There would typically be no issue with clamping stuff to the ROPS. But the instant you drill a hole in it, or weld something to it, however safe you may deem it to be, you've let the manufacturer off the hook if something does go wrong. Which may be OK for you, until you sell the tractor.
The problem with that is that Deere had the testing done to verify that the ROPS still meets specs after making said holes. Once you make a hole in the ROPS the piece of paper that says that the ROPS is certified is null and void. Does that mean that it won't work? No, it just means that it is no longer a "Certified ROPS" so it cannot be used by an employee in a business situation without OSHA getting into a tizzy, a dealer cannot sell it like that and IF you ever roll it and it fails, they can point to your hole and say that its not their fault as you modified their "Certified ROPS" from its original design. That's not to say that you (or your estate's lawyer) can't fight that and prove that your modifications didn't compromise the ROPS, but it would add a lot of hassle.
There is no requirement to sell a used tractor private party with a ROPS installed at all. Let alone one that’s been modified.
I can’t believe how much of a big deal people put on this. It’s a TBN issue that was self manifested from the first few handfuls of questions on ROPS years and years ago.
Sort of like the myth that narrow grapples are better than wider ones. That one pretty much started from one person who tirelessly preaches it. Next thing you know everyone else follows.
This should be a good thread.
