JD 3005 full cage ROPS/FOPS build

[dieselcrawler]

Ron,
For all intents and purposes, the hood clearance issue is solved. That was the whole reason for building the new brush guard, to make it wider than the hood/grill, to allow a straight shot from the outter front corners of the roof to the outter top corners of the grill guard. I couldn't figure out a way to both put an angle on the end of the box tube I'm using for the riser, and have a bolt-on type attachment point that kept the riser at the top of the grill guard, not a few inches down the side of it. All while clearing the hood, and loader frame during removal. Not that I have EVER removed my loader, but I dont want to have to remove the whole roll cage to do so if I ever need to.

I remember reading your cage build (and rebuild) thread, and even went back and re-read it last night... I like the side panels you have, I have wanted to copy that since I first saw yours. Thanks for following along on my version of the adventure!

 

[sixdogs]

Let me mention something I forgot on using inner tubes to insulation vibration. I assemble everything first and tighten everything down. Then I unbolt things, take whatever I have to apart and insert the thin rubber pieces. In other words, I make no tolerance allowance for the rubber.

In addition, I leave some hanging over the edge, maybe 1/4" all around. nothing scientific, I just felt it reduced the change of anything hitting that could cause vibration.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Sixdogs: that was my plan, add some innertube when I re-installed the roll cage after paint. It shouldn't affect mounting it in any way.

I made some progress today. The compound angles at both ends, combined with notches needed to fit mounting plates at the grill guard end turned this into about 4 to 5 hours of head scratching and chalk marks, remarking, a few beers, and a bit of grinder work. But both sides match, are the same size, and fit nicely. I did tack them in place, but need to finish welding when I have adequate covers over the tractor, so as to not scar it with weld splatter. A few gussets will be added on both ends.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Wow! Really impressed! Are the inner nuts welded to the frame? Is this better/stronger than taping the frame itself for threads? (that's a real question, not rhetorical)

 

[sixdogs]

Your job looks exceptional. Very good. Another vibration trick in the sidewall of cheap tires. Some have cord and some don't. Some are thick and some are thin but each has it's use. Try to avoid any metal to metal contact, including bolts where you can. Things will still make noise, just not as much.

 

[aczlan]

I want to add some screen on the back too, not sure if I will use this one in the picture or make something out of a bigger sheet of expanded metal I have, with tighter weave (smaller holes).

I wouldn't worry about the hole size as much as covering lower down. I would want to cover to the bottom of the seat if you are trying to keep nasties out...

Aaron Z

 

[ovrszd]

I wouldn't worry about the hole size as much as covering lower down. I would want to cover to the bottom of the seat if you are trying to keep nasties out...

Aaron Z

I agree.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Luke: I will weld the nuts inside the tubes before I cap them, but want a washer, most likely a 1/4" plate, in there first. I can see a 3/8" nut alone, with what little tack weld I can get on the rusty inside of the tube, pulling through the 1/8" tube wall in a rollover situation. And tapping the 1/8" wall is in no way strong enough, thread depth should be close to thread diameter, in this case, 3/8". Welding the nuts, capping the open ends of box tube, and gussets still left to be done.

Sixdogs: thanks for the compliments and additional info.

Aaron and Richard: the expanded metal with frame in the picture is simply something I had laying around, and I agree, far too small. The right hand side and rear areas are where I get the most intrusion from sticks and brush. I will wait and see what works out, best coverage with what materials I have on hand. So far, I have bought nothing, it's all been 'stock on-hand'.

 

[ovrszd]

Aaron and Richard: the expanded metal with frame in the picture is simply something I had laying around, and I agree, far too small. The right hand side and rear areas are where I get the most intrusion from sticks and brush. I will wait and see what works out, best coverage with what materials I have on hand. So far, I have bought nothing, it's all been 'stock on-hand'.

When those sticks and brush hit you in the back of the head or even worse, on the ear, you instantly see value in a good screen!!!!

My wife occasionally asks me why I keep "all that iron" around. Then I do a project and she says where did you get the iron to do that? I smile and point to the iron corner and say from "all that iron". I'm not sure she fully grasps it even then.

 

[dieselcrawler]

My wife refers to my steel stockpile, spare truck parts, and (gasp) even tools as "junk". "Why do you have the barn so junked up, it was so nice when we moved in." Yup, it was nice... nice and empty! Now it is actually used!