ROPS mods

[jdkid]

Hi ya's
hey i was reading a write up in a mag from Oz about people doing mods to ROPS one guy welded a toolbox to his and well shorted story is he rolled his tractor ROPS snaped at weld (heat weakens steel!!) and did not live though it ,most if not all makes say don't weld or cut ROPS "u" bolts around it for fixing toolboxs and the like is ok .i also think some insureers will not pay out if safety frames etc etc have had any mods ..another thing and if my scanner worked i'd scan it for ya's is watch ya ROPS under trees there a pick of a tractor that hit a big branch and tip backwards (kinda like the western when the cowboy get's knocked off the horse with the tree)
also has anyone seen the ROPS specs??? or knows where to find them?
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[RobS]

Hi Peter, and greetings from the Northern Hemisphere /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Here in the US, most ag equipment conforms to SAE standards. There are several references in my '82 edition of the SAE handbook for ROPS. In particular, SAE J1194 - Roll-Over Protective Structures (ROPS) For Wheeled Agricultural Tractors. There are both static and dynamic tests, rear loading and side, crush and "field upset" from both rear and side. Acceptance for the loading tests is based on total deflection and by plotting load versus deflection for "energy absorbed". The rear energy absorbtion is to be 5.64 X tractor weight and the side energy is to be 8676 + 4.8 X tractor weight (units are foot-pounds).

For the dynamic test, a pendulum is used with a 4410 pound weight on a 18-22 foot cable. The tractor is restrained.

The standard is pretty involved and if I had a scanner I'd post it for everyone. If I think about it, I'll check for the latest version at work and try the scan-thing there.

BTW, the SAE standards even cover three point hitch dimensions /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya Rob
that sounds on the money, in Oz it's AS1636 the aussies and kiwis have in the last few years been pushing for ROPS on all gear (even old tractors)now if working around trees you even need bush guards (skidders dozers diggers) real prob my scaners on the blink cos i also have a pic of a tractor that was pushing out a tree and the roots lifted it off the ground the guy was not hurt but shaken
catch ya
JD Kid