Yet Another Set of ROPS Lights

[JimR]

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]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Tilt the bar not the light. )</font>

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. )</font>
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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]

<font color="blue"> found out that they had just moved into a new location which was about 10 miles closer. They had them there.
</font>

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]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Did you go to the new Canton TSC store? )</font>
Yup - that's the one. It was very nice. I'd only been to the one in Massillon.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nice store, it's within 15 minutes of us. )</font>
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]

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]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Could yo do a double pivot on the bar one for the front and another for the rear lights? )</font>

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

 

[rswyan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Our home is in Clinton. )</font>
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

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nice to know there are a few more TBN members around these parts. )</font>
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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[rswyan]

Mike,

Thanks - ditto from this end.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If there is ever anything that I can do to help you just shout. Manchester is in our back yard. )</font>

..... hopefully just not near the septic .... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[rswyan]

LB,

Sounds interesting - you got any pictures of this setup ?

The one thing downside I could see to only have a pair of lights that you had to rotate to the front and rear would be if you wanted light in both directions at the same time. When we got that big snow a few weeks ago I cleared the driveway at night and used both my front and rear lights. Wouldn't want to have to rotate them every time I want to look one way or another and see something.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 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. )</font>

This is a great idea and would solve the issue above - any sources for such a beast ?

 

[Bob_Skurka]

LBrown, I think you have given a lot of thought to the light bar issue, but I wonder if you may have overthought some of the issues?

You wrote: <font color="red"> (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. </font>

I would tend to think that using 4 lights has some advantages that you might not be considering, and I would think that if switched properly, 4 lights will not draw any more current than 2.

Consider your point (A) above, if the 2 front lights are switched on 1 circuit and the 2 rear lights are switched on a 2nd circuit, then you are only drawing enough current to power 2 lights at a time. Or if you want more light, you can power all 4 by flipping both switches.

Consider your point (B) above, where you write about swiveling the lights to illuminate other areas, or for 1 forward and 1 reward. In my case I've used my tractor as a giant size flashlight to illuminate a work area while doing planting in the evenings. I actually have 2 mounted forward, 2 mounted rearward, and 1 rear facing light at the base of my ROPS and there are times when I wish I had more lights.

I'm really not trying to pick apart your thoughts, just trying to point out that there can be some advantages to the concept of more is netter, and may that still may not be enough!

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( LB,
Sounds interesting - you got any pictures of this setup ?
The one downside I could see to only have a pair of lights that you had to rotate to the front and rear would be if you wanted light in both directions at the same time. When we got that big snow a few weeks ago I cleared the driveway at night and used both my front and rear lights. Wouldn't want to have to rotate them every time I want to look one way or another and see something.
</font><font color="blueclass=small">( 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. )</font>

This is a great idea and would solve the issue above - any sources for such a beast ? )</font>
~~~~~~~~~
<font color="purple">
1*Wouldn't want to have to rotate them every time I want to look one way or another and see something.
2* ( 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. ) This is a great idea and would solve the issue above -
3*any sources for such a beast ?
rswyan
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<font color="green">
1* this is why each light is on a separate swivel so you can shine them separately in any direction
2*
3*Not really: It seems that nobody ever makes anything that I need or could use. They're to busy making all that useless stuff I don't need.

The closest thing I've seen to such a light is the dome light on my dodge D 50 Pick up
It is a one bulb light that has a lens that lights the interior when you open the door and another lens that lights up the bed of the truck at the same time. It don't make enough light to use on a tractor though it's fine for the truck.
Another similar light is the turn signal light for big trucks.
They have a yellow lens on the front and a red lens on the back.
Don't know if you could find a clear or white lens to replace the colored ones or not or if these lights would produce enough light or not.

</font>

 

[LBrown59]

I would tend to think that using 4 lights has some advantages that you might not be considering, and I would think that if switched properly, 4 lights will not draw any more current than 2.
Consider your point (A) above, if the 2 front lights are switched on 1 circuit and the 2 rear lights are switched on a 2nd circuit, then you are only drawing enough current to power 2 lights at a time.
1*Or if you want more light, you can power all 4 by flipping both switches.

2* In my case I've used my tractor as a giant size flashlight to illuminate a work area while doing planting in the evenings. I actually have 2 mounted forward, 2 mounted rearward, and 1 rear facing light at the base of my ROPS and there are times when I wish I had more lights.
Bob_Skurka
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1* this is the only time 4 lights draw more current than 2 lights.
I would put a switch on each one of the 2 lights - I don't think I mentioned that in my post.

2*you can always add 1 or 2 more swiveling lights to the light bar if you want them - In doing so I would seperate switch them also.
You could also place the extra swiveling lights on a sperate bar mounted to the front edge of the ROPS instead.

 

[PILOON]

What I used was:

From time to time the auto parts will have Fog Light Kits on sale, usually 2 lights to a box, about 3 X 4" in Halogen.
Often you have the choice of yellow or clear.Choose the clear.

Those lights are super bright and designed to shed a wide but low beam of light, all while a pair will draw less amps than 4 spot or floods.
Believe me only one is needed for the front or rear!
Also the mount/adjustement is quite stable.

Plus much easier to mount 2 than 4!