Folding ROPS

jtn · Jul 12, 2002

Question:

How many of you operate your tractors with the folding ROPS in the "down" position? Come on, be honest. I know at least some of you do it. Here in IL where the ground is flat I see lots of people running thier tractors without putting the ROPS in the "up" position. I even see some people who have removed the top part; I can only assume for "convenience."

I have watched as my father flipped a tractor, so I know the value of a roll bar. Luckily, in this case it did not roll over but stayed on its side. The tractor was bought in 1977 and had no ROPS. It was on my insistance that the rollbar was added. I know it saved his life.

I never, NEVER, operate my tractor with the rollbar folded down and would urge all of you to follow suit. Even if it is for "5 minutes" or on "level ground" a roll over happens to fast to prevent.

JT

budman72 · Jul 12, 2002

Mine doesn't fold, so I keep mine up all the time /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

rocky2 · Jul 12, 2002

I got the folding ROPS on my new 2910, I put it down the first day I got it just to see it work, other than that never. My old 2100 had the stationary that did keep it from going all the way over when I flopped it on its side once. I could see some instances in say an orchard where you might want it down, or garage clearance. But other than that, why? Dumber accidents have happened on "level ground with just a slight slope".

hazmat · Jul 12, 2002

I fold mine when I mow the "back 40" (more like back 1.5). It is very flat & I need to fold to get under the apple trees.

When the loader is on, the ROPS is UP!!!!

When I mow the hilly front yard the ROPS is UP.

If I find that I need 4wd for traction, the ROPS is UP.

If the ROPS is up, the seatbelt is ON.

cstocks · Jul 12, 2002

My dad bought a tractor for his chicken houses in 1980. He did not buy a ROPS because the tractor would not fit inside the houses with a ROPS.

In 1985 my brother borrowed the tractor to move some dirt behind his house with the FEL. He got too close to the edge of a 6' embankment and rolled off the egde and down the embankment. His only injury was to his head - it was crushed and he died on the spot. He was 32 years old and left behind a bride of six months.

If the tractor would have had a ROPS and he were wearing his seat belt, as I know he would have been, I would most likely be telling this story as a near tragedy with a happy ending.

Needless to say, my ROPS is up all the time, I wear my seat belt all the time, I do not go near embankments and I am not very much for even mowing the ditch on the front of my three acres.

I guess you can say I play it a little too safe sometimes as far as my tractor goes but my parents don't need to lose their only other son in a tractor related accident.

Chris

TimSullivan · Jul 12, 2002

I have never folded the ROPS. If my wife had her way, the ROPS would be welded up. Our place is very hilly and there are some really dangerous places by the ravines. We worked all day today in the woods clearing downed trees next to the edge of the drop off. I places it is straight down fifty feet to the stream below. She checked to see if I had the seat belt on every time I got on the tractor. Then she was headed out of the woods with a load of chips from the branches when I saw that she was not wearing the seat belt. I reminded her and on went the seat belt.

She almost rolled an International H when she was sixteen and helping her father on the farm. She put the up hill wheel on a large rock on a side hill while pulling a wagon loaded with hay. There were three people on the wagon and the story gets better as every year goes by. Her father always got real quiet when the rest of the family would tease her about that day. He and I talked about it one day in private and he told me he never was so scared. He was across the the field working and he turned just as the tractor went up. He thought that he was about to lose a daughter.

fractal · Jul 12, 2002

Mine don't fold and I wouldn't buy a tractor with one that did.

JohnMiller3 · Jul 12, 2002

...His only injury was to his head - it was crushed and he died on the spot...

Chris...

I'm so very sorry about your brother. But, I'm glad you took the time to share it with us.

A farmer recently told me the same thing... his only injury was to his leg... then he lifted his pants up and I saw his wooden prosthesis...

Accidents always do happen to the other guy... one of us reading this is that other guy... /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

cstocks · Jul 13, 2002

I appreciate that, John.

I just wanted to relate my story to everyone as a reminder to all that even though tractors can be fun they are at the same time serious business, and that bad things can happen if we are not alert, using good judgement and doing our best to be safe at all times. Hopefully none of us in this forum family will ever have to be that other guy...

Chris

JohnMiller3 · Jul 13, 2002

...bad things can happen if we are not alert, using good judgement and doing our best to be safe at all times...

Amen...

All of us can greatly minimize the odds of injury and death, by religiously employing solid safety habits from day one and staying consistent with these safety practices throughout our lives...

...Hopefully none of us in this forum family will ever have to be that other guy...

I wish you were right, but statistically the odds are against us... /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif

Can you imagine, farmers and construction operators that have run this equipment their entire lives and even with all that experience... are still loosing limbs and lives...

Now, consider the other side of the coin... a typical TBN member, that mostly doesn't have anywhere near the experience... the odds are simply overwhelming... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

I pray that your Brother and many people like him have not died in vain, but people reading these stories of tragedy will not only see and hear... but "feel" the pain that ripples throughout entire families forever... they will not just "talk" safety... but actually incorporate it in their daily lives...