motorized FROPS

[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.