[henryBsick]

We also had exposed controls and a ball problem. We used swiss cheesed leaxn 1/16" to cover the conrols and screwed it into the frame with self tapping screws. We also used 1/16" lexan "teeth" to not run over balls. There are five across the front and they work great. They are roughly 1" wide and 4" long. They don't break either. They flex. We climb the 6" step-ups with them there and the bend up, then back down. The worst we have done to one so far was turn akwardly into the 6" step and bent one, the solution to that is either rebend it, or make a couple extras. I think we attached them with pop rivets too, or self tapping screws, not sure. Hope it works out with the wieght problem.