ROPS Rack

[Harv]

This one is a work in progress, but maybe I could get some opinions from the board (I've seen no shortage of opinions out there). /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

In an attempt to address the ol' on-board storage problem, I've turned to the void behind the driver's seat between the ROPS uprights. Without drilling, welding or in any other way degrading the integrity of the ROPS itself, I finally came up with a way to mount a rack where it might do some good.

The rack itself is composed of angle iron and square tube. All is held together with good old-fashioned nuts and bolts, and a little rubber matting material protects the ROPS even more and provides a little traction where needed (it's always about traction, isn't it?).

A couple of 6-inch lengths of 2-inch angle iron are used to form a support bracket which can be securely clamped onto the ROPS upright, with the rubber matting serving as a cushion. With one of these brackets on each side of the ROPS, the square tubing is bolted down to form a sturdy horizontal rack (see attachment).

That's as far as I've gotten so far 'cuz I haven't decided exactly what I want to mount on the rack. Some ideas (and a little tongue-in-cheek has been used here) are depicted in these pictures.

Ideally, if I can manage it, I would make some quick-attach options so I could easily change configurations depending on the tractor project of the day.

A couple of concerns --

How will this affect visibility of the rear implement or just backing up in general (didn't think to check that out when I had the chance /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif).

What's this talk on the board of "reaching the toplink" from the driver's seat? Not sure I understand how or when you would want to do that. I guess I'm still too much the newbie.

Comments, ideas, criticisms would be most welcome.

 

[dullpain]

Harv - You missed your calling - Should have been a fabricator instead of Comp. Geek. Really nice idea & safe (no damage to ROPS) If you had that Cool Tool Compact Bender you could make U bolts to hook er up. Let's get some square plastic plugs to put in the ends of that tubing or weld em up.
That "reaching the toplink" and the 3ph leveling arm is important (essential) to me when using the box scraper. Occasionally necessary to adj. with finish mower or bush hog if I go from flat mowing to hilly mowing. Or when I get ready to pick up implement to transport. I like the barrel o monkeys or Ammo cans.
I am begining to really have lust in my heart for the Hyd. Toplink. Maybe soon.

 

[Harv]

Larry -

I wish I was closer to my tractor so I could try some of these things, but it seems like the top link adjustment would be a bit of an awkward reach from the seat and, at least on mine, it's definitely a 2-handed operation. My leveling arm is even more difficult.

Now you got me wondering -- since this is my first tractor, I had nothing to compare to. I just assumed this is normal operation and tractor guys are made of tougher stuff than I am. Now I'm thinking I should try greasing all the adjustments to see how much difference that makes. Since the previous owner only towed an applecart, these parts were probably seldom if ever used.

Oh -- and yes, I did loosen the leveling arm locknut. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[bsauter]

Great idea Harv. I've been looking for a place to carry my barrel o' monkeys and now you solved it!!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Brad, Kubota L3010HST, loader, R4 tires
Pictures at http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=179207&a=9183978

 

[dullpain]

Toplink adj. with Bush Hog. It is a little awkward to reach but - just barely set the tail wheel down which will take load off toplink arm and turn. If you need more move 3 ph up or down depending on required adj in very small discrete movements screw toplink more till snug and repeat if necessary. Works same with box blade tilt (liftarm adj.) or toplink.

 

[bpence]

Harv, just a couple of quick questions.

It looks like there is, but is there enough clearance with the 3 pt. in a raised postion to keep anything that might hang over or through the rack out of harms way?

Also, how are you holding the shelf seen in one or two of the pictures in place?

Cool idea by the way. I rigged a fuel can lift pulley system last night and will try it out tomorrow. I'll let you know Sunday or Monday how it worked out.

Bob Pence

 

[Harv]

Bob -

<font color=blue>is there enough clearance with the 3 pt. in a raised postion to keep anything that might hang over or through the
rack out of harms way?</font color=blue>

This is definitely something to watch out for. I acknowledge that this kind of rack leaves the door open to creating clearance problems. Despite my barrel-of-monkeys and other variations portrayed in that picture, I will be quite conservative and hopefully careful about the dimensions and stability of anything I attach to this rack.

<font color=blue>how are you holding the shelf seen in one or two of the pictures in place?</font color=blue>

Gravity and a prayer. Fact is, the "shelf" is another 19" rack-mount panel cover, same as I used for my vertical dashboard thingy. It is not fastened down at this point and was just there for the photo session. My goal, now that you bring it up, is to not drill holes in any part of the square tubes that is not directly supported by brackets. Just a structural purity thing -- don't weaken the primary support structure. I plan to use U-bolts or various kinds of clamping arrangements to fasten stuff to the rack.

<font color=blue>I rigged a fuel can lift pulley system last night and will try it out tomorrow.</font color=blue>

Cool! You're getting ahead of me on that one. Please do let us all know how it works out. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MChalkley]

Harv - Well, since everyone else has already addressed the practical issues, I can only add meaningless drivel. But I'm used to that and won't let it interfere with me doing it anyway.

Has anyone ever accused you of having an over-developed sense of humor? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Your pictures showed some really cool ideas for what appears to be a very useful rack. I'm especially fond of (need I say it?) the Open Bar. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Well done!

MarkC

 

[Harv]

Finally got to re-visit this project over the weekend.

One major mod to the rack -- I replaced the square tube with 2-inch angle iron. This gives me more surface area to work with and seems a bit stronger.

I mentioned earlier that I was going to try and develop some sort of "quick-attach" system for whatever I put on the rack so's I can easily configure it for the task du jour. After cogitating several less-than-satisfactory methods for doing this, I finally decided to try out some of these cool magnets I got from ForceField.

I observed that a single #43 magnet could pick up one my ammo boxes containing 26 pounds of heavy-duty nuts and bolts, so I figured there was some good possibilities here. Since magnets are most resistant to a direct pull and less so to side slippage, I opted to add "feet" made from square tubing to one of my ammo boxes, which would straddle the rack, thereby eliminating any front-to-back sliding. Although it could still potentially slide sideways, it could not slide off the rack.

I then bolted, not one, but two #43 ForceField magnets to the rack itself. The gripping force of these puppies is humongous (scientific term). Even tipping the box to remove it from the rack takes a surprising amount of effort. Just the way I want it. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I drove around for an entire day with the one ammo box attached and I'm ecstatic about the results. The most bone-jarring bumps (and I did hit a few) had absolutely no effect on the box. It's like it was welded on. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

The most enjoyable thing about this whole this whole notion is that I now have a "glove box", easily reachable from the seat or the ground. In fact, on this particular day all I had in the box was a first-aid kit (which I've decided I always want with me), a pair of work gloves and some safety goggles. Matt - this may sound trivial to you, but I think the tractor folk out there can testify to how wonderful it is to be able to have such simple items with you in the field.

Picture story attached.

 

[hayden]

Harv,

You'll need to check the rack at the end of the day and collect all the change that it's ForceFielded out of your pockets. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Also watch out for watches adn bracelets or you'll find yourself handcuffed to your rack. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif