# Homemade JD Tube type bumper



## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Attached is an image of my homebrew single tube bumper I made for my GX 335. I got to thinking about the vulnerability of the nose on the tractor, sticking way out there and being the first to strike anything, as accidents do happen, so after pricing and seeing a factory made two tube I decided to make my own.

The main support brackets are cut from 3/16" plate, and are welded to the tube. In the upper image you can see a small angle bracket attached to these main brackets inside and covered up by the usual ccover assembly for the front. This is to provide an additional mounting point and give lateral support to the bumper assembly. All brackets utilize original all ready drilled holes in the tractor and no new holes were drilled. The bumper itself is a nice heavy duty piece of steel tube that used to be a support for a piece of exercise equipment I scrounged. It is approximately 11 gauge in thickness, pretty darn nice and heavy tube. I had considered making it a two tube design like JD, but this one haevier diam and wall thickness tube (as compared to OEM JD bumper) is as strong or stronger and two tubes woud have been more work for no real gain. Just running aorund the field etc has shown the bottom of the bumper to take a lot of scratches etc and keep the brambles etc away from the paainted plastic pieces just fine., otherwise these scratches would have wound up on that front plastic cover. and grill. I had opted to weld the ends of the tube with a cap but turned some brass castings I made that are just pressed into the bumpers tube ends. I am thinking of adding a plate to the tube to allow utilizing it for a hitch for a trailer ball or pin so I can easily manuver some of my trailers and other equipment around easier than hooking them on the back. Another project another day.


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

*Looks good*

Looks great if you wouldn't have said you made it i would not have know looks like a factory piece to me. :thumbsup: Good job:clap: :clap: 
Jody


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

*Nice job Chipmaker*

I don't think you'll find a factory one as nice as that.:smiles:


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## johndeere (Sep 17, 2003)

Looks great!!! You have a talent.I have the same concern about my LX277.I plan to do something before nest mowing season also.Problem is im not handy with that type of work.So I will probably have to swallow hard and shell out the $95.00 for the Deere version.It is a 2 tube desighn and I wonder if it would interfer with opening the hood because of the higher tube placement.However I do have a MTD version for a Cub cadet 1500 series sitting on a shelf brandnew.Because I exchanged a 1527 for my 2166 and it is different.I wondered if it could be made to work.But no luck and im not the cut and weld to make it fit type.So I might try to sell it to help pay for the Deere version.


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## Gromulus (Sep 16, 2003)

*Deere Bumper*

I bought the tube bumper for my 2000 GT225 and am very satisfied with it. It does NOT interfere with the opening and closing of the hood. Of course it will come off in a week or two when I put the front blade on and switch to "winter mode".


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## PeteNM (Sep 18, 2003)

You do excellent work. It looks very professional!!!! Your idea of a plate for a front hitch is a good one. It's easy on the neck when positioning a trailer and I use mine all the time.


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