Info on FOPS?

[penokee]

Looking for info on certified FOPS for a Kubota L3130. Over half my tractor time is in wooded areas and concerned I'll get one on the head. Any info, pictures, etc. appreciated.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[theboman]

Okay. What is a/are FOPS?

 

[KennyV]

FOPS are ‘falling object protection structure’ you can find a good source for ROPS and FOPS at
http://www.femcomfg.com/fops.html
Good to have something over you… I like my cab but at times I wish it was not a plastic top. KennyV

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Looking for info on certified FOPS for a Kubota L3130. </font>

Does it have to be certified? I had the same concern, and made something that will surely protect me better than a hard hat would, but it certainly is not as heavy duty as it could be...

It sure makes me feel better though, and is rock solid if I climb up on it and use it as a work platform of sorts occasionally...no doubt in my mind that it would survive a strike by a heavy branch, and if in the worst case it bent a bit, so what, it would just have done its duty... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Attached is a "food for thought" photo... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

(also made a hood protector that serves as a step too...)

Edit: Forgot to mention that I thought it important to be able to see UP, so I used 12 gage expanded metal. I am real happy with the result. In the photo it almost looks solid, but it is not...

 

[SnowRidge]

<font color="blue"> Attached is a "food for thought" photo.. </font>

Henro, that is real nice work. Is the hood protector hinged to allow the hood to open?

 

[penokee]

Henro - Like the way your's looks. If I can't find a certified one on the market, plan to have a local welding shop make something up. How are your front supports attached to the tractor?
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[penokee]

Kenney- Are you familar with the Femco products? Their web site shows examples of what looks like sun shades. Wondering how they would take a large dead tree or heavy branch?
Working in the wood last fall with a contractor - accidently backed into a dead tree and it came down on his cab wiping out the lights and creasing it pretty good. Need something pretty substantial.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> How are your front supports attached to the tractor? </font>

They bolt to the loader frame, using the existing bolts that hold the cross bar. If I need to take the loader off, I can remove the front supports and the top will stay in place due to the center supports. Would not offer as much protection though...

There are a few more pictures in this thread from last year... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[penokee]

Thanks Henro - hope you don't mind if I use some of your ideas.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[penokee]

Henro - have to offer another thanks after going over the posts and pictures in the thread you posted. Anyone interested in a FOPS should review those posts. If I can end up with something even close to yours, I'll be satisfied.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ps: Like that pond in the background of one of the pics- nice

 

[penokee]

Located a Company that makes certified aluminum FOPS, but can't get a reply to my email, so not sure if they are still in business - does anyone know the status of this company?
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

http://www.perry-co.com/canopy.htm

 

[Darren]

Have you tried calling the 800 number? FWIW, the company sells the canopy only excluding the ROPS.

 

[penokee]

Thanks Darren - looks like I'll have to call them.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JerryG]

If you want a good aluminum canopy, you can contact Wells Ag. Bird and I, both have had one of their canopys. If I remember right, Birds was steel and mine is aluminum. Their web page has been under construction for quite a while, but you can try the number on it.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Jerry, I still have not seen a canopy I liked as well as the one my Kubota dealer installed from Wells Ag Company. Your link did not work for me for some reason, so I edited it, and now it works for me. Now of course it may have worked for others before, so hope I didn't make matters worse.

 

[JerryG]

Like you, I like the Wells the best of any metal canopy that I have seen. (thanks for fixing the link)

 

[SkogenMe]

I had a 40 HP Long for more than 10 years that had a nice plain FOPS that I was thankful for more than once when working in the woods....so when I was looking for a new tractor a FOPS was a point of interest. Not the easiest thing to find! I ended up getting a NH TC48 w/FOPS. It just got delivered last month but I really like it...It is essentially the same design as the my Long had...also a great place to mount lights and other things. I have a friend with a Kubota that was interested in a FOPS so I tried to get alittle more info. My FOPS has both NH and SIMS stickers on it so....about an hour before I saw your post I had a most frustrating conversation with SIMS....."If it is not on our website, it is not for sale" which we confirmed in our conversation (www.cabdepot.com). Evidently SIMS makes them under contract for NH. I haven't checked with a Kubota dealer yet to see if they are available in Orange. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
So..if you don't mind white, a rugged FOPS is available from NH for around $600. There is a picture at New Hollands website under Utility Tractors/ 18A loader. Next I need to get some ROPS dimensions for a L2800.
Good luck....I wonder if it is a liability thing that there are not more choices around. In the loader manual I have it says do not use a loader w/o FOPS, but I bet more than 90% of the folks who have loaders don't have FOPS /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif