roll bar question

moojamboo · Mar 12, 2011

Hi all,

First post. Just got a 86 Ford 1710 with FEL and pto winch from father in law. 690 hours and he was original owner so hoping to have her for years. Main need is snow removal (Vermont) but also get some wood out of property to split and burn.

Anyway, I have a question on the roll bar. With the connecting member at the top I can't get in my garage. I popped it off (4 bolts) and I can get her in. Question is should I be pretty religious in putting it back on every time I use the tractor? I imagine it helps rigidity during a roll over. If its truly best practice, can I get away with one bolt on each side instead of two?

Been reading and learning a bunch over he last couple weeks, I enjoy my new toy.

Thanks for any input, I am sure I will have more questions this summer when I replace all the fluids, filters, and anything else I need to as a new owner. Also paint; need to clean up some surface rust and get back to a nice blue and white look.

JC-jetro · Mar 12, 2011

welcome to TBN Blue,

I wished I had roll bar on my 1700. Have not been able to find factory original one. If you have , by all means use it. If you do make sure your seat belt is securely fastened without a lot of flop. God forbid and you roll then you want to be within it's protection area. Opposite is true if you do not have ROPS (I.e. never seat belted without ROPS). Many operators used tractors without ROPS and never were hurt since they know proper operation of a tractor. any time you pull something try to use the tractor lowest hitch area (draw bar) or basically lower than the Center of gravity of your tractor. No one recommends modifying a factory ROPS but I might see IF I can make part of the top removable using an adequate square tubing and couple of stout pins.

JC,

moojamboo · Mar 12, 2011

Hi JC, thanks for the reply

I can take the very top off, the connecting member fairly quickly. I have is right next to the tractor in my garage, I can put it back on right after I get out of the garage. Can I use one bolt on each side instead of the normal two on each side and retain the strengh? If I am going to put it on and off each time I use the tractor id like to have as much efficency as possible.

So you recommed using the seat belt? I have been told don't use it as being tied to something rolling over is less safe, but that was just their oppionn. Anyone else for/against seat belts?

JC-jetro · Mar 12, 2011

moojamboo said:
Hi JC, thanks for the reply

I can take the very top off, the connecting member fairly quickly. I have is right next to the tractor in my garage, I can put it back on right after I get out of the garage. Can I use one bolt on each side instead of the normal two on each side and retain the strengh? If I am going to put it on and off each time I use the tractor id like to have as much efficency as possible.

So you recommed using the seat belt? I have been told don't use it as being tied to something rolling over is less safe, but that was just their oppionn. Anyone else for/against seat belts?

putting on seat belt is no different than in passenger vehicle. The purpose is to keep you safely in a crash resistant cage. I'm sure you have seen NAS car crashes, the reason they drivers come out unhurt for most part is that they are firmly kept inside of the cage. No seat belt without ROPS is safer as with the belt for sure you get crushed

and without it you have a chance to be thrown off clear during roll over (more like a rag doll

). see if you can use hitch pins to make it easier to take off and put back in. next time notice the tractor with folding ROPS. they pretty much use hitch pins.

JC<

nsmithnd · Mar 12, 2011

Any chance of getting some measurements off of your ROP? I'd like to try to build one that looks close to factory and incorporate the folding design into it that the newer units have.

-Neil

jinman · Mar 13, 2011

Moojamboo, can you take a photo of the top of your ROPS so we can see how the crossbar is mounted? If we see that, we might better come up with a quick-attach solution.

JC-jetro · Mar 13, 2011

jinman said:
Moojamboo, can you take a photo of the top of your ROPS so we can see how the crossbar is mounted? If we see that, we might better come up with a quick-attach solution.

Good morning Jim,

I'm 99% sure the pic below depicts OP's ROPS configuration. I'm thinking just a hitch pin in lieu of bolt should be adequate if removing horizontal bar suffices. IF not and the OP is willing or able a portable band saw can make a quick job of cutting the ROPS let's say 8 inches below the the horizontal bar. One square pipe can be welded inside the bottom pipe. The top part of extension along with the top part of the ROPS should be lined up and drilled to accept a hitch pin. The top part might prove to be heavy and cumbersome to take off.

JC,

Army grunt · Mar 13, 2011

It will take some fab work, but I would strongly recommend a hinge set up so you can leave it on then just pull 2 pins an go with it. remember when you need it it will be to late to put on, there are a lot of dead an phucked up men from not having them or a case here in ga a fellow just didn't fold it up. an tr. rolled he expired. that was only a few years back.
Army Grunt

kebdvm · Mar 13, 2011

I have a 1510 that 1 cut the top of the uprights off and it has worked well. I just cut the uprights off so that the bottom holes became the top holes and drilled new bottom holes for the crossbar. I believe that it was about 4 inches that was cut off and I used a hacksaw. This was enough to clear the garage door. It is still tall enough to give protection in case of a rollover.

moojamboo · Mar 13, 2011

Hi all,

So I went out this morning to take some pictures and measurements. At this point I think I am going to just put the connecting member on and off when I take her out of the garage, is will be the cheapest, easiest solution and will give me something to do when the tractor is warming up initially after I get out of the garage.

I have seen a couple roll bars with only 1 bolt on each upright holding the connecting member on, I will do that for now, leave the other bolts off, until I find / buy some sort of a quick release mechanism - unless that affects the safety...my wife is an engineer and she thought 1 bolt per side would suffice...

I had thought about taking the roll bar itself on / off (if weight wasn't an issue) since it would be lower to grab, but the uprights for the roll bar seem to be pretty solidly secured to the differential (See pic 4)? I guess this is a good thing.

Some pics (don't make fun of rust, it is garaged from now on and I plan to clean her up over time): Luckily I am a teacher and have some spare time in the summers to cut wood, and tinker. I am 32 and have had my first two mid life crisis's, bought an old yj wrangler for the summer for taking the dogs to the river and now a tractor. Trying to amass as much as I can before the wife wants kids

, cause I have a feeling money will go in other directions at that point.

As for measurements for those interested the roll bar is 3 x 2 inches. 62 inches from the bottom of the roll bar to the top. 28 inches from outside to outside at the top. The top member itself is 40 inches wide, 6 inches either side of the uprights.

Thanks for the help,