ROPS modification

[5030]

No it's not...explain why you think otherwise..

Because inherited liability goes back to the person that did it and attorneys like to throw things at the wall and if it sticks, they pursue it. How it works.

If the next owner rolls the unit and the ROPS folds and they get injured, you better believe a PI attorney will do what they need to, to get their pound of flesh.

First thing any competent dealer will do is inspect the unit anyway and that includes the ROPS.

 

[Chewwy]

Lots of opinions here.

And that is my opinion.

 

[5030]

In reality, I don't much care what any owner does. Just citing what can happen, nothing more.

 

[pmsmechanic]

The way I see it, there is no reason that a manufacturer couldn't supply engineered drawings showing where holes could of a certain size could be drilled and what could be fastened to those holes. Like a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of the beam to attach a light should not affect the structural integrity of a ROPS. If it does then the ROPS is built out of to light a material to begin with.

Some of the first 4X00 John Deere CUTs came with a non foldable ROPS. The local dealer took them to a welding shop and had the welding shop make them foldable if the owner desired. I'm not saying this was wise or legal, I'm just stating what happened.

 

[/pine]

Because inherited liability goes back to the person that did it and attorneys like to throw things at the wall and if it sticks, they pursue it. How it works.

If the next owner rolls the unit and the ROPS folds and they get injured, you better believe a PI attorney will do what they need to, to get their pound of flesh.

First thing any competent dealer will do is inspect the unit anyway and that includes the ROPS.

Obviously you don't understand the purpose and benefit of a "leak proof" liability waiver...!

 

[dj1701]

Every single morning you get out of bed you're potentially liable for something. If I had to worry every time I modified my equipment, I would spend my life in the fetal position.

Dave

 

[/pine]

Every single morning you get out of bed you're potentially liable for something. If I had to worry every time I modified my equipment, I would spend my life in the fetal position.

Dave

Actually that is why they sell umbrella insurance policies...
IMO...modifying safety equipment on a piece of equipment is one thing...ripping the tag off your mattress is another...!

 

[Ken45101]

Shoooooo! What a snow job. OSHA rules only apply if you have employees, not home owners or personal use tractors. All it says is the tractor must have seatbelts--For employees. And it only means something if the employee/driver actually wears the seatbelt. Have you actually looked at a ROPS? I mean a factory ROPS, not a CROPS or CRAPS more like it. The CROPS are full of un-backed holes. I've included a pic of one of the CROPS you note below.

My factory ROPS came with "engineered holes" and there's no internal backing. And yes, it has a label attached. Hard to tell (signs of welding) in the video if there's backing since the paint job is so bad but I'd be willing to bet there isn't. One way to tell if there's factory backing is to put a bolt through it and start tightening a washer and nut on the other side. If you see the wall(s) start to deform, STOP. There's no backing.

I'll be using "pass-through tubes" at my factory top mounts to stop the compression. Mine are factory 1/2"+ holes so I'll use a tube through each hole with the bolts passing through the tubes and the ROPS. The compression force will be applied to the tubes, not the walls of the ROPS.

Incidentally, my new lawnmower came with holes in the ROPS and it doesn't have backing behind the "engineered holes" either.

View attachment 696292

Yes, you are absolutely right, OSHA has no authority over your personal tractor. You might even end up DEAD RIGHT.

Let some teen kid operate the tractor helping out during haying or something, never expecting any problems. But of course mistakes happen and a lawyer would have a field day with you.

Go to sell the tractor and have the price reduced by the cost to replace the ROPS?
Sure, there are holes in it to start with, but those are included in the calculated and tested design. Your random holes are not.

 

[bmaverick]

The way I see it, there is no reason that a manufacturer couldn't supply engineered drawings showing where holes could of a certain size could be drilled and what could be fastened to those holes. Like a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of the beam to attach a light should not affect the structural integrity of a ROPS. If it does then the ROPS is built out of to light a material to begin with.

Some of the first 4X00 John Deere CUTs came with a non foldable ROPS. The local dealer took them to a welding shop and had the welding shop make them foldable if the owner desired. I'm not saying this was wise or legal, I'm just stating what happened.

EXACTLY.

Yanmar has a few canopies that are mounted to the ROPS. They do supply official released drawings detailing how to drill and modify the ROPS for these canopies on installation. Since they certified the ROPS with the ROPS manufacture and the certification with the KY safety, this is legit.

Other tractor companies follow those same guidelines to prevent liability and lawsuits.

 

[IndyIan]

The way I see it, there is no reason that a manufacturer couldn't supply engineered drawings showing where holes could of a certain size could be drilled and what could be fastened to those holes. Like a 1/4" hole drilled in the center of the beam to attach a light should not affect the structural integrity of a ROPS. If it does then the ROPS is built out of to light a material to begin with.

Some of the first 4X00 John Deere CUTs came with a non foldable ROPS. The local dealer took them to a welding shop and had the welding shop make them foldable if the owner desired. I'm not saying this was wise or legal, I'm just stating what happened.

Yep, I'm in your camp, a two post or hoop ROPS is not a highly engineered structure. It's some rectangular structural grade tubing that's got a few bends or welds put in it. I'm sure there's 20-30% of the tubing where you shouldn't put a hole in it or weld on it, and the rest could have 100's of 1/4" holes in all sides and still wouldn't be the weak point.
The tubing wall thickness and grade is uniform, and it is sized for the points with maximum strain in a rollover, so most of it is stronger than it needs to be.
That said, I won't be making mine look like swiss cheese, as I might sell it someday. Clamping on some lights is easy enough anyways.