Drilling hole in ROPS of 425 for lighting wire?

[Rustyiron]

In my case, it was drilling for attachment points for a removable rear screen. Protection of the wires along with a clean look as a bonus would be another. :thumbsup:

 

[oldballs]

Just use some zip ties....like others have said...easy to install, easy to modify, easy to remove.

 

[MossRoad]

Just use some zip ties....like others have said...easy to install, easy to modify, easy to remove.

Easy to get torn off by branches, easy to grab with your hands, easy to damage.... we're talking about a Power Trac machine specifically. If I had a conventional tractor with a ROPS I'd use the zip ties and be done with it. This machine is quite different.

 

[Ford850]

Easy to get torn off by branches, easy to grab with your hands, easy to damage.... we're talking about a Power Trac machine specifically. If I had a conventional tractor with a ROPS I'd use the zip ties and be done with it. This machine is quite different.

Excellent points. Thanks for putting this in the right context. I do like the idea of the conduit too.

 

[mcfarmall]

If you drill a hole in your ROPS you'll get the same rush as when you tear the tags off of a mattress!

 

[Marks481]

Tmarks, any tips for someone going down same path?

Patience. Fishing that wire was a PIA. It was 6 years ago, but I still remember that. You can make the hole on the flat attachment plate larger, since that won't compromise integrity. Feed a fish line from the hole in the top and use a vacuum cleaner to suck it through to the bottom hole.

I ran the wire with the ROPS off of the PT, and then installed the ROPS.

Recommend getting someone's help when reinstalling the ROPS, because it is tricky to get the wire in the hole in the side of the PT, then avoid pinching it when installing the ROPS. I actually did it by myself, however, and managed it.

Below is the wire exiting from the hole at the top of the ROPS. The lights are mounted on holes drilled through the canopy. The lights are daisy-chained so only one power wire was needed running up inside the ROPS.

 

[jfh28]

this is what I did.......ran wire up through existing grommet hole to outside of pipe.....got a piece of small steel angle.....painted it black and clamped to round post of rops to protect wire.......covered exposed piece of wire with electrical tape....been like this for 12 years with no problems.......moving lights up was best thing ever.....I can actually see now........Jack

 

[Marks481]

I don't know why I'm bothering to write this. You may already have bypassed your seat switch as well... :confused2:

No seat switch on power tracs. Don't know how they manage to get around that requirement, maybe classifying it as agricultural (or mining) instead of as a lawnmower.

Which can be dangerous, as it is easy to step on the treadle peddle while getting back onboard, and then the tractor tries to run you over. DAMHIKT.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I use an entirely different system to secure my wires. Cable Ties do not hold wire in my hood. Too many tree branches in the cab, they always get ripped out.

I use Silicon calk. Black. I put a heavy bead down on the inside of the rops and then lay the wire into the silicon. I then put a ton more silicon on top of the wire, then lay a 2" piece of papertape all the way down. Let it sit overnight, then pull it off and let it sit some more. Works like a charm, hard as heck to knock off.

For mounting liights on the PT, I drilled into the lid / canopy and bought some LED Lights off of ebay. Having the lights up high makes a massive difference. Oh, my lights are hung underneath, in the cab. On the roof they would just be fodder for hungry trees.

 

[cqaigy2]

I like that idea using the silicon calk!