ROPS on Chinese tractors

[Momboy007]

Hello All,
Does anyone know if the ROPS on our Chinese tractors are certified by anyone? I was looking at my seat and seatbelt configuration and am a bit concerned that they will not hold up in a roll over.
Anyone else know something I don't?
Thanks,
Rick

 

[CSH]

My Farmpro 2425 was involved in a severe rollover last summer. At the time it was wearing a Koyker 160 loader and Sitrex 6' finish mower. My neighbor had borrowed the tractor and was returning it to me when he lost control on a 25 degree hillside and rolled it more than 2 complete revolutions. When we turned the tractor upright the roll bar was canted about 15 degrees to the left due to the plates at the bottom of the structure bending from the impact. The uprights and top portion were not bent at all. The operator was not wearing the seat belt but received only minor injuries. The canopy and loader frame kept him inside the operator area. The tractor received only minor damage as well. $100 in parts and a few hours labor and no one can tell it was rolled.

Based on this incident I don't worry at all about the ROPS failing. I am now very diligent to use the seat belt, though, as my friend was very fortunate. If he had been thrown from the tractor early in the event it would likely have crushed him. I know this doesn't directly address your concern of the seatbelt failing, but I've never heard of a seatbelt in a car failing (and we're talking much higher speeds/impact forces), even when the occupant was killed while wearing it. I don't think it would be too much of a demand on the Jinma supplied belt to hold a man in place during a low speed rollover.

The person that might have certification information is Butch Michaelson at Farmpro. Send him an email and see what he has to say.

 

[Momboy007]

Hello CHS,
Thanks for sharing that makes me feel a bit better, however, I guess my biggest concern is how the Seat Belt and seat attach, seems kind of hocky, I could be wrong, but I hope not
Thanks,
Rick

 

[Diamondpilot]

The great thing about these tractors is there is room and ease of modifying. Make it better and share your work with us.

Chris

 

[quicksandfarmer]

My Farmpro 2425 was involved in a severe rollover last summer. At the time it was wearing a Koyker 160 loader and Sitrex 6' finish mower. My neighbor had borrowed the tractor and was returning it to me when he lost control on a 25 degree hillside and rolled it more than 2 complete revolutions.

Just out of curiousity -- was he mowing across the slope or up and down? I'm just trying to get an idea of what the critical angle is.

Thanks.

 

[CSH]

He wasn't mowing at the time, just going straight up the hill. The mower was fully raised and the loader was up to about hood level. He was running in 4WD, HH1 and low RPMs. The tractor came out of gear and he could not stop it. He is an experienced tractor operator, but had never been up this hill, much less on an unfamiliar tractor.

After repairing the machine, I tried to replicate the scenario on a part of the hill that is about 15 degrees but could never get it to come out of gear. I have never (and will never) attempt a 25 degree slope with the tractor in HH1, especially a slope with as many dips and holes as the one where the mishap occurred.

I have had this tractor on a sideslope of 20 degrees with the loader and bushhog about 6 inches off the ground, but I certainly didn't feel very comfortable. Most guidance I've seen is about 15 degrees for sideslopes and 30 degrees if traversing up and down.

 

[RonMar]

Critical angle will always be a slightly moving target. There is of course a static critical angle where the tractor CG moves outside of a line drawn between the front and rear tires. Tractors rarely roll over just setting there on a side slope. That static angle goes out the window as soon as you start adding impliment and loader height and load variables and terrain imposed accelerations. 10 degrees and a collapsing rabbit tunnel under the downhill tire could cause you problems if the tractor moves fast enough/far enough in the downhill direction...