SimpleSimon
Bronze Member
This is the reason my ROPS is down, and also no seatbelt. The land is flat here, but lots of trees! You could have been killed, but I'm glad you were not!!
Simon
Simon
never liked the ROPS now i have a reason
- Thread starter DaBear3428
- Start date
-
- Tags
- rops
WinterDeere
Elite Member
I've done this. Thankfully, the one branch that was strong enough to not break when my ROPS caught it at speed, was high enough to not completely flip me over backwards. I did pop one hell of a wheelie at 11 mph, though... still not sure how I didn't break both front casters on the landing.
The second time I caught a branch was more like DaBear's situation, the branch clobbered me on the back and pinned me forward against the control levers of the zero turn. Left one heck of a road rash across my back, shoulder, neck, and side of my face.
I've never put the ROPS up on any machine since then, ever, for any reason. They are just flat-out dangerous, if you have trees. Terrible solution to a terrible problem, IMO.
Someday, someone will invent a retractable ROPS that fires upward like an airbag, when the machine detects rollover.
OP
DaBear3428
Platinum Member
property is mostly gentle slope but i have hi-way frontage with a steep embankment to mow as well as a pond that i dig out when the water dries out in it, coupled with the huge PITA that folding that ROPS is i just leave it up, also i sometimes get carried away with pulling up trees with the FEL and it gets a little tipy. after this event i may re-think that.
OP
DaBear3428
Platinum Member
MB cars had that tech back in the 80s
kenmbz
Super Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2019
- Messages
- 5,751
- Location
- S.E. PA
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson GC1720/Simplicity Regents/Echo CS-490/CS-620
I have many little rolling hills, when carrying something heavy, rops up, set belt on.
When light and flat, rops down.
Rops has already saved me some head hits with falling branches and side swipes when the slope was muddy and I slid a bit.
With hills and rain gullies, the rops are required for me though in the woods.
It's a judgement call. I know plenty of people who have farmed on hills for their whole life without rops and still doing just fine.
When light and flat, rops down.
Rops has already saved me some head hits with falling branches and side swipes when the slope was muddy and I slid a bit.
With hills and rain gullies, the rops are required for me though in the woods.
It's a judgement call. I know plenty of people who have farmed on hills for their whole life without rops and still doing just fine.
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,855
- Location
- Eugene, Oregon
- Tractor
- Toro D200, Ford 1715, International 884,
You might also ask how much replacement glass costs, and the availability of the glass in the future.
OP
DaBear3428
Platinum Member
ain't that the truth, but shhh the CFO is looking.
SimpleSimon
Bronze Member
It's important also that you DON'T wear your seatbelt with rops down.
SARG
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2009
- Messages
- 798
- Location
- Upstate New York
- Tractor
- NH T1030- NH T1530 - 49G Brockway
I call that operator error.
I have rops on a Ferris zero turn with a mounted TuffTop canopy ..... and then one day I "accidently" found the anchor cables on the power pole .............. that cost several hundred for a replacment.
I have rops on a Ferris zero turn with a mounted TuffTop canopy ..... and then one day I "accidently" found the anchor cables on the power pole .............. that cost several hundred for a replacment.
OP
DaBear3428
Platinum Member
no doubt, error #1 was leaving the limb in the first place. #2 not cutting it off on the several incidents where i hit it but no damage. #3 forgetting about it while cruising thru dragging the box blade.
I promptly fixed all of that on this one and any other limb that i could find. I have declared war on the Ninja trees.
I always hate it when those inanimate objects jump out and grab me.