Folding ROPS question

[mangus580]

So reading the manual, it tells me to loosen the large bolts, and then the small bolts to fold the ROPS. Is there a reason these need to be cranked down tight? What do you guys do (those of you who have to fold frequently)

I need to fold mine down to put it in the barn.... but try to put it up more often than not.

 

[KennyG]

On a John Deere, there's nothing to tighten. Just pins to pull and a hinge. I guess it's design specific. If it's bolts and not pins they will probably vibrate loose and fall out if they aren't tightened.

 

[mangus580]

Kenny, it uses pins to hold it up/down, but the pivot bolts are what the manual refers to. They use nylocks on them, so its not like they will vibrate loose. Then there is the 1/4-20ish bolt with a lock nut that appears to help eliminate vibration too??

Not sure if its visible in this picture....

 

[mangus580]

Bah, it doesnt show the 'inside' where the smaller bolt is.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Sounds like you just need to adjust the large bolt to where it is tight but not so tight that you cant move the ROPS up and down. Then when it is pinned in place if it doesn't rattle then I wouldn't mess with tightening the small anti-rattle bolt especially if putting it up and down.
TIME TO MODIFY THE BARN?

 

[mangus580]

The 'barn' is just a Shelter Logic 'garage in a box'.... not much to modify!!


I had pretty much planned to go that route Gary, was just wondering why they talk about loosening and tightening both bolts in the manual.

 

[rwork]

I usually keep mine folded (90 degrees) as I've got an eight foot high beam to go under in the tractor barn. I loosened the bolts just a tad, to where I can pull it down, and it will stay in the 90 degree position. Juat watch that you don't loose the rubber grommets, when pulling the pins.
What I can't figure out, is what are those set screws on the inside of the ROPS for?

 

[mangus580]

I think the set screws and rubber grommets are both for anti-rattle.

 

[Guesseral]

I usually keep mine folded (90 degrees) as I've got an eight foot high beam to go under in the tractor barn. I loosened the bolts just a tad, to where I can pull it down, and it will stay in the 90 degree position. Juat watch that you don't loose the rubber grommets, when pulling the pins.
What I can't figure out, is what are those set screws on the inside of the ROPS for?

Mine is down most of the time also. Need it down to put in the garage and whenever I drive in the yard it is too high to go under most of the tree branches. I have toyed with cutting it down and moving the hinged portion so it was able to go into the garage but I also want a sun visor for mowing and if I lower it I will keep hitting my head.

Yea I know raise the garage door and cut the branches of the trees. But that would make way to much sense!:mur:

 

[Gary Fowler]

Mine is down most of the time also. Need it down to put in the garage and whenever I drive in the yard it is too high to go under most of the tree branches. I have toyed with cutting it down and moving the hinged portion so it was able to go into the garage but I also want a sun visor for mowing and if I lower it I will keep hitting my head.

Yea I know raise the garage door and cut the branches of the trees. But that would make way to much sense!:mur:

Through luck or providence when I built my shop one side has a much higher roof than the other and my LS P7010 fits nicely under the North side and my B26 goes under the South wing. Also the garage door are all 8 foot doors (got 9 foot interior ceilings) so all the tractors go inside except the P7010. My brother in laws NH 2030 with cab has about 2" head room to fit under the door. Neither of us intended having those tractors when we built shops or garages. I am not sure that my RTV 900 would have fit in a 7 foot standard garage entrance door.
Better LUCKY THAN GOOD my old boss used to say.
NOTE the long trunks on all the trees before a limb in the photo. We keep them trimmed up as high as I can reach from back of the RTV which allows me to drive under them even with the P 7010. I have cut tons of limbs off all the trees in this 40 acre tract to allow this but it seems that every couple of years we have to do it all again.
Personally I think the trees also look better this way than with a bunch of scraggly limbs hanging down all over the place . I have a bunch of cedars lining the fenceline in front of my house that I had to trim up in order to safely enter the road due to vision obstruction. They tend to limb down toward the ground and though I don't trim them up to drive the tractor under them, I do keep them up enough to drive the lawnmower under without slapping me in the face. THIS is a yearly chore to keep the lower limbs lopped off as they tend to sag toward the ground.