Why keep roll over bars down?

   / Why keep roll over bars down? #62  
I keep watching videos and lots of people keep the roll bars down. Is there a reason this is done? Maybe simple question, just trying to learn if I am missing some performance gain. Mine are up and have never thought about lowering them.
I keep the one on my Ferris zero turn folded down. I have only one sloped area to mow and I've examined the potential for a turnover to cause injury with it down. I think it's about zero because the half height of it folded down is plenty of room for the operator to avoid being squished and the front of the machine is pretty light.
 
   / Why keep roll over bars down? #63  
I keep mine down because of tree limbs. Limbs can, and will, turn the tractor over sideways and flip it backwards. I have had this happen to me more
than once.
I had 3 events with tree limbs where I cursed the unknown name of the dude who invented rops. Twice which raised my tractor up, and the last time a branch hooked up on one, stretched out, and then whipped forward and smacked me in the backside of the head. Oh, look at all the pretty stars!

So now, I don't keep mine just folded down...I actually flat out unbolted and removed the top of them (I got the foldable type), and just have the sides still up. So why do I still keep the sides on the tractor then, one may ask? Well that's coz I'm concerned if the tractor rolls, it's gonna roll all the way over on it's top, causing more damage to it and being harder to get it rolled back over on the wheels. If it rolls, it's gonna damage the rops because they don't have a cross member tying them at the top, but at least they'll save the tractor from further damage.

As for safety, I do NOT keep these things still on for my personal safety, instead I pretty sure I'll be able to hop off the tractor if it rolls. Whoever believes otherwise (and I heard it all already, thx) that's great. But frankly I don't care what they believe, because I trust my own judgement.
 
   / Why keep roll over bars down? #64  
I had 3 events with tree limbs where I cursed the unknown name of the dude who invented rops. Twice which raised my tractor up, and the last time a branch hooked up on one, stretched out, and then whipped forward and smacked me in the backside of the head. Oh, look at all the pretty stars!

So now, I don't keep mine just folded down...I actually flat out unbolted and removed the top of them (I got the foldable type), and just have the sides still up. So why do I still keep the sides on the tractor then, one may ask? Well that's coz I'm concerned if the tractor rolls, it's gonna roll all the way over on it's top, causing more damage to it and being harder to get it rolled back over on the wheels. If it rolls, it's gonna damage the rops because they don't have a cross member tying them at the top, but at least they'll save the tractor from further damage.

As for safety, I do NOT keep these things still on for my personal safety, instead I pretty sure I'll be able to hop off the tractor if it rolls. Whoever believes otherwise (and I heard it all already, thx) that's great. But frankly I don't care what they believe, because I trust my own judgement.
I completely agree with you. I feel that most "so-called" safety gadgets cause mo injury than they even dreamed of stopping. The manufacturer of the gadget has become very wealthy and that is the name of the game! (My opinion.)
 
   / Why keep roll over bars down? #65  
i keep mine up -- hassle with the trees and some areas i just cannot get in. from what i have seen i takes wrenches to loosen the buts/bolts to rasie and lower is just a pain.
For me it’s tree limbs and a 7’10” shop door. My first and only wheelie on the ROPS Kubota was when new and I was trying to mow a wee bit too close to a large pecan tree. WHEEE! Scared the cr@p out of me.

I found a 11/16” socket on an electric impact wrench fits those funky threaded Kubota ROPS pins perfectly. Zip …
 
   / Why keep roll over bars down? #66  
There are gas spring assisted ones. I believe that actually turned into a requirement for the European market in 2018 but don't quote me on that. I just started seeing all 2018+ tractors with the gas spring attached to the ROPS.

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What is the advantage of a mid mount ROPS?
 
   / Why keep roll over bars down? #67  
Have to put them down in layer houses to fit under nests.
 

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   / Why keep roll over bars down? #68  
What is the advantage of a mid mount ROPS?
Basically folds all the way down, which is essential to work under trees, like on orchards. Since, most compact tractors here are setup as orchard or vineyard tractors, they have this style of ROPS.

The highest point becomes the operator but the operator can move around, so then it becomes either the steering wheel, seat or the small ROPS in the back that works in conjunction with the middle one in case of a rollover.

Safety wise, it offers the same or better protection to the operator compared to the rear ROPS. As long as the ROPS as up on both cases of course.

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   / Why keep roll over bars down? #69  
My 2009 Kubota BX25 has a foldable ROPS and you just need to pill a couple of pins to put it down.

My garage has a high enough door opening, and so I keep the ROPS up all the time except for twice a year when I go into my little plastic garage shed to get the snow thrower in the fall and then put it back again in the spring.

Hit low hanging tree branches a couple of times, but they were not big branches, so no problem.
 
 
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