Dumb tractor Move

[Roger2561]

I have a JD 4500 with fold down ROPS. I always make it a point that as soon as I exit my garage I unfold the ROPS and once oin the seat, I snap the seatbelt for protection regardless of what I'm doing. Well, I have come to the conclusion that my rememberer isn't remembering as it once did. I had been working all day getting many chores out of the way, things weren't going that well and time was getting short (look at line of rememberer not working well) and I had a meeting to get to, so I headed for the garage...I forgot that the ROPS was up and I drove in the door to park the tractor. Well, it took a split second to figure out what the heck was happening; my front wheels came completely off the floor as the ROPS hit the garage door frame...thankfully, my dad taught us to always keep your foot near or resting on the clutch...depressed clutch and frontend came crashing down...luckily no one was hurt, just my pride and minor cosmetic damage to the garage door frame. I now take a couple of seconds to carefully look everything over before entering and exiting the garage. I know I have learned from it, I hope someone learns from my mistake.

 

[shvl73]

You'll be lucky not to do it twice.
I, uh...
kinda know of someone...

 

[JJT]

Here's a trick my friend uses, when he pulls the tractor out of the garage, he gets off, closes the garage door and raises the ROPS. Whe he puts the tractor away, he has to get off to open the door and he remembers to drop the ROPS. He's been doing this for years, and it's now second nature, just like buckling up.

I have 8' garage doors and must lower the snow blower almost to the groud before parking. Since I always back in, and it's a rear mount I cannot forget.

 

[thcri]

Don't know if this would work in your situation but if you can back into your garage you would not roll your tractor over backwards. It is just a thought, not sure it would work in your situation.

My stupid move was when backing in one time the garage door opener was in my coat pocket and as I was backing in I must have hit the opener, in which my case it was now the closer and the door came down and I smacked it good. About 2 bills worth and even after a two years my wife still rases me about it.

murph

 

[Tim_in_IA]

I did the same thing except backing in. I was concentrating on keeping the backhoe down so much that I forgot the rops. When I get around to it I am going to install a sign on some chains on the inside of the garage door so that when the door opens the sign drops down to remind me to lower the backhoe AND the rops. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[TheKid]

How about making a warning sign with a hook on the top and a magnet on the back. When the tractor in the garage use the magnet to stick it to the folded ROPS. When you back out and raise the ROPS hang it on the door header.

 

[Roger2561]

Hey All, Great ideas, all. I'll have to mix and match to my liking and see what happens. Thankfully, it has happen once only but it was enough that I nearly soiled my britches.

 

[1bush2hog]

Just mount your garage door opener underneath the top of your ROPS. That way you have to touch the ROPS every time you open or close the garage door.

 

[dicker]

When I first got my 4310 two years ago, I drove the ROPS into the facia of the garage not once but twice. It took me those two incidents to remember that the ROPS was in the up position.

This spring I put a garage door in the back of my garage so that I could access the back yard by driving through the garage. Just to even things out, I have also hit that facia twice. Fortunately, the damage is minor and the facia can be easily replaced. My wife says that I should leave it as a reminder.


Richard

 

[lmiller]

The trim over my door has two divots where the lights bolt onto the ROPS. That way if I ever take the lights off, I'll know the spacing to put them back on /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I am using a red flag that I store in the ROPS fold down bolt "handle loop" and then tie to the bottom of the door when I fold it up.
The Magnet sounds like a good improvement.

Lou