m7060 is a stick magnet, fragile underside

[RoyKing]

Already lost my 3rd function FEL valve to a stick, ripped wiring out $2300. Ktac

Now I've got a check engine light, back to shop, think regen problem

Was under it again and now the fuel tank skid plate bent, really flimsy and they didn't roll the front edge up. So it just traps sticks.

Upon return its off to the welding shop for grill guard and belly pan. Doing the same work I used my old 1966 Ford 3000 for and never tore anything up.

My F350 crewcab goes in the same places the tractor goes and hasn't ripped anything out

 

[MF243RedTop]

That sounds like a great plan, all it took was a couple foot throttle cables here...
And I began to fab up the belly pan and risers that went with the top from our previous tractor.
GL with the project.

 

[oosik]

WoW!! That is not good. I, and obviously you, Roy - never guessed that a tractor is so susceptible to "under body" damage. Post some good pictures when the project is complete.

Again, I'm fortunate. Most all my brush - Buck brush - doesn't grow tall enough to touch the underside of my M6040. I'm pretty careful on the very few pine limbs I have to clean up. This will be on the front of my mind when I do use the grapple for large pine limbs.

 

[Smokeydog]

I have been eyeing some SS plate and tread plate at at the scrap yard to make skid plates. The B26 3rd function valve is underneath just asking “Hit me!” SS saves not having to prep and paint. Steel $0.30/#, SS $1.25/#. Was going to make a hole for the hydraulic oil drain. Need other holes or slots for ventilation or flush out debris? How big? Don’t want too much fire material to build up.
The M59 has a small protection plate for the dual hydraulic filters underneath. If a stick hit the filters could it compromise filtration and cause serious damage? Filters and oil alone is $400. Well worth protecting.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A lot of tractors are that way. When looking under a JD 110, I considered it a crime that the skid plate wasn't standard equipment!

 

[5030]

Never had an issue but them both mine are only for farming, not 'offroading'.....

 

[Rustyiron]

I just posted some skid plate pics on another thread for a guy with similar problems.https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...432122-time-some-skid-plates.html#post5869485

 

[ovrszd]

These discussions are hard to rationalize. I might drive over something that Daryl wouldn't consider driving over. Or I might drive around something that Eric would drive right over.

Hard to be objective without being there in person when the damage is done. I crushed a hydraulic filter and have no idea how.

 

[oosik]

Well I don't have big brush and I'm pretty good about cleaning up limbs. So ...... It's just Buck brush and bunch grass here on the 80. The occasional pine that must be taken down( pine bark beetle) is cleaned up and burned right away. So far, after 38+ years, I've not damaged anything on the tractor nor any implement. That's just what comes from living on wide open spaces.

 

[Rustyiron]

Richard you should have seen what I was going over/through bush hogging Sunday.:confused2: