Boy did I Just do a Stupid Thing!

[meburdick]

I've driven mine into the face of my garage like that probably three times. Fortunately for me, the eave / soffit is high enough that the ROPS completely clears all of that and only smacks the face. My lot is almost perfectly level, so I don't waste my time putting up the ROPS unless I'm using the FEL with some weighted stuff (gravel, log length firewood, or even mulch). I'm going to be building a large shed and will install an 8' overhead door to accommodate the ROPS. If I end up adding on to the garage, I'll be sure that an 8' door goes there as well.

 

[nybirdman]

I've driven mine into the face of my garage like that probably three times. Fortunately for me, the eave / soffit is high enough that the ROPS completely clears all of that and only smacks the face. My lot is almost perfectly level, so I don't waste my time putting up the ROPS unless I'm using the FEL with some weighted stuff (gravel, log length firewood, or even mulch). I'm going to be building a large shed and will install an 8' overhead door to accommodate the ROPS. If I end up adding on to the garage, I'll be sure that an 8' door goes there as well.

Better make that a ten ft. door......never Know!

 

[jakdeere]

I almost do this everytime i put my tractor away. I finally hung a sign down off my garage door opener. It says ROPS?

 

[sam5570]

don't feel so bad a couple years ago i tore the front off my barn backing into scrape the stalls out had to replace the facecia boards 4 pieces of metal and 4 2x4 it just happens hope it don't get in your pocket to bad.

 

[schweizer]

Better make that a ten ft. door......never Know!

Just going to say the same thing. My tractor ROPS is just over 8 ft high.

 

[joshuabardwell]

When I was a kid, we had our septic tank replaced and they dug up the entire front yard doing it. Rather than pay someone to grade it, or maybe just because he thought it would be fun, my dad rented a skid-steer-loader and decided he'd do it himself. The story he tells from that event goes like this:

"The loader has one lever, and you push it and it turns left. It has another lever, and you push it and it turns right. And if you push both levers, the thing swings right around and takes the porch right off the front of your house."

Yup, he knocked the porch off the house because the loader swung around quicker than he expected.

The other story from that event is, he was trying to grade the yard, backdragging, you know, and a pickup truck that's driving by stops and the driver gets out and just kind of stands there for a while watching my dad work. Finally, the guy yells to him, "Hey mister! You're ruining your yard!" Turns out the guy was an operator and gave him a few tips.

I think of those stories often now that I've got a tractor of my own.

 

[BRBurns]

I've ran mine into the shed I part in 4-5 times. It's normally late and after dark. I just want to get it in and go inside. I haven't done any damage yet. The shed is just temporary until I build a barn. So no harm done. Once I hit it hard enough I thought I might have hurt something. Good thing ROPS are strong.

 

[meburdick]

Better make that a ten ft. door......never Know!

Just going to say the same thing. My tractor ROPS is just over 8 ft high.

I measured mine and it will definitely fit under an 8' door. Also, there's no "chance" of my getting a larger machine while I live here, so I'm good.

I've ran mine into the shed I part in 4-5 times. It's normally late and after dark. I just want to get it in and go inside. I haven't done any damage yet. The shed is just temporary until I build a barn. So no harm done. Once I hit it hard enough I thought I might have hurt something. Good thing ROPS are strong.

Strong? You aren't kidding. One of the times I hit my garage wall, I made contact with only one side because I was at a bit of an angle. The noise that it made sounded like the header was being pulled out from above the door, and it actually transferred the force down into my fender and caused it to actually bend a little (no crease, just a slight bend).

 

[namesray]

didn't read every post here, but just the title and first post quick read made me laugh. sorry about your misfortune. it is probably only a matter of time before i do the samething. onetime i came back home from bush hogging and it was late and i was tired i pulled up to the door with the tractor and for whatever reason i stopped, got off to get something, and when i looked back, i stopped no more then an inch away from the rops hitting just about the same area. i am not kidding, it was close and if i didn't stop at that moment or look at the tractor before i got back on....

another story real quick. where i work at the state transportation dept, the garage door openings aren't quite tall enough to fit the back hoes through with the back boom in the transport position. have to lower it down just a bit, then come through. building is brick/block and i bet you know where this one is headed. it wasn't me that did it, it was a seasoned operator, so it can happen to anyone. i have even watched operators at the golf course i use to work at, hit tree branches with the rops and pick the front of the mower up.:confused2: good luck with your repairs.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

Pulled tractor into garage without lowering the ROPS. Wife said the whole house shook. Tore out the eave and broke the faceplate on the front of the garage. Nice!

Been there...done that...I didn't do as much damage luckily.

 

[meburdick]

You know, I hadn't thought of this originally when reading the thread...

If that soffit material is vinyl, it's actually quite easy to replace, and won't be terribly expensive. Any damage to the fascia board or metal wrap around it is a little bit different of a story.

End result is that it seems nothing more than your pride and a portion of your structure incurred some damage. Those things are completely repairable / replaceable.

:thumbsup:

 

[johnwilldo]

Lets see? How many tree limbs did I have to hit with the ROP before I decided to use the riding mower in those areas? My garage door only clears by about an inch so if I do not retract the door ALL the way there is a tell tale sound that reminds me. I always back out very slowly and most times I have remembered to raise the ballast box.:laughing:

 

[meburdick]

Not raising the ballast box, especially on the grass, is the one that gets me every so often. In fact, I just did it about three times over the weekend and left a few nicely gouged areas in the lawn.

 

[roush9799]

You's have me scared now. I just traded my 855 for a 2520. I think the rops are about twice as tall on the 2520. I wonder what I'll hook with it when mowing under when I get it.

 

[meburdick]

I go around my property with lopping shears and cut all the branches at 6' or less. mow with the ROPS down and don't have any issues.

 

[burnieman]

I've hit my tailgate, my house, my shed and rubbed the bark off countless trees around the property. Funny, the first thing I do every time is look to see if anyone saw me do it. So far I'm in the clear

 

[boggen]

poor shed door, got backed into, and had to redo some 2x4's and 2x6's

pour house roof corner. digging away with backhoe, making extra sure i was carefully not to swing backhoe into house. or raise backhoe up into the facuit. got full load in bucket. and no were to go was up. i was not paying attention and lifted corner of roof up a few inches. house went back to normal though some plywood and 2x4's had to be redone right at the corner.

tree limbs, not so bad for a ROPs but rather, nailing me in the face. first mowing of the year, i find all branches that will be a problem. and before second mowing all branches are gone!

 

[fdmars]

I have hit my tractor shed with the ROPS twice
I am getting experienced UGH

 

[meburdick]

That's not the sort of experience you should be going for, though.

 

[ipwanab]

welcome to the club.I ran into my metalgarage door with my rops on a new zero turn the door was not quite all the way up(I was use to my old one that did not have one). Pulled the bottom panel and the one above it out of square about 6 inches. To add insult I had to buy all the panels because the paint had sun faded and you could see the difference 500 feet away. My wife still teases me years later.