why no four post rops on tractors?

[markct]

i recently bought a JD210c loader backhoe and it has a 4 post rops, factory made, got me wondering why not have rops like that on a compact or an ag tractor? seems like a great thing, protects ya better in a rollover, and from a log or pipe rolling off the bucket and down the loader arms, and provides a nice roof over your head too to keep the sun etc off ya. it sure seems alot stronger of a design also

 

[ultrarunner]

I couldn't get in my Barn if the ROPS didn't fold...

 

[MotorSeven]

i recently bought a JD210c loader backhoe and it has a 4 post rops, factory made, got me wondering why not have rops like that on a compact or an ag tractor? seems like a great thing, protects ya better in a rollover, and from a log or pipe rolling off the bucket and down the loader arms, and provides a nice roof over your head too to keep the sun etc off ya. it sure seems alot stronger of a design also

I agree, that is why I am building an add-on for my DK40SE. I have a lot of steep trails & will feel a little safer in a roll cage as opposed to a roll bar. Besides, the tractor will be much more protected & suffer way less damage.

RD

 

[BruceWard]

Kubota B21s and L35s do.

The front posts have saved me from rolling logs that would have been in my lap a couple times.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I am guessing on this but it probably has to do with osha regulations being different between ag equiptment and construction equiptment.
Bill

 

[dfkrug]

I am guessing on this but it probably has to do with osha regulations being different between ag equiptment and construction equiptment.

I think you are correct, Bill.

The cage on my B21 was called a ROPS and a FOPS, the latter being a
Falling Object Protective Structure.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I dont remember the website I was visiting, but it showed a new JD tractor with the ROPS in front of the steering wheel rather than attached to the back axle it looked to be attached to th frame just in front of the operator platform. I thought that was a good idea to catch roll offs from the loader. I found one on TBN earlier with a 4 post ROPS and was going to copy but put a top on it for weather protection. I figured that if I slant it a little in the front and dont have the top stick out over it, it should shed the low limbs and keep them out of my face and not damage the canopy either.

 

[banjodunn]

G'day over here in victoria aus 4 post rops are now required to be fitted to any tractor with a loader on it if it does not have it it is supposed to be sold as scrap only the onus is then on the owner to make sure it complies with regs before they use it



Jon

 

[dfkrug]

G'day over here in victoria aus 4 post rops are now required to be fitted to any tractor with a loader on it if it does not have it it is supposed to be sold as scrap only the onus is then on the owner to make sure it complies with regs before they use it

In the US, various regulatory agencies have forced manufacturers to do
certain things to their products in the name of safety. The obvious things
are to make tractor vendors put a ROPS device on CUTs sold here since
the early 80s. These requirements don't affect the possession, use,
and modification of such products by the end user in a private, non-
commercial setting. You CAN cut off your ROPs, or disable your anti-lock
brakes on your car, or own a 3-wheel ATV legally. They just can't be
sold new that way.

It is a huge leap for the government to be able to come to your private
property (the black arm-banded nanny police?) and check to see if you have
done any of these illegal modifications and inflict some sort of punishment
if they catch you.

Is that what you are saying they can do in Australia? Crikey!

 

[MossRoad]

Our Power Trac has the ROPS in front of the driver. Makes a handy hand-hold, too.

 

[kthompson]

Have seen a few Ag tractors with four post and no cab. But they were probably around 100 hp up. It could be due to the size of the tractor as they had room for them.

Saw a low profile JD in their magazine that had both low roll bar and higher one in front of operator and the tractor had factory fel.

 

[LBrown59]

One foldable ROPS is bad enough let alone 2.

 

[banjodunn]

G'day dfkrug yep that is what they can do a gov agency called worksafe has the right to enter any workplace (company or self employed i.e farms) and inspect any piece of equipment on the property if you refuse to let them on they then go away and get a warrant and come back with the law!! They then proceed to look over all of your equip and if it doesn't come up to their reg's then they can issue you with a notice to fix it, you then get about 6 - 8 weeks to repair before they come back to check on the repairs, if you have not done anything about it then they can take you to court fines can range up to $100k. Don't get me wrong i think they have done a good job in weeding out alot of dodgy gear that was being used out there but they do forget to use a bit of common sense at times. We had a visit recently at my work, the workshop has been there for 35 years we are 1 of 2 business up the end of a dead end street and we got issued a notice because we did not have a piece of plastic chain across the door when it was open we only open this door to get vehicles in an out

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I dont remember the website I was visiting, but it showed a new JD tractor with the ROPS in front of the steering wheel rather than attached to the back axle it looked to be attached to th frame just in front of the operator platform. I thought that was a good idea to catch roll offs from the loader. I found one on TBN earlier with a 4 post ROPS and was going to copy but put a top on it for weather protection. I figured that if I slant it a little in the front and dont have the top stick out over it, it should shed the low limbs and keep them out of my face and not damage the canopy either.

A lot of vineyard and fruit tractors have the ROPS mounted in the mid section of the tractor. I really do not know of a specific reason for this but its only done on open station tractors as I am assuming its for height issues. The guys who use these open station tractors generally do so in areas where even a normal folding rops would be too high and catch branches. The mid mount Rops folds completely down around the front of the tractor so the highest point is the operator. He can dodge tree limbs and such if needed.

 

[WarrenF]

Darn it anyway.....I think that we should take all of the risk out of operating any and all types of equipment. I mean why should we allow anyone to be able to operate any type of equipment that could possibly hurt them. I say ban bicycles, cars, trucks, motorcycles, and furthermore ban all walking. Cause you know if there is no roll bars and fall protection people could get hurt. I mean who would think that we would allow kids to climb trees or throw baseballs.....sheesh. Darn those people who think that personal responsibility should enter into ANY decision......

 

[MossRoad]

Darn it anyway.....I think that we should take all of the risk out of operating any and all types of equipment. I mean why should we allow anyone to be able to operate any type of equipment that could possibly hurt them. I say ban bicycles, cars, trucks, motorcycles, and furthermore ban all walking. Cause you know if there is no roll bars and fall protection people could get hurt. I mean who would think that we would allow kids to climb trees or throw baseballs.....sheesh. Darn those people who think that personal responsibility should enter into ANY decision......

Hey, why don't you cancel your PLPD car insurance?

 

[WarrenF]

Hey, why don't you cancel your PLPD car insurance?

You made me laugh right out loud with that one. Thanks for the levity and understanding my "dry humor"

 

[dfkrug]

G'day dfkrug yep that is what they can do a gov agency called worksafe has the right to enter any workplace (company or self employed i.e farms) and inspect any piece of equipment on the property.....

OK, I get that....in the workplace. That is what we have OSHA for here in
the US. Some regs they have are actually good, IMO, and I am not a
big govt kinda guy. But they do not affect private use of the same
equipment.

 

[ultrarunner]

OK, I get that....in the workplace. That is what we have OSHA for here in
the US. Some regs they have are actually good, IMO, and I am not a
big govt kinda guy. But they do not affect private use of the same
equipment.

Yes... but I think the Bay Area Air Management District does go onto private property if they suspect a non-compliant diesel engine might be there...

As far as disabling the ABS... I think that will also cause a vehicle to fail state mandate annual brake inspections where required...

A friend of mine ran into trouble when he was spray painting his utility trailer... he lives in the county and a neighbor called to report someone spraying chemicals???

It's amazing how far we have come as a society on what can and cannot be done...

 

[Turkeyman]

The regs are different between ROPS and FOPS, but GR manufacturing out of Alabama will build you a 4 post FOPS for most Deere 4000 models and up. A FOPS is much cheaper then a fractured skull or worse.