Tractor modifications

[yellowsocks93]

But the real open pit mining trucks are made of all steel. I remember when I brought this topic up in the JD forum and most people liked plastic. Looks like things have taken a swing back to metal. I find that in some places plastic does have advantages. Even in my 990 the very tip of the hood is plastic not metal like the rest of everything. I had a very small scratch there and it came right out using 3M wax. It is all a matter of personal preference.

 

[centex]

"Did you check your battery for damage ? Whatever it was that ruined your tractors hood might have cracked the batteries case ."

All that was broke was the hood. The rock that broke it was only fist size. A lot of large rocks have bounced off it with no real damage but this one hit just right and the hood just shattered. I never noticed just how thin an flimsy the plastic in the hood is but now I am supprised that some of the limbs that have it before did not break it.

 

[centex]

"JDParts shows a price of $210.00 for the 4500/4600/4700 hood (P/N LVU12063)."

That's good news. Only $210 for a part that cost JD maybe $20 or so. I expected a larger markup. I wonder how much the two decals will cost. I hope less than the hood.

 

[centex]

"One thing if you dont mind me asking is can you get the tractor on top of the cliff?'

I wish there was a way to get up there but there isn't. Actually I am being very careful not to let large rocks fall. If I see any chance of anything of size moving I take full advantage of the hydro transmission to get away at full speed. I use digging bars on top of the hill to dislodge the large rocks so there are none near the edge where I am digging. I have dug down to a solid rock ledge at the base of the hill so when a 3000 pound boulder falls 14 feet from the top it shakes the ground. There is no doubt in my mind what they would do to anything that was in their way.

 

[centex]

"Now about your tractor... Is that plastic or fiberglas?"

I believe it is ABS. It is definitely not fiberglass. I owned a Corvette for 30 years and I had much large rocks bounce off it with out doing any damage other than paint dings. One bounced of the hood and came through the windshield. It only made a tiny ding in the paint although it made a lot noise when it hit but then it was glancing blow to the Corvette hood whereas the rock that broke the tractor hood made a direct hit and transferred all of its energy to the hood. I don't know if the fiberglass would have survived if it took a direct hit but it would not have shattered into small pieces. The other thing in the fiberglass's favor on a Corvette is that it is protected from UV light by paint. I doubt seriously that a plastic tractor with molded in color would survive thirty years in the sun.

 

[centex]

"To me time is money. Downtime is worth something, is it not?"

You get a different perspective when you are retired although I have always hated to throw anything away. Money is now something to be hoarded for really necessary things and time is something you have a lot more of to spend. I drove the same Corvette for 30 years and it was not my oldest vehicle. I have 1934 International PU truck that is made out 18 gauge metal in the body and 10 gauge in the bed. The bed has dents that I have never been able to beat out but I prefer to look on them as patina.

 

[slowrev]

Right you are steve on the comparison cost of repairing a metal hood vs replacing a plastic/fiberglas hood. But what about 20 years from now when the hood has been discontinued......

 

[RobertN]

Plastic can be saved, if you have a similar remnant. I punched a hole in a plastic dirt bike gas tank one. Broke the front fend, which was the same plastic. A guy used a hot air gun of some sort, and used the fender material to "weld" the hole in the gas tank. Worked perfect...

 

[centex]

"Plastic can be saved, if you have a similar remnant."

Not the stuff that John Deere uses! It shatters into small pieces. Of the missing area there were about 50 small pieces that I found. I even found a handful of small pieces in the air cleaner.I have repaired many plastic items by using a small wood burning iron to melt them back together and using similar plastic as filler rod but not this type of plastic.

I was at my dealer's yeaterday to pick up the $165 worth of oil and filters to do the 400 hour service. They had another 4700 in to have its hood replace for the same reason so mine is not an isolated incident. I priced the extra armor kit and it is $615 so I guess I was better off just replacing the hood since it is not all that much more than an oil change!!!!

 

[jrlichina]

The components of the kit are also available for individual purchase to meet specific operator needs. See how much just the hood guard costs, if it's reasonable it could save you money in the long run.