rear tractor screen for mowing

Hay hay hay · Apr 9, 2012

Getting nervous about mowing without something behind me on an open cab tractor with romps.

Thinking about plexigas sheet or expanded metal.

Is 1/4" plexiglas enough to stop flying debris?

Can I bend plexiglas (or have it bent) to go around the corner?

Ideas, photos and experience welcome.

I am using a Reese Drum mower on a 5420 JD.
Maybe the tires provide all the protectionm I need?

kj(seil) · Apr 9, 2012

we used 9 ga. expanded metal on an IH 574 with a rops

samn40 · Apr 9, 2012

The plexiglass just shatters, tried that myself now I use galvanised weldmesh with 1/2 inch gaps.
Sam

VicS · Apr 9, 2012

I have a Reese mower, and have broken out the right side lower-front window. and have had quite few hits on the right side window. The glass seems to stop everything from coming through. You might just use a car window on top of the fender and another one lower to protect your feet and legs. A good friend of mine, had a disc mower on a 666 Ihc without a cab. He had a wire mesh on top of the fender. He hit a small piece of steel and it ricocheted around and hit him in the butt.(true story) He had to go to emergency room and get taken out. I would look for a tractor with a cab. Sorry, Vic

jbordelon · Apr 9, 2012

I recently made one myself. I had a rear gate from a utility trailer sitting around, so I cut it up, welded it to fit between my rops, and gave it a new paint job. I think it came out pretty nice.

RayP(MI) · Apr 9, 2012

They use 1/2inch plexiglass for crowd barrier at the local hockey rink... That's just to stop a hockey puck. 've seen that shattered. I Would think you'll want at least that thick. Probably a heavy expanded metal would be a better bet.

JMS/.MN · Apr 9, 2012

I like the expanded metal- easy to reinforce and still see through it. I"ve heard of some who mounted half of a 55 gallon barrel behind the seat, but with my luck, first time I peeked around and back......kapow!

ss55 · Apr 10, 2012

Plexiglass is not very tough and can shatter on impact.

An ordinance manufacturer used 3/8" thick ploycarbonate (GE's "Lexan", "Hyzod", or "Tuffak") for gurds surrounding military grenade assembly machines. We detonated one in a verification test and the sample guard stopped the shrapnel very well. Banks and gas stations use 1 inch thick polycarbonate in those bullet-proof customer windows.

Polycarbonate is tough but surface scratches easily. It's the same material used in modern headlight lenses and those hard-to-open theft-resistant packages. Years of exposure to sunlight can yellow and cloud the surface the same as headlight lenses. The rear windows in 1970's John Deere Sound-Guard cabs appeared to be polycarbonate.

The material cuts and drills easily, is somewhat difficult to bend into shapes, but it welds very strongly with the proper adhesive.

OH - 961 · Apr 10, 2012

Your comments on polycarbonate are right on the money. It is tough stuff! We use it for outer glazing in the windows of schools where one of of of the biggest repair costs and time is from broken windows.
Also VERY spendy unless you can find a company that has some scrap pieces they would sell cheap.

Myron

rear tractor screen for mowing

Hay hay hay

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kj(seil)

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samn40

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VicS

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jbordelon

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RayP(MI)

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JMS/.MN

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ss55

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OH - 961

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