Wondering if anyone likes or dislikes these frame and canvas material shelters? Seems like the wind would give them a hard time. Protection must be good. Right now I just put a tarp over my 2610.
Pros and Cons of portable shelters for K tractors?
- Thread starter Orange man hero
- Start date
BigG
Well-known member
Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
I love mine. I invested $175 to keep the rain and Florida sun off my L2501. I laid out an outline of railroad ties and spiked them to the ground. I then put the shelter on top of them. I did this for 2 reasons. First to make the shelter doorway high enough to go over the roll bar. Second it raised the shelter up high enough to run the weed wacker around it with out hitting the tarp itself. The Harbor Freight version that I have has held up very well and my 3 year old tractor is still orange! I will buy another when this one does wear out.
The county has labeled my little lot as "wet lands" and they will not issue a permit to build a barn. With all of the development that the same county officials have allowed the cypress trees, which require wet lands, are dying due to the change of the elevation of the water table. My lot has none of the cypress trees and has not for at least 15 years. And the wet lands on my lot total about 500 square feet out of 2 acres.
The county has labeled my little lot as "wet lands" and they will not issue a permit to build a barn. With all of the development that the same county officials have allowed the cypress trees, which require wet lands, are dying due to the change of the elevation of the water table. My lot has none of the cypress trees and has not for at least 15 years. And the wet lands on my lot total about 500 square feet out of 2 acres.
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Don't use them where it snows. They do not hold snow and collapse on your machine during an overnight snow (ask me how I know) . Down South where you get little or no snow they're probably fine.
This is only true to the extent of the cost of your purchase. I have a Shelter Logic unit that I bought about 5 years ago that is snow rated. The pipes are heavy wall 2" galvanized steel, and it sheds snow very well. I previously had a 28' wide by 40' long unit, which had 1 1/2" pipes, and it lasted over 20 years, until we got back to back blizzards, and the snow load was too much for it. It collapsed like a pancake, and my homeowners insurance covered the loss in full. I have a replacement cost rider to my homeowners policy. The old one was shaped like a hip roof building, and the new one is fully rounded on the top. The only thing is that the quality of the material that they are using today isn't the same quality that they were using on my old one. The new one cost about $3500 and is 18' wide by 25' long. If I were to do it over again, I would order it 22' wide, so I could get 2 cars into it side by side.
If you want something more permanent, I would buy a car port with the square tubing and corrugated steel panels, and they don't cost that much more than a good quality Shelter Logic. You can customize them to width, height, and the back end can be closed also. A friend that has one, built a wooden front, and added barn doors to his, and I saw one that had a garage door installed also. You are only limited by your imagination and your pocket book.
I used a 14x32 shelter logic from Menards for 8 or 9 years to store my boat in a snow belt with out an issue, I did replace the cover a couple times do to sun deteriorating the material over a couple years, I never had a failure do to snow.
The reason I mentioned from Menards is the Shelter logic they sell has a thinner mil of material to beable to sell at a lower price, knowing what I know now I would have paid more up front for the heavier material to last longer.
It was a dome type not sure if that was better for snow or not.
Captain13
Active member
Equipment
M7040 4WD ROPS, ZD28, Woods (84” box blade, 72” harrow, 48” pallet forks)
Only problem here with the portables not fully enclosed is rodents. Before my Kubota I had a Massey and mice ate the wiring harness out of it. The Kubotalives in an enclosed barn now and I’ve had no problems with rodents snacking on rubber/plastic parts.
It sounds like the ones with the hip or steep pitch roofs did the trick.
Home Depot always seems to sell the cheapest buggers available. As I drive around I see collapsed one every spring.
For folks with permit issues down South.., I can feel your frustrations.
Home Depot always seems to sell the cheapest buggers available. As I drive around I see collapsed one every spring.
For folks with permit issues down South.., I can feel your frustrations.
Got cha, Here the mice like to dig down along the side of your house to keep warm. As soon as I spot tracks in the snow or dirt they get a trap set.
Magicman
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
M4900 Utility Special 4WD e/w FEL & 1530 John Deere "Traveling Man"
I had mine anchored down really well (I thought) with those screw thingies. I had my lawn mower chained to one end and the 4 wheeler chained to the other for theft security. After the storm it looked like a Sundown at Dodge City Public Hanging. 
Never under estimate the power of Mother Nature. She is powerful~!I had mine anchored down really well (I thought) with those screw thingies. I had my lawn mower chained to one end and the 4 wheeler chained to the other for theft security. After the storm it looked like a Sundown at Dodge City Public Hanging.
Yea, I'm thinking that a good ol' tarp might be the better way to go, especially considering wind and snow.I had mine anchored down really well (I thought) with those screw thingies. I had my lawn mower chained to one end and the 4 wheeler chained to the other for theft security. After the storm it looked like a Sundown at Dodge City Public Hanging.
bambam31
Member
Equipment
L3800HST 4x4,R1,FEL, 6'disc, 5'bush hog,piranhaTB,6'grader,6'rake, 48"forks
Got 5 years out of my first one until a tree fell on the corner. I got almost 3 years out of the next one until a hurricane destroyed it. It was worth it.
They are good if you need a fast temporary storage shed. I live in snow country, but I clean it off daily when it snows. And I had one sheltered behind the house. And still, the tarps last 3 years max, then they are full of holes from rubbing on the tubes.
Not now with rip off covid lumber prices, but in normal times you are far better off buying some 2x4's and $500 worth of metal roofing and having a shelter that will last for life.
Not now with rip off covid lumber prices, but in normal times you are far better off buying some 2x4's and $500 worth of metal roofing and having a shelter that will last for life.
for $3500 (or less) you can get a used 20’ container, depending on the size of the tractor that is.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
I brought the‘Moline from my parents last fall. They have a carport with metal roof I will get when I can.
Over the winter, this was my cover.....there’s a poly tarp under the green canvas.....
We had 36” of snow overnight back in December. Not sure a fabric shelter would hold up.
I currently have two. One 26' long permanent and the other a 20' just for winter beside the house. Both are the round top design. To install I use 2"x6" as a base and anchor to the ground with rebar as spikes. Snow could be a problem if left on top. When it snows I use the tractor with blower and clear the snow off the top while tractor is warming up. Been doing this for 20 yrs. The biggest issue with the store bought shelters is UV damage. The most I get out of the tarp is 4-5 yrs.
They also don't hold up to branches falling on them. Put them under some large trees and they will get holes punched in them sooner or later.
(Ask me how I know!
)
I'm using one from Harbor Freight. 3~5 years old now. A few holes in it, fixed with duct tape. It has handled a foot of heavy snow, barely. Cost was about $160. It is spiked into the ground. It does get humid/damp inside. The alternative for me was a bunge corded tarp, which was a pain every time I wanted to use it, more likely to get rodents and more likely to capture more humidity. All better than leaving out in the weather every day. Another year or two, I'll get a new one.