Anyone ever had their ROPS top part cut down?

[RG1]

Here's something to think about regarding ROPS bars.


Most all new commercial ZTR's also have them, but ask pro LCO's how many use them. Not many, including me. Why, because there's far more chance of getting flipped over backwards when mowing at any speed over 7 mph when it snags an overhead branch you didn't notice while paying attention to your line, than there is of rolling sideways on one. All it takes is one time of having the front end come rearing up and back with the blades spinning at 18,000 fpm to make you need a sudden change of shorts.:shocked:

 

[RG1]

The rops is made to stop it from rolling completely over, not designed to go upside down, therefore the higher rops on smaller machines.

Well, you need to inform Deere (and maybe other manu's) of that fact, because they not only show the triangle of life for complete roll overs, or when ending up upside down in many (if not all) of their manuals, and on a lot of their safety videos.

 

[RalphVa]

I've had far less problems operating with this one folded than using the non-folding one (that fit under the garage doors) on the 4010 underneath limbs. On the 4010, I had to be very careful in going underneath some leaning trees not to snag them. This one is a bit lower while folded, and I have fewer limbs smacking me as I pass them, and I haven't snagged any leaning trees. So, I've mixed emotions about wanting to cut it so I can just keep it raised. Main reason is to keep from having a concussion from hitting the folded over part while working around the 3ph.

Think they should chuck geometry and just design them to be just above an average man's height when folded and below garage door height when up. What if we snag the top of our garage opening and pull the building in on us? Or what if we hit the top of the opening and cause the thing the rear up in front?

Guess I gotta give up on on getting it cut down. May just remove the top part.

Ralph

 

[sunnyside360]

Here's something to think about regarding ROPS bars.


Most all new commercial ZTR's also have them, but ask pro LCO's how many use them. Not many, including me. Why, because there's far more chance of getting flipped over backwards when mowing at any speed over 7 mph when it snags an overhead branch you didn't notice while paying attention to your line, than there is of rolling sideways on one. All it takes is one time of having the front end come rearing up and back with the blades spinning at 18,000 fpm to make you need a sudden change of shorts.:shocked:

Yep. I can relate to this......... had to change my shorts recently because of it.

 

[ovrszd]

The rops is made to stop it from rolling completely over, not designed to go upside down, therefore the higher rops on smaller machines.

I agree with this theory in regards to SCUTs. They can do that because of the light tractor weight and the ROPS will withstand a sideways flop without collapsing.

That theory does not holdup in regards to larger tractors. In those it appears they build the ROPS to withstand the heavy weight of the tractor without collapsing and with little regard to actually protecting the operator.

 

[slowzuki]

I believe SAE sells the design standards for ROPS and FOPS if you care to look it up.

Often the fixed rops is a few inches shorter and will fit under the door.

 

[kcflhrc]

Never mind

 

[ray66v]

I am sure the manufacturers have a well laid out engineering reason for making the ROPS the height that they are.

It is called GEOMETRY

Actually, it's called the government. OSHA to be specific. Who probably used special bureaucratic geometry.

Federal regulations specify the dimensions of a ROPS. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=18478

Most people believe the height is determined this way: Height of a standard 7' garage door, +2 inches= 86" minimum height. :thumbsup:

The height is actually determined by a specific number of inches above the highest point the seat can be adjusted to.

Not sure if the height was determined by the size needed to prevent a complete roll over, or the height to protect a taller operator, or both.

Future ROPS may have some sort of deployment trigger, (like an air bag does), due to the number of people who have folding ROPS, and don't put them up before operating, rendering them useless. These self deploying units are in testing right now. And will add significant cost to tractors, if ever required.

 

[DarkBlack]

Not quite. Most people believe foldable ROPs are such, to allow entrance to a garage. A good point brought up earlier was why design/build/buy a split foldable, if it can't fit in a standard garage door when folded down?? A very good point, in my opinion.

 

[Eyecatcher]

You guys can argue safety, litigation, OSHA rules etc., all you want to. I own the tractor, and if I have a modicum of common sense, I'll never roll it in its back.
Also, I'll never use the seat belt. I want to be able to jump off, and I won't be bothered with removing the belt each time I want to dismount. That's why I disabled the seat switch. Any modifications I do to the tractor are for my own convenience and comfort, to heck wit all the rest. We took 4" out of the upper half of mine, so it would clear the header over the door. It still scraped the bottom of the trusses in the pole barn. I got tired of banging my head on it trying to hook up the 3 point, because I wouldn't pin it back up each time I took it out of the barn. Removed another 3". and it works great, and I never fold it down. Put it alongside neighbors John Deere, and now they almost match. It's only a tool, and should be modified to best handle the job at hand.