gerard
Veteran Member
If my memory serves me (debatable!) /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif the height at the tops of the ROPS with R1 tires is around 80" How far off would you be?
ROPS Options?
- Thread starter Harv
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Von
Veteran Member, Advertiser
I know this is a no-no but my friend had a Ford 1510 and the ROPS was about 2" too tall. His was a two piece one where the top bar was bolted to the two uprights with two bolts on both sides. so we cut off the top few inches and used the bottom hole as the top hole and drilled out new holes for the bottom bolt. I don't think a sawsall and drill will heat the steel and cause structural damage to the uprights. It gave him the room that he needed to get into the garage. If the tractor you get has this type of ROPS this might be an option if you only need a few inches to make it in.
Bird
Rest in Peace
Uh-oh, Von. You may catch the dickens for damaging that ROPS./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Of course, I agree with everyone else that you don't want to weaken the ROPS (and learn that you did the hard way), and naturally the manufacturers have to include the comment about voiding the warranty for product liability reasons in this day and age. HOWEVER, it's not rocket science; it's just a steel roll bar designed for a particular load or stress. So, if I needed to make mine shorter, I'd do just what you did, and if I needed to make it foldable, I'd cut it and build appropriate hinges and take bets that it'd be just as strong as ever. But for the same reasons the manufacturer tells you not to do it, I'd also tell everyone else not to do it because I don't know exactly how they would do it or how strong it would be afterwards./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Bird
Bird
gordon
Veteran Member
Re: ROPS Options?safty link!
Here is a good link not only to rops safty but tractor and farm safty allaround---http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/menus/toptrac.html
Its a good idea to go to their home page and bookmark it for future reference!!!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon
Here is a good link not only to rops safty but tractor and farm safty allaround---http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/menus/toptrac.html
Its a good idea to go to their home page and bookmark it for future reference!!!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon
Von
Veteran Member, Advertiser
Bird, I'm the same way, but did see no harm in cutting 3" off the ends and moving the holes so it would work. since we cut off the top holes I don't feel we weakened it by drilling new ones for the bolts. Plus it cut and drilled like any other thick walled mild steel. I don't think it was anything special.
Von
Von
OP
Harv
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2000
- Messages
- 3,346
- Tractor
- Kubota L2500DT Standard Transmission
Re: ROPS Options?safty link!
Wow, Gordon! That's some sobering stuff! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif
I sincerely hope I wind up with a factory-made ROPS. Now that we've talked it to death, I'll probaly luck out and get a foldable ROPS. If money were no object there would be no question about it.
Gerard - The economy L's are spec'd to be 83.1 inches to the top of the ROPS, other L's an inch to an inch and a half more. My door is just barely 80 inches, so yes, we're only talking about a few inches.
Intuitively, I agree with Bird and Von that sawing off a few inches and drilling new bolt holes would not degrade the integrity of the structure -- might even be stronger.
The idea of lowering the floor may not be as bad as it seemed. The shop floor is a slab and then it's right into the dirt. For those who like snapshots, take a peek at
http://www.acknowledge.com/tractor/ShopDoor.html
After lowering the approach (easy if I had a tractor), I would then only have to cut back into the slab a short distance and then maybe pour a simple "step" for the tractor. It would take a concrete saw and a lot of elbow grease, but the total cost shouldn't be bad:
Thanks for all you input, everybody! I feel better knowing there are options.
Wow, Gordon! That's some sobering stuff! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif
I sincerely hope I wind up with a factory-made ROPS. Now that we've talked it to death, I'll probaly luck out and get a foldable ROPS. If money were no object there would be no question about it.
Gerard - The economy L's are spec'd to be 83.1 inches to the top of the ROPS, other L's an inch to an inch and a half more. My door is just barely 80 inches, so yes, we're only talking about a few inches.
Intuitively, I agree with Bird and Von that sawing off a few inches and drilling new bolt holes would not degrade the integrity of the structure -- might even be stronger.
The idea of lowering the floor may not be as bad as it seemed. The shop floor is a slab and then it's right into the dirt. For those who like snapshots, take a peek at
http://www.acknowledge.com/tractor/ShopDoor.html
After lowering the approach (easy if I had a tractor), I would then only have to cut back into the slab a short distance and then maybe pour a simple "step" for the tractor. It would take a concrete saw and a lot of elbow grease, but the total cost shouldn't be bad:
Thanks for all you input, everybody! I feel better knowing there are options.
scruffy
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2000
- Messages
- 1,445
- Tractor
- None (at present)
Re: ROPS Options?safty link!
Harv, the pics of your shop door explain alot! To me, your shop is perfectly situated (from what is visible) and begs for a an extension!! Add end doors on a 25 foot extension and you can have plenty of room to manuver in and out with a lots of shop space to grow into! If that was mine, I would be 'collecting' materials for such an exspansion! Of course, I would have to convince the better half first though. As it is, mine sits outside under a tarp.
Harv, the pics of your shop door explain alot! To me, your shop is perfectly situated (from what is visible) and begs for a an extension!! Add end doors on a 25 foot extension and you can have plenty of room to manuver in and out with a lots of shop space to grow into! If that was mine, I would be 'collecting' materials for such an exspansion! Of course, I would have to convince the better half first though. As it is, mine sits outside under a tarp.
Re: ROPS Options?safty link!
Nice drawing there, Harv! if you decide to do the concrete cutting, you could probably get by with only cutting enough room for 'tracks' for the tractor's tires... which would save some time/work.
Nice drawing there, Harv! if you decide to do the concrete cutting, you could probably get by with only cutting enough room for 'tracks' for the tractor's tires... which would save some time/work.
OP
Harv
Elite Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2000
- Messages
- 3,346
- Tractor
- Kubota L2500DT Standard Transmission
Re: ROPS Options?safty link!
Scruffy -
Hmmmm... Let's see -- I'm scrounging around trying to find the lowest price I can on maybe a used tractor, and you see this as a good time to throw a 25-ft addition onto my shop? /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif
I get it! You're offering to finance the project!!!
The fact is, this is a magnificent wood shop -- a legacy from my father -- and it's already a bit of sacrilege to park a big o'l farm machine with dirty feet in there. It's actually a stop-gap measure (I'm 12 years into my last stop-gap measure) until I can arrange more suitable housing for the little fella.
There is also a similarly-built garden "shed" on the property which might just hold a tractor. It currently has only people doors, so I would have to replace one wall with a garage-type door (a tall garage door, thank you) when/if that looks feasible.
Then there's all them implements -- where are they going to live? There's a lot more to buying a tractor than just buying a tractor, eh?
Scruffy -
Hmmmm... Let's see -- I'm scrounging around trying to find the lowest price I can on maybe a used tractor, and you see this as a good time to throw a 25-ft addition onto my shop? /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif
I get it! You're offering to finance the project!!!
The fact is, this is a magnificent wood shop -- a legacy from my father -- and it's already a bit of sacrilege to park a big o'l farm machine with dirty feet in there. It's actually a stop-gap measure (I'm 12 years into my last stop-gap measure) until I can arrange more suitable housing for the little fella.
There is also a similarly-built garden "shed" on the property which might just hold a tractor. It currently has only people doors, so I would have to replace one wall with a garage-type door (a tall garage door, thank you) when/if that looks feasible.
Then there's all them implements -- where are they going to live? There's a lot more to buying a tractor than just buying a tractor, eh?
