Limb Guard

   / Limb Guard #1  
Surshot

Surshot

Silver Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2008
Messages
128
Location
NW Florida
Tractor
Kubota L4400 4x4
I have a tree farm, I cut between my trees with a bush hog on an L4400 Kubota. I am tired of being slapped in the face by pine tree limbs. I thought about mounting a nylon guard around the front and sides of the after market steel canopy, made from either a P/U truck bed guard (tail gate replacement)or an exterior excivation guard, type material. The guard I am describing is the heavy nylon strapping formed into large open squares mostly orange in color seen around construction sites to keep the piblic out of excivations.

I would mount heavy hooks along the top of the canopy, with hook open in, and afix the top of the heavy net guard to the hooks with the bottom held by bungie cord or heavy elastic rubber straps.

Anyone tried this type of setup and does it work or is it more problem than solution?
Thanks,
Ed
 
   / Limb Guard #2  
Surshot said:
I have a tree farm, I cut between my trees with a bush hog on an L4400 Kubota. I am tired of being slapped in the face by pine tree limbs. I thought about mounting a nylon guard around the front and sides of the after market steel canopy, made from either a P/U truck bed guard (tail gate replacement)or an exterior excivation guard, type material. The guard I am describing is the heavy nylon strapping formed into large open squares mostly orange in color seen around construction sites to keep the piblic out of excivations.

I would mount heavy hooks along the top of the canopy, with hook open in, and afix the top of the heavy net guard to the hooks with the bottom held by bungie cord or heavy elastic rubber straps.

Ed
Click to expand...
A broken one of these turned loose could be as dangers or more dangerous than the tree limb.
I keep tree limbs trimed up high enough to clear the tractor.
 
   / Limb Guard #3  
Surshot
I don't see why it wouldn't work.. The plastic orange construction netting that we use around trenches, etc. would greatly reduce your visibility so you may want to substitute with a rope netting type material (Nylon Net Company). If that won't hold up to the abuse of the branches, how about some chain link fence material.
 
   / Limb Guard #4  
Surshot said:
I have a tree farm, I cut between my trees with a bush hog on an L4400 Kubota. I am tired of being slapped in the face by pine tree limbs. I thought about mounting a nylon guard around the front and sides of the after market steel canopy, made from either a P/U truck bed guard (tail gate replacement)or an exterior excivation guard, type material. The guard I am describing is the heavy nylon strapping formed into large open squares mostly orange in color seen around construction sites to keep the piblic out of excivations.

I would mount heavy hooks along the top of the canopy, with hook open in, and afix the top of the heavy net guard to the hooks with the bottom held by bungie cord or heavy elastic rubber straps.

Anyone tried this type of setup and does it work or is it more problem than solution?
Thanks,
Ed
Click to expand...



Heavy EQ (dozers, ect.) often have what are called "limb risers." They have a piece of steel tubing (or something similar) which runs from the top corner of each side of the the grill-guard, to the top - front corners of the ROPS.

These do exactly what the name implies - Raise the limbs up and over the canopy so you don't get slapped silly by lower branches.

I don't know if this is feasible for you, but it wouldn't obscure vision, and be much more durable. It could even be a pin-on as needed device if you wish.

Now you've got me thinking that maybe I could use a set...Only problem is I usually mow with the ROPS folded anyways (lots of trees and level ground/swamp). I don't want to have to trim every tree to a 8-9' height to clear the ROPS, but I do get slapped up-side-the-head every so often.

Hmmmm...:)
 
   / Limb Guard #5  
Before someone mentions..

brush guards as found on offroad 4x4's made from a steel rope and tensioner work good but a big no-no on open vehicles.

If the rope brakes you have a metal whip.

Not to mention what it would do when catched by your hog with you between the newly made high speed winch and the connection point somewhere in front of you....:eek:

I agree with the fix bars although you'll need the rops up.
 
   / Limb Guard #6  
   / Limb Guard #7  
Hmmmmm......I like this idea of the limb guard. I recently just about had my eye put out by a sapling :eek: was a terrible hit....and I ended up with a blackened eyeball (yes safety officer...I had my safety glasses on:D).

I am going to give this a look next time I'm riding my tractor. Thanks for the idea. :)
 
   / Limb Guard #8  
   / Limb Guard #9  
I'm with L Brown on this one - trim the trees to height necessary and be done with it.
Unless, of course, you feel compelled to build something to combat the branches...I usually try to take the route of least time expenditure so I can be using my time to do what I really wanted to use it for- but that's just me :eek:
 
   / Limb Guard #10  
Coyote machine said:
I'm with L Brown on this one - trim the trees to height necessary and be done with it.
Unless, of course, you feel compelled to build something to combat the branches...I usually try to take the route of least time expenditure so I can be using my time to do what I really wanted to use it for- but that's just me :eek:
Click to expand...

The only branches trimmed out my way are the ones that can get between a 150 gr nosler traveling around 3000 fps and fresh (on the hoof) venison that may wander into the shooting lanes.

:D:D:D
 
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