Mounting lights to ROPS?

[Woodland]

I have a Kubota L3400 with folding ROPS (posted here since this is really a general tractor question) and I need to mount two utility lights and an amber strobe for winter snow removal work. Seems like the best place to mount them (the utility lights anyway) would be from the ROPS to get the best angle for lighting behind me. The dreaded warning label, however, says DO NOT MODIFY, DRILL, etc... the ROPS. How have you guys mounted lights to your tractor?

 

[chipsndust]

I cut a 1-1/2" piece of iron pipe to a length shorter than the inside distance between the ROPS uprights. I mounted the work lights to the pipe. I put spacers between the pipe and the underside of the ROPS top cross member. I fished the wiring inside the ROPS (there were already holes in it) and fastened the pipe/light assembly to the ROPS with u-bolts. The lights are on the underside of the ROPS so they don't increase overall height. The adjusment bases on the lights, and twisting the pipe in the u-bolts provides adjusment. Lights can be pointed forward or rear. Only problem I have is, with lights pointed forward, they shine in my eyes when I look back to back up.

 

[pat32rf]

I clamped the rear of a 4' piece of plywood to the ROPS, supported the front with an angle iron frame up from the FEL brackets.(I seldom remove the FEL). Two lights at the rear, two at the front, radio and speakers in the middle, flashing plow beacon at the rear. All the switches are mounted on the left side angle bracket so I can hit them as I mount or dismount (including the radio). I have learned to check the switches each time I get off so the work lights don't get turned on during the day......and left on

 

[LBrown59]

I have learned to check the switches each time I get off so the work lights don't get turned on during the day......and left on

I run them through the switch key.

 

[SFish]

My plan is to use U-bolts to fasten a mount to the ROPS, as per Chipsndust (Chipsnsnow?), but I would like to use LED floods to keep the amperage draw down. Does anybody know of a source for reasonably priced waterproof LED floods?

Steve

 

[Dale1995]

I have a Kubota L3400 with folding ROPS (posted here since this is really a general tractor question) and I need to mount two utility lights and an amber strobe for winter snow removal work. Seems like the best place to mount them (the utility lights anyway) would be from the ROPS to get the best angle for lighting behind me. The dreaded warning label, however, says DO NOT MODIFY, DRILL, etc... the ROPS. How have you guys mounted lights to your tractor?

I mounted my strobe on my ROPS with magnets you can purchase at Harbor Freight and Salvage, they are really stong and inexpensive and you can remove them if you wire them with some type of quick connector

 

[2COR517]

I would also be interested in some decent LED lights. AW Direct has some, but they are about $130 each. They draw i think 3 amps, so they must be very bright. Out of my price range.

The best floodlights I have found are from John Deere. 40 watts, about 3 amps. They have a fantastic pattern, with good distance illumination too. For $25 you cant beat them. Ten times better than the crappy ones at Walmart. I put some on my skid steer, one on front one on back. You don't really need two, but would be nice. I am going to put some on my plow trucks soon.

 

[luscsmith]

Here are some lights I have been looking at buying. eBay Motors: LED Flood Beam Work Lamp White Light Truck Warehouse (item 270307068872 end time Nov-29-08 19:55:47 PST)

 

[kennyd]

The best floodlights I have found are from John Deere. 40 watts, about 3 amps. They have a fantastic pattern, with good distance illumination too. For $25 you cant beat them. Ten times better than the crappy ones at Walmart. I put some on my skid steer, one on front one on back. You don't really need two, but would be nice. I am going to put some on my plow trucks soon.

Those are HOBBS lights, with a trapezoidal pattern. I put 4 of them on my tractor. They are 50 watts though if they are they same ones I am thinking of...

I got mine from Messicks

 

[EdC]

I mounted two to my ROPS with U bolts, the kind with the 90 corners, not the actual "U" shaped ones. I mounted a flat strip of 1/8 steel to the bottoms and that gave me a tab to mount the lights to. Used the JD front light kit and turned one to the front and one to the rear. Will probably add another one pointed forward just to fight the glare from the headlights hitting the bucket. I did have to extend the wires just a little bit and left a small amount of slack where the ROPS folds so it would not strain the wring when folded. Then I enclosed all the sires in that plastic protective tubing for automotive wiring.

Believe it or not some of the on-line bike stores (Bike Nashbar/Performance) have sales on LED headlights for discontinued units. Some of them may be bright enough.

 

[WilliamBos]

Those are HOBBS lights, with a trapezoidal pattern. I put 4 of them on my tractor. They are 50 watts though if they are they same ones I am thinking of...

I got mine from Messicks

Do they have an on/off switch on them?? I am looking for a set like that, so we can witre them into the head lights, and save our spare fuse for something else.

 

[kennyd]

Do they have an on/off switch on them?? I am looking for a set like that, so we can witre them into the head lights, and save our spare fuse for something else.

No, they do not have a switch. I wired a new 30a circuit from the battery through a relay, and added 4 switches.

I would not wire additional lights to the factory switch, they are usually just barely rated for what's installed at the factory-and maybe one additional worklight. Remember the each light draws about 4 amps, so with two new lights that is a lot of added current going through the headlight switch.

View my thread HERE.

 

[PBinWA]

Here's how I did mine, no welding or drilling required.

I use a waterproof three position rocker switch from NAPA and ran the wiring directly to the battery.

 

[MikeInEburg]

PBinWA - I like your setup as it roughly meshes with my skill level and needs. With the three-way rocker, do you have it wired "Front", "Rear" and "Off"? Can you have all three lights on at once?

Cheers!
Mike

 

[canoetrpr]

If you've got kids you WANT to use a relay when you wire a new circuit in for your lights.

Its not hard to do to add a new circuit direct from battery with a relay. Look at Kennyd's thread or mine. Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!

I have two separate switches - one for front and one for rear.

My kids (5 and 2) take every opportunity to get on the tractor when it is parked and often when I turn the tractor on, I find that they had been playing with the lights. If I didn't have the relay for my work lights, the battery would be drained.

If I didn't have kids, I probably wouldn't have bothered with the relay and just gotten a switch that could handle the amperage draw.

 

[Ford850]

Here's a link to my thread describing how I made u-bolt brackets. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/114640-worklight-brackets.html
I've had no problems with them so far, and they even stay intact when I fold the rops. Some rops might require the brackets to be reversed when mounted to clear things when folded.

 

[PBinWA]

PBinWA - I like your setup as it roughly meshes with my skill level and needs. With the three-way rocker, do you have it wired "Front", "Rear" and "Off"? Can you have all three lights on at once?

Cheers!
Mike

Yep, mine are either front or rear but not both. I wasn't sure my tractor had the juice to run everything at once. It probably does but this system works for me.

I would agree with the relay needs.

I already have a battery cut-off switch on my tractor so it is an "extra" key the kids (and neighbor kids) don't have.

 

[dmccarty]

Years ago I took U bolts and square tubing to mount two lights. The ROPS already had holes drilled that I used to run the wire. There was a wire already prewired to connect my lights.

I put the lights on TOP of the bar to throw the light as far forward and over the FEL.

My problem is that I'm often in the trees even when mowing the road/driveway there are tree limbs. I ended up taking off the lights since they kept getting wacked. I should have mounted them BELOW the ROPS like PBinWA. But then it would not throw the light as far forward AND get over the FEL.

Danged if you do and danged if you dont.

Don't work at night anymore so it works out in the end.

Later,
Dan

 

[charliepff]

PBinWA;

I was wondering if you had any more pictures of the way you mounted your lights. I think that is what I am going to do. I tend to do a lot of work with the loader at night but also have clearance issues with the clothes hanging poles, shed roof, and tree's.

 

[LBrown59]

Most guys attach the lights above or below the ROPS as shown here.
I prefer attaching them to the rear of the ROPS
(The Space between where you have the lights)
on a swiveling light bar/Mount the lights to the bar so they can be rotated.
This way they are lower which helps keep them from getting hit by low branches while at the same they are not under the rops where you can bump your head into them as easy as you could if they were under the rops.
With this set up You only need 2 lights and you have lights that will cover a 360 degree area all the way around the tractor.
You can aim both lights forward or to the rear.
Or point one forward and the other one to the back.
You can also aim them in any other direction independant of each other.
I would put the yellow light on the light bar too.
I came up with this method so you could add lights with out having to up grade the low amp alternators.
If you have a high amp Alt.and want to go with 3 or 4 lights that will work too.

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