Century ROPS and Seatbelt

[markie61]

I November, I sent an email to Branson about four issues:
-short steering wheel
-joystick hitting throttle
-ROPS bolted up at what seemed to be a hinged joint
-what's up with the horn button in the middle of the turn signals
MEubank's reply:
<font color="red"> Dear Mark:

Thank You for your interest in Branson.

The answer to your first question on the Steering Wheel we have an extension that can be added to the tractor which will raise the steering wheel.

Second the jovstick has been changed and we should have the new model out very soon. We will be happy to exchange to the new lever as soon as we receive from our Korean company. This should be soon after the first of the year.

Third, I do not understand this problem since all our unit for over one year have been shipped with a folding ROPS. Please let me know the dealer where you test drove this unit and I will find out the problem.

Fourth, the horn is an option. The unit comes pre wired and the horn can be added by the dealer for a small charge.

Please give me a call if you have any other questions. My cell phone number is 706-3**-3*** or I can be reached at nights at 706-2**-7***. You can also call our warehouse office at 877-734-2022 between 8:30AM and 4:30 PM Monday thru Friday eastern time.

Again thank you for your interest and we look forward to you becoming part of the Branson Family.

Regards,

Mark Eubanks
</font>

 

[19th_VA]

I wonder if Mark did not understand your question about the ROPS. Iasked my dealer (he's looking into it) whether there is a newer kit to make the ROPS foldable without tools. My undertstanding was that this system for folding the rops had not been approproved by the safety gods last year. And perhaps now is. However, my dealer just recently got in a load of Bransons and all had the same bolt system on the rops. If I find out anything from my dealer, I'll post. Perhaps someone already knows the answer or can inquire also.

 

[Pacesetter300]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What is a grade 8 pin? )</font>

A hitch pin is grade 8. Some have clips on the end, some remove with a button that releases a stop. Used them all the time on landing gears in the Navy. Attach a flag to them so they don't get missed and the plane takes off with them in. Problem is the diameter is going to have to be exact. Too loose and the pin and ROPS will rattle and eventually elongate the hole. I'm sure the hole is metric and pins available in the US are fractional. My concern converting would be drilling out the hole in the ROPS. Done right, it should be safe enough. The factory bolt is probably grade 8 too.
Pacesetter

 

[markie61]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( folding the rops had not been approproved by the safety gods )</font>

....you know....I have a vague recollection about a phone conversation about Fed approval of the folding ROPS....maybe it was with the Century people.... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gifI talked to SO many people last fall....

Mark

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( However, my dealer just recently got in a load of Bransons and all had the same bolt system on the rops. )</font>

Yup, mine is a non-folder too. I guess if it was an issue for me, I'd be looking into it, but I don't have any need to take mine down--for now anyway.

SnowRidge

 

[markie61]

My NH TC40D has a folding ROPS standard (I insisted on it when spec-ing out my tractor. ) Haven't folded it yet....
Bought a nice folding pruning saw to carry on tractor and cut offending limbs from the seat - they cease to be a problem....
Mark

 

[BillG_in_TX]

I stopped by the Branson dealer this afternoon, and all of the ROPS brackets had bolts in them. I talked to the service manager, and he said one buyer had requested a fix to make it foldable. All he had to do was replace the top bolt with a pin the same size, which he said was readily available, and wal-la! (french for ta-da!) - folding ROPS.