Garage Damage Prevention

[bcarter]

I have seen several posts in the past regarding damage to the door frame of garages/sheds caused by attempting to fit a an unfolded folding ROPS through an opening that was too short...

In the first couple of months that I owned my tractor I had this problem twice and finally decided to hang a bright red piece of cloth from one of the hinge pins of the garage door so that it would hang down when the door was open and I would see it. It was supposed to remind me to check that the ROPS was folded before driving into the garage.

This seems to have worked OK until earlier this spring when I rammed the garage door frame twice on two consecutive tractor outings. Apparently my absentmindedness had finally overcome my friendly reminder flag. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

So, I had to come up with a better solution... My new sign hangs from the ROPS bolts when folded and reminds me to put hte ROPS up when I drive out of the garage. It then hangs from a cleat on the inside of the garage door frame to keep me from driving into the garage with the ROPS up. So far it has worked well and there has been no (aditional) damage to the trim on the garage door.

 

[bcarter]

...and here my sign hanging from the garage door frame. The white vinyl siding is pretty washed out in the picture but if it weren't you'd be able to see the dings in the trim...

 

[GregJ]

Ya know.... I was feeling pretty smug until this last weekend about ROPS vs. garage door frame damage. I haven't nailed my garage door frame in almost a year. I was pretty convinced I had completely overcome this "careless absentmindedness" /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. This last weekend I carefully went into the house garage to get a load of recycle to take up to the end of the road. I carefully folded the ROPS and took the first load up. And then..... yup... as I came flying down the road to pick up the second load, there was that dreaded cracking sound and sudden "wheelie" type feeling..... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Fortunately, no one was there to witness the event, and the damage was minimal. This had me thinking about anything I can do to help remind my feable mind that I have a ROPS sticking up about 7'6" over my head, before I try to go in a 7 foot opening. For a fleeting moment I even questioned the wisdom of raising the ROPS to do simple tasks around the house, on level ground. Then I remembered how easy this accident happened and realized I am capable of much worse. So..... long winded reply to say ..... Thanks for a great idea! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Greg

 

[MicroPilot]

Would it be possible to hang some bells or chimes from the soffit that you would hit first?

 

[GregJ]

Micropilot,
Thanks for the thought. However, I think I might have a little trouble getting my resident designer/decorator (aka ... my wife) to allow me to hang "tractor reminder bells" from our house garage, which is a focal point in our main entry. However.... if tastefully done..... maybe you're onto something there. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Perhaps a mobile of orange tractor silhouettes..... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Greg

 

[BubbaJr]

Hi Bill,

I have about the same tractor you have (B2910) and I got it with the non-folding ROPS. Mine will go under a standard 7' garage door with room to spare. If your door is a standard garage door, you may want to consider swapping out your ROPS with a stationary one. I'm sure your dealer would be interested as there are always people that need a smaller profile.

It never made sense to me that the folding ROPS was taller than the stationary one. But just so you know you're not the only one that does stuff like that, I installed a bright yellow umbrella from TSC on my tractor. It keeps the sun off me pretty good. But I found out the hard way when going from the barn to the garage the umbrella WILL NOT fit under a standard 7' garage door. I was able to straighten out the bent rib to the point that it is usable again, but it still looks a little lop-sided. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[SPIKER]

Bcarter:

with the shape of that sign, someone is going to think you have some sort of SPELLING disfunction! lol I'm sure that many have seen , read and wondered what the heck does that mean! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I would think some small silver bells, (like what is on a weath at winter) hanging from the sofit so they ding ding as you wheel up there..

this weekend I have an OLD garage/horse/steer barn with dirt floor, my rops which is foldable, wouldn't fit, so I did the logical thing and removed some dirt so it would! lol. actually the thing was built with scrap lumber and is rotting enough at the base so it is sinking into the ground anyway, if it lasts 3 more years I'll be lucky. there was so many wood chuck holes in there I had to box blade out about 4 loads of dirt/manure/hay from probably 5 years back. this leveled the floor enough to get some stuff in there and I'll be using it to store the back hoe and ATV here shortly.



Mark M

 

[bcarter]

<font color="blue"> If your door is a standard garage door, you may want to consider swapping out your ROPS with a stationary one. I'm sure your dealer would be interested as there are always people that need a smaller profile. It never made sense to me that the folding ROPS was taller than the stationary one. </font>

The taller ROPS is needed for the backhoe... Otherwise I shorter ROPS would be the obvious solution. I'd assume that they make the tall ones fold because they are so tall.

<font color="blue"> But just so you know you're not the only one that does stuff like that </font>

You've hit on one of the reasons that I think this site is so great... Lots of other folks are willing to share that they have done the same dumb things that I have! Misery loves company! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bcarter]

<font color="blue"> with the shape of that sign, someone is going to think you have some sort of SPELLING disfunction! lol I'm sure that many have seen , read and wondered what the heck does that mean! </font>

My dad was at the house this past weekend and made that exact comment... Thought the sign was really cool, but had no idea what ROPS meant! Its the reason that I decided to share it with you all. I figured at least a few folks here would "get it"... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KirkMcD]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Bcarter:

I would think some small silver bells, (like what is on a weath at winter) hanging from the sofit so they ding ding as you wheel up there..

)</font>

You probably wont be able to hear them over the engine, and if you are wearing ear protection, you'll never hear them.

 

[Tom_W]

My problem in garage vs rops is if I drive in with the rops up, it's fine. Back in with it up and the rops hits the handle on the inside bottom of door. Now metal door to metal rops is a loud noise! No damage but it scared the hell out of me the first time. I've only done it one other time since. I'd put up a sign in the garage that says drive in but I dought I'd see it backing in.

 

[Nasty135]

bbcarter, That reminds me of the imortal words of Jeff Foxworthy-"HERE'S YOUR SIGN" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[markct]

that was my first thought too when i saw his sign, oh and by the way Bill Engval was the "heres your sign" guy, not Jeff Foxworthy

 

[TOMDUALLY]

would think some small silver bells, (like what is on a weath at winter) hanging from the sofit so they ding ding as you wheel up there..

)

You probably wont be able to hear them over the engine, and <font color="blue"> </font>

How about hanging up some "Wind Chimes" should be able to hear them /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JDgreen227]

I park my JD 4210 with a tall folding ROPS is a 110 year old barn that has been retrofitted with a standard 7 foot height OH garage door. As I always reverse into the barn, my solution to remind me to fold the ROPS is as follows:

The door has a pull strap on the lower edge to enable me to close it after disconnecting it from the opener, and I hang a bright orange mini traffic cone from the strap after I pull the tractor out and raise the ROPS. I also place a full size bright orange traffic cone on the ground in front of the door. The large cone is marked in huge black letters: FOLD ROPS.

As I have to get off the tractor and move the cones to park inside, it's a double reminder that has worked fine to date.

HOWEVER, the cones didn't prevent me from hitting the side of the doorframe with the loader bucket the time I was in a hurry to back in out of the rain.

DUH !!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Nasty135]

Markct, Ok so they weren't Jeffs imortal words ,I knew I had heard the phrase ,I just wasn't sure who really said it ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Zoomie]

I don't have any garage damage... of course, I have a separate tractor shed with 8' tall doors... and I don't have a ROPS on my old Ford (no loader either). /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Interesting solutions though! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Junkman]

When I first got the tractor, I was good about remembering to lower the ROPS. Now after a few months, my memory is slipping and I have whacked the garage door trim a few times. The good thing is that after you do it a few times, more recent "hits" don't even show up any longer as being new. If I get the energy to clean out the other garage, it has a 10' X 10' garage door and I won't have to remember to put the ROPS down. It is a matter of priorities.... for now, I will continue to put the ROPS up upon leaving and hitting the door frame upon returning.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Burk]

My son-in-law borrowed my new B7510 and loader one afternoon. It only had 5 hours on it. When I drove it over to his house we parked it beside his B2150 with a fixed ROPS. We compared wheel base and control locations. Did not compare the height. My daughter called about 2 hours later laughing she said her husband had wrecked my tractor. Of course he was in the background cursing. My ROPS was a couple inches higher. He was driving into his garage to clean it up before he returned it. It barely put a scratch on the ROPS but it banged up the trim and garage door pretty good. I won't laugh because I'll probably do it next.

 

[rantumscoot]

The probability of forgetting to fold the ROPS is directly proportional to the number of spectators around at the time.

The equivalent in boating is a tricking landing at a dock. You can do it perfectly when there are no witnesses. But screw it up and the whole world is there to see it.

rantumscoot = old Nantucket whaler expression. Scoot = get out of here, scoot! and rantum=random. Translation: an excursion with no predetermined destination.

From one whole tractors and boats......