Bummer

[Jaybr]

Let me start by saying my ROPS has never been off my tractor, or even folded.

I don't think you can compare a ROPS to a seat belt. A seat belt is non-evasive (unless your worried about wrinkling your close) and a ROPS is invasive at times.

 

[KennyV]

To get back to the problem Deerlope originally presented…
The ROPS is made with steel, (Iron and carbon alloy), Nothing exotic here. Can it be repaired? Anything can be repaired…
SOMETIMES, it is more economical to replace things that get damaged…
Any competent machine shop or welding shop can advise as to what path to take.
The idea that a ROPS can never be repaired, welded or straightened is like suggesting that a truck with a bent frame can never be safely restored to it’s original safe operational condition… Check with your local body shops… that is always a consideration in the repair after a crash.
You may need to jump to the safety forum to state your opinion as to the value of leaving a ROPS installed no matter what...
I feel there are FEW absolutes in this life, and you can not use, always, never or any otherwise restrictive adverb that will apply to all situations…
In orchards, and other places, a ROPS can be very dangerous and destructive…
It would be a shame if all things damaged were just replaced rather than repaired.
AS usual, Bird may have stated it more accurately… “I can understand the manufacturer, for liability reasons, wanting to replace the entire ROPS, and I guess I'd have to agree with them. However, if it were mine, I'd probably take it off and straighten it (might have to heat it to do so, repaint, etc.) or have someone with the right equipment straighten it if necessary. But I'm not recommending that you do that.”
I would look into repair before replacing… Kennyv.

 

[N80]

I don't think you can compare a ROPS to a seat belt. A seat belt is non-evasive (unless your worried about wrinkling your close) and a ROPS is invasive at times.

I disagree. I hear people complain all the time about seatbelts (after I've councelled them to wear them). And with seatbelts, you actually have to do something in order for them to work. I personally think the complaints about ROPS are about as valid as complaints about seatbelts. And they both keep you safer than you would be without them, by a huge margin.

 

[N80]

Kenny, I agree with you there. I don't have enough knowledge about these things to have an opinion as to whether a ROPS should be modified or repaired. But I think common sense will get you (us) a long way in that regard too.

My only beef is not using a ROPS that you have.

 

[Jaybr]

So how many people have wrecked the car, or bent their seatbelt driving in areas with low tree branches?

 

[Bird]

Jay, when driving a car, or truck, you'd certainly better be watching for the overhead clearance, as well as the side to side clearance, just as you should do with a tractor. If you're not paying close attention to what you're doing, you can tear up anything. On the other hand, it really doesn't matter how high or wide that thing is, if you know it and are watching what you're doing. And probably most, if not all, of us have made mistakes and scraped or bent something. We just try to keep those times to a minimum.

 

[Jaybr]

There are times when operating a tractor that you must lower the ROPS to avoid overhead obstacles. I've never been in a situation in 30 years driving a car where I had to remove my seatbelt.

I have been in situations in a truck where overhead clearance was an issue, although not on public roads, but I didn't need to remove my seatbelt and my roof wouldn't fold.

 

[riptides]

So how many people have wrecked the car, or bent their seatbelt driving in areas with low tree branches?

I wrecked my S-10 on a stump, does that count?

-Mike Z.

OBTW I had just cut the tree down a few days prior.

 

[Deerlope]

I wrecked my S-10 on a stump, does that count?

-Mike Z.

OBTW I had just cut the tree down a few days prior. [/QUO





Yes, that counts. You should have been looking underneath while driving. J/K with ya.

 

[Deerlope]

If I opened a can of worms here well then I am sorry. I just wanted to relate my misfortant to others so perhaps it would not happen to them.