Woods protection for JD 990

mjeselskis · November 03, 2012, 05:04:28 PM

I just picked up a 2002 JD 990 to use with the sawmill and yarding out firewood and sawlogs with a farmi winch. I've seen some tractors at logging shows that have some extra protection for woods use. I'm thinking something for a decent roof, and sweepers from the roof to the grill guard, maybe a rear window guard.

My question is... do they make a kit for this type of thing or do I need to make my own?

beenthere · November 03, 2012, 05:47:59 PM

mj
Have you checked with Deere? I believe they do make 'armor' for the belly of the 990, but don't know part no's.

mjeselskis · November 03, 2012, 06:38:39 PM

Quote from: beenthere on November 03, 2012, 05:47:59 PM
mj
Have you checked with Deere? I believe they do make 'armor' for the belly of the 990, but don't know part no's.

I've seen belly pans and may make my own, but I was looking for something for overhead protection, something from the grill guard to the roof and a rear window screen

Piston · November 03, 2012, 06:47:18 PM

I've been playing with fire with no belly pan or skid plate type protection. I did get burned once when I got a limb jammed up underneath the tractor, bending the HST linkage.

This thread is a good reminder that I really need to do something about the lack of protection under my tractor.

thecfarm · November 03, 2012, 07:20:24 PM

I worked in the woods since '93 with my tractor,just on my land,cutting logs to sell.Stopped doing that about '97. Now it's just my own firewood.I cut my brush up small 2-3 feet long as much as I can and try not to run right down the middle of it. I don't think I ever had any limb damage. I've had a few small trees come up onto the fenders because I got in a hard spot and backed up to far. I'm the type that can broke just about anything too.

ga jones · November 03, 2012, 09:17:03 PM

deere makes forestry packages for there tractors.

Okrafarmer · November 03, 2012, 09:20:59 PM

My friends in Pennsylvania had a Same Leopard 85 4wd, a decent farm tractor, which I baled round bales with and used for other farm work one summer. They took it in the woods one occasion, and got a stump under it, such that it jammed the clutch linkage, so the clutch was jammed disengaged, and they couldn't move the tractor under its own power. I think they had to cut the stump out from under it.

thecfarm · November 03, 2012, 09:34:27 PM

maybe next time they will cut thier stumps lower or not try to straddle a stump. I try to be careful with my tractor in the woods. I'm not trying to get a load out a day. :

Trying to see how fast you can go can get a person in trouble with a tractor in the woods. I have 150 feet of cable and if I need it all so I don't get into a mess,I use it all. I'm very fussy with brush in my trails. I will get off the tractor to keep them clean.

Okrafarmer · November 03, 2012, 09:53:16 PM

Well, my friends were/are not real experienced in the woods. They just pull a few trees out every year for firewood. If they did it continually, they'd get more experienced. The man who owned the tractor died last year, from a heart attack, at age 57. I was very sad to hear about it. I haven't been in close contact with them for a while, nice folks, though, up in the north-east corner of PA.

colincb183 · November 03, 2012, 11:43:40 PM

We snapped a shifting linkage when a limb got jammed between the rear tire and transmission on a JD 4610, still don't have any undercarriage protection, i would highly suggest it.

mjeselskis · November 04, 2012, 12:43:25 AM

Sounds like the main focus should be the undercarriage. I'll check out the forestry packages from John Deere

Ed_K · November 04, 2012, 05:48:06 AM

I got a branch in the 4x4 linkage and moved the shift skate inside to the wrong side of the gear.Protection is a must have.

bill m · November 04, 2012, 07:45:36 AM

I use my NH in the woods every day full time logging not just firewood. These pictures show the roof,rear screen and undercarriage protection I made.

I have other pictures in my gallery.

barbender · November 04, 2012, 07:48:33 AM

I have a friend that had an inspection plate on his JD548 skidder get tore off on a rock or something, then a stick got through and jammed a linkage. He got underneath (without shutting the machine off) and tried to pull the stick out, it pulled the linkage and put the machine in gear, it then ran right over him. He sustained massive injuries and came as close to dying as you can. My point is that the more of these "situations" you have, the better your chances are of getting hurt. Do what you can to your machines to prevent as many as possible. I like Bill's set up.

Okrafarmer · November 04, 2012, 08:25:28 AM

We logged with a 1948 John Deere B for nearly 30 years. There's nothing much to catch on the underside of it, and the rear axles will clear around 24". Bang for the buck, if I ever log again on a small scale, I'll be looking for a JD A or 60, since they are a little bigger and more powerful, and the 60 has live hydraulics. Having said that, most people would do best with a four-wheel-drive ROPS tractor.

thecfarm · November 04, 2012, 08:27:26 AM

bill m sure does know how to log with a tractor.

Piston · November 04, 2012, 04:20:21 PM

Bill,
What thickness is that skidplate you have, and how did you connect it? That is a slick setup! I was out your way 2 weeks ago and wanted to give you a call to see if I could check out your setup, but I had 14hrs of driving to do that day and just couldn't make time....maybe one of these days ;D

bill m · November 04, 2012, 05:40:30 PM

My skid plate is 3/16 and is mounted to the sub frame for the loader.

Maine372 · November 14, 2012, 05:58:32 PM

the underside of the 990 is pretty clean as it is. i logged full time with that same machine with no extra gaurding on the bottom. addington equipment in NH does alot of custom gaurding on tractors. even if you dont by from them you might get some ideas that you can use to build your own cage.

valve stem protectors are a must as well

mjeselskis · November 14, 2012, 08:02:43 PM

Quote from: Maine372 on November 14, 2012, 05:58:32 PM
the underside of the 990 is pretty clean as it is. i logged full time with that same machine with no extra gaurding on the bottom. addington equipment in NH does alot of custom gaurding on tractors. even if you dont by from them you might get some ideas that you can use to build your own cage.

valve stem protectors are a must as well

The bottom side is pretty clean, but i figured a few skid plates wouldnt hurt. I am more concerned about topside protection (for myself) and protecting the other soft points.

What are the options for valve stem protection? I hadn't considered those.

thecfarm · November 14, 2012, 08:16:36 PM

Need to weld something around the valve stem. I just used a piece of ¼" flat stock a little higher than the stem. Leave room to work on the stem too.On one I used a piece of 3 or 4 inch pipe with threads on it and put a cap on it too. My NH came with the protectors on the front tires but none on the rear,which I feel was kinda odd. Need them on back more,those are the expensive tubes. I suppose you have tubes in your tires?Seem like if you weld with air in the tire it will explode?? Seem like I heard about that on here?

mjeselskis · November 14, 2012, 08:36:18 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on November 14, 2012, 08:16:36 PM
Need to weld something around the valve stem. I just used a piece of ¼" flat stock a little higher than the stem. Leave room to work on the stem too.On one I used a piece of 3 or 4 inch pipe with threads on it and put a cap on it too. My NH came with the protectors on the front tires but none on the rear,which I feel was kinda odd. Need them on back more,those are the expensive tubes. I suppose you have tubes in your tires?Seem like if you weld with air in the tire it will explode?? Seem like I heard about that on here?

All the tires are tubeless right now, but I actually need to have the rears broken down to remove the calcium since it is weeping through the bead and rusting the rim. I'll probably have tubes put back in at that time. I don't think I want to weld to the rim so I may pass on the guards for now. I'll just have to be careful where I'm going

thecfarm · November 14, 2012, 08:45:31 PM

You are going to want tubes in those tires for the woods. I have tubes in all my tires. Front and back and my rear are loaded with calium. I even loaded the ones on the 30hp and we only use that to mow with and to blow snow.When the tires are off I would weld something around the stems. It does not do anything bad to the rims. just re paint that area. I also hope you have 2 brake pedals and know how to use them.

mjeselskis · November 14, 2012, 09:05:54 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on November 14, 2012, 08:45:31 PM
You are going to want tubes in those tires for the woods. I have tubes in all my tires. Front and back and my rear are loaded with calium. I even loaded the ones on the 30hp and we only use that to mow with and to blow snow.When the tires are off I would weld something around the stems. It does not do anything bad to the rims. just re paint that area. I also hope you have 2 brake pedals and know how to use them.

I do have 2 pedals, and definitely know how to use them. Very handy feature. I do plan on putting tubes in, but what makes you so strongly recommend them. I guess I could weld to the rim, but I spent so long looking for a good tractor (cosmetic and functional) that I hate to mess up anything right away. I don't think I'll end up breaking them down myself, I dont think I have a good way to handle the calcium. So to weld on the rim, I'd have to make a trip to the shop to clean them out and break them down, then another one to have them remounted once I get the protection on. Something to consider at least.

thecfarm · November 14, 2012, 09:24:06 PM

My rims are kinda banged up from rocks and I even had a small thin piece of wood sticking out between by rim and tire. If there was not a tube in it.I probably would of had a flat. You will be squatting the tires down with a load and running over a rock or a stump makes it that must worse.I have a local tire place,New Sharon,about ½ hour away that comes right to my house. Last one I had done was about $180. Two guys was here about an hour. That was new tube,pump the calium out,clean everything,put calcium back in and bending back some bad places on the rim and grinding it down too. I don't work on the rear ones. the front ones I take to the guy that does my car tires.I feel if you are really going to work your tractor in the woods,tubes all the way around. Also how many plys are your tires? Also forget the nice looking tractor part too. ;D I brought a real nice looking tractor. I did more damage to that poor thing in one year,than the other guy did in 8,by digging rocks and working it in the woods. But I use mine ALOT. I put about 600 hours on it in one year.I've been around loaded tires on 3 tractors and have never heard of not running a tube with calium.