My F-1700 home made ROPS in progress

[JC-jetro]

Howdy all and 1700 owners,

I have been looking for a ROPS for my 1700 for a while now and found it as readily available as hen's tooth. I was working on a several different designs. I came up with few pieces of unused 4" structural steel angles and brackets on one of my construction jobs and the light bulb tuned on for me. I made couple of prototype card board templates and went with my second design that offered more stoutness, less fab work and no chance of interference with 3 point arms going up and down. I'm using the rear diffy as a support. it will be a tight fit and no shear force will be on the 4 bolts and two studs unless the side tabs against massive diffy breaks or shears off. It will be quite easy to take the ROPS uprights off but the base will be integral part of the tractor. I'm taking it in this evening to do a final fit up before I paint and install. The ROPS pipe holder are 2 pieces of 12" long, 2-1/2" dia Sch 40 pipe that will house the same quality pipe but 2" in dia. The fit is very good. I'll either use a piece of 1/2" all thread and two bolt to tie them or a hitch pin. I have to measure for a top of ROPS of 92.5" to see how much of vertical pipe I'd be needing and a horizontal piece to finish it off. I'd wearing a seat belt while I'm working and figure the Yield strength of the the my contraption and well far exceed of my body.

JC ,

First design: much interference issues and heck of lot fab work to make it viable.



Second design: Based on material I had, much simple quite stout and use bolt hole available on the diffy plus four studs. The bolt I bough are 10.9. and are the same on top link bracket.



dry fitting the horizontal piece, widened the base to have a better wide crush protected zone and no chance of interference with the lift arms.



Two tabs on either side of diffy, nice and tight. The tabs will be exposed to shear force upon god forbid Rolling over... can't see them to shear of and then force be transferred to 4 bolts and 2 studs.



Welding on upright pipe holder, 2 passed with mig welder (220 volt) and extra bracket support.



View from back and side:



View from the front:

 

[rayikeo2]

That looks good, JC. Now are you going to add a rain/snow top cover & a winshield? A long time ago when I was doing snow removal in the winter I made a windshield out of plexiglass and a top (cab cover) out of some 1/4 plastic sheets I found in the scrap pile. Used some square steel for the frame. It was not strong enough for roll over protection. It worked good to keep rain and snow off of me. Since then I quit snow removal and scraped the unit. Ray :thumbsup:

 

[JC-jetro]

That looks good, JC. Now are you going to add a rain/snow top cover & a winshield? A long time ago when I was doing snow removal in the winter I made a windshield out of plexiglass and a top (cab cover) out of some 1/4 plastic sheets I found in the scrap pile. Used some square steel for the frame. It was not strong enough for roll over protection. It worked good to keep rain and snow off of me. Since then I quit snow removal and scraped the unit. Ray :thumbsup:

yes Ray, I'm planning on it. I'm have to get the base done and completed , then I work on the "Factory Options" , I might have a new and improved tool box, sun shade and jug of water too.

JC,

 

[rayikeo2]

I made the best tool box for mine. I made it by using an old steel military ammo box and bolted it to the two holes on the right side where the FEL would attach. All I had to do is drill 2 holes in the box and find a couple of the right size bolts. It is waterproof and out of the way. I should post a picture, but the box I used (and recommend) is a side opening box. Side openers are very hard to find as almost all ammo cans open from the end.

 

[JC-jetro]

I made the best tool box for mine. I made it by using an old steel military ammo box and bolted it to the two holes on the right side where the FEL would attach. All I had to do is drill 2 holes in the box and find a couple of the right size bolts. It is waterproof and out of the way. I should post a picture, but the box I used (and recommend) is a side opening box. Side openers are very hard to find as almost all ammo cans open from the end.

Ray,

I went to my place this evening to fit it up. It took me 1/2 hr of grinding , filing and finagling to make it fit like a glove. No interference at full high and low with the lift arm. I brought it home and primed it and tomorrow evening will paint it Ford Blue. Might get a chance and work the upright and the horizontal piece on Friday. The bottom piece will be there permanently.


JC,

 

[rayikeo2]

Those welds look super good. Did you weld them yourself? Looks plenty strong enough to support the weight of a roll over.

 

[JC-jetro]

Those welds look super good. Did you weld them yourself? Looks plenty strong enough to support the weight of a roll over.

Yes Ray, I welded them myself. I'm no welder, although inspect fitters and their work all the time in HVAC, chiller, boiler and Fire protection. Funny thing is I have a big construction going on right now and couple of weeks ago asked the mechanical Foreman, can I do some practice stick welding? He said sure .. no problem !!. I brought my HF welder's apron, sleeves and auto darkening mask.. all dressed up and no where to go. All I managed was to stick the rod, hence stick welding. I used a 220 volt Hobart mig welder with Argon/co2 mix bottle of shielding gas and 0.9 mm (I guess) solid wire. I prepped the joints well. I ended up a root pass, and a cover pass and was able to get plenty pf penetration. On the base of the 2-1/2" pipes I went with 3 passes. I'm done with the "top hat" section of the ROPS that I prime and paint today and tomorrow and hopefully will install it on tractor on Saturday. The upright are going to be just two sticks of 2" dia pipes.

JC,

PS. I showed the foreman my work and he said " not bad for an Engineer" . I think he said "okay"

 

[rayikeo2]

I took a welding class in High School in 1954, and believe me those welds at that time would have got you an A in the class. They still are looking good in 2011. I think you passed the class. Ray:thumbsup:

 

[JC-jetro]

I took a welding class in High School in 1954, and believe me those welds at that time would have got you an A in the class. They still are looking good in 2011. I think you passed the class. Ray:thumbsup:

Thanks Ray,

I made the hat section and primed it. I put the finel coat on the ROPS base. I think I will paint top hat and the upright with spray on black enamel. I dry fit all and it fit was good. This thing should add about 100 lbs to my tractor. I drilled drainage hole for the base and 8 holes on the top hat to accept some sort of canopy that I will design later.

JC,

Completed ROPS.



Top hat section:






Ford Blue, it'll be cleanest part of my tractor.

 

[sld]

Great looking stuff JC.

Rops are hard to find. I had a guy 1000 miles away buy the one off the 1210 I parted out. Shipping wasn't too bad at 150 bucks.

Yours will be better than the Ford one!