ROPs Umbrella vs TuffTop

[thatguy]

I need some sort of sun protection and since I have to fold down the ROPS to get it in my garage one of the fiberglass tops wont work very easily..

I did a search but didnt find much on the umbrella.. Anyone got any input on the TSC Rops mounted Umbrella (i think its made by FEMCO) - online TSC lists the umbrella for about $62 (local store does not carry them instock though) vs almost $300 for a tuff top..

thoughts.. suggestions.. advise

brian

 

[JoeL4330]

I have a tufftop mounted to the roll bar on my Kubota L4330. Like you, however, I need to fold the ROPS to get in garage, so I am in the process of "lowering" the tufftop by making a lower (i.e., shorter) roll-bar-like frame on which to mount the TuffTop ...less headroom, of course, but that won't bother me. And, in the winter I throw a golfcart cover over my TuffTop for a poor man's cab. Indeed, it is for the winter, principally, that I am going through this ...I want to be able to leave the Top/"Cab" in place even when I fold down the ROPS to enter the garage ...so I can "chain up", mount the snowblower or backblade, etc.

In fact, I ordered a larger TuffTop (the SXL) which will give me more shade and fit the cart cover better for winter use. After I make the frame (with the TuffTop mounts welded to it...a no-no to weld to the ROPS, but no problem with my "subframe") and mount the top I eventually may start on a custom "cab" rather than the cart cover ...essentially roll-down curtains of strataglas vinyl used on boats ...the curtains will zip/velcro together and velcro to fenders, "dash board" etc.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I have had both. The Femco umbrella was adequate, but it lost its very first battle with a tree (I've got lots of those, and the trimming up never ends). My TuffTop just bounces back and keeps going. It is amazing what abuse that product can take.

 

[thatguy]

I have had both. The Femco umbrella was adequate, but it lost its very first battle with a tree (I've got lots of those, and the trimming up never ends). My TuffTop just bounces back and keeps going. It is amazing what abuse that product can take.

thanks for all the feedback.. I also quite a few trees and hate to hear the umbrella lost a battle.. i was hoping to hear it was very resistant to tree wars - especially for the lower price. But once again i see you get what you pay for.. LOL My wife thinks we have spent enough money on the tractor so far, so I need to work on making her think the tufftop is worth the $300.

thanks

Brian

 

[Soundguy]

I'v tried umbrellas and find they vibrate too much for my liking. i've got a few tractors with buggy tops.. they fold easilly and can be removed from their fender brackets -very- easilly.

Here is my 5000 with a buggy top on. it has no rops.. but the buggy top works fine with them.. I've had them on other rops tractors.. etc.

Soundguy

I need some sort of sun protection and since I have to fold down the ROPS to get it in my garage one of the fiberglass tops wont work very easily..

I did a search but didnt find much on the umbrella.. Anyone got any input on the TSC Rops mounted Umbrella (i think its made by FEMCO) - online TSC lists the umbrella for about $62 (local store does not carry them instock though) vs almost $300 for a tuff top..

thoughts.. suggestions.. advise

brian

 

[JoeL4330]

thanks for all the feedback.. I also quite a few trees and hate to hear the umbrella lost a battle.. i was hoping to hear it was very resistant to tree wars - especially for the lower price. But once again i see you get what you pay for.. LOL My wife thinks we have spent enough money on the tractor so far, so I need to work on making her think the tufftop is worth the $300.

thanks

Brian

You look to be about 4 hours from me, but I have used tufftop available ...see my post above, I am replacing it with the extra large one.

 

[tractorworks]

Tuff top lives up to it's name. Mine survived Hurricane Katrina although it broke one of the welds on the mount and tore it off the tractor (the eye passed less than 1/4 mile from the house). Rewelded and have used it since.
On the cost side-how much does skin cancer cost?

 

[Superduper]

Well, I don't have one, not yet anyhow. It does look, however, like it should still be possible to fold the ROPs down, even with a rigid canopy attached, although I imagine it will look rather funny with the canopy upside down and pointed backwards.

 

[BTDT]

My wife thinks we have spent enough money on the tractor so far, so I need to work on making her think the tufftop is worth the $300.


The next time it's hot and sunny outside, put her on the tractor to mow for a couple of hours. She may change her mind.

 

[hagman]

Joel 4330,

Contact me and let me know what you want for your tuff top. I'm interested in possibly buying it.

Hagman

 

[Soundguy]

Tell her it is way cheaper than getting skin cancer!!

Soundguy

My wife thinks we have spent enough money on the tractor so far, so I need to work on making her think the tufftop is worth the $300.

thanks

Brian

 

[mjncad]

I have an umbrella that lost a battle with the wind. I still have it; but it needs a new frame for the canvas. The umbrella was fine; but I like my canopy better.

 

[BTDT]

I wonder if something like this would work. Take a retractable projector screen and fasten to rops (I'll leave this up to you as for how to do this), then you need a bar coming up near sides of dash extending up to a height equal to rops. Then when you need shade, just pull out screen and attach to bars in front. Instant shade. Projector screen would be pricey, but the old type pull down window shades might work. Just an idea.

Projector People : Projector Screens Guide

 

[MikeD74T]

Tell her it is way cheaper than getting skin cancer!!

Soundguy

Skin cancer ain't much to look at either !!!! D74T

 

[irwin]

Anyone got a picture of a tufftop?

 

[BTDT]

Anyone got a picture of a tufftop?

Try this link.

TuffTOP : The Smartest Sun Shade on the Market

 

[mjncad]

I just took a look at the Tuff Top SXL video, and although I can't stand the song they used for background music; it did bring back fun memories of going to topless bars when that song was popular with the dancers.

 

[flingnlead]

Does anybody know who has the best price on TuffTops

 

[thatguy]

Does anybody know who has the best price on TuffTops

I havent found many places on the net that list prices, but on ebay there is someone that sells the 44" one for $279 (retails is $329 or so) which has been the lowest I found..

brian

 

[MFL]

Thatguy,

My wife actually gave me a TuffTop for Fathers Day '06. She said she was tired of living with a boiled lobster on the weekends. Spent last weekend grading the road back to the horse pasture in prep for gravel. Also spent about 2 hours dragging the back pasture to break up manure. Don't know about the rest of you guys, but without cover I'm good for about 2-3 hours in the summer sun before I'm ready to pass out. With the TuffTop, I can go all day. Makes a BIG difference.

As far as the product goes, it's worth the money. Well made connecting hardware and VERY durable panels. I also work around a lot of trees in certain parts of my property, and I've had my share of 'bumps' on low hanging branches. The panels just bounce back. I'm sure in the wide open spaces a buggy top would work great, but if you have any areas with trees you need to get into, get the TuffTop.

Here's the only pic I can find right now that shows the TuffTop mounted.