Within the next few weeks, I'm going to try and build some brush screens for the side of my D4D. One obvious obstruction that I already see is the handle that's welded on both sides of the fuel tank. Does the hand just serve as a grab iron, or does it have a more important purpose? I've never laid a hand on it, so if it's not serving another purpose, I plan to cut them off. Also feel free to post pics of your screens. I may get some good ideas from your pictures! Thanks again. Chad
Or you could make a cut-out for the hand hold if you wanted to keep it.
I would do as CM says, cut out for it and leave it so if you ever need to grab for it, it will be there. I have a complete set of brush screens on my 750C dozer cab that actually have pin on hinges that attach to the door and window frames. I leave the sides and rear screens on at all times and remove the doors & front window screens if we are not dealing with brush. They can be put on & off within a couple minutes and are very nice. I had to break 2- $800.00 door windows before I learned this costly lesson, let alone the safety factor of having the screens to protect you.
I didn't think I used those back grab irons ether. then I got to thinking when my dozer is on the lowboy I use them to climb over the back of the track
Sounds like a good idea! I'm thinking that I may put some quick release pins (instead of nuts and bolts) on the right side screen so that I can un-pin it and knock it out from the inside in case of an emergency.
My cab is homemade and not a true ROPS. I altered my brush Screens to allow access to the tank grabhandles and visualize the decals on the battery boxes.
Nice job on that one.
Those look awesome! !
Don't use expanded metal. It's hard to see through. Try to find some 2 inch square screen from a gravel plant.
Expanded metal painted BLACK is much easier to see through. I have both on my tractor and it is very obvious to me. I also agree that 2' square screen would be ideal
Whichever way you go- expanded metal or the more expensive and harder to find square screen- don't cobble it together unless you can't do any better. Your machine looks like a nice older machine so I know you will take the time to do it right. Look at it this way: both of the dozers in the attached pics will cost the customer/client/GC/farmer/timber company around $1000 a day to be on their job. Which one makes the better impression when you show up? I'd like to think that my 700 has a better appearance than this Cat that I saw on a timber company tract and snapped a couple of shots of. He may be making more money than I am and doing better work too for all I know. He's apparently got a timber company contract and that could be steady work. But I just don't like the homemade look on a machine that's in the public eye.
Thanks for the reply! You and I see things a lot alike. I personally think that the overall appearance of an operators equipment is a direct reflection of their character. If they show up with a piece of junk dozer with the exhaust stack held on with baling wire and bald tires on their haul truck, then you're probably getting an operator that's going to cut corners on your project and do whatever he can to get thru and get out. Your machine makes money for you. Take care of it, and it will take care of you. By the way, that's a nice looking 700 you have there! Happy pushing!
I went to the local scrap yard today to get some ideas for this project and to price the materials. When I told the guy what I was making, he directed me over to a pile of expanded metal and rock screens. As I was looking through the pile, I noticed several sheets of new 1" rock screen. When I asked the price, he said he'd let the rock screen go for $40 a sheet, and the expanded metal go for $65 a sheet. I snatched 2 sheets of the rock screen and hit the road. The rock screen seemed like it would be a little more durable than the expanded metal. My only concern is that the 1" openings may cut back on visibility as opposed to expanded metal. Tell me your thoughts.
after using my little dozer in the woods for one day I dug into the barn and made these brush guards. Found expanded metal for the rear and used 1/2" square bar for each side. All three are bolted in ( the tabs are welded on for the side screens).
Those look really nice.