kubota b7500 front brush guard fabrication & harbor freight lightbar

[spirostats]

I have an LA 272 loader that doesn't come with the upper portion of the front grill/brush guard. I had some scrap metal and decided to make one. I also was unable to find a 4" LED light to fit the existing headlight housing so I also installed a light bar that I got from harbor freight. Im posting some pictures in case someone decides to do the same. I dont think I like the placement of the lightbar but for now it will suffice. I will try to find a 4 inch LED in the future and probably move the lightbar on the ROPS. I will then reinforce the brush guard and paint it. If anyone knows where to buy decent LED light that will fit a 4" hole I would appreciate it
Thank you

 

[dieselcrawler]

That looks good.

Agree with the light bar, might not be best place for it.

Are the round lights in the grill factory? Are they a 4" round sealed beam type light? I've seen LED replacement ones available, try this link...

Larsen Lights, LED lights for your equipment !. High Output PAR-36 Flood

 

[spirostats]

That looks good.

Agree with the light bar, might not be best place for it.

Are the round lights in the grill factory? Are they a 4" round sealed beam type light? I've seen LED replacement ones available, try this link...

Larsen Lights, LED lights for your equipment !. High Output PAR-36 Flood

Hi Dieselcrawler
Yes the round lights in the grill are factory they are 4" round sealed beam type. everything I find is larger than 4"
The link you posted doesnt work. I get a .net error....
I will look some more today and then remove the lightbar. I needed it yday so it worked for my purpose but its not good for a permanent install.
Thanks for the reply

 

[Gary Fowler]

For a brush guard, you will need some expanded metal inside the frame. As it is, it wont protect the grill very much at all. Likely you will also need some vertical or horizontal reinforcement bars inside the frame. This will limit the light from your original tractor lights so the light bar might be a requirement.
I think I would put it on the ROPS mounting it just underneath. That should protect it and put it high enough to be out of your way AND get more light to the front.

 

[spirostats]

Hi Gary
I was originally thinking of mounting it on the ROPS but my garage is not high enough and I know I will destroy the garage door one day. Im thinking if I find LED replacements for the factory holes I can then mount the lightbar on the ROPS as an auxiliary spotlight and extend the ROPS when needed.
I will fabricate a support for the grill but will keep it below the lights so they are not too obstructed. I will then add an expanded metal screen on the lower half of the grill. Life is full of compromises....

 

[spirostats]

sorry double post

 

[chim]

I like the light bar location. When I had lights on the ROPS they created glare in my glasses and attracted bugs. On the B7500 I made angle brackets to attach the lights to the loader frame to get them away from my head.

 

[5030]

Older Kubota's are all short on illumination and both my M's are no exception. The headlights on both are about as effective as having a flashlight with weak batteries. I switched out the cab mount lights on one with LED 5000 lumen spots front and rear and on the other, mounted 2 5000 lumen spots on the grill guard and one wide angle LED worklight facing back.

I run both after sunset during planting and harvest times.

 

[chim]

Older Kubota's are all short on illumination and both my M's are no exception. The headlights on both are about as effective as having a flashlight with weak batteries. .......................................

That's true, and probably not limited to older tractors. The only situation where the factory headlights are OK is when I drive a tractor into town at night.

If you want to operate a tractor in the dark, good aftermarket lights are necessary. I always go with floods rather than spots. With a top speed of less than 20 MPH I want lots of light around the tractor and not 1/4 mile away. Even the factory work lights on my L4240HSTC weren't suitable for mowing at night.

 

[5030]

That's true, and probably not limited to older tractors. The only situation where the factory headlights are OK is when I drive a tractor into town at night.

If you want to operate a tractor in the dark, good aftermarket lights are necessary. I always go with floods rather than spots. With a top speed of less than 20 MPH I want lots of light around the tractor and not 1/4 mile away. Even the factory work lights on my L4240HSTC weren't suitable for mowing at night.

Spots are a necessity for field work for me. I probably should have added I also run spots with side shooting LED's as well. LED's are so much better than Halogens. Even changed the halogens in my pickup truck to LED, in fact every light bulb but the rear turn signals. Much easier on the electrical systems. My field effective visual range went from about 150 feet to 1/4 mile and I turn them off with opposing traffic coming on side roads after dark. I would not want to be looking into them and I'm courteous anyway. I've looked into them at night and it's an instant headache. technology is amazing.