Mowing in the hot blazing sun can be a daunting experience, so when I purchased my 1025R, I looked around to see if there was anything like the sunshade I remembered on my grandfather’s tractor. The items I found were either too big or expensive. Lucky for me, my boyfriend is as savvy as the old McGyver TV series, so we put our skills together and made a sunshade for around $40. Now I can mow in the middle of the day in the comfort of shade.
Carl came up with a PVC frame that could be set down in the roll bar brackets. My tractor will not fit through the door with the rollbar extended, and it is flat in central Illinois, so I removed the rollbar. To use with the rollbar, you could bungee 10″ of 1.5″ PVC on the front of the rollbar and place your frame inside the larger PVC. If you have another idea, free to share any modifications that you recommend.
One thing to consider is what obstacles you might encounter with the sunshade. The first rendition lasted just over one mowing season because I forgot it was on the tractor and got too close to a tree. I should have known better! The completed sunshade is lightweight and easy to lift on and off the tractor, so you could trim first and then add your shade to mow the rest of the yard. You could spray the fabric with camp dry to make it waterproof or quit mowing if it rains. LOL.
Supplies needed:
- 3 – five-foot sections of 1″ PVC pipe
- Four 1″ elbows
- Four 1″ T joints
- Homemade Pillowcase 50 x 31 of outdoor fabric or heavy twill.
- Two bolts 1/4 x 2.5″
- Four flat-head washers
- Two nuts
- PVC cleaner
- PVC glue
- Sandpaper
- 5/16 drill
Cutting:
- 3 pieces 27.5″
- 2 pieces 15.5″
- 2 pieces 17.5″
- 2 pieces 10.5″
- 2 pieces 4.5″
Cut as follows:
| 10 foot section | 27.5+27.5+27.5+17.5+15.5+4.5=120 |
| 5 foot section | 17.5+15.5+10.5+10.5+4.5=58.5 |
Assembly
Carl started by gluing the 27.5 inch pieces to the T’s and elbows as shown above. He then put each section together. When attaching the top and back sections, you will want to dry fit and mark the correct alignment before gluing the top to back elbows to keep the frame straight (see picture below)
To set the depth, Carl drilled a 5/16 in hole about 2 inches below the back support T and added a bolt with two flat washers. The drill wanted to slip on the PVC, so he sanded it with some 100-grit paper.
Add the Fabric Cover
Sewing the Cover
I sewed the cover using outdoor fabric. It is essentially a long pillowcase. I double-stitched the seams to make it more secure. I used one-inch seams, so I cut it 33″ wide x 102 inches long, so I only had to sew the two sides and finish the opening.
Place the completed cover over the frame starting at the long side and sliding over the frame. Stop just above the bolts
Install on Tractor
The sunshade lifts easily onto the tractor. I secure it with some bungees, because you know bungees make everything better. I slide the frame into the opening for the roll bar, but you could also keep the roller in place and bungee the PVC frame to the roller. The shade is easy to install and remove.
Enjoy
