Kubota L35 TLB Body Work and restoration

[Nicksacco]

I'm close to completing a darn nasty job and thought I'd share a few pics.
My poor old TLB has a lot of rust that I've been addressing, as you saw in my other posts.

While I was repairing the GST shift mechanism, it occurred to me that the frame to which it mounts was junk.
So off to the metal store I went and I made a new side piece that supports the fender and adds great structure.
I also repaired the left fender and painted it with Kubota paint thinned at 4:1 with Xylene as recommended.
After some welding, bondo and sweat equity I'm almost done.

 

[Elliott in GA]

Impressive.

 

[85Hokie]

outstanding work - keep the pictures coming!

 

[fried1765]

I'm close to completing a darn nasty job and thought I'd share a few pics.
My poor old TLB has a lot of rust that I've been addressing, as you saw in my other posts.

While I was repairing the GST shift mechanism, it occurred to me that the frame to which it mounts was junk.
So off to the metal store I went and I made a new side piece that supports the fender and adds great structure.
I also repaired the left fender and painted it with Kubota paint thinned at 4:1 with Xylene as recommended.
After some welding, bondo and sweat equity I'm almost done.

Wow,.....
Where was that L35 used.......in a salt mine?
OSPHO would have been a great prep to use on any remaining rusty areas prior to paint.

 

[Nicksacco]

Wow,.....
Where was that L35 used.......in a salt mine?
OSPHO would have been a great prep to use on any remaining rusty areas prior to paint.

I know - you'd think it was sunk in the Laurentian Abyssal along with Red October!
I never head of OSPHO but I will post it in my other thread about "Tools and Products" - thank you.

There's another product called Corroseal I've used that works pretty good too,
Both products convert rust using a chemical process.
The Rustoleum I used performs a similar process.

More pictures coming of my journey through rust and rehabilitation.

 

[fried1765]

I know - you'd think it was sunk in the Laurentian Abyssal along with Red October!
I never head of OSPHO but I will post it in my other thread about "Tools and Products" - thank you.

There's another product called Corroseal I've used that works pretty good too,
Both products convert rust using a chemical process.
The Rustoleum I used performs a similar process.

More pictures coming of my journey through rust and rehabilitation.

OSPHO is Phosphoric acid, a commercial use product, and it widely used on steel for shipboard applications.
It is available at some hardware stores, and all marine supply stores.
I submit that OSPHO (as a primer) is far superior to any product with the Rustoleum name.
I have used Corroseal before, but find OSPHO more to my liking.

 

[L35]

They are worth the effort! Must of been used commercially for snow removal. Wow that’s some rust!

 

[Nicksacco]

Here is the rest of the body/frame work.
As you saw from the horrible rust on the left-hand side, the subframe was bad and there was no longer a step up to the cab.
I've definitely grown tired of hopping up into the cab from ground level.
Here is a new subframe to replace the rusted out section and finally a step - all powder coated.

 

[fried1765]

Here is the rest of the body/frame work.
As you saw from the horrible rust on the left-hand side, the subframe was bad and there was no longer a step up to the cab.
I've definitely grown tired of hopping up into the cab from ground level.
Here is a new subframe to replace the rusted out section and finally a step - all powder coated.

I don't see a picture of a new subframe.

 

[Nicksacco]

I don't see a picture of a new subframe.

Well, maybe I am using the wrong term.
The cab is held to the tractor with what I am calling a subframe.
On the left side and right side there are large angle brackets that mount to the transmission and support the cab on rubber mounts. I have replaced the left side cab support (retaining the original Kubota angle bracket).

 

[fried1765]

Well, maybe I am using the wrong term.
The cab is held to the tractor with what I am calling a subframe.
On the left side and right side there are large angle brackets that mount to the transmission and support the cab on rubber mounts. I have replaced the left side cab support (retaining the original Kubota angle bracket).

I understand now.
Subframe to me is the extra support structure for backhoe mounting.