Cage for Kioti LB1914

[gladehound]

Hi all, been thinking about putting a cage on my little ol tractor for some time since I'm aways in the woods collecting moving logs and collecting fire wood. Have had a few close calls when a FOPS would have been nice and one near catastrophy where I hooked a monkey vine on the bucket and inadvertently nearly pulled an 12" diameter 50 foot tall spire onto my head. Thankfully for me and my family, it didn't come all the way down. It was to the side of the tractor so the ROPS would not have helped at all. I'm attaching a drawling of the design I think will work best for me. I've been talking to a friend who fabricates race cars and roll cages for a living and trying to get on his schedule... maybe next week.

 

[MotorSeven]

I just finished mine. A hood protector & belly pan are next:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kioti-owning-operating/172572-roll-cage-new-steel-roof.html

RD

 

[gladehound]

Nice cage! My friend said he could fit me in this Monday! I take the tractor down at 7AM. I've decided to use expanded metal on the roof for visibility. I'll post pictures when it's done.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Cant wait for the pics!

 

[countrybumpkin]

If you use the expanded metal for the top you could always mount an electric cooling fan from a car or truck radiator, should keep you cool on those hot days.

 

[gladehound]

Thanks for the cooling tip! Where I live it is almost all woods and the woods keep the air cool even when it is 10-15 degrees in near by areas without trees. but I might try it anyway! Dropped the tractor off this morning. He said it should be done later this week!

 

[countrybumpkin]

Hope to hook mine up this year, been saying that for two seasons now. I got mine from a friend that had replaced the cooling fan because he was told it was bad, come to find out it was a relay or switch instead of the fan. But he had already special ordered the new fan and installed it. So he gave me the old one. Really interested in seeing your finished cage, I've built a few for jeeps and race cars on the side but never a tractor. []

 

[mjncad]

Gladehound:

My only suggestion would be to add two posts running vertical down to the loader mounts if space permits.

 

[gladehound]

I like that suggestion except that I have a fancy dismount where I swing my leg over the hood, suspend my body from one hand on the steering wheel and one on the fender handle and then fly out the side hopefully sticking the landing. I would have to develop a new dismount if I put a post where you suggest and that is unthinkable! ; )

Or I could just get a grapple so I don't have to get on and off the tractor so often ; )

 

[gladehound]

Talked to my builder... The main part of the frame is all together. The sides and expanded metal should go on tomorrow. Paint on Thursday or Friday. Said it should be ready for the weekend! : )

 

[mjncad]

I like that suggestion except that I have a fancy dismount where I swing my leg over the hood, suspend my body from one hand on the steering wheel and one on the fender handle and then fly out the side hopefully sticking the landing. I would have to develop a new dismount if I put a post where you suggest and that is unthinkable! ; )

Or I could just get a grapple so I don't have to get on and off the tractor so often ; )

Do you keep a chalk-box on your tractor to aid in your dismount gymnastics?

 

[gladehound]

Yea, chalk would probably help!

Got some pictures from the shop this morning! side sheilds, rear shield and expanded metal still to come.

 

[gladehound]

A little more progress and some more pictures!

 

[mjncad]

That's a stout cage. A couple of gussets where the 'A' pillar meets the roof would go a long way towards taking the place of the posts I suggested in an earlier post.

I like the Willy's coupe on the lift in one of the shop photos you posted.

 

[gladehound]

Are you talking about gussets to keep it from racking sideways or gussets to keep it from crushing downward?

 

[MotorSeven]

Looking good. Just remember when we add heavy steel up high, we have now changed the COG. My cage is around 200 lbs, so I will be very carefull when working on a grade & I always wear my seatbelt unless I am on flat ground.

RD

 

[gladehound]

Thanks for the reminder RD. This cage should be around 300 pounds and I had the same thought. So I'm getting a 7/8" x 44" long rolled steel bar for the lower link arms. I used to be a weight lifter and have about 1000 pounds of excercise plates rusting in my basement. I figure I can get 600-700 pounds on the bar. Since excercise plates are round like wheels and the link arms float there are no worries about running it too close to the ground so I'll have this weight down low and it should more than counter the weight up high. The cage itself will add to initial stability but will detract from secondary stability. Stability is part of the reason I made the cage narrow. You can lean a bit before the heavy part of the cage is outside the wheels.

I wanted to do the side supports to the loader arms that were mentioned before but when I got an estimate for them it exceeded my budget. So I'm taking the cage as is and may add to it myself in the future since my cousin just aquired a new welder and a whole bunch of other metal working tools.

I'll post pictures of the final (well, final for now) cage once I have them. I've been told it's done but haven't seen it yet.

 

[Johndeere3720]

That is one nice cage!

 

[gladehound]

Here are the final pictures (for now). I do want to add side supports from the loader uprights and rear mesh but that is for another time.

 

[mjncad]

Are you talking about gussets to keep it from racking sideways or gussets to keep it from crushing downward?

To keep it from crushing downward.

The cage looks great in your last set of photos.