS but I'm afraid to try it with how heavy it is... it'd either come down too hard and too far or I'd never get it back up.

Oh, BTW, I have it insulated so it's pretty cool under mine and I don't get much engine noise either.

 

[Leejohn]

Here is the one I made, for the same reasons as Sublifer. It is noise and well need to insulate it. Sublifer did you glue the insulation in?
Lee

 

[Short Game]

I plan to build one on my R4010 LS. I too am in the trees. Lots of low branches that vary in height depending on the season or how wet they are. Whatever I do will have to be strong. I have holes knocked in the fiberglass roof on my old Cub Cadet. We've already had our day of sun for this summer, so rain is part of the considerations. The CC's roof had a gutter all the way around it and two tiny drain holes at the back corners. When it rained, the gutter filled up and then the water bounced out in a huge gush, soaking me. My new roof will have no gutters. I plan to have sweeps going to the loader mounts and design it so branches ride smoothly up over the lid.

 

[Sublifer]

Looks nice LeeJohn! I thought about doing front posts on mine and may add them still. As fir the insulation, I didn't glue it in cuz I wanted it to be removable and replacable. I used permanent tabs on the lower edges and a screwed in fixture at the top that I think I had a pic of up there. It was a pain getting the sheets in and if I ever do replace them then I'll cut smaller pieces and and add more tabs and what not if I need to.

ShortGame, the sweeps sounds like a good idea. I try to stick to establshed trails on my property so I figured the beveled front on mine would be sufficient. Time will tell...

 

[kebo]

sublifer, I would suggest one thing.... I didn't read this in any of your earlier posts but if I were you, I would be cutting off the ends of those studs that are pointed straight down at your head!! I know the chances of something happening and you getting injured by them are slim but they just look dangerous to me! That is, unless you plan on wearing a helmet lol!!

Otherwise, you did a fantastic job! You want to make me one and paint it green??