most likely a controversial mod.

Billrog · May 7, 2015

Since I bought the Kioti I haven't liked the height of the ROP ( 8' ). Yesterday was the day I'm not a professional welder ( fabricator) so had a little apprehension not that it wouldn't be solid but that it would still fit and not look top bad. I've learned from welders in coffee shops and building a goose neck trailer and a no. of backhoe buckets and anything else that came along over the last 30 yrs. BTW constructive criticism is always welcome & this isn't a mod. I'd go out of my road to recommend.

Billrog · May 7, 2015

Continued.

Well I guess what I did was a little more than drilling a hole in a ROP . I never tried to grind the welds smooth except on the back where the soft top I make will be touching.

runharley52 · May 7, 2015

Would love to do the same... Great job. Looks clean

gladehound · May 8, 2015

Good job and good for you! It's your tractor. Do what makes it work for you. IMHO people make too big a deal about cutting ROPS. BTW - my FOPS isn't certified!!!

But I've tested it 4 times with trees between 40 and 70 feet tall so I know it works :thumbsup:

Coyote machine · May 8, 2015

Why? Just to have the tractor fit your shed?
What does this mean? "this isn't a mod. I'd go out of my road to recommend".

CalG · May 8, 2015

gladehound said:
Good job and good for you! It's your tractor. Do what makes it work for you. IMHO people make too big a deal about cutting ROPS. BTW - my FOPS isn't certified!!! But I've tested it 4 times with trees between 40 and 70 feet tall so I know it works :thumbsup:

Great!

Way better than I, The ROPS is too tall for the barn, so it's folded down almost always . "just tall enough" unit would stay up.

The tall ROPS does provide a good mount for the LED light however ;-)

KiotiKowboy · May 8, 2015

I mostly interested in that welder with "1000 yrs on it."

Jim Timber · May 8, 2015

You probably want some fish plates on those joints since the plates you used don't have the same strength as the tubing did.

Been tempted to chop mine down to fit in the cargo container, but I think I'd regret it when I built the FOPS.

gladehound · May 8, 2015

Jim Timber said:
Been tempted to chop mine down to fit in the cargo container, but I think I'd regret it when I built the FOPS.

I actually had to cut mine to make it fit in the barn with the FOPS installed. I only took 2" out of it but it made the difference between scraping and having 2" of clearance. If I didn't cut the ROPS, I could not have the FOPS and still store the tractor inside. I could have changed the FOPS design but putting the FOPS on top of the ROPS is the strongest. I wasn't going to sacrifice strength just because its taboo to cut ROPS.