I'm Gonna Drill My Rops...

[Soundguy]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

Considering how super easy it is to find umpteen dozen other ways to fab a bracket for lights on a rop in less time than it takes to weld them or drill them, I think that any action that reduces the protection factor of a safety device by any amount is ludicris.

Magnetic, clamp on, clip on, and 'D' bracket style are easy to fab, and as permanent as you want them to be.. from hand move, to just as difficult if they were welded on.

For instance, A piece of box tubeing welded ot a couple 'D' brackets, can be mounted to the rops top. The bottoms of the 'D' bracket 'trap' the rops, holding it tightly. The lights can be installed into the box tubing. drill a hole in the top for the light stud, and cut a relief in the back to slip the nut in...

Probably an hour's worth of work if you take your time and make it look perty, and paint it.. etc.

I wouldn't wory as much about the weakened rops killing me.. rather killing someone else on my tractor.. like a wife, kid, neighbor, next owner.. etc. Heck with the lawsuit.. i just don't want to wake up every day knowing I deliberetly ignored and circumvented the explicit warning on the rops, out of convienience, and contribuited to the death of another... my .02.. etc..

Soundguy

Soundguy

 

[JerryG]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

Chris,
Here Here
You have summed it up the best of anyone here. You have stated my views on ROPS exactly.

 

[tc35dforme]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

I've got a headache /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[txdon]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

Henro, STOP. Remember "CW", just a small (even dealer recommended) modification to his Kubota backhoe, and the metal bent like rubber. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Henro]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

<font color="blue">I think that any action that reduces the protection factor of a safety device by any amount is ludicris.
</font>

Soundguy,

You are making it sound like there is no difference between a 2” hole saw and a ¼ inch drill! Now that thought would be ludicrous! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I have realized that there is, and I guess that was the point of my original post.

Your point about reducing the protection value of a safety device is well taken. My original post simply stated a realization that a couple small holes drilled in a ROPS likely makes no practical or significant difference at all. I think practical/significant is the key word. In the world of absolutes, even a scratch in the paint would reduce strength to a small degree.

I doubt that (as long as I keep my hole saws away from tractor) my tractor ROPS will fail if the time comes when I ask it to protect me, if I should drill a couple holes in it. By the way, I don’t have a reason to drill holes in my ROPS yet. I don’t have anything to mount on them yet. But IF I do in the future, Rube Goldberg stand back, I‘m going to do it the simple, clean way.

There are many potential hazards in our daily lives. For example, if I were worried about injuring/killing myself, or others who might use a tractor of mine, I would prohibit use of any tractor I owned that did not have a ROPS retrofitted to it. I believe it is well documented that operators are MUCH safer if they are operating tractors with ROPS in place and the seatbelt on. Yet many of us do use tractors which do not have ROPS, and I would never think to stop my neighbor and tell him he was foolish for using his.

Actually ANY modification to a ROPS, including hanging brackets on it, could be a true safety issue. Worst case, what could have been a bump on the head could turn to a fatal injury when the skull was punctured a sharp bracket or other mounting device attached to the ROPS, and this would include a bolt passing through the ROPS. So we should not be too quick to write off as safe those seemingly benign things we may attach to our ROPS by ANY method.

Heck, even the bolt/hinge of my folding ROPS may be putting me in more danger than a non-folding ROPS would!

Last fall I picked up some Kubota sales literature while I was in Japan. Now I understand why in almost every picture, the tractor operators were wearing helmets! A matter of perception and reality... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Trev]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I simply cannot imagine a couple small holes drilled in the ROPS on my tractors will weaken the rops structure.)</font>

If that's the case, what prompted you to post this note? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm guessing that you *can* imagine it! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Seems like there are lots of alternative.. u-bolts, epoxy, and so on.

One thought would be, take it to the dealer and ask them to install lights. Maybe they can do it, and document that they did it, and then you have nothing to worry about?

Just a thought....

Bob

 

[Henro]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

<font color="blue"> If that's the case, what prompted you to post this note? </font>

Actually Trev, what prompted me to start the thread was the fact that I actually was convinced that a single small hole would make a difference!

Without thinking, I just accepted that idea as fact.

Then a couple days ago I applied a little common sense to the question, and surprisingly concluded that a couple small holes for mounting something would likely make no practical difference whatsoever!

My surprise at that moment prompted the post... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I will have to look back, but I don't think I asked a question...just stated the surprise I felt at the time...or tried to... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

OK, I guess I did ask if I was nuts. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif But I also gave the answer to that question at the same time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DVerbarg]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

I think this discussion has been great!

Bill has taken what has been a taboo subject and created a great discussion, ushering in the enlightenment to the dark ROPS age. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

If/when I add additional work lights I also plan on drilling for both light mounting and wire routing. From a practical perspective brackets work fine but IMHO the finished product does not look as clean.

Thanks Bill!

 

[PineRidge]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

I think the topic of modifying a ROPS structure may almost be as hot a topic as the ever-present gear vs. HST debate. What it really boils down to is a matter of every person’s own choice regarding leaving it untouched or making an alteration as they see fit.

Drill it, weld it, cut it, or leave it alone it’s your decision to make. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[keeney]

Re: I\'m Gonna Drill My Rops...

I would agree that even if there is not a roll-over, a bunch of stuff hanging on and around your head might not be such a good idea.

After smacking my head against the side of the bar once during a jolt from a unexpected bump in the path, I can appreciate the concept of wearing a helmet.

- Rick