4310 Grill Guard

JimmyD · Aug 16, 2003

I finally got around to finishing my custom grill guard and had to show it off to somebody. My local newspaper declined to do a feature article about it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif No more worries about putting a branch through the grill or headlights when pushing slash piles and bush hogging in the really tall weeds.

GreenMtnMan · Aug 16, 2003

Pictures?

JohnMiller3 · Aug 16, 2003

( No more worries about putting a branch through the grill or headlights )

You're right... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif You can't puncture that... why you can't even see it... it's built so well... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

JimmyD · Aug 16, 2003

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Thanks John,,,High praise indeed!!! I was sure I attached that file. Lets see if this works.

GreenMtnMan · Aug 16, 2003

JimmyD, that looks mighty fine. Good job!

JohnMiller3 · Aug 16, 2003

I like it... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

That will be great for loading a truck as a front bumper/protection from your unit... but don't blink while brush hogging or out in the woods... cause... a sapling or sharp branch will sneak its way up/under/around/and through to get ya... when it wants... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

(and don't you dare ask... how I know all this... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

rockyridgefarm · Aug 16, 2003

Slick!

How's that eReverser doin?

JimmyD · Aug 16, 2003

Thanks Mike. I got the Sync Shift, one step down from the reverser tranny, and am really enjoying it. I will not elaborate on that as the hydro vs. gear topic already gets plenty of attention. Having power steering, live pto, shift on the go,and a loader is like night and day for me compared to the old Ford 2000. I do have to be more careful on the steep grades as the 4310 is not a stable as the Ford. My only problems are some bounce in the fuel gauge and the instrument panel started fogging up today. I will talk to my dealer next week about that. I might ask him to just supply me the parts and I'll put in a new fuel sender and the antifog glass kit myself when I do my 50 hour service. That will give me an excuse to buy the service manual for it now instead of after the warranty expires.

yellowsocks93 · Aug 16, 2003

I had those same problems with my 4300. I never knew that you could fix the fuel gauge problem. All of the 4000 and 4000 TEN series I have seen have had the fuel gauge bounce even the 5000 series have it. I have noticed it is to a lesser extent in the TWNETY series but is still there. The 70 and 90 series have none. I had the sync shift tranny also and it was nice except when the range lever would bind up and I would smack my hand against the roll bar.

Nick
990 4x4 turf, 272 RFM, 430 loader, 25A flail

Skeptic · Aug 17, 2003

Great looking grill cover there!
You did a great job. What gauge steel did you use?

Gary_in_Indiana · Aug 17, 2003

great for loading a truck as a front bumper/protection from your unit 

That's exactly what I do with mine. I've now got some green paint on my dump bed and a bit of orange on my grille guard. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Better that than a mashed grille and crushed radiator, though. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

rpatton · Aug 17, 2003

Jimmy D ,nice grill guard , did you say they have a anti fog kit?? mine fogged up after about 5 hrs. and its a bit hard to see around the fog. Thanks ,Rich

JimmyD · Aug 17, 2003

Thanks for the info on the fuel gauge. If it just bounces and remains fairly accurate I will leave it alone.

Shari, I don't know the gauge of the expanded metal but it is the heavy stuff. It was a scrap I bought from a local wrecking yard for $8.00. It's welded to 1/2" square stock that was heated, bent to curve around the radiused top and welded to the inside of the factory guard. The finished unit is turned in the opposite direction from the factory mounting orientation. Grainger or McMaster-Carr, I can't remember which, sell several varieties of expanded metal sheet in 2X2. I think it runs about $15.00 plus shipping. They both have pretty good web sites. Now if it will just dry up so I can get back to mowing. Rained off and on all night.

JimmyD · Aug 17, 2003

If you do a search in JD owning/operating under " instrument panel fogging" you will find some threads on the subject. A couple of guys have good references to JD documentation on the subject. The anti-fog kit is part # RE72944. I have really become dependent on the people who contribute to this forum with good info. This is a prime example of why we should build a monument to Mohammed. Of course we would debate endlessly on which tractor he would be riding but I know we would all agree it would have a gear tranny.,,,/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Gary_in_Indiana · Aug 17, 2003

scrap I bought from a local wrecking yard for $8.00 

WOW! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Around here scrap/salvage is ten to twenty cents per pound. Even at the higher price that'd be a forty pound piece you got there. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I guess it could kind of double as a suitcase weight, too. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JimmyD · Aug 17, 2003

I used the factory grill guard that comes with the loader and modified it. I bought the peice of expanded metal from the wrecking yard. It only weighs a few pounds. The 1/2" square bar stock was scrounged from a good neighbor who was kind enough to help me with the fabrication. Sorry if I was unclear.
Fabricating the whole thing would certainly have been a bigger project.