BX25 Full Cage Rollbar
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NHmitch
Platinum Member
Just be careful, ROPS, and FOPS are very well calculated to have stress points, and if they are too rigid, or too weak, you can have catastrophic failure, and be crushed. I would try to invest in an OSHA certified ROPS or add a certified FOPS:
When the tractor above flipped backwards, this homemade ROPS tore away at the axle housing, instantly crushing the 14-year-old operator to death. The ROPS was undamaged.
This is from Iowa State University:
Iowa State University
You've read about rollover protective structures, or ROPS, for tractors. Maybe this year you'll build one for your old Farmall H.
Don't even consider making your own ROPS.
All ROPS must be crush-tested, a procedure that is extensive and destroys the structure itself. The tests determine if the protection zone around the operator station remains intact in an overturn. Without these tests, you do not know if the homemade structure will protect you during a tractor overturn. The structure gives you a false security, an attitude that may be more dangerous than an attitude that you have no safeguards.
Bars attached to the tractor axle, sun shades, or other devices cannot substitute for a dynamically-tested ROPS.
Many tractors manufactured before 1985 may be retrofitted with ROPS. Check with a local implement dealer for more information about retrofitting ROPS. The County Extension office also has a book compiled by the Marshfield Clinic that lists manufacturers, models and approximate costs.
Retrofitting can pose a difficult decision because its cost for an older tractor can exceed the machine's actual value. However, a homemade ROPS can cost you in other ways.
When the tractor above flipped backwards, this homemade ROPS tore away at the axle housing, instantly crushing the 14-year-old operator to death. The ROPS was undamaged.
This is from Iowa State University:
Iowa State University
You've read about rollover protective structures, or ROPS, for tractors. Maybe this year you'll build one for your old Farmall H.
Don't even consider making your own ROPS.
All ROPS must be crush-tested, a procedure that is extensive and destroys the structure itself. The tests determine if the protection zone around the operator station remains intact in an overturn. Without these tests, you do not know if the homemade structure will protect you during a tractor overturn. The structure gives you a false security, an attitude that may be more dangerous than an attitude that you have no safeguards.
Bars attached to the tractor axle, sun shades, or other devices cannot substitute for a dynamically-tested ROPS.
Many tractors manufactured before 1985 may be retrofitted with ROPS. Check with a local implement dealer for more information about retrofitting ROPS. The County Extension office also has a book compiled by the Marshfield Clinic that lists manufacturers, models and approximate costs.
Retrofitting can pose a difficult decision because its cost for an older tractor can exceed the machine's actual value. However, a homemade ROPS can cost you in other ways.
NHmitch
Platinum Member
They make certified FOPS the for the B26, and they may fit yours? (#2) I would call Kubota. That way if something happens, your insurance will cover the accident, and I would hate to see someone get crushed. Sorry, not that I doubt you fabrication abilities one bit, I just know that these devices undergo very stringent and very expensive testing, and they correct from the failures that they have.
Gary Fowler
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Well the B 26 is in process of being mine. MissingTexas and I have made a deal, I just havent paid for it yet since I am out of the country till end of the month.
Do a google search and look for a B21 photos. It has the same structure on it but has the more traditional FEL framing and the FOPS on it attaches more similar to what you would have to do with the BX25. The B26 has an special frame that attaches to the tractor and the FEL and Backhoe attach to this frame. Carl NH can get you some close ups of the B21 that he has and how to attach the frame work.
I found a couple of photos of B21 on internet. Hope it is good enough to determine if it will work for you. Hopefully Carl can get some good closeups for you.
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Gary Fowler
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The BX already has a certified ROPS and adding additional post to it to make a FOPS is certainly not going to weaken it. Attaching it to the FEL frame is going to be the strongest point and by looking at the B21 attachment point which is bolted so it can be removed for any major repair work would work perfectly. The B21 probalbly weighs (4000#)nearly twice what the BX 25 weighs and contrary to those here that cry wolf everytime someone speaks of adding something to an ROPS and damaging it or destroying it or removing the integrity by making additions like adding two more corner post is rather laughable IMO. But I do come from a long work history with Industrial engineering & construction where we do design and build everything from man baskets for lifting personnel to refinery and chemical plants including pressure vessels, boilers, supports for piping and steel structures to hold all of the aforementioned, so I am fairly familiar with what a properly applied weld will do and what is needed for support of lateral, compression and tension loading. These little tractors are so lightweight that it only takes lightweight tubing to support them in the ROPS framework. I would certainly not be afraid to use the basic design material in your ROPS and add 2 more post, a box frame for the roof and even cage metal if you want for limb protection. The old IH tractor in one of the first post looks like it is built to shed the limbs over the top without damaging the frame work. With the vertical pillar post you would need to be careful when driving under a low hanging limb with the little BX as it could flip it right on its back. Of course you should be protected in your cage.
Sorry if I got on some folks toes, but any 2nd year engineering student can design a roll cage guaranteed to protect you from roll over or falling objects. The main reason that they have to do the roll over destructive testing it to prove that the super lightweight materials used will adequately stop the rollover even though they may bend radically. These ROPS are build to minimal strength requirements to save on cost while still performing to standards set by our governing agencies. That does not mean that you would be unsafe by building one of double the weight or tripling the strength, it just means that you were spending more than necessary. For myself, I would rather spend an additional $100 in material cost and make sure that if it rolled I would just have to upright it and not have to replace the ROPS because it was folded in half. You dont need crumple zones in a ROPS for a tractor as it isnt likely to be travelling at 60 MPH when it impacts.
Sorry if I got on some folks toes, but any 2nd year engineering student can design a roll cage guaranteed to protect you from roll over or falling objects. The main reason that they have to do the roll over destructive testing it to prove that the super lightweight materials used will adequately stop the rollover even though they may bend radically. These ROPS are build to minimal strength requirements to save on cost while still performing to standards set by our governing agencies. That does not mean that you would be unsafe by building one of double the weight or tripling the strength, it just means that you were spending more than necessary. For myself, I would rather spend an additional $100 in material cost and make sure that if it rolled I would just have to upright it and not have to replace the ROPS because it was folded in half. You dont need crumple zones in a ROPS for a tractor as it isnt likely to be travelling at 60 MPH when it impacts.
Great reply Gary however in our lawsuit nation you shouldn't sell your tractor with homemade fops because some idiot could roll it off a cliff and when it crushes him the family lawyer will tell the jury all of the b.s. you've heard in this thread. Since jurys are mostly made up of people too dumb to get out of jury duty or people who have nothing better to do (housewives, the unemployed, retirees) I seriously wouldn't want to bet on convincing them that I was a competent engineer. Even if I could they may find me guilty because they feel sorry for the family!
I think the B26 worklight guarding is insufficient. Some 3/8 or 1/2in solid steel round bar bent around the perimeter of the lights would be better for us woods workers. I think properly designed they could also help stray branches to slide over the fops without resorting to 1960's styling.
TCJatko
Platinum Member
For design hints maybe you could look at some skidders? Most of them have a hefty cage.
Gary Fowler
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This is true and has been discussed here before about removing any additions of mods prior to selling. Even with a signed acknowledgement and release of liability from buyer, you could get sued by the family and likely get a stupid jury to agree to millions because you didnt explain in idiot terms that you cant pull a "Dukes of Hazzard" jump, land upside down on your tractor and live to drive off like the do in the movies. If McDonalds smart lawyers couldnt convince them that a customer should know that hot coffee is hot and deserves no compensation for getting burned with it between her legs, then I am sure any lawyer I could afford would loose big time. That is one reason I have put on an aftermarket ROPS on my Yanmar. It wasnt manufacturered with one and I wont sell it with one even though I had planned to make one myself when I bought it. Even having a store bought ROPS on your tractor and selling it to someone who then gets injured wont keep you from being sued and possible to loose the suit what with our laws and stupid jurors today and their "someone has to be at fault other than the ones involved" mentality. They're awarding millions for frivolous lawsuits and yet dont realize that some of the money they are giving away is theirs which the defendant will recoup if possible in raised fees and prices for their merchandise. Much of which we are already paying for as merchants have contingency money for lawyers and lawsuits built into their selling prices already.
HOWEVER: My point wasnt to make a point about escaping lawsuit but that lots of folks here on TBN are quiet capable of designing much better and stronger ROPS & FOPS than what they are selling on the market and to point out that just because it passed some tests, doesnt mean that it is better than a homebuilt at protecting you. I have said before, I would rather trust my design and welding on a life protection device than a $8 an hour small shop welder that 100 to 1 odds are that he hasnt tested his skills per AWS requirements and certainly not to ASME pressure piping requirements.
Hahaha. I think we are all in agreement here as engineers and fabricators. I was just at the scrap yard this morning buying steel for a grapple and studying the bobcat roll cage as he was loading me. They aren't as heavy as one would think. Their shape has more to do with their strength than anything.