Shortening folding ROPS on BX24

FullBucket · Jul 6, 2008

The fellow who designed my newly built house had the foresight to specify 8' garage doors. He was big time into trucks. I certainly didn't appreciate it until I bought my 2350. Now if good old Sears just sold their door openers stock to fit 8'. They want another $50 bucks a pop for a one foot extension

. I'm sure I'll figue a way to fab something cheaper, but in the meantime I'm still trying to remember to lift it high enough. So much for the thread detour ...

As for the legal liability issue. I doubt anything anyone can do will ever eliminate the possibility of someone suing over a modification, but in addition to any signed waivers or disclaimers, how about adding an idiot sticker to the ROPS? You know the kind that warns ladder users not to jump off the top while working with sharp tools

If you shorten the ROPS, why not add a message where any idiot should see it on the ROPS. Print it off on a mailing label, tape clear plastic over it and the warning is there for anyone who can read no matter how tall

ray66v · Jul 6, 2008

FullBucket said:
why not add a message where any idiot should see it on the ROPS. Print it off on a mailing label, tape clear plastic over it and the warning is there for anyone who can read no matter how tall

You mean like the signs at the amusement park:

"A TEENAGER died when he was decapitated by a Batman-themed rollercoaster in the US state of Georgia, after entering a restricted area on Saturday.
The unidentified 17-year-old scaled two fences and ignored signs saying the area was off-limits to visitors."

Did you notice, the family filed a $207 million dollar lawsuit this week.

Or, how about like the warning stickers all over atv's? The stickers are, of course there, because of all the law suits they lost. One lawyer was able to successfully argue that, "no one could be reasonably expected to read all those warnings," For yet another big payday.

There is a lot of money in suing people, and lawyers will always find a way to do it.

If your going ahead with making changes, I suggest either a modification that can be completely undone for resale, such as a removable link or bracket the can be used to hold the top partially open, it won't take much. If you do an actual modification, You can buy guaranteed insurance by buying a replacement one, when you sell it, so your work does not leave your hands.

Volfandt · Jul 6, 2008

There is a lot of money in suing people, and lawyers will always find a way to do it.

Agree, one doesn't have to look hard to see examples of assinine judgements our legal system has rewarded nincompoops.....

Course using the logic of the amusement park accident above, one could also then just assume that when one sells an unaltered ROPS tractor and the new owner flips it which hurls him off because he didn't use the seat belts and it kills him by landing on him, one could still be sued by the dead mans next of kin in anycase.....

Being no lawyer nor not having stayed in a Holiday Inn recently, I have watched several Judge Judy shows where she found in the defendants favor when they sold a car and/or truck to the litigant and it was proven that any outstanding issues with the vehicle was revealed prior to the sale. Seems buying/selling "as-is" is still the accepted norm.
Course I saw it on TV

ray66v · Jul 6, 2008

Volfandt said:
Course using the logic of the amusement park accident above, one could also then just assume that when one sells an unaltered ROPS tractor and the new owner flips it which hurls him off because he didn't use the seat belts and it kills him by landing on him, one could still be sued by the dead mans next of kin in anycase.....

Sued for what? There is no liability by the previous owner in this example.

You do have to have some sort of a case to start with.

In the coaster example, as asinine as it sounds, you can argue on several levels that the park was negligent, (even though they weren't). And as I understand, this is the angle they intend to pursue. Because the teen was able to get into the hazardous area, the park is liable. You could also argue that there should have been some sort of surveillance or look out, to be sure the area was clear. In a civil case, there is a lower burden of proof. If you can get a sympathetic jury, and feed them a bunch of paid for "expert" analysis. Sometimes, you can cash in. The threat of this, usually results in an out of court settlement, just to make it all go away. Especially if an insurance company is involved, they would rather cut their losses and settle. The family is also banking on the fact that the park will not want the publicity.

DickS · Jul 7, 2008

I've got an anvil hanging from a chain to remind me to lower the ROPS. Some folk are slow learners.

Underwhere · Dec 5, 2018

Bringing this thread back from the dead.

I shortened my ROPS tonight.

Yes. I know all the drawbacks.
No I'm not a lawyer.
Yes I know Kubota engineers are really smart and "engineered" the ROPS this way.

I still did it for a number of reasons.

1. Kubota made a mistake engineering it so it wouldn't fit most standard garage doors.
2. I drive around town and half the Kubota's I see have their ROPS removed. My assumption is because they are so inconvenient that many people forego the protection. In my situation I still have it so I think I'm better off.
Will people on this forum wonder whether it'll hold in a roll-over situation? I don't care. I believe it will after testing the weld on the sections I removed.
3. The cut section is already just above my head when seated. If for some reason I roll, and if my weld fails it'll fail above my head and I'll still have the "legs". I know it won't protect as much as if it were square but it's better than nothing.

What did I do:

I took 3 inches out of the legs of the ROPS. I did this about 12 inches from the bottom.

After removing 3 inches with a cutting wheel I cleaned and squared up the edges so they would all mate well together. I gave everything a slight bevel. Then ground away the paint and hit it all with acetone.

I TIG welded everything back together. It's been a while and I'm not the best with a TIG anymore but it'll do. Feel free to make fun of my welding. I have thick skin.

Then I painted things and test fit.

It took me 2.5 hours in the cold trying to hurry a bit before I froze.

Notable:
* The ROPS is 1/8" plain steel
* 3" was perfect for me and I have some brackets above my ROPS and they still cleared my garage.
* I think I could have taken more out (4 maybe even 5 inches) and still would have plenty of clearance for my head when using the backhoe. I had tons of room when I tested it.
* I would have ground away more paint on the ROPS. Heat from welding started to fry the paint. I should have gone another 1/2" farther to give me more of a heat break. I started sucking in burnt paint fumes at one point.
* Given the cold temps I would have pre-heated the metal before welding.

I just threw whatever paint I had laying around when I finished.

The convenience of this so evident I had to do it. I've hit my garage three times in the 6 years I've had my BX. Yes I know I could dangle something ridiculous from my garage but I choose not to.