Brush cage for tractor used for forestry work

[DeerMeadowFarm]

I'm not sure if this was the best place to post this but here goes. I have a Massey 1552 cab platform compact tractor. I have a loader (hope to get a grapple bucket at some point) and a new 3 point PTO driven winch. When working in the woods, I get a lot of tree branch slaps on the windshield. I've broken 1 rear view mirror and a tail light lens. I know some people build brush cages for their tractors. Has anyone done this? Any pictures, tips you could share?
Thanks!

[thecfarm]

Do you mean your wood roads? I keep my roads just about free of branches, I hate to get hit with a branch on a cold winter morning. Does takes some work and time,but nothing bad.
Seem like I spend more time and work on the neighbors branches that keep coming out into the field.

[maple flats]

I made a brush guard of sorts about 15 yrs ago, on my little Ford 1500 4x4. It is a 20 hp compact diesel. I don't have any pictures, but at the time I had bought a 12 acre piece at a tax auction at a nice price. My thought was to brush hog it, remove some bigger trees and flip it. I made a brush guard that attached to the front bumper, after removing 2 of the weights. I made it out of 1" heavy wall black iron pipe. It bolted to the front bumper, went up just until it was above the hood and turned, to angle up to a roof I had built years earlier (the roof mounted to the roll bar and extended forward 5'. There were 2 diagonal braces, one on each side from the roll bar upright about 18" below the top and each was bolted to the 2 roof rafters (or supports, for strength). My brush guard went up and bolted to the front of each such rafter. The rafters were made of heavy wall 1 x 2 channel as were the braces. I then welded a cross piece of 1" heavy wall black pipe every 2' along the length of the brush guard, on the underside.
This worked quite well, but that tractor was an open platform and had no glass. As I drove, anything that did not go under the tractor, slid up and over the roof and just fell after the tractor passed. If I encountered something that I thought might bend the guard, I cut it with a chainsaw.
I got my design from a picture of a Forestry tractor (I think by Kubota), but mine was somewhat lighter. It was heavy enough however that on at least one occasion the guard caught something I hadn't noticed and it started to lift the front of the tractor. Since I drove with my clutch foot on the center hump it quickly hit the clutch and the tractor rolled backwards enough to let the front back down.
I did finish clearing that land, removed a few saw logs, and plenty of firewood and then I sold it as a lightly wooded building lot at a nice profit for my labor.

[711ac]

You might want to check under the tractor as well. Most of today's "ag" type tractors have highly vulnerable filters, hyd. lines, & wiring exposed underneath it. I'd spend some time trimming your main trails/roads. Building a cage to protect a cab tractor is a pretty big project, there's not many available (stout) attachment points for such guarding.

[DeerMeadowFarm]

Yes, some more clearing of the road(s) appear to be in order first off....

[John Mc]

A belly plate is defintiely something to consider if you are going to be going off the trail in your tractor (or if your trails tend to get loaded up with branches when you are working in the forest).

We have a local guy near me who is a real artist at these sorts of conversions.  He puts a lot of thought into what you might need to access behind the belly plate, and adds leaves cut-outs for that, or removable port holes.

[DeerMeadowFarm]

Good points John. I will look into what could be damaged underneath and try to guard appropriately.

[thecfarm]

My Father and me worked a tractor in the woods on this land. 4 years of doing it.Never once had problems with damaging anything under it that cost alot. Had the spring on the foot thottle catch on a branch once. Since it is our land the trails are used by us,we kept them clear. Most brush that was left was cut up into 2-3 feet long. Does take some time,but we knew we would probably go that way again. I have been doing the same thing too. Get the brush on the ground and you will be surprized how fast it disappears. This was cutting white pine,fir,and hardwood. I did find it takes longer since I am alone now. When my father was alive he drove and I walked coming out of the woods. Cut the stumps low too. And I am the type that can break,damage anything I touch too.  :

[DeerMeadowFarm]

The land I just purchased had been logged maybe 40 years ago? There are trails there, but there has not been any ATV traffic on them for 8 - 10 years so they are pretty overgrown.

[John Mc]

The hydraulic filter for my hydrostatic transmission has been knocked off the tractor twice in the 10 years I've owned it.  The filter sits up between the right rear wheel and the tractor housing. I never would have figured it would be an issue.  The first time was 3 days after I bought the tractor, working in an open field. A flat rock flipped up and took out the filter, and the fitting it mounts to.  The second time was a few years ago. A friend was using it to regrade his yard. He drove over a hidden 2x4 in the grass with the front wheel, and it popped up and harpooned the filter.  So far, it hasn't happened when working in the woods, but putting in a belly pan is definitely on my list of modifications to be done.

I also need to add valve stem protectors on the tires.

[DeerMeadowFarm]

My quick couplers for the loader are under the right side step and I've disconnected a line before while working in the brush. I've broken a rear view mirror and one of my tail light lenses. :(

[thecfarm]

I have seen those low filters too.  :  Why oh why companies do that is beyond me. Especially with a hydro. 
And the low quick diconnects too. No reason for it at all.
Seem like the companies give no thought to someone who is really going to work thier tractor. Not just drive it around in a field all day or a front yard.

[maple flats]

With my little (20 hp) ford 1500 I never caught the filter nor any hoses, they seemed to be located better. I don't think things would go as well on my Mahindra (36hp). It has vulnerable filter and hoses. With a cab, the mirrors stick out too far but they can be folded in. My first time spraying my blueberries, I broke one flasher light and had to replace it. While it is a great tractor, it looks to be made more for open yard work. Fortunately, I now use an excavator to fell trees (assist them to fall the right way) and to drag them out. I have a tow hook on the back of the bucket, I attach a chain from it to the log, lift 1 end and pull it out. Using the swing on the cab I can steer the log easily, even tree length if I have a straighter shot.