Canopy Canopy or No Canopy, that is the question!

[piller]

I've got a ROPS tractor with a canopy. I like the canopy and keep it on most of the time, especially in hot weather for sun protection. The canopy is not very heavy and is not difficult to take off or put back on. I took my canopy off maybe a month ago because I was getting into the woods more, cleaning up the edges of some fields, maintaining some trails. I usually take off the canopy at this time of year after the leaves have fallen and drive the tractor around these trails and forest edges pulling a brush hog and I carry a pair of loppers and a chainsaw and/or a handsaw. Where needed I stop the tractor and can stand up and trim overhead and side branches. I actually thought about using the ROPS canopy mounting brackets to mount a little railing so I could just stand up inside the railing and do the overhead trimming.

I have a factory fiberglass canopy and it's nice but if I tear it up (I've come close a few times) I'll probably just keep the mounting brackets and make a canopy out of wood, I don't think it would be hard to do.

 

[Pharm]

I love having a canopy after not having one for years. It's not much help this time of year though with the sun closer to the horizon.

I actually feel a little safer in the woods with it. I've got something over my head if a large branch falls. I usually don't go thru areas with low clearance though.

 

[mikehaugen]

Canopies are a pain around branches, but I still wouldn't want to be without one. Mine is oem with a steel frame and inner "plate" but with a fiberglass shell. The fiberglass shell is all busted up from branches and someday I will probably rebuilt it with medium weight sheetmetal- thinking probably 14 gauge. One other thing about them is that they are a great place to mount lights. I have amber lights at all 4 corners built in, but am thinking about doing LED flood lights under the corners as well, but will probably wait until I re-do the shell.

 

[vpracer]

Canopy it is then. Oh I sure would love a cab yeah but there is something about the fresh air, the noise, just being out in the open. I'll get in the truck if I want a/c and stereo's. Ha.

 

[bigtiller]

Canopy it is then. Oh I sure would love a cab yeah but there is something about the fresh air, the noise, just being out in the open. I'll get in the truck if I want a/c and stereo's. Ha.

I had one on my JD 2305. It made the tractor seem a lot noisier but the relief from the mid-summer noon sun was worth it.

 

[RTII]

I debated on putting a canopy on my tractor when I bought it as well. Lots of woods on my property so decided to go without first and see how it went. Well an initially unnoticed consequence of the larger tractor was getting it in the garage. My tractor will only fit in the garage with the rops up by backing in and with less than 1/2" clearance. So until I get the pole barn up, a canopy would be more hassle than worth to me.

Cowboy hat keeps the sun off the ears.......

 

[NHbotanut]

It definetly helps with the sun, but it is also really nice when it is raining out. Just my legs, from the knees down get wet. When i run the backhoe more of my body gets wet, but my head and torso stay dry.

I also found it easier to mount front and back lights to.

 

[wolc123]

I made one for my JD 4120 using 2" square wood frame. I made it as large as I could with the width about the same as the tractor over the driver and the length about 8 feet, I also made it about a foot deep over the driver which helps a lot when the sun gets lower. I used an old, canvas, brown-duck boat cover for the top. This canopy works exceptionally well and the canvas-over wood construction makes it light enough that, after removing (4) bolts, I can easily have it off the tractor in about 2 minutes. I also would rather work outside, under this canopy than in an A/C cab because my day job is in a factory. It is amazing how cool it stays under that big cover, just with a little motion of the tractor, no matter how hot the sun gets. My canopy took me less than 2 hours to make from materials I had laying around my barn and it has held up great for 6 seasons now.

 

[xring100]

So looking at upgrading my L3200 and thinking about a M7040. Adding some new acreage to the mix so I NEED the larger tractor. I do have some thick brush to motor thru while shredding but my vision is to have all that cleared away and trimmed up above canopy height, but that will take awhile. I know I would love the shade from the Texas sun in the summer time but I just wonder why many times it'll take before I tear it off with a low hanging branch. Any thoughts/comments, other that skip the canopy and buy a cowboy hat!

You'd definetly like the 7040 in the end i bought an 8540 for its loader lift capacity.
I've been looking at getting a removable tuff top. http://www.femcomfg.com/index.php/sun-protection/tuff-top
You should be able to find some other discussions on this forum. Most of the time i run rops up but sometimes i need it down. My buddy shredded his canopy on a guy wire next to a telephone pole

 

[troutsqueezer]

My B21 has a thick steel canopy. Took it off once to remove small dents and to paint it. It's heavy. Not gonna do that again. That said, I sure do like it. I can put a digital clock up there and not worry about the rain destroying it. Put a rear view mirror up there too.