Members home made attachments / improvements

[Barryh]

OK, two more pictures.

Basically the design is two square tubes welded onto an attachment plate. Cross members provide a rigid frame and are lined up with rungs to attach with u-bolts. There are also size dogs made out of bent angle iron to provide support under the ladder rungs when it transitions from the hanging state (carried by u-bolts) to the upright state.

The guy who did the welding suggested the stuts and the flat bars going forward/backward to increase the rigidity and take tension off of the leading weld on the attachment plate. I can say this was a great idea given how much flex those long ladders have anyway! Lots of bounce when driving it around...

I can leave the carrier attached when the ladder is in use, and can detach the whole thing without undoing the u-bolts. The only trick is that the ladder has to be at least about 30 degrees up at one end to detach/attach, as the PT loader cannot curl its attachment plate forward past horizontal/down.

Very innovative Kent I like it.. :thumbsup:

 

[3238dpw]

That is pretty cool, but not $594 cool.

Plus, I suspect you would lose some stability when you chucked it up in the PT 2" receiver.

I strongly considered fabbing something like that when I was cleaning my gutters at the top of a 24' ladder last fall. Instead, I just made a 15' PVC wand that attaches to my leaf blower, and finished the job from the ground.

Lets see that wand and how you attached it to your blower

 

[BKBoiss]

My counterweight and brush forks. I use the forks probably 90% of the time, they are light enough I can pick them up with one hand and the abuse they take really surprised me. So far I've only bent the tines a little but that was using them as a pry bar with the loader to free up some frozen logs.

 

[Barryh]

See my old thread is still here as well.. May have to get another one of these little Pt monsters soon.

 

[Barryh]

Before there was Power Trac .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kThwwwp6WA

 

[Barryh]

Power Trac wants close to $700.00 delivered for a new Rop's.

I figure since I have an old tractor anyway I will make my own and cut that price in half.. Figured I may as well put it under this old thread I started years ago. My question to any of you has anyone already done this ? And would one of you be nice enough to measure out from the side mount of your Rop's to the edge of the outer bar. I would appreciate it.. I was thinking around 6 inches extended out on each side. Thanks in advance ..

 

[jfh28]

mine is welded right to the frame.....so it only extends the width of the 2" pipe on each side........Jack

 

[Barryh]

Thanks Jack !

 

[MossRoad]

Not at home right now... don't know if this picture from the front will help you or not, but it can't hurt!

 

[Barryh]

Yes it does on the angle thanks ..

 

[jfh28]

thats interesting.......mines straight up and down with no angle.........Jack

 

[Barryh]

Jack,

I'm guessing yours is straight up and down because it is mid way between the front and back wheels on the tractor. Little chance of anything getting caught between the tires and the support.

The 422 / 425 Rop's is curved upward by the front tire so nothing can get caught between the tire and the bottom of the support then flairs outward to give you more roll over protection.

Unfortunately the one I am now building will not have the flair just a straight 5 inch elbow.. So I'll have to be extra careful .. I may decide to change the design and bring it in closer to the machine after I test it and see how well it does.

 

[MossRoad]

BarryH, here's the picture of the angle of the ROPS attached on my 2001 425.


As mentioned, my front canopy height is about 68" and the rear is about 66.25" for a slop towards the rear of about 1.75".

 

[Barryh]

Thank-ya Sir ... Appreciate it ..

 

[Barryh]

Got started on a Rop's for little Red. I may still buy the original PT Rop's in the spring but for now this will do..

I still have a more to do to it. But the basic's are there. I plan to put a frame around the sides along with a hard plastic top for water proofing. The top is 3/4 inch plywood and I'm sure it will take a hard hit no problem.. You really can't see it in these pictures but I added a T on the back tube to help stabilize the top.

I made it about 7 inches taller so I can get in and out without hitting my head on the top. And I may decide down the road to put in a suspension seat on. The frame is 1-1/4 galvanized steel pipe. I used Red locktight on all the threads along with pins so it is rock solid. I plan to buy some grade 8 bolts for around the flange next week.

Should be plenty of roll over protection and when I get done, should help keep the rain and branches off of my head. Priced a new one at $687.00 delivered. So I saved myself some change around $300.00 doing it myself. Good enough for my old tractor anyway.

I have a new set of lights for the bottom and will be ordering a brighter set for the top. So now I've got a place to mount the lights and a fire extinguisher.

 

[IslandTractor]

As a sunshade frame that looks great but I've never seen a ROPS fabricated with black pipe and I wonder if it is engineered to withstand a roll over. It looks tall and thin for a ROPS.

 

[Barryh]

Going by measurements given to me on the forum.. It's only 7 inches taller than the original by design. I could have went with the 2 inch pipe but the 1-1/4 inch piping has very thick steel walls.

The pipes are plenty strong the only part I might question is the cast flange but IF they gave way on one side. I feel it would still stop the tractor from roll over. Who knows by spring I may decide to get the original. This will do for now and keep the snow and rain off of me through the winter.

I'm a pretty good judge, after drilling through it and working with it.. I'm more than confident it will protect against a roll over. The Pt only weighs in at 1300 pounds even with 600 pounds of rocks in the bucket I would feel safe.. The tractor is also low to the ground.. Now if I had a taller heaver tractor .. I would have went with something heavier duty...

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree it will prevent a roll over but while a normal size ROPS can do that and survive, I'm thinking yours is a one timer. Much, much better than no ROPS and as you know how to build them you could just make another if it is damaged.

 

[Barryh]

Yeah .... It feels plenty sturdy I'm not too worried .. I'm really more concerned about rain snow or a large tree branch coming down and hitting me in the head this will take care of that fine.

I'll probably just use this one through the winter and get the real deal this spring. Money's a little tight right now working and putting it into house maintenance. Was trying to save a little..

 

[Barryh]

Repeat post sorry.