Canopies

Anonymous Poster · Feb 11, 2003

I priced a canopy the other day from John Deere $428.00 I was surfing the web and saw this canopy from Sun Guard $235.00 plus shipping. Has anybody bought one of these? If so how did you like it? How was the quality? I like the idea that it mounts in the front of rops instead of on top. I don't have much clearance to get the tractor in the garage.

Thanks for your input'
Mainiak1 web page Sun Guard

Anonymous Poster · Feb 11, 2003

I do not know anything about that brand but I bought the firebird fiberglass brand...more money,but an awesome made canopy, but they mount on top of the rollbar. firebird fiberglass Your John Deere dealer should be able to get one for you.

Kyle_in_Tex · Feb 12, 2003

My dealer offered me a JD canopy for my 4310 for "a little over $300" Maybe the extra quoted to you was an installed price??? Check around...Kyle

DannyWilliams · Feb 12, 2003

Hate to tell you this....but the canopie you are referring to clearly mounts over the top of the roll bar. The mounting brackets mount in front of the roll bar. I, on the other hand used a readily available top (not designed for a tractor) and made my own mounting brackets. It is supported at all four corners, is extremely sturdy, works like a Champ and the total cost was much less that you would spend for a cheap top. However, when I do a project like this, I never count my labor as added cost. Also built my own FEL, 3pt forks, 3pt reciever hitch, front bumper with reciever hitch and added rear hydraulics. I'm currently building/frabricating a hydraulic top link as well as Tilt. Oh yeah, I'm also just about to finish up my 110 gallon spray rig with PTO powered pump and 14' break away boom with hydraulic lift of the outter boom arms. Oh well, got carried away. Why don't you run down to EZGO and look at their Golf Cart tops. If you can do some fabrication, you'll be able to save some money. On the other hand, I've got a few extra sets of brackets that will fit a Kubota BX2200.

BB_TX · Feb 12, 2003

Something to consider is head clearance. My canopy on my JD950 mounts on top of the ROPS. I am fairly tall (6-4+) and I have very little head clearance. In fact, if I bounce over some rough spots while moving fairly fast, I sometime bump my head on it. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif A canopy that mounts on the front of the ROPS as shown in the web site you attached and was below the height of the ROPS would have me bending over to see out from under it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I think you would have to be rather short or have a really tall ROPS to be happy with that.

Anonymous Poster · Feb 12, 2003

DannyWilliams

I saw your picture you did an awesome job looks like it was made for it. I can do some fabrication, but I don't have anything to bend tubing.
The picture on the sunguard model "as far as I can tell" looks like it mounts to the rops. It also looks like it could be slid up
or down within reason. Since it mounts in the front of the rops it could be adjusted at the same height as rops. Am I missing something here?
How much was that EZGO and how do you bend tubing? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Anonymous Poster · Feb 12, 2003

BB TX

I'm only 5' 10" but I will check for head clearance. I didn't consider that. I guess an inch doesn't seem much but every time you hit a bump would be painfull. Other than bumping your head do you find the canopy usefull or a hinderance?

BB_TX · Feb 12, 2003

Considering I am sometimes mowing with temperatures 100+ /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif , I consider it not only useful, but essential.
The bumping is not a real problem. It just happens often enough to remind me it is there. It just happens that one of the cross structural bars in right above my head. If it had been a few inches forward or back, I would have had a couple inches extra clearance.

JerryT · Feb 12, 2003

I bought one of these about 18 -20 months ago and am very happy, particularly considering the price. It can mount either over the roll bar or infront of it. If you mount it in front you can adjust the height but then the sun will hit you in the back. I mounted mine over the bar. Its a light weight plastic with reasonably sturdy metal supports. I have run into numerous branches without breaking it. When I first got it we dropped it on its corner and cracked the corner. A little super glue fixed it and its still solid where we glued it. I would recommend this canopy.

Anonymous Poster · Feb 12, 2003

<font color="blue"> Also built my own FEL, 3pt forks, 3pt reciever hitch, front bumper with reciever hitch and added rear hydraulics. I'm currently building/frabricating a hydraulic top link as well as Tilt. Oh yeah, I'm also just about to finish up my 110 gallon spray rig with PTO powered pump and 14' break away boom with hydraulic lift of the outter boom arms. Oh well, got carried away. </font>

Sounds like some interesting work!

Could you post some photos of those things too? Mabye in the build-it yourself forum? Then again, maybe you already have...

It is always nice to see what others have accomplished. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

DannyWilliams · Feb 12, 2003

Mainiak!, I'm not sure exactly how the Sunguard model mounts or how much adjustment is available. I just don't like the large (not to be confused with HEAVY) mounting systems all the top manufactures are using. Who wants all that extra weight up high like that where it is certainly not needed.

As for the bends in my front mounting brackets. I did a lot of cutting and welding plus a little bondo and primer to produce the proto types. They look excellent and worked perfectly. I have since redesigned the front brackets to clear the FEL on a BX2200...they are close....about 3/16" from the side of the firewall bulkhead and they don't start the outward bend until they are high enough to clear the loader valve.

I did eventually but a tubing bender. It's time consuming, but it makes nice bends...not something I would want to go into production with.....too sloooooooowwwwwwww. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Somebody want a picture of some other projects...attached is a picture of my Home Made FEL. Notice the linkage...keeps the bucket at the same angle throughout the lift cycle. Not too bad for a one-eyed, two-fingered fat boy.

MiniOaksMocha · Feb 13, 2003

Would like to see a picture of your front bumper. What size tubing did you use? Did you add anything inside of it to give it added weight??

DannyWilliams · Feb 14, 2003

Minioaksmocha, I'll provide a couple of pictures of the bumper....one attached here and another attached to another reply. As you can see, I didn't use tubing...I used 3/8" X 3" flat steel. Did a little cutting, hacking and modifing to produce what you see here. I didn't want the extra weight on the front end all the time and that's the reason I made the bumper/reciever hitch to accept factory suitcase weights.

At the moment, I'm putting the finishing touches on a rear mounted 4 section spool valve as well as a custom mabe hydraulic top link (6" stroke) and a hudraulic tilt cylinder (4" stroke) for my BX2200. I finished up the cylinders last night and should be able to get the hoses made within a week or two. Looking forward to getting all the hydraulics hooked up!!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

DannyWilliams · Feb 14, 2003

Here's another shot of the bumper.

Anonymous Poster · Feb 14, 2003

I did eventually but a tubing bender. DannyWilliams, do you have a photo, brand name, etc. on the tubing bender? I'm curious as to how you did such beautiful bends with the steel. GREAT job. Thanks for the photos.

tdenny · Feb 14, 2003

Danny,

This might seem like a very silly question but I'll ask anyway - does your front bumper (very nicely done by the way) get in the way with any of you loader movements?

DannyWilliams · Feb 14, 2003

tdenny,

The bumper is not a problem for the FEL. The only thing I had to do was trim approx. 2.5" from the lever that is used to lock/hold the front of the mower deck. The lose of the 2.5" inches has not been a problem either.

tdenny · Feb 14, 2003

Cool, looks really good. I will wait for more pictures of your creations.

DannyWilliams · Feb 14, 2003

StanleyinMD,

I purchased my bender from Pro Tools (www.pro-tools.com). If your making a few bends, this bender might just fit the bill. On the other hand, if your thinking about going into production (as I'm considering) then this is not the way to go. They do make a hydraulic upgrade kit for this bender, but I still wouldn't go that route to satisfy a high production situation.

I'm currently giving some thought to building a table/jig which will use three benders to make all the bends without ever having to readjust the tube in the jig. It'll be powered by hydraulics, using 3 seperate cylinders, each individually controlled. At least, that's my plan...I've already ordered the cylinders.

What I need is more time in the day. I'm currently finishing up my hydraulic top link (6" stroke) as well as hydraulic tilt (4" stroke). Mounted a 4 spool valve on the back as well as adding the BX22 rear hydraulic lines. I'm almost there. With any luck I'll finish up the rear hydraulics in a week or so.