So I think i have watched every You Tube Vid and seen so many versions. What you see here is my handy work, and I couldn't be happier. The whole time i was welding- i was thinking i am ruining this nice grill guard, but I am glad i did it. New grapple is coming and I wanted more protection, and a place to store my 20' 5/16 grade 70 chain. What do you guys think?
L3901 Grill Guard: Just another home made version
- Thread starter MBinPA
- Start date
bambam31
Member
Equipment
L3800HST 4x4,R1,FEL, 6'disc, 5'bush hog,piranhaTB,6'grader,6'rake, 48"forks
shelkol
Active member
Equipment
bx-2200, Woods BH6000 backhoe, Tach-N-Go quick attach bucket, snow blower
Thanks for your support. I am not a welder, but my welding classes 30 years ago in High School helped for sure! Used a 110 v Mig welder with gas.
The guards made by vendors all seem to have too much blockage of the headlights, yours should be good in that regard. One thing I would have done different is to make it bolt on in case it is seriously damaged.
Nice job! I went a different route and welded my grille guard to the grapple itself, filling in all the spaces so debris cannot pass through the grapple and into the grille area. Solves the problem with blocking the headlights.
MB, I thought the same thing when welding my expanded metal to the B2650 grill guard. 
But once in welded in place around those compound curves that expanded metal gets stiffer than all get out!!
Your guard turned out super NICE!
But once in welded in place around those compound curves that expanded metal gets stiffer than all get out!!Your guard turned out super NICE!
TheOldHokie
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
I think you did real good. That "nice grille guard" Kubota provides is easy to ruin without a welder. I bent mine up pretty good when I got stuck on a down hill and had to push my way through a pile - fortunately replacements are less than $200 which is a lot less than the Loan grille guard that is bolted to it and also got battered.
Dan
leveraddict
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Equipment
2017 BX23S 60" LP BoxBlade 54" mower 60" BackBlade EA 12" 1 bottom plow & Forks
HVACRoger
Active member
Equipment
2021 L2501 Loader, Backhoe, LandPride Grapple, Tiller, Forks, Quick Connect
I have been doing the same thing as far as watching the videos. Your guard is awesome, exactly a style I like. I want something that doesn’t make my L2501 look like some cartoonish transformer character. Great job!!
mcmxi
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Lifetime Member
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***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25DLB
This is such a non-issue for those of us with fabrication experience and plasma, cut-off wheels, welding machines, oxyacetylene etc. If something breaks that's welded in place we remove it, fix it or scrap it and weld something back in its place.
I don't like any of the current bolt on brush/grill guards. These designs are limited by the need to "drill a few holes and bolt on". They might be functional but I think they're hideous and ruin the aesthetics of the tractor. Since when was Mad Max a source of design inspiration? When you can fabricate you have the option to make something functional and aesthetically pleasing. Good job @MBinPA.
Nothing more humbling than to have all of your comments. I enjoy all of the good, not so good, i appreciate the interaction. Never was a blogger but I think I'll stick around- thanks guys!
Just wondering. Did you paint it? It is a great job, but if that is the normal oxidized finish of the material, I would expect over time it will turn to rust brown.
Just curious, not being critical in an way... I would probably have primed and painted it orange to match the tractor...
ken erickson
Well-known member
Equipment
B7100 hst, 2650 front mount snowblower, L2501 hst qa loader
I could be wrong but on my monitor it looks like it may be painted Kubota grey.
Nice job on the guard!
Hey Henro! So i had 3 cans of paint: 1: New Kubota Orange enamel, 2: Rustolium gloss grey- super close to Kubota grey, & 3: Rustolium gloss black. Used newspaper and blue 3M paint masking tape. Painted the grey expanded metal first, dried overnight by the fire, masked off for the black, then the orange. And yes I had to touch up the overspray.
I just didn't want the expanded metal to distract from the front end of the tractor- so I went with grey in center.
Next, I just purchased a set of stickers and I think i'm going to use a piece of 16 gauge flat steel painted orange and stick a silver L3901 sticker to it and bolt on the expanded metal like an emblem in center grill...