Safety Tips

[Jeff396]

This is something I've been kicking around for a good two months now. While cruising TBN I happened to come across a picture of a tractor with a full roll cage and lid. I sent it into Carver's (where I bought my tractor) and asked if it was available for my B7500. Apparently what I saw was a B21 and they told me that the cage setup could be adapted to my tractor for about $1300.00 which included swapping my ROPS with a taller one for a minimal charge. I had considered this too expensive but the more I read on this site I'm thinking of popping for it anyway. My big issue is that most of the time when I'm on a slope and if I tipped it would likely be into a large tree pinning me up against it if not crushing me all together. That ROPS is a great thing for just rolling down a hill with no obstacles but indeed does not offer much frontal protection. Anyway, that's what I came up with. My biggest problem is getting the tractor to Carver's for installation as I have no trailer at the moment and they are 4 hours away.

Jeff

 

[Jag]

J396, there is a picture of a nice cage on a Kioti posted on this board in the last day or two. I will see if I can locate it again....

here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/42-106711-load.jpg

I also have some pictures I took of the company's tractors that mow the powerline right of way, I could post if you would like. I would think that you could get a good welding shop to fix one for a reasonable price...

 

[Jeff396]

The B21 cage does not have the braces running to the front of the tractor but I think the mid risers are a bit beefier to make up for that. I'm surprised that a 4 point isn't offered as an option for those of us who go amongst the trees fairly often. Decisions, decisions...I have to let them know today if I just want to get a Tel-Trax lid (which look very nice and would work well for shade) or if I want to wait and consider the B21 lid or having someone fabricate something.

Question: does anyone have a lid attached to their B7500 with the standard ROPS. I keep wondering if it will be too low and might make getting on and off a bit difficult. On the other hand, lower would be better for sun protection.

Jeff

 

[Jag]

J396, The cage that the powerline clearers use are nice. They have a belly pan under the tractor, front grill gard and the limb risers with a 4 point rops and screens on the back and side.

One other story, I was clearing out a old field that was over grown with my dozer the other day before the snow got here. I went to push a BIG dead tree over next to the tree line. I was over an 18 incher about 40 foot still up in the air. The tree laid over and base top up out of the ground and the top hung up in the top of another. I started to push the base on out of the way and the tree snapped about 12 feet up, and here comes the top down at me. I never knew a dozer could move so fast, as I pulled out of the way and the tree top came down beside me....

 

[MarkV]

Jeff,
It is very interesting that Steve Carver said he could adapt a B21 FOPS to your tractor. I, like you have often wondered why the manufactures, or an after marked company, don’t offer a four point ROPS/FOPS option. I have a B21 and the FOPS were one of the main reasons I went with that tractor. My property is the side of a mountain and all hard woods so all of my tractor time is in the woods.

If you do go with the modification, I will testify that the system on the B21 is beefy. I haven’t tested it and don’t intend to even for you./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkV

 

[Jeff396]

Now I don't remember if he had actually done one or not. I am nor convinced that it would be possible without a lot of fabrication. I strain to see the pictures of the B21 on the Carver site. It looks as though your FEL towers are much higher than mine. Am I correct that your fel is not a quick disconnect? The pictures look as though the front legs attach very high on the fel towers. My towers are very low. I am just a bit nervous giving the go ahead to something I can't see before I buy.

Jeff

 

[jinman]

<font color=blue>sounds kind of like a "damned if you do and damned if you don't" </font color=blue>

Wal, after reading your post and all the subsequent posts by Egon, Jeff, and Mark C., I can assure you that you are exactly right in your estimation of my problem. I don't want to be without a ROPS, but the solution to my problem is not to build some "supercage" which will keep me from getting to places I need to go. I'd love to do that if it would work. My intention is NOT to trivialize the thoughtful suggestions, but it was the ROPS which caused my problem (or my inattention, I accept). I want a ROPS, but I want it not much higher than my head instead of the 12" higher. I don't normally have a problem with things falling on my head. My problem is the thing that is supposed to protect me is creating a problem. I think I can solve the problem with a lowered ROPS and a cage based on that lowered height. So my question... How high must a ROPS be to be safe? Isn't anything above your head wasted? My contention is that the height is not only wasted, but also dangerous. I've read multiple posts about people running their ROPS into their garage doors and subsequent "fixes" for that problem. I think we should be able to adjust the ROPS like we adjust the seat and my "perfect tractor" would have an adjustable one./w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[Jeff396]

I would think you'd want to run a string from the nose of your tractor to the top of the rops. The area below would be the safety zone and I'm sure it could be lowered a bit. It does seem like it would be a bit of work to modify the ROPs without inadvertantly weakening it.

How about this, we could attach a set of curb feelers in front of the ROPs and have it hooked to a kill switch./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff

 

[jinman]

attach a set of curb feelers in front of the ROPs and have it hooked to a kill switch

Okay Jeff, now how would I adjust the curb feeler to know the difference between greenbriars and a 4" limb?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

All kidding aside, here is photo of Thomas NH's Kubota with a modified ROPS. It sure looks stong to me.

 

[JohnMiller3]

Re: Safety Tips - No Extra Riders...Please...!

Spending some quality time...? brush hogging on a beautiful day... {Part 1 of 2}