motorized FROPS

[bones1]

Has anyone motorized their frops yet?Adding 12 v linear screw motor and some spring latches should fold it up and down with a dash mounted switch.Would solve the in and out of the garage problem.I'll work on this. Ideas anyone?

 

[PineRidge]

Would solve the in and out of the garage problem.I'll work on this. Ideas anyone?

How would it solve the problem? You still need to remember to fold the FROPS down or the motor is a moot point.

 

[bones1]

It would solve the problem of getting on and off the tractor for us lazy folks.Yes you would have to remember to flip the switch.

 

[George2615]

Won't you still have to get off the tractor to pull the ROPS pins? I wouldn't rely strictly on a linear screw motor to support it in case of a rollover. Besides, if your like me I need the extra exercise getting on and off the tractor.

 

[bones1]

George, as the linear motor(s) raise the top part of the bar two heavy duty spring loaded clamps or claws for lack of a better name would engage two new 1/2 in pins mounted on the lower portion of the bar firmly locking it in place.Kind of like the metal clips we used to hang in our garages on a wooden board on the wall to put broom and rake handles in,but much more heavy duty.They would latch with the bar raising and release when lowering.Look ma, no hands!.HMMM.

Actually to make it even simpler you could install two 12 v plungers, like the electric deadbolts you see advertised flush mounted in the upper half of the frops with the beveled side toward the front of the tractor with corresponding holes in the fixed section of the bar.As the top section raises the spring loaded "door latches" compress riding on the fixed portion of the bar until they both arrive at their respective holes and then decompress just like a door latch at home.Linear motors have internal limit switches which will kick in when the holes are met.You are now securely locked in the up position.To unlock and lower, have the 12v lock cylinders wired to the down side of the switch for the linear motor(s) retracting them.They will not be powered in the up position relying on the spring pressure to engage them at the holes.
I've got WAY too much time on my hands!.

 

[hwp]

Interesting topic. What about an hydraulic motor rather than an electric motor?

 

[BillG_in_TX]

What's a FROPS?

 

[bones1]

Foldable ROPS.HWP hydraulic system would work but would be expensive compared to the electric linear motors. They run $129.00 for this application.
http://www.firgelliauto.com/
http://www.smarthome.com/5194b.html

 

[3RRL]

bones1,
Well, I guess you're the guinea pig to start the project. Post lots of pictures showing components and procedure, please. It will be an interesting thread to follow.

 

[bones1]

I will. Also an electric fence opener will do and it comes with remotes and logic controlled electric locks.Not sure which way to go yet.......more ideas.
I think if engineered correctly this might have a market.
There is a wire sensor you bury underground near the garage door that detects the tractor at a spot you set and the rops is lowered automatically for entry.These units have electronics that can also operate your garage door on approach as well.Just think of how an electric gate works on approach and it all makes sense,to me anyway.
This is all very doable,and i'll build it sometime.
I know 3RRL can do it.

 

[mjncad]

I had the same problem of constantly folding the ROPS to get the tractor through the low garage doors the cheap builder installed on our house.

I have the good fortune of having 11' ceiling height in my garage, so I ended up raising the door headers 18" and adding another panel to each garage door.

The added advantage is that I got 8'-6" high doors instead of the normal door heights of 7', 8', etc. My brother-in-law and I did the carpentry, and I had Raynor do the garage door work. Messing with garage door springs is not my idea of fun; besides Raynor knew that heavier springs and pulleys would need to be installed and I didn't.

Now my F-250 has plenty of headroom clearance to boot as well.

So if you have the ceiling height and your garage doors are modular enough in design, raising the doors may be a better solution than coming up with a electro/mechanical or hydro/mechanical mechanism to fold the ROPS for you.

 

[Timber]

I would modify the garage door not the tractor, but that’s me

 

[PineRidge]

I would modify the garage door not the tractor, but that’s me

I'm with you Timber, think it might be cheaper too.

 

[mjncad]

Without going through my records, raising the garage doors (16' x 7' to 16' x 8'-6" and 8' x 7' to 8' x 8'-6") cost approximately $3,000 for parts, door opener extension rails, materials, Raynor's labor and my brother-in-law's labor. My brother-in-law makes his living doing this kind of stuff and we didn't feel it was right to mooch off of him; though if he had the time, he would have done the work for nothing.

When I get done with a design, I switch roles and become my brother-in-law's go-fer, so my labor was $0; but I didn't sit by and idly watch.

If you do raise the doors as I did, I can't emphasize enough that you erect temporary supports to hold the roof up during the demolition and construction phases as you are cutting out the headers and putting new ones in. Our house is a ranch, and I probably could have gotten by without temporary supports; but $100+/- in temporary shoring materials is cheaper than a collapsed roof, or worse yet...injury or death.

 

[Timber]

Without going through my records, raising the garage doors (16' x 7' to 16' x 8'-6" and 8' x 7' to 8' x 8'-6") cost approximately $3,000 for parts, door opener extension rails, materials, Raynor's labor and my brother-in-law's labor. My brother-in-law makes his living doing this kind of stuff and we didn't feel it was right to mooch off of him; though if he had the time, he would have done the work for nothing.

When I get done with a design, I switch roles and become my brother-in-law's go-fer, so my labor was $0; but I didn't sit by and idly watch.

If you do raise the doors as I did, I can't emphasize enough that you erect temporary supports to hold the roof up during the demolition and construction phases as you are cutting out the headers and putting new ones in. Our house is a ranch, and I probably could have gotten by without temporary supports; but $100+/- in temporary shoring materials is cheaper than a collapsed roof, or worse yet...injury or death.

I don’t know what you did but that sounds pretty extreme pricing for material. I could build an entire building for that kind of money in material. I am a very accomplished carpenter though. I’m not saying by any means you didn’t because depending on what products you use can drastically effect the cost. To enlarge an opening and add a panel to a door and add a piece of track the cost should be very small. The project is more labor intensive than cost depending on the structure.

 

[3RRL]

Hi Timber,
If mjncad has included a new door, it may be pretty good for out West pricing. I went to a home show in Anaheim, CA and they had many garage doors from extreme low of $800 up to $10,000...just the door!!
Rob-

 

[Timber]

Oh trust I don’t doubt it for a second. You can spend a lot of money on material depending on your taste and the extent of your construction, I just wanted to point out that this option doesn’t have to put you in the poor house depending on a persons skills.

 

[mjncad]

Sigh...I got logged off before my post made it to the server...GRRR.

Anyway, the $3k cost for raising both doors was parts and labor. Raynor's share was about 1/2 with 2/3 of that half being labor. They installed a new panel in each existing door, longer tracks and cables, heavier pulleys and springs. The door themselves are nothing special looks wise, just typical burb garage doors.

The rest of the cost was parts and labor including temporary shoring. I know my skills, and I know my brother-in-law's abilities, and I needed his know how, strength, speed, and high quality work.

The Front Range of Colorado may not be N.Y. or California expensive; but it's not rural Midwest inexpensive either. A starter home in decent condition out here is in the $180k to $200k range depending on location. $150k buys you a dump now.

In any case, the $3k was worth it to us and we are happy with the function and appearance. I hope that clarifies things a bit.

 

[john_bud]

Bones,

Can you make it so a garage door opener is mounted in a weather tight area under the tractor with a remote button on the dash? Then use the button to both open the door and lower the FROPS? Naturally, you would have to add some sensors and logic to ensure the FROPS only goes down when the door goes up!

Just my $0.02

jb

 

[bones1]

Thats actually simple to do John or can do it this way.
"There is a wire sensor you bury underground near the garage door that detects the tractor at a spot you set and the rops is lowered automatically for entry.These units have electronics that can also operate your garage door on approach as well."You're right John, have to time it right.