ROPS Bolts

[Jag]

Hi guys, a quick question. Was under my tractor checking the bolts and came to the ROPS bolts and they were loose.. Checked with the local dealer who has done work on the tractor and they said to torque the 5/8 bolts to 130 foot-pounds... Sound Ok to you all. Need to check the thread on broken rear axle housing...

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by JAG on 03/14/01 10:14 AM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Harv]

Jag -

I just replaced one of my own ROPS bolts a couple of days ago. When I noticed that two of them were loose a while back, I was only able to tighten one of them. The other had bunged up threads and I was barely able to get it off for replacement. Had to order the bolts through a dealer, but no real problems. I don't have a torque wrench at this point, but you guys are making me think I need to get one. A big one. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

We ran an entire thread on this topic a few months ago. You might want to review the "Loose ROPS Bolt" thread.

 

[GlueGuy]

Gee, I know the ROPS is important, and probably undergoes a lot of stress if ever "pressed into use" as it were. However, I would think that 130 ft-lbs is way too high. The ROPS isn't made of that heavy material, so I would think that 130 ft-lbs would crush it quite a bit. Since it's not a rotating part, I would opt for something more in the 25-50 ft-lb range.

The GlueGuy

 

[Pks]

IMHO

I'm not certain that 130 FT-lbs is a safe value. The bolts should be able to handle it but what matters is the parts of the tractor that are being held by the bolt.

On the B2400, the bolts thread into the aluminum trasmission housing. A torque of 130 Ft-lbs would kill the internal threads. If the bolts are U-bolts clamping around an iron axel housing, then maybe 130 is justified.

Also, if the bolts are pinching the ROPS tube, then I suspect 130 Ft-lbs will greatly distort the tube.

Please check with TWO dealers and make sure they know what model tractor you are refering to.

Peter

 

[RobS]

Good idea to double check the torque value but 130 ft-lbs is not an unreasonable torque for a good sized bolt on a tractor. The ROPS tubing could be sleeved to prevent distortion.

The hitch ball on my trailer hitch calls for 450 ft-lbs! No need for a torque wrench... that's just me, standing on a 2 1/2 foot breaker bar /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Jag, I see that some folks think that's too tight, and they may be right; I don't know. I don't find specific torque values in my manual for the ROPS, but in the general specifications for different size bolts, that would be within the proper range. It'll be interesting to see whether you double check it with someone else, but I'm betting that 130 ft./lbs. is going to be about right.

Bird

 

[DFB]

Jag,

I got this info from a chart in my shop manual.

The torque values given for a 5/8 bolt are:

Grades 5, 5.1, or 5.2
125 ftlbs Lubricated
160 ftlbs Dry

Grade 8 or 8.2
160 ftlbs Lubricated
225 ftlbs Dry

On a M16 bolt
Class 4.8
73 ft lbs Lubricated
92 ft lbs Dry

Class 8.8
140 ft lbs Lubricated
175 ft lbs Dry

The manual also states DO NOT use these hand torque values if different torque or tightening procedure is given for a specific application. Torque values listed are for general use only and include a +/-10% variance factor.

In the section on the ROPS installation for my machine no other specific torque values are called out.

Hope it helps.

DFB

 

[Jag]

Thanks guys for the imput.. I checked with a different dealer and the answer came back the same... GlueGuy and others my ROPS tube comes down to and is reinforced welded into a 3/8 inch bottom plate that sits on top of a square axle housing. The four 5/8 bolts on each plate pass by the housing and through a 3/8 plate on bottom of the housing. This bottom plate has a heavy strap that come back form the FEL bracket on the bottom center of the tractor. These bottom plates does not have a reinforcement but has two 1/4 inch backing plate that catches two bolts each... Again THANKS

 

[Anonymous Poster]

And here I thought it was just me ... I found a couple of those ROPS nuts missing and the rest of'em loose when I did the once-over on my newly purchased L2850, with 1500 hours showing.

I used the German torque spec ... "Gudentite" (aka air impact wrench)

 

[Bird]

Me, too, Dummy./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I don't want to strain anything pulling on a long handle.

Bird

 

[Thomas]

"Need to check thread on broken rear axle housing"
I hope the info not for your tractor Jag. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Jag]

Thomas..NH, nop' everything is good, I had just remembered that thread had something on it.. Check twice, cut once.. And Harv gave me the other thread on the ROPS, that boy is something else with his super links... I did torque the bolts down and it was a hard pull on a long handle in a tight place....

 

[markcg2000]

Yeah, Harv, get a torque wrench. I don't have to use it very often, but that meant I have even less a "feel" for how tight bolts need to be.

Incidently, a torque wrench is a lot like any attachment for your tractor - you get what you pay for. I started out with a torque wrench that had a little bar above the main handle, attached only to the end where my hand goes; the other end floated. The main handle would distort, and the top bar would go over a point on a gauge (looks almost like a tiltmeter). Never trusted that, so I went and bougth a fairly high-end Craftsman. Set a dial for what you want, then a very audible click occurs when you've reached the torque level you want. Much easier to use!

mark

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>Yeah, Harv, get a torque wrench.</font color=blue>

Do tractor wish lists ever get shorter? /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Roy]

Harv; I'm convinced it will only shorten if we eventually sell the property, and move into a retirement community. (And even then, I might just take the tractor with me /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif).

Make a mental note of tool-wants, and always keep an eye out. If your observant, it's amazing what you can find at stores or an occasional good yard sale. (For most of them, though, it astonishes me how some people want more for a used item than what it cost new!) For example, when I read through my owner's manual, I noticed that I would need a 1-3/16 socket to remove the mower blades. Drat… I had a 1-1/8" socket for my ½" drive, and a 1-1/4, but not a 1-3/16. Rather than run out and buy one immediately (had plenty of time before having to sharpen the blades), just kept an eye out. Then this winter, paydirt! Was at a Family Farm store when they were clearing out old stock, and had big bins of stuff to rummage through. Found a complete ¾" drive set with every socket I would ever probably need, including the 1-3/16, for $49.99 (marked down from $110).

I am still looking for a good torque wrench myself…. In the meantime, I use an operational bypass; I just borrow one from my neighbor.


Roy

 

[skent]

Found a Snap-On Electronic Torque meter at a yard sale. TQJE1500. Skuffed up and missing the charger and carry case. Seller said it didn't work. $25.00 for the meter, $20 for a new battery (from DigiKey) and $7 for a new charger and it works great! Beeps when you reach the preset value or you can watch the digital display. Sometimes a pain to use - but when you gotta torque, you gotta torque!

 

[GlueGuy]

Re: ROPS Bolts & Torque wrenches

<font color=blue>Incidently, a torque wrench is a lot like any attachment for your tractor - you get what you pay for.</font color=blue>

Got that right. I'll tell a little story though. Several years ago, I was having a problem with the prop bolts on the airplane. Because it has a wooden prop, need to check the torque every 25-50 hours or 6 months, whichever comes first. Every time I would check the torque, I would break a prop bolt./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Now that's scary!!!

Because my torque wrench was an el-cheapo that I'd only gotten for about $75, I was convinced that something was wrong with it, but when I had it calibrated, it was within 1%. Still, I felt something was wrong.

Prompted me to go out and get a super-premium Mountz dial torque wrench... Now this is a little unit, about 10 or 12 inches long. However, because it's dial, it also has a special handle; you can grab it anywhere on the handle, and it's guaranteed to be very, very accurate. Cost me about $400 for this little puppy! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Dang if I didn't keep breaking prop bolts. Started looking closer at the problem, and (finally) figured out that one of the prop bolt holes was at a slight angle. Every time I took a bolt out of that hole and put it back in, I was "bending" it with every revolution. I would basically fatigue the bolt in the process of taking it out and putting it back in.

Solution was dirt simple, I just chucked the prop into the drill press, and reemed the hole out a little. This is not a big deal, as the prop is held by the crush plate (bolts can not be in shear; prop stresses are guaranteed to break bolts in shear). Problem solved.

Sorry for the long story. Just shows to go you about expensive tools. Sometimes you lose, but mostly you win. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The GlueGuy