B3030 access to fuel tank

[Granite Tractor]

Some neighborhood mice decided to take up residence in my 3030 over the winter behind my dashboard. Fortunately they didn't do any damage aside from ripping up the foam insulation behind the panel holding the key/parking brake and stinking up the tractor.

I've managed to remove the dash and clean out their mess except for the top of the fuel tank, which I can't get to. I don't see an obvious way to remove the metal panel surrounding the fuel filler (just behind the hood). Is there an easy way to remove this panel?

Thanks.

 

[bikerdib]

You might not think so but you are lucky. I had my tractor parked outside at my weekend place last summer while I worked on building my pond and I kept it covered with a tarp. Bad move. I wasn't able to get out there and work for a couple of weeks and field rats moved in. They chewed up the wiring under the dash, even actually chewing completely through the wire going to the start solenoid. I found out the hard way KTAC does not cover rodent damage.

 

[BeezFun]

I found out the hard way KTAC does not cover rodent damage.

Insurance doesn't cover anything that actually happens, they cover things like alien invasions. The only thing I ever get in the mail from my insurance company is a new addendum to the list of things no longer covered.

 

[Granite Tractor]

You might not think so but you are lucky. I had my tractor parked outside at my weekend place last summer while I worked on building my pond and I kept it covered with a tarp. Bad move. I wasn't able to get out there and work for a couple of weeks and field rats moved in. They chewed up the wiring under the dash, even actually chewing completely through the wire going to the start solenoid. I found out the hard way KTAC does not cover rodent damage.

Great point - my tractor may stink but it still works!

 

[pacerron]

Next fall tie some mothballs in a piece of mesh sack that oranges or onions come in and hang it under or in the dash.

 

[bikerdib]

Since my little episode I use the same thing pacerron recommends, moth balls in a mesh bag or I've also just thrown some in the areas the rodents like to get into. The other thing I no longer do is cover the tractor with a tarp. That just made a perfect tent for the rodent hotel.

 

[von-mil]

Some neighborhood mice decided to take up residence in my 3030 over the winter behind my dashboard. Fortunately they didn't do any damage aside from ripping up the foam insulation behind the panel holding the key/parking brake and stinking up the tractor.

I've managed to remove the dash and clean out their mess except for the top of the fuel tank, which I can't get to. I don't see an obvious way to remove the metal panel surrounding the fuel filler (just behind the hood). Is there an easy way to remove this panel?

Thanks.

I had the exact same thing happen on my B3030 - mice chewed a nice big chunk out of the foam that separates the area behind the dash and the top of the fuel tank. Like you, I had no damage other than the foam which was easily replaced. I was able to remove the bulk of the nesting mess with needle-nose pliers and I ended up using compressed air to remove the remainder. I could not find an easy way to remove the metal panel either - it's called the shutter plate I believe. If I absolutely had to get it removed, I think I would have needed to first remove the cowling that surrounds the filler cap and continues down on both sides of the tractor. But that may not be a good option for you if you have the cabbed version of the B3030 - mine is open.

I stuck a couple of dryer sheets under the new foam seal to hopefully keep future mice away. Good luck.

 

[Granite Tractor]

I had the exact same thing happen on my B3030 - mice chewed a nice big chunk out of the foam that separates the area behind the dash and the top of the fuel tank. Like you, I had no damage other than the foam which was easily replaced. I was able to remove the bulk of the nesting mess with needle-nose pliers and I ended up using compressed air to remove the remainder. I could not find an easy way to remove the metal panel either - it's called the shutter plate I believe. If I absolutely had to get it removed, I think I would have needed to first remove the cowling that surrounds the filler cap and continues down on both sides of the tractor. But that may not be a good option for you if you have the cabbed version of the B3030 - mine is open.

I stuck a couple of dryer sheets under the new foam seal to hopefully keep future mice away. Good luck.

Thanks for the info - I use dryer sheets (the smelliest kind i can find) in my snowmobiles and haven't had any mice issues with them since doing that - didn't occur to me until it was too late that mice would like the Kubota too. I have also used compressed air and was easily able to remove the dashboard - my next step is to use up the fuel in the tank and then drop it until the cab (looks like it will tilt back easily into the cab once you remove the dash and some assorted brackets.