Tie down Plate for front of M5140

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Hi all, am hoping you guys can give me some advice on fabricating a plate with hooks to provide a place to tie down the tractor on a trailer and also to provide a point to tie a rope/chain for pulling.
The tractor has a FEL with brush guard but isn't sturdy enough to tie off on. There's nothing else to tie to on the front of the tractor.
My thought is to fabricate a steel plate to attach to the tractor where 4 bolts hold the brush guard to the tractor frame. The plate would be L shaped and have 2 hooks bolted to the bottom part of the plate to give tie off points.
I'm guessing at least the M series tractors have this situation.
Any help is appreciated.
Mark

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I think you Idea is great, except I wouldn't use hooks I would use D rings.

 

[Orange Turbo]

I welded a 5/16 chain hook center top of the bucket, it serves two purpose,, 1- it's the best place to lift, and 2-when its on the trailer and the bucket's down flat, I run a 5/16 chain from side to side of trailer, droped over center of hook and bind down, It pulls down and forward, and cant slide side to side.
Hope this helps.........Works for me...........

 

[Patrick BX]

I know this is just a BX, but here is what I did. Welded a D ring to a plate with holes drilled to match 2 unused holes in both the guard and the tractor frame. Took longer to paint than to make.

 

[Orange Turbo]

Looks nice!! and it's not in the way...

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Thanks Patrick, your setup looks nice. I hadn't thought about D rings, but they're probably a better idea than a hook. I found some heavy duty D rings at Tractor Supply: weight capacity is 20,000 lbs.

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Would there be any advantage to mounting the D ring vertical vs. horizontally?

Thanks all for the comments!

 

[t33jetman]

Hi all, am hoping you guys can give me some advice on fabricating a plate with hooks to provide a place to tie down the tractor on a trailer and also to provide a point to tie a rope/chain for pulling.
The tractor has a FEL with brush guard but isn't sturdy enough to tie off on. There's nothing else to tie to on the front of the tractor.
My thought is to fabricate a steel plate to attach to the tractor where 4 bolts hold the brush guard to the tractor frame. The plate would be L shaped and have 2 hooks bolted to the bottom part of the plate to give tie off points.
I'm guessing at least the M series tractors have this situation.
Any help is appreciated.
Mark

Here is an idea I used, but not on an M model.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Would there be any advantage to mounting the D ring vertical vs. horizontally?

Thanks all for the comments!

The flat of the D horizontal is the strongest.

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

t33jetman, that's a nice install. What is the tube below?

 

[t33jetman]

Tallahassee Kubota Man

The tube is to hold 20ft. chain or rubber bungee cords or tools

 

[85Hokie]

Hi all, am hoping you guys can give me some advice on fabricating a plate with hooks to provide a place to tie down the tractor on a trailer and also to provide a point to tie a rope/chain for pulling.
The tractor has a FEL with brush guard but isn't sturdy enough to tie off on. There's nothing else to tie to on the front of the tractor.
My thought is to fabricate a steel plate to attach to the tractor where 4 bolts hold the brush guard to the tractor frame. The plate would be L shaped and have 2 hooks bolted to the bottom part of the plate to give tie off points.
I'm guessing at least the M series tractors have this situation.
Any help is appreciated.
Mark

I did the same thing about a year ago - works like a charm and didnt break the piggy bank!

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Great idea t33jetman. Like the idea of a chain on the tractor instead of in the back of my truck. My next project will be figuring out where to put a larger toolbox. The OEM is wimpy at best.

Thanks for the pics 85Hokie. I don't have a backhoe, but other than the drawbar I don't have a good tie down point for pulling.

Found a real heavy duty D ring from US Cargo. May be overkill, but would rather have that than not enough. When I get that it's off the fabrication shop. I'm going to bolt the plate down with the four bolts that secure the grill guard.

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

North Idaho Wolf Man, meant to ask you why the D ring mounted horizontally would be stronger than mounted vertically. Would the direction the rope or chain is pulling from make any difference in which would be strongest? I may be forced to mount vertically because of space between the mounting bolts.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

North Idaho Wolf Man, meant to ask you why the D ring mounted horizontally would be stronger than mounted vertically. Would the direction the rope or chain is pulling from make any difference in which would be strongest? I may be forced to mount vertically because of space between the mounting bolts.

It's not that much of a difference from one to the other, maybe 5%, you would be safe to mount it either direction.
When the D is mounted horizontal the pull is more on bolts and with it mounted vertical it is more on the bracket, think tear.

If you get D rings and brackets of the right rating you won't have a problem either direction.

 

[85Hokie]

Great idea t33jetman. Like the idea of a chain on the tractor instead of in the back of my truck. My next project will be figuring out where to put a larger toolbox. The OEM is wimpy at best.

Thanks for the pics 85Hokie. I don't have a backhoe, but other than the drawbar I don't have a good tie down point for pulling.

Found a real heavy duty D ring from US Cargo. May be overkill, but would rather have that than not enough. When I get that it's off the fabrication shop. I'm going to bolt the plate down with the four bolts that secure the grill guard.

As for chains on the tractor - here is a "cheap way" to pull it off , In this 4" tube - I have over 60' of chain!

 

[olthumpa]

As for chains on the tractor - here is a "cheap way" to pull it off , In this 4" tube - I have over 60' of chain!

What is the size of the links?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

As for chains on the tractor - here is a "cheap way" to pull it off , In this 4" tube - I have over 60' of chain!

I'm thinking that I could fit about maybe 4 feet of my logging chain in that tube, I'm also thinking my chain might be a tad bit bigger than what your using!

 

[85Hokie]

What is the size of the links?

One of them is 5/16 @ 20' and another is 3/8" @ 20' and another is 1/4" @ 15'
and a very small cinch 1/4 @ 5'

Think about how much area is in a 4" dia tube before you dismiss, in ONE tube I have more room that I would in a typical 50 cal ammo box. The chains coil up or package up rather nicely.

And if you are toting a chain with larger than 3/8 links......well you must have a tank with treads!

 

[olthumpa]

One of them is 5/16 @ 20' and another is 3/8" @ 20' and another is 1/4" @ 15'
and a very small cinch 1/4 @ 5'

Think about how much area is in a 4" dia tube before you dismiss, in ONE tube I have more room that I would in a typical 50 cal ammo box. The chains coil up or package up rather nicely.

Carry a 1/4" x 6' w/2 slip hooks rapped on the left side FEL cross bar. A 1/4" x 12' w/2grab hooks in ammo can and a 3/8" x 20' w/ a grab and slip hook either on the FEL bucket or box blade. Tried to put the 3/8 into a 3' section of 4" pvc = no/go.