Folding ROPS

DDT · Mar 10, 2001

I have the Folding ROPS on my 4300, they are 91" off the ground, to tall of a 7' garage door. I suppose if you put a back hoe on you would need the extra height so you didn't bang your head. The only thing I don't like is the rops. A friend stoped by and looked at it, he said he would take them to work and they have a machine (can't remember what he called it) that will blow the weld off and not damage the folding part of the rops. then I'll cut 10" off the tubeing and reweld it back together. after some paint it should look like a factory job. I know my dealer and JD told me that I'm lieable, but I really dont belive they would be any weaker than they are now. It's a new tractor, I want it to look new for a while, just getting verrrry tierd off messing with them sometimes several times a day. Any opposition before surgery begins, This will not be a sterile enviroment.
DDT

cowboydoc · Mar 10, 2001

DDT,
Is it that you don't like having to fold them up and down to get in the garage, or you can't get in the garage? Mine have a pin in them and it takes about 30 seconds to either fold them or put them up. Do yours have the pin setup?

Chris in IN · Mar 10, 2001

I also fold the rops on my 4400 to get in my 7' garage door. It is not a problem. If you think you will ever get a back hoe, then go back to your dealer to see if they will trade you for the shorter non folding rops.

kerr · Mar 10, 2001

DDT,i have thought about doing the same thing to my 4200. Dont want to cut off big tree limbs because of the rops too high.If you got em folded down they aint much use.The best reason i could come up with not to cut em off?I dont know if they would be tall enough to stop the unit from continueing to roll many times.Mine are taller than the unit is wide,wich might mean rolling on its side and and stoping rather than rolling over and over.As far as strength,i thought a sleeve inside the tube ,welded up would be at least as strong as factory. I guess it depends on your terraine. Just my humble opinion.

deere4600 · Mar 11, 2001

I have a 4600 with the folding rops and I wanted to do the same thing. I told me dealer of my plans and he advised me against it. He told me that he would have to install a new rops to resell it if I traded it in. He was pleasant but said that his cost on the new rops would be reflected in the trade price. Of course I told him I would just switch the rops and he could keep the new one. I tried to price just the top half of the folding rops and there is no separate part number. Apparently Deere (and their attorneys) doesn't want any fabrication going on. I agree, the folding rops is too tall. But it is nice to have if you work around trees. I wish Deere offered the folding rops in the regular height size. It also looks rather goofy, like it is out of proportion, especially on the 4200-4400. I think I will do some modification as well.

DDT · Mar 11, 2001

I wish deere would have a folding tall and folding short rops. I will never put a back hoe on. I use the rops for saftey reason's, I run alot of slopes, I will not drive it anywhere with out them being up, I do alot of town driving, going to different jobs, so when I get there I fold them back to work around trees and garage doors. I have hit two garage roofs sofar (not used to tall rops)
I priced new rops to $650, you can't get just the top part. So when I trade up next time I have to swicth the top part with the new one (hopefuly they will be the same)

Thomas · Mar 11, 2001

DDT,
Even w/10" cut off your giving up the safety factor.
True its a pain for you,but what if another was useing your tractor and had a accident.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

DDT · Mar 11, 2001

I rent my tractor very often, BUT it comes with a operater, me I'm very pickey.
If there were appoxmintly 10" cut off it still would be the same height off the ground as a non folding rops, with in 1". I want to keep the finished height at 82" I think non folding is 83" it still will be taller than my head by far (when seated) How would I loose the saftey factor?
DDT

Anonymous Poster · Mar 15, 2001

My New Holland TN-65 has a 4 position rops on it you can have it straight up, tilted back which saves a couple inches, straight back which will still protect you in case of roll over or straight down. I would consider welding plates on the side of your rops where they joint so that you can adjust your pins in different positions. If I am working around trees with no chace of rollover I leave the rops staight back. If I am tilling and planting I have them up but I do not switch them everytime. If you are going to park it in your building then leave them down unless you are going to work in a situation where you need it up.

MJB · Mar 16, 2001

I think Deere does (or at least used to) make a short folding ROPS. Here is a picture of a 4300 with a short folding ROPS that I found.

MJB · Mar 16, 2001

For comparison here is a 4400 with the tall folding ROPS. I am going to ask my dealer if I could get both top parts to the ROPS when I buy my tractor if it is available. I am getting a backhoe so I will need the tall ROPS but I was hoping to put the short top section on when I was not using the hoe.

DDT · Mar 16, 2001

When you find a answer for the short type, let me know. I have got mine cut down and it just fits in the garage now 1/2" clearance. So I'll not be fighting trees and other things as bad.
DDT

MJB · Mar 19, 2001

I spoke to my dealer and he said that there is no such thing as a short folding ROPS./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif The pictures I found must have been of a prototype or very early production tractor. My garage doors are 8' tall so I can go in and out with the tall ROPS but I will have to trim a few tree branches higher so I can mow with the bar up.

cowboydoc · Mar 19, 2001

DDT and MJB,
I saw the exact same folding rops this weekend on a JD 4400. I had to look twice at it but it was factory and it was definitely the short rops just like that picture MJB.

MJB · Mar 19, 2001

My dealer may have given up too soon trying to find the ever-elusive short folding ROPS. I was beginning to think I was on a snipe hunt but if you saw one "live in captivity" then they must exist./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif I will ask my dealer about them again next time I talk to him. Thanks

cowboydoc · Mar 19, 2001

If it wasn't factory the guy did one hell of a job on it because it looked just like mine only shorter.

DDT · Mar 19, 2001

Did it look like this?

DDT · Mar 19, 2001

Rear view

cowboydoc · Mar 19, 2001

Yea but they looked even shorter than that. I looked at it pretty close and I sure didn't see where the guy had cut it as even the paint matched but that looks like a factory job and I know you cut them off so could have been a homemade job too.