What is the science behind the ROPS height?

Firefighter Kubota · Jul 30, 2009

What is the science behind the ROPS height?
None I'm sure...

I know alot of bx owners mention they could clear or do clear garage hieghts by an inch or less. Why doesn't Kubot make the rops to clear standard garages.

As I a B owner (7510) I may be wrong on the abouve statement but for my own tractor , 2-3 inches less and I could stop repairing the moulding on the garage, and get into my portable gargae as well with out lowering the rops....

And at 6'1" I would still have plenty of headroom, and the reduced height would not impact my proctection in a roll over, the "wedge" of safety of would be about the same...

I just bought the sun shade canopy and eager to intall it but not excited about haing to flip the rops every time. Currently the rops is only up when I need the extra protection...

I'm seriously thinking about chopping 3" off it!!!

Here we go, time for every one to chime in....

Seriously, all it is is a hinged bolt and a second thru bolt... EASILY duplicated with a torch, or porta band saw and a welder...And with the second thru bolt (the one that holds it in the up position. the weld is really not that critical) Although I fully trust my welds, I just throw that out there for arguments sake....

Maybe when my warranty is up...

Thoughts? I know you've thought about the same!!!!

Inspector507 · Jul 30, 2009

Firefighter Kubota said:
What is the science behind the ROPS height?

Easy..............the average door opening height is X inches. ROPS height must be X+2 inches. There's your science formula.

thatguy · Jul 30, 2009

Inspector507 said:
Easy..............the average door opening height is X inches. ROPS height must be X+2 inches. There's your science formula.

I think that is it a conspiracy from garage door repairers and siding repairers - they pay the ROPS mfg millions of dollars a yr to make the ROPS just taller than your garage.. LOL

b

RickB · Jul 30, 2009

Firefighter Kubota said:
What is the science behind the ROPS height?
None I'm sure...

I know alot of bx owners mention they could clear or do clear garage hieghts by an inch or less. Why doesn't Kubot make the rops to clear standard garages.

As I a B owner (7510) I may be wrong on the abouve statement but for my own tractor , 2-3 inches less and I could stop repairing the moulding on the garage, and get into my portable gargae as well with out lowering the rops....

And at 6'1" I would still have plenty of headroom, and the reduced height would not impact my proctection in a roll over, the "wedge" of safety of would be about the same...

I just bought the sun shade canopy and eager to intall it but not excited about haing to flip the rops every time. Currently the rops is only up when I need the extra protection...

I'm seriously thinking about chopping 3" off it!!! Here we go, time for every one to chime in....

Seriously, all it is is a hinged bolt and a second thru bolt... EASILY duplicated with a torch, or porta band saw and a welder...And with the second thru bolt (the one that holds it in the up position. the weld is really not that critical) Although I fully trust my welds, I just throw that out there for arguments sake....

Maybe when my warranty is up...

Thoughts? I know you've thought about the same!!!!

The science is a diagonal line from the top of the ROPS to a point above the front axle deemed to be structurally able to support the weight of the tractor. Your head has to be below that imaginary line.

Gomer · Jul 30, 2009

I cut mine off for the exact reasons, of course the ROPs police on here had a hairy fit. It's my tractor and I figured up and shorter was better than folded down and shorter.

tommu56 · Jul 30, 2009

I would've want a lower one I'6'3" on a good day and when I run hoe I woulden't
want it any lower.

So when I built my grange i just put in 8' door and no problems .

tom

ray66v · Jul 30, 2009

The height of a factory ROPS is determined by a federal regulation:

Roll-Over Protective Structures - 70:76979-77025

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=18478

The top of the ROPS= 30'' inches above the highest point the part of the seat you sit on, can be set at. The inside dimension of the frame is 24" wide. I would assume these are minimum dimensions.

This is why ROPS are commonly 2" or so too high to go through a 7' garage door, not by oversight as many assume.

thavil · Jul 30, 2009

I found out the hard way that my ROPS was higher than my garage opening on the next day after my garage was delivered! I knew it was but still forgot.

kevinj · Jul 30, 2009

Firefighter Kubota said:
As I a B owner (7510) I may be wrong on the abouve statement but for my own tractor , 2-3 inches less and I could stop repairing the moulding on the garage, and get into my portable gargae as well with out lowering the rops....

And at 6'1" I would still have plenty of headroom, and the reduced height would not impact my proctection in a roll over, the "wedge" of safety of would be about the same...

I'm seriously thinking about chopping 3" off it!!! Here we go, time for every one to chime in....

Seriously, all it is is a hinged bolt and a second thru bolt... EASILY duplicated with a torch, or porta band saw and a welder...And with the second thru bolt (the one that holds it in the up position. the weld is really not that critical) Although I fully trust my welds, I just throw that out there for arguments sake....

Maybe when my warranty is up...

Thoughts? I know you've thought about the same!!!!

On the B7500 the fixed rops is 4" shorter than the folding. I have a folding which is the same height as a fixed

, fits in my 7' door just fine

You do not need the torch, you will need a drill and a grinder with slicer wheel to cut the weld out. The tube is quite thin, may blow thru with the gas wrench. People have looked at mine and cannot tell it from factory.

Maybe I went a bit overkill - I removed the hinge, closure plate etc then shortened the tube and welded all the hardware back on.

By the way all this was done on the top part only.

LBrown59 · Jul 30, 2009

Firefighter Kubota said:
What is the science behind the ROPS height?
None I'm sure...
1*And at 6'1" I would still have plenty of headroom, and the reduced height would not impact my proctection in a roll over, the "wedge" of safety of would be about the same...
Maybe when my warranty is up...
Thoughts? I know you've thought about the same!!!!

1*I think it's more about head room operating the BH than about proctection in a roll over.

Ace3 · Jul 30, 2009

I just cut my ROPS 4" so it would fit into the garage. I took the top half off and had a welding shop cut the rear pivot bushings off, cut the roll bar 4" shorter, drill new holes in the cut roll bar and weld the bushings back on. $30 complete. No more problems with the garage door. I think the tractor also looks more in proportion now with the lower ROPS.

Napi · Jul 31, 2009

Firefighter, sieze the opportunity. This is a great excuse to build a shop/shed or if you have one, make it bigger. You know a tractor needs it's own space. I'm sure the wife will understand!

Firefighter Kubota · Jul 31, 2009

Gomer said:
I cut mine off for the exact reasons, of course the ROPs police on here had a hairy fit. It's my tractor and I figured up and shorter was better than folded down and shorter.

Good for you.. I hope the ROPS police let you off for good behavior...

mswlogo · Jul 31, 2009

Only issue is liability if you ever sold it or someone else used it and got hurt, even if it was not caused by the mod.

thatguy · Jul 31, 2009

tommu56 said:
<deleted text>

So when I built my grange i just put in 8' door and no problems .

tom

When we built our house I wish I had done the same thing.. I was more concerned with my truck (dodge 2500) because I didnt own the tractor yet.. The first time I drove into the garage I wasnt so sure my truck was going to fit through the door though - but it did with some room to spare

Brian

Firefighter Kubota · Aug 1, 2009

Well after seeing I would not be the only one to modify my ROPS, I took the portaband to it and removed 3" from the upper half, Re drilled and welded the hinges back in place. Just need to get some touch up paint... Primed for now..All with only 3 road sodas....

Improves the overall appearence as the ROPS just looked odd at the original height, and more importantly save me from repairing my garage trim and portable garage roll up door...

Gomer · Aug 2, 2009

Firefighter,
Not to change the subject but how do you like the wood splitter? I have been looking at those......
Oh, the ROPs police let me off for good behavior.

Can't belive how many times I would have wacked the garage door without the mod, mine is same height now as non-foldable ROPs, don't have the backhoe.

Firefighter Kubota · Aug 3, 2009

Gomer said:
Firefighter,
Not to change the subject but how do you like the wood splitter? I have been looking at those......
Oh, the ROPs police let me off for good behavior. Can't belive how many times I would have wacked the garage door without the mod, mine is same height now as non-foldable ROPs, don't have the backhoe.

I Love the splitter! I'll PM you on it...

kevinj · Aug 3, 2009

Firefighter Kubota said:
Well after seeing I would not be the only one to modify my ROPS, I took the portaband to it and removed 3" from the upper half, Re drilled and welded the hinges back in place. Just need to get some touch up paint... Primed for now..All with only 3 road sodas....

Improves the overall appearence as the ROPS just looked odd at the original height, and more importantly save me from repairing my garage trim and portable garage roll up door...

Pretty easy job ain't it???

Now it is the height of the fixed ROPS.

stowester · Aug 5, 2009

I cut mine to fit into my 8' door. This was after discovering the sales brochure was wrong (picked the 3540 over the 3940 because of this one spec).

Dean