Aux lights on Rops

Bob_Skurka · Oct 9, 2003

I won't rehash everything pro or con that has been stated but rather ask a few questions . . .

Do you use ground engaging equipment with your tractor such as a sub-soiler, plow, etc?

People who use those have a greater likelyhood of flipping their tractor.

Do you live on FLAT land or do you have rolls, bumps, berms, ditches or hills?

People with rolls, bumps, berms, ditches and hills are at greater risk of flipping a tractor than people who operate their equipment on flat land.

Do you use a loader? And if you do, how experienced are you with its operation?

I have used fork trucks, bobcats, and tractor loaders for years and 2 weeks ago I almost put my Kubota on its side in the road because I picked up an off center load of granite cobble stone, carried it too high (had to get it over the top of the mailbox) while working on a slight slope on a smooth asphalt road in front of my house. . . 2 left wheels lifted a couple inches off the ground, my rear end puckered something fierce and I was lucky enough to have my right hand on the bucket control to drop if FAST (and I still missed hitting the mailbox). Tractor had no rear wheel weights and was too light, because the backhoe was off of it so that contributed to the weight distribution problem.

But you can tip a tractor with an FEL pretty easy even if you've been using them for years.

SO, if you live on flat land, don't engage the ground, and are careful wtih your FEL and have your tractor properly weighted (unlike me with my above example) then you probably don't have to worry about using your ROPS. But I said probably.

And if you live in the hills (like I do), or you engage the ground, or you have an FEL and do not have your tractor appropriately weighted, then you are at higher risk of tipping or flipping or rolling.

So the choice is yours. Assess your risk. Use sound judgement. Make our choice. Drill, or clamp or weld based on your knowledge that you assume the liability should anything occur.

jpr62902 · Oct 9, 2003

Bob,

Excellent comments. I just reread my post in response to Soundguy's and I realized it sounds a little cryptic. Not my intent at all. Soundguy's contributions to TBN are very valuable and I want to make it very clear I wasn't trying to be snippy. Keep the greasy side down everybody! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Tom_W · Oct 9, 2003

Thanks to all for the input. I had plans to weld some angles on to drill through for light mounts and two small holes for the wires. I just hate the look of the wires on the outside. I think I'll read the forums a bit more and make a decision on how to do it. I"ll post pics when I do it.

Junkman · Oct 9, 2003

one trick that you can do with the ROPS is to glue the wire to the inside with silicone. If you use 4 conductor trailer wire, it is flat and should work out well. With todays epoxy glues, it would be possible to glue a bracket onto the top of the ROPS to hold any lighting that you would reasonably use. The auto manufacturers use glues to hold steel panels to the cars today rather than weld them in some instances. There are a lot of ways to get around welding or drilling, but you have to be imaginative to figure out what will work best for you. Personally, I am going to go the simple route and use "U" clamps or just weld tabs onto a steel bar and then use through bolts through the holes in the bottom of the tabs to complete the clamping action. The success of failure of the "looks" of the "modification" depends on how you apply the finishing touches to the project. There are many ways to "skin a cat" and that is why cats "have 9 lives"!!!! LOL.... the Junkman

Harrygoodwrench · Oct 11, 2003

One option for mounting the lights is to use magnets such as welding grounding magnets. I'm frugal (so what I'm cheap) so I salvaged good size magnets from speakers. The beauty is you can move them any time you want if the wire length permits. I have the coiled wire so it makes it more neat. Just a suggestion.

PaulK · Oct 11, 2003

I purchased my B21 with dealer-installed front & rear work lights on the ROPS. The drilling dilemma was circumvented by running the wires in a flexible conduit on the inside edge of the ROPS and attaching it with zipties. Those same miracle zipties hold my plexiglass enclosure for winter operation. Viva zipties.
Paul

bebster · Oct 12, 2003

I have a Curtis canopy that is installed using U-bolts onto the ROPS. Works well. Seems to me that the same approach would work fine for lights, assuming you are ok with running the wires fastened with glue/ties to the inside of the ROPS. Happy to post a close up picture of it if that would be useful.

Curtis canopy

In this litigious world, I personnaly would not take the chance on drilling into the ROPS. No matter how small the hole, it will be big enough for any insurance company lawyer to drive a good argument through.

Junkman · Oct 12, 2003

As a lawyer you might be able to answer this question ...... if you drill into the ROPS and install the lights and wires, and then subsequent to that you sell the tractor to another person. That new buyer turns the tractor over and gets injured and makes a claim against the tractor manufacturer that is denied because the ROPS was drilled, does that make you liable for his injury or a party to the action because of your drilling the ROPS???

jpr62902 · Oct 12, 2003

Junkman,

Your question can have about a million answers, depending on the contingency. If I were to sell my tractor, I would have the buyer sign a disclaimer, affirming that they are aware of the holes in the ROPS, that they are against Kubota's recommendations and could void any warranty, and that they assume the risk, just like I did. Underneath it all, the ROPS would have to fail because of the holes I drilled, to create a problem for me. I seriously doubt that would happen.