Why keep roll over bars down?

[burzynsr]

Rops come down to get in my shop. I put it up when using, the pins make it easy. We should not forget the seat belt as it is also part of the safety system. I'll check, but I think my manual says use the belt with the Rops up and don't use the belt with the Rops down. I am not a super safety nut as I have had plenty of stiches and the like. However a machine that can crush me or grind me into small pieces get's my complete respect.

 

[oldballs]

ROPS down for routine predictable chores like mowing. ROPS up on anything unusual (for me), especially where clearance is allowed. My ROPS mounted extra lights are all beat to Helz from unexpected low limbs. It seems like there is always one lurking out there. But since they(lights) are spring mounted, they give somewhat before something gets totally trashed.

ROPS up will not clear my garage for maintenance or my shed for storage.

I've noticed that my ability to see functions at the 3 point are restricted by using the seat belt with the ROPS up. Sometimes, it is so tiring to fight the belt that I release it or work with the ROPS down.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[LD48750]

Fixed ROPS was CUT OFF my Ford because it was fixed & hit trees when I tried to mow.
"Trimming" was not an option on some (most) of the trees in question, I would have had to completely remove them.
Have mowed this same land for 25+ years without a ROPS on my 2N and other tractors without a single roll over and don't expect one now.

I don't have a cage to protect me from golf balls either.

 

[Garandman]

Thanks. Knew there had to be some legit reasons.

Sometimes not: sometimes I wheel out of the garage and forget!

 

[ovrszd]

ROPS down for routine predictable chores like mowing. ROPS up on anything unusual (for me), especially where clearance is allowed. My ROPS mounted extra lights are all beat to Helz from unexpected low limbs. It seems like there is always one lurking out there. But since they(lights) are spring mounted, they give somewhat before something gets totally trashed.

ROPS up will not clear my garage for maintenance or my shed for storage.

I've noticed that my ability to see functions at the 3 point are restricted by using the seat belt with the ROPS up. Sometimes, it is so tiring to fight the belt that I release it or work with the ROPS down.

Cheers,
Mike

I'll admit to you my friend, I never use a belt and I'm in the timber a LOT.

 

[DavesTractor]

Its all orchard country around here. ROPS are down in all orchard type activities in our area. Pretty safe in that application as the orchard floors are flat.

As has been mentioned, a lot of guys that are huge ROPS fans do not wear a seat belt. For the ROPS to be effective, we need to make sure we are not crushed by it in a roll over. I wish tractor manufacturers would all use really high quality seat belt retractors that are mounted in a handy place. If you have to fish one end of the seatbelt out that slipped under the seat and fell through an opening for a lever...you tend to not want that hassle.

 

[Argonne]

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.

On balance, it introduces more hazards than it than it prevents, mostly to do with striking low hanging objects. I am endangered by the ROPS on those machines that have them nearly every every time I use them.

But as we know, the government knows best. Don't get me started on gas cans...

 

[DavesTractor]

I think ROPS do save lives and I am all for them. They ought to be used as designed unless conditions require otherwise.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I leave mine up since I have tops on for the summer heat. Just have to be aware of any low branches and take care of them. My tractor garage is high enough so no concerns there.

 

[mcfarmall]

I'm ok with ROPS but manufacturers should only make them 12"-16" higher than tallest expected operator based on the butt to head height of the average human. AVERAGE human, not you skyscraper freaks of nature. (Humor intended). Folding ones are nice but how does that work out if you mount a canopy to the ROPS? Seems like folding no longer becomes an option once a canopy is installed.

I would use the ROPS as a great excuse to trim the trees up high as others have already mentioned...including the ones in the woods.

 

[LD48750]

Judging from the responses here, I think the government should mandate fully enclosed cabs on all tractors with integral full roll cages.
If you have trees or doors that hamper movement, cut them down or rebuild the buildings.
500 acres of flat land needs a cab to protect the operator.

You must keep in mind how dumb people are & realize only the government is smart enough to protect you.

 

[ovrszd]

Judging from the responses here, I think the government should mandate fully enclosed cabs on all tractors with integral full roll cages.
If you have trees or doors that hamper movement, cut them down or rebuild the buildings.
500 acres of flat land needs a cab to protect the operator.

You must keep in mind how dumb people are & realize only the government is smart enough to protect you.

Great Post!!!!

 

[DavesTractor]

Judging from the responses here, I think the government should mandate fully enclosed cabs on all tractors with integral full roll cages.
If you have trees or doors that hamper movement, cut them down or rebuild the buildings.
500 acres of flat land needs a cab to protect the operator.

You must keep in mind how dumb people are & realize only the government is smart enough to protect you.

It's not so simple. I'd prefer to see way less government regulations, or honestly just way less government. I like personal responsibility. I take risks. But when you start looking at farming and tractor accidents, it opens your eyes a little. We lost an acquaintance last year due to a rear roll over. Sure enough, he was pulling a stump and hooked his chain too high and before he could get on the clutch it flipped and killed him. It was an older tractor that was built before ROPS were common. His fault no doubt, but it was an honest mistake. This guy was no idiot. A ROPS probably would have saved him. So I think ROPS and seat belts ought to be standard, but I also think if you are the only operator and you want to take it off, that's sure fine with me.

I do not run a ROPS, but my tractor spends most of it's life in my pistachio orchard. On my skid steer and excavator, ROPS/FOPS always.

 

[1965]

My Kioti has a couple settings, I keep it at a 45 degree angle so it fits in the garage and still offers some protection. My land is mostly flat but I don't drive horizontally on the slope, common sense goes a long way with safety. Do I sense sarcasm in LD48750's response? :laughing:

 

[ovrszd]

It's not so simple. I'd prefer to see way less government regulations, or honestly just way less government. I like personal responsibility. I take risks. But when you start looking at farming and tractor accidents, it opens your eyes a little. We lost an acquaintance last year due to a rear roll over. Sure enough, he was pulling a stump and hooked his chain too high and before he could get on the clutch it flipped and killed him. It was an older tractor that was built before ROPS were common. His fault no doubt, but it was an honest mistake. This guy was no idiot. A ROPS probably would have saved him. So I think ROPS and seat belts ought to be standard, but I also think if you are the only operator and you want to take it off, that's sure fine with me.

I do not run a ROPS, but my tractor spends most of it's life in my pistachio orchard. On my skid steer and excavator, ROPS/FOPS always.

As a society we have to to decide what is the ulimate goal?

Understand, there will always be collateral damage.

Sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

[LD48750]

My Kioti has a couple settings, I keep it at a 45 degree angle so it fits in the garage and still offers some protection. My land is mostly flat but I don't drive horizontally on the slope, common sense goes a long way with safety. Do I sense sarcasm in LD48750's response? :laughing:

Wellll......... maybe just a bit.

I've been working my place for close to 30 yrs without a ROPS on any of my tractors.
Now that I bought one with a ROPS, it almost killed me the second day I had it.
It's gone now, and the new tractor is working and doing things I haven't been able to before just fine.

Not ALL safety attachments are always the best idea.
I think common sense works much better & if you don't have it..... I guess you learn the hard way.

 

[ovrszd]

I agree.

My Ford has rops. I hate it in the timber. Am considering adding a simple removeable canopy to the rops for mowing. If I deviate from that plan the rops will be removed by next Summer.

 

[1965]

I have found when bush hogging around my pines after I duck a branch when it hits the ROPS it will swing back ahead sometimes and hit me in the back of the head, a bit of an attention getter.:laughing: I am building a canopy off mine and may put some type of screen up as some more added protection from the bush hog.

 

[dickfoster]

Judging from the responses here, I think the government should mandate fully enclosed cabs on all tractors with integral full roll cages.
If you have trees or doors that hamper movement, cut them down or rebuild the buildings.
500 acres of flat land needs a cab to protect the operator.

You must keep in mind how dumb people are & realize only the government is smart enough to protect you.

Don't forget to add helmets, head restraints, knee pads, shoulder pads, chaps, face shields, gloves, etc. etc. etc.

 

[ultrarunner]

My Kioti has a couple settings, I keep it at a 45 degree angle so it fits in the garage and still offers some protection. My land is mostly flat but I don't drive horizontally on the slope, common sense goes a long way with safety. Do I sense sarcasm in LD48750's response? :laughing:

Sounds like a great option instead of all or nothing.

My ROPS is 1.5" too tall to fit inside the shop where I keep it unless folded.

Already had one incident where it was dark and late driving into the shop and forgot to fold it.... the ROPS hit the framing and the tractor popped a wheelie never missing a beat... in the blink of an eye it was inside.

Concrete floor and concrete ceiling... my only alternative is to leave it outside... zoning prohibits new accessory buildings.

Keep a tennis ball dangling from a string which has kept me from making the same mistake again.