First Damage to New Tractor

[Surewhynot]

With all the brush I have been clearing I have been carefully to watch for the loose branches and limbs. Today I was showing SWMBO how to operate the new tractor and FEL when I noticed a nice stick protruding from my grill No damage to the fan or anything else, just a nice hole in the grill, actually right where I would have had to drill a hole to put a medallion on the grill anyway Does anyone have a suggestion as to the best screening material to put over the grill guard to prevent this from happening again or worse damage to the engine. I was thinking of a metal mesh screen cut to size and bolted on to the grill guard.

 

[Timber]

Well I can tell you this to begin with and I should talk because I still have not done it yet is Skid Plates especially with a BX. You can not do much with the grill itself but you can put armor on the guard.

 

[blagg]

My first damage was to my handrails of my front steps. Was digging pile of snow from in front of the steps that falls off the roof and thought I was past the ends of the rails. When I curled the bucket up and raised the handrails came up first. Wife not happy, really not happy when I did it again to the other side after checking damage to the first one. She says I need to take a tractor awareness class!

 

[jbrumberg]

It is all part of the learning curve experience . Ask my own SWMBO . Jay

 

[Surewhynot]

I think I would prefer a less expensive learning curve if possible. I am sure that piece of plastic grill cover is expensive and besides the hole gives it some character I do want to screen off the grill guard with a heavy mesh screen to prevent any new holes from appearing. SWMBO was actually good about it, said oh well it's a tractor, these things are going to happen

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Surewhynot,
The most important thing is that you didnt damage yourself or someone else, everything else is secondary !

 

[AndyMA]

I think I would prefer a less expensive learning curve if possible. I am sure that piece of plastic grill cover is expensive and besides the hole gives it some character I do want to screen off the grill guard with a heavy mesh screen to prevent any new holes from appearing. SWMBO was actually good about it, said oh well it's a tractor, these things are going to happen

That's right it's a tractor. Bends, scrapes. dings. all things that happend to machines that are actually used.

Andy

 

[flusher]

With all the brush I have been clearing I have been carefully to watch for the loose branches and limbs. Today I was showing SWMBO how to operate the new tractor and FEL when I noticed a nice stick protruding from my grill No damage to the fan or anything else, just a nice hole in the grill, actually right where I would have had to drill a hole to put a medallion on the grill anyway Does anyone have a suggestion as to the best screening material to put over the grill guard to prevent this from happening again or worse damage to the engine. I was thinking of a metal mesh screen cut to size and bolted on to the grill guard.

Metal mesh would work.

I prefer expanded metal screen like I use as a safety shield on my ROPS.

It's stouter than fine-mesh metal screening. If the holes are too large you can use two pieces of expanded metal back-to-back with an offset to make the hole openings smaller.

 

[Surewhynot]

Flusher, that is just what I had in mind! That should provide some protection to the plastic on the grill when I manage to get into the brush when clearing. Two pieces connected on the front and back of the grill guard should do it.

 

[LBrown59]

With all the brush I have been clearing I have been carefully to watch for the loose branches and limbs. Today I was showing SWMBO how to operate the new tractor and FEL when I noticed a nice stick protruding from my grill No damage to the fan or anything else, just a nice hole in the grill, actually right where I would have had to drill a hole to put a medallion on the grill anyway Does anyone have a suggestion as to the best screening material to put over the grill guard to prevent this from happening again or worse damage to the engine. I was thinking of a metal mesh screen cut to size and bolted on to the grill guard.
1*Kubota BX1500 54" Belly deck, and a L3240 , 3pt Blade,Cutter, Dirt Scoop, Pallet Forks, Woods HB-72" Box Blade

1*What do you use the BX1500 for?
How does it handle the 54'' mower?
1*I have a new BX1500 with a 48'' mower but I'm wondering if I should have gotten the 54'' mower instead.
One reason I didn't get it was I was told the 54'' was to big for the tractor.
I use it to mow where I can't go with the BX23 and for using 3 point hitch implements.

I also have a used BX1500 with a tiller and front blade I use for grading and tilling work.

 

[LBrown59]

Metal mesh would work.

*I prefer expanded metal screen like I use as a safety shield on my ROPS.

I don't think this would work very good with a BH mounted on the tractor.

 

[Surewhynot]

LBROWN59,
I use the BX1500 to mow the grass as the turf tires are better suited than the industrial on the L3240 and the 54" deck works like a charm. I use it to keep the fields mowed as well after I use a heavy cutter to take the grass and weeds down to a level the mower can handle. I will spray the weeds this spring, this is the first spring we have had the property. SWMBO also likes the BX1500 to pull the garden cart and I use it to pull the trailer to move brush and other items. The BX1500 is a great all around tractor to do small jobs around the farm and it fits where the L3240 won't for landscaping around the house.

 

[LBrown59]

1*Yep the BX1500s are really nice.
I looked at the X700s before buying the 2 BX1500s but felt the BX1500 was more bang for the buck in my situation and was the best way for me to acomplish my goal.

LBROWN59,
I use the BX1500 to mow the grass as the turf tires are better suited than the industrial on the L3240 and the 54" deck works like a charm. I use it to keep the fields mowed as well after I use a heavy cutter to take the grass and weeds down to a level the mower can handle. I will spray the weeds this spring, this is the first spring we have had the property. SWMBO also likes the BX1500 to pull the garden cart and I use it to pull the trailer to move brush and other items. The BX1500 is a great all around tractor to do small jobs around the farm and it fits where the L3240 won't for landscaping around the house.

 

[Surewhynot]

My neighbor keeps threatening to steal my BX1500 and paint it green I really like the versatility of this small but powerful tractor. I used it to pull over many a dead tree here on this place (Using the safe pull method mentioned by so many here on this site). I have been wearing out the bucket on the new L3240 moving wood, brush, dirt, gravel, I guess I will keep going until I get tired of playing with it

 

[LBrown59]

My neighbor keeps threatening to steal my BX1500 and paint it green .

He sure knows how to ruin a fantastic tractor.
Don't let him near it!

 

[RedRocker]

Here's what I did.

 

[Surewhynot]

That looks great Red, I wll try and make somethng like that, how did you attach it to the grill guard?

 

[Northland]

My first damage was to my handrails of my front steps. Was digging pile of snow from in front of the steps that falls off the roof and thought I was past the ends of the rails. When I curled the bucket up and raised the handrails came up first. Wife not happy, really not happy when I did it again to the other side after checking damage to the first one. She says I need to take a tractor awareness class!

jeez....you are like me doing finesse work around the house with a tractor. I have ripped up my side deck as well as removed 2x6's off the bottom steps on the other side of the house. The bigger the tractor the faster and more extensive the damage

 

[Northland]

Metal mesh would work.

I prefer expanded metal screen like I use as a safety shield on my ROPS.

It's stouter than fine-mesh metal screening. If the holes are too large you can use two pieces of expanded metal back-to-back with an offset to make the hole openings smaller.

Flusher-where do you buy expanded metal screen? I need some of that for my ROPs and front grill....and maybe a few other spts on my B7800 as well.

 

[flusher]

Flusher-where do you buy expanded metal screen? I need some of that for my ROPs and front grill....and maybe a few other spts on my B7800 as well.

Home Depot. In the window screen dept.