Power Operated ROPS?

[kthompson]

Are the rops on your tractors and ztr that hard to fold? Have you tried lubing them or checking to be sure the bolts they pivot on are not too tight?

I have commerical ztr and a M Kubota that have folding rops that I have folded and on the ztr have folding them ever time I cut my lawn. Tractor has had canopy on it for years so no more folding.

 

[shovelmike]

Are the rops on your tractors and ztr that hard to fold? Have you tried lubing them or checking to be sure the bolts they pivot on are not too tight?

I have commerical ztr and a M Kubota that have folding rops that I have folded and on the ztr have folding them ever time I cut my lawn. Tractor has had canopy on it for years so no more folding.

Seems like unnecessary added complexity, the ROPS is not that hard to raise and lower.
I get amused by ads on TV (what few times I watch) for pickup trucks with power operated tailgate. If a person is that weak they won't get any use out of the truck, just one more thing to break down.

 

[check 6]

Another area that would concern me with power operated ROPS is center of gravity. A power system would have to be mounted on the ROPS and thus have more weight higher on the vehicle. That is contrary to what most operators are doing by filling tires, adding wheel weights or spacer to lower the center of gravity and thus make the vehicle more stable on undulating terrain

 

[Diggin It]

Power Tailgate on a PU is a Soccer Mom thing. Very unlikely to konk you on the noggin' on the way down like a heavy ROPS could. I have to keep the bolts slightly tight to keep it from coming down too fast and make sure I keep a firm grip on it just in case. Up isn't so bad.

My solution is to build a higher shed and prune trees higher so I don't have to lower it.

 

[ptsg]

Here we mainly have tractors with mid mounted ROPS. So the ROPS is mounted in the middle of the tractor, and a big arch is folded over the hood. The ones made by Korean and Japanese manufactures are made out of really heavy rectangular tube while the Italian manufacturers use a much smaller round tube.

Trust me, lifting that rectangular tube is an absolute pain. I don't think old people will be able to lift it by themselves without having something or someone to help.

So since we have so many deaths caused by people using the tractors with the ROPS folded down, the manufacturers are now using gas springs to help fold the ROPS up, in hope people will actually put the ROPS up.

I've never tried one but I can see how this will help significantly on lifting the ROPS. This might the a solution for the OP.

Note the gas spring, there one on the other side also: