Yet Another Set of ROPS Lights

JimR · Jan 14, 2005

Here is what you can do to flip your lights forward. I put a 3/8 round rod under the rear part of of the bed rail. When you tighten the rail down it will be angled slightly downward in the forward direction. Otherwise my lights would be shining in the trees also. My square u-bolts I made from straight 3/8 rod. I bent them with a torch and ran a die on them for nuts. The big lights are 100 watt units from Wallly Mart for $19.95 apiece.

LBrown59 · Jan 14, 2005

( ( Tilt the bar not the light. )

LB,

There's a couple of problems with doing this:

1. The bar the lights are mounted to is fixed parallel to the top of the ROPS tube (which itself is inclined slightly to the rear) by virtue of being bolted to the magnetic mounts. Reworking the magnetic mounts so that they allowed a tilt adjustment on the bar probably could be done but even so it doesn't solve the second problem:

2. I have two front facing lights and two rearward facing lights and the tilt angle will never be the same for both and I don't want to readjust them every time I change from using one set to the other.

Basically I would like to get them aimed where I want them and then leave them set. If I pull the lightbar and reinstall it later I will probably have to slide it around a little to get them pointing correctly (forward/rearward) but that should be minimal and pretty easy to do. )
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I have two front facing lights and two rearward facing lights and the tilt angle will never be the same for both and I don't want to readjust them every time I change from using one set to the other.
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Could yo do a double pivot on the bar one for the front and another for the rear lights?

PineRidge · Jan 14, 2005

found out that they had just moved into a new location which was about 10 miles closer. They had them there.


Did you go to the new Canton TSC store? Nice store, it's within 15 minutes of us. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

TC-40D SS web pictures click here

rswyan · Jan 14, 2005

( Did you go to the new Canton TSC store? )
Yup - that's the one. It was very nice. I'd only been to the one in Massillon.

( Nice store, it's within 15 minutes of us. )
Straight shot down Portage or Strausser for you ?

I have to take a little bit more convoluted path before I get to either street so it takes a little longer for me - mebbe 20 to 25 if the traffic isn't bad.

PineRidge · Jan 14, 2005

We shoot south on 77 to the Portage St. exit.

Our home is in Clinton.

Nice to know there are a few more TBN members around these parts. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rswyan · Jan 15, 2005

( Could yo do a double pivot on the bar one for the front and another for the rear lights? )

Possibly - need to dig around and see what I can come with for hardware - maybe McMaster-Carr or something.

rswyan · Jan 15, 2005

( Our home is in Clinton. )
Just drove through Clinton yesterday afternoon on the way back from Kidron. Came in west from Rogue's Hollow - looks like the Tusc is getting a little high there in downtown Clinton. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

( Nice to know there are a few more TBN members around these parts. )
Yeah, it is .... the area is probably just crawling with 'em (turn yer back for a minute and look what happ .....) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm in Manchester, BTW

PineRidge · Jan 15, 2005

If there is ever anything that I can do to help you just shout. Manchester is in our back yard. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

TC-40D SS web pictures click here

Scrounger · Jan 16, 2005

What about mounting them on a pedistal of some sort like most boat lights are. You wouldnt have to worry about the angle and once set you wouldnt have to readjust them at all.

LBrown59 · Jan 17, 2005

Here are some thoughts I've been kicking around concerning lights on rops.
1. Use two lights rather than 4 lights. Mount them on a light bar that will swivel the lights up and down. I install the lights on the bar in a manner that will permit the lights to be rotated 360 degrees. The 360 degrees allows you to have light to the rear and front or both to the front or both to the rear.
Use magnets to mount the brackets for the light bar to the top rear edge of the rops instead of on top of the rops or under the top of the rops. Next bolt the ends of the light bar to the brackets with one bolt through each bracket into the bar.
Tighten the bolts just enough to hold the bar in place but loose enough to move it by hand. The swiveling light bar allows:
(A) Allows adjustment of the distance the lights shine out from the tractor.
(B) Gives more clearance above the lights and more head room under them.
(C) Lessens the chance of catching the lights on something overhead.
(D) Allows the lights to flip down if hit rather than breaking them.
(E) You can just flip the lights down to work under low hanging branches instead of having to remove them from the rops. However you still have the option of removing the bar and lights and unplugging the trailer connector.
*Advantages of the 360 degree rotation *
(A) Permits two lights instead of requiring 4 lights, thus reducing current flow.
(B) Lights can be turned both to front or both to rear. Or they can be turned one to front and one to rear. They can also be used for side lighting. Swiveling lights can provide illumination 360 degrees around the tractor.

Adjustment from one position to another is instant by hand. No wrenches or tools required.
A low profile light preferred over high profile lights.

I've been using this system of combining a rotating light bar with swivel mounted lights to install fog and driving lights on my pickups successfully for years.

More thoughts on lights.
Use a dual direction light with a clear lens on both sides that will cast light to the front and rear at the same time.

Thinking about experimenting with a hanging swing light magnetically attached to the cross member of the FEL to illuminate the bucket shadow when using the head lights.