ROPS Options?

[scruffy]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

Harv, I wasn't talking about a 'right now' project! For me personally, I would start 'collecting' materials when I could find them at 'cheap' to 'very cheap' prices, and money is available. Projects like that usually take me a year to two years just to get the materials together! Then I go for it. I am not one for financing, I like it paid for when it comes in the door so to speak. BUT, just think of the room you would have for all those implements when you got done! I found a builders supply once that had 35 sheets of siding (wood, not composition stuff) that he had discontinued...sold it to me for buck and a half a sheet so he could get rid of it. Had absolutely no idea what to do with it, but found a project for it a year later, after I had also come up with 40 16 foot 2x4's, and some other lumber at a very cheap price. It all comes together somewhere down the road!

 

[Harv]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

Thanks, Scruffy -

I was just yanking your chain. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I have a tall stack of projects lined up for the next few years, but I have to admit, the tractor-related ones are moving up in priority.

Remember, I live 2-1/2 hours away from this property. It's up to me to maintain it for my elderly mother, and some day it will be mine, but right now it's a weekends-only kind of deal and it's a little premature to start expansion projects.

Having said that, I noticed that in the small town newspaper that my mom gets up there, there are classified ads for the darndest things, including building supply stuff once in a while (even saw a Kubota "as is" -- small and beat up -- ad one time). Maybe I should start to pay more attention.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[scruffy]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

Harv, I know how the distance 'thing' is. I work an hour and a half away (don't want to move to the city), and go up to my Dad's periodically to do what I can, and it's 1100 miles or there abouts from where I live. Two brothers live within 300 miles, but we make it more often than they do (?). Matter of fact, next week is another journey up to the 'remains' of the ranch (4 acres around the house), after Dad sold off 950 m/l acres several years ago. He's lived there for 50+ years, and doesn't want to live anywhere else. Who am I to argue? I've tried to get him to live with us, but the old place has too much pull.

 

[MarkV]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

Harv,

You know you wouldn't be the only one on the forum with a tractor under a tarp until a better home made it to the top of the project list. I have seen a lot of farm tractors that have lived out in the open for years. I'm not saying this is the best situation but it is not the end of the world.

 

[scruffy]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

Harv, for a relatively inexpensive solution for tractor storage, take a look at http://www.rbshome.com. For less than $500. you can have a 12x20x8 structure to house your tractor in. It is even engineered for up to 3 foot of snowfall...we have been considering such for our acreage up in Oregon...when we move up to it (retirement more or less).

 

[Harv]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

MarkV, Scruffy -

Yes, a tarp would keep the rain off and one of those $500 storage units would be even better (they look pretty cool, by the way), but protection from the elements is only part of the issue.

Since my dad passed away 12 years ago, things have disappeared from that property. I'm only up there 2 or 3 weekends a month, and nobody seems to be intimidated by my 85 year old mother. The losses include 2 weed trimmers (gasoline engine and large hedge-trimmer-looking thingy on wheels), a small trailer and my dad's old Bolens tractor. These items were all tucked away out of sight, but not actually locked up.

Since then I had the tractor barn (I guess that's what you'd call it -- 3 walls and a roof) converted into a house for the person I have now hired to watch out for my mother and I've moved all items of value into a structure that can be locked.

Ironic, isn't it? I had a tractor barn long before I even thought about buying a tractor, and now I've wasted it on housing a mere human. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

So I guess I'm just not in the frame of mind that would allow me to take chances with a shiny new (or used) Kubota. The trailer, by the way, disappeard after the caretaker moved in, so if I had my 'druthers I'd be locking the new orange puppy in a vault.

Don't get me wrong -- I appreciate your thoughts and I have learned an awful lot from all of you.

 

[scruffy]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

Harv, I can understand your dilema. Sorta makes you wish you could try out a load or two of double ought buckshot on such critters! Used camp trailer and reclaim your equipment shed? Now that would be a waste of money! How about a BIG mean watchdog? I hope you filed reports with your local sheriff's dept., and have asked them to patrol the area more frequently for your Mom's sake. May do no good, but at least you would have an extra eyeball or two looking out for her.
I have the same problem with my Dad's place. So much has disappeared out of the house, and barn that it is rediculous. Of course, no-one knows anything, ESPECIALLY not the caretaker/assistance couple living there in the basement apartment. I would love to move them out, but my Dad won't hear of it.
Best wishes on resolving your problems, and Muhammad's suggestion is probably by far the cheapest, allowing the most secure storage. Under the circumstances, it may not be enough though. ( Sounds like someone has an eyeball on the place and is known, therefor not afraid to wander in and pick up what they want.

 

[Muhammad]

Re: ROPS Options?safty link!

<font color=blue>Under the circumstances, it may not be enough though.</font color=blue>

Clearly, the only remaining option is hidden underground storage... hungry watch dog for good measure. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[glennmac]

Harv, two things.

1. For your difficulties in folding your ROPS, perhaps you could use a Jacobs pin. See:

http://hal-pc.org/~mbjacobs/rops.html/

2. On some other thread I corrected you on the meaning of ROPS. You said it meant Rollover Protection System and I said the Kubotan definition is Rollover Protection Structure. We are both wrong. In examining the manuals for the chain lifting debate, I noticed that the Kubotan definition is Rollover Protective Strucure.

Glenn

 

[Harv]

Glenn -

The Jacobs pin would certainly be quicker than unscrewing the bolts, but as it turns out, that wasn't the issue.

The real problem hinged(sorry 'bout that) on the fact that the very shape of a foldagle ROPS is different than its non-folding counterparts. In order to allow folding, the ROPS sides must be parallel. My ROPS has that trapezoidal shape, sides tilting in, making it necessary to spread the lower section as you remove or replace the upper section. That was the royal pain in the tucus.

I never noticed the shape difference before I bought my tractor (naturally), but if you look at the attachment to this message you will see what I'm talking about.

As for the definition of ROPS -- I figure that between us we have about a dozen years of college under our belts. Apparently not enough to master the fine art of reading. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[uppermich]

Took a look at your drawing. You'd be happier sawcutting farther back and put in a slope rather than a step. Also should allow a bit more for a margin of safety (dirt of the tires, snow, etc.) but either way, your garage door may need to be replaced with a taller model to take up that few inches on the bottom.


Pat

 

[gerard]

If you're having a problem squeezing the rops together have you ried either a decent sized pipe clamp or a farm jack? The farm jack would work pretty well if you got the one with the upper arm that acts as a clamp. They go for about $45 and go to 48inches wide/high

 

[Harv]

Gerard, Pat -
Thanks for the suggestions, but let me point out that the problem has been resolved by enlarging the door opening and bracing the door itself to give more vertical clearance. In case you missed it, this was all explained in my subsequent post called First Kodak Moments.

Gerard -
It wasn't squeezing that was required, but spreading. A simple car jack got the job done, but since the side bars are tapered (see the attachment on my recent post to this thread), the spreading had to be done in increments as the top section was raised/lowered.

Also, the amount of force required tells me that this kind of flexing just plain ain't a good idea. Introducing metal fatigue to that particular part of the tractor seems more than a little counter-productive.

My ROPS problems have been solved to my satisfaction now, but I hope my experience and this thread serve to save someone a headache in the future.

 

[glennmac]

Harv,

If we have a dozen years of higher education between us, you didn't graduate. I have nine.

Glenn

 

[Harv]

Glenn -

<font color=blue>If we have a dozen years of higher education between us, you didn't graduate. I have nine.</font color=blue>

Either that or it only took me a third as long.

Okay, so the total is 14 years -- it just makes my point about our reading ability all the worse. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif