Do ROPS' work when UP? Do they work when folded?

[aczlan]

One other thing to think of (for tractors without a FEL installed), pop the hood and see there the top of the engine is and make sure that you are using that for your "line to the folded ROPS" as your hood and the light stuff right under it could be crushed in a rollover reducing the "safe space" for you.

Aaron Z

 

[Willl]

If they see injuries start piling up as a result of folded ROPS being used improperly, I wonder if we will see interlock systems installed, or maybe even see folding systems discontinued.

If the insurance companys have to pay out, I'll put money down we'll see that happen.

 

[Duffster]

Even if a folded ROPS totally protected you, it would not meet the federal regulations for height.

I am pretty sure the feds would not be supportive of that marketing approach.


If they see injuries start piling up as a result of folded ROPS being used improperly, I wonder if we will see interlock systems installed, or maybe even see folding systems discontinued.

Probably not since not having a folding ROPS only encourages the removal of them all together.

 

[beppington]

Wow, this thread's gotten outta hand, men.

1) I (the OP) really wanted to know about your first-hand experiences when rolling over, namely how your ROPS fared & whether you were hurt.

2) And, maybe I shoulda worded the 2nd part this way: If your ROPS was folded down & you rolled, would the two ROPS side pieces still sticking up bend over, or are they strong enough to not bend, thus maybe helping prevent your tractor from rolling all the way upside-down.

Had no idea this discussion would go on to this extent! Interesting reading, though.

 

[aczlan]

2) And, maybe I shoulda worded the 2nd part this way: If your ROPS was folded down & you rolled, would the two ROPS side pieces still sticking up bend over, or are they strong enough to not bend, thus maybe helping prevent your tractor from rolling all the way upside-down.

I can give you a definite maybe on the second. On hard, flat ground, at low rollover speeds, they would help.
On soft (ie: soft enough to put a shovel into without jumping on it) ground the end is likely to dig in.
On sloped ground, it will probably not slow you down much from a full rollover.


Aaron Z

 

[johnrex62]

To specifically address your updated questions, albeit not from personal experience, I would expect some deformation of the folded ROPS and/or some penetration of the ROPS into the ground; depth depending upon ground conditions.

Wheter they would prevent a total inversion of the tractor would also depend on an number of factors; tipping force, incline of ground, direction of tip, speed of tipping, etc....

Back to the ongoing battle concerning the survivability of such an event with the ROPS folded, I would submit that the head space would be considerably less than one might anticipate not only due to the potential penetration of the ROPS and the probable compression of the surfaces of the tractor holding the operator off the ground, but also because of the slack in the seatbelt and compressionability of the operator's body when affected by gravity and centrifical force as the tractor moves toward the inverted position. Measuring the distance from the seat to to the top of the folder ROPS is inadequate unless you can also factor in how far your body will be hanging out of the seat as you roll and what distance the ground will be from the seat during the event. Since this is such a complicated and variable computation, I would strongly suggest avoiding the whole scenario. Keep the ROPS up and try not to tip your tractor. Being safe and avoid proving this argument and I think you will be much happier.

 

[Rickstir]

I have sun screen on mine and since it took $500 and two days in the sun to modify the pole barn door to fit the tractor in the barn, mine will stay up!

 

[Car Doc]

I am counting on mine working well enough to at least keep the thing from going clear over and and following me down the slope that and it giving me something to tie on to to flip it back over afterward.

I don't plan on riding it out though if its at all possible to jump off first,and if its down and I stay on I would be smashed no doubt about that.

With that said they aren't really made for 30 mph crashes only a slow roll but I could be wrong.

 

[ray66v]

I was doing some reading on this subject and apparently as a result of the numbers of people not raising them for use, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, has been working on a passive, automatically deploying ROPS system. They call it an AutoROPS.

I also found this pdf of a prototype automatic deploying ROPS from The University of Tennessee. http://www.asabe.org/awards/competitions/Powered Foldable ROPS - U of TN-.pdf

Their calculations show this will add $734 to the cost of tractor.

If mandated, potentially we could all have to pay for this, on a future tractor, because of those who would not take the few seconds to raise it manually. :drink:

 

[hawkeye08]

I was doing some reading on this subject and apparently as a result of the numbers of people not raising them for use, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, has been working on a passive, automatically deploying ROPS system. They call it an AutoROPS.

I also found this pdf of a prototype automatic deploying ROPS from The University of Tennessee. http://www.asabe.org/awards/competitions/Powered Foldable ROPS - U of TN-.pdf

Their calculations show this will add $734 to the cost of tractor.

If mandated, potentially we could all have to pay for this, on a future tractor, because of those who would not take the few seconds to raise it manually. :drink:

I wonder if you could bolt a 5gal bucket on the autoROPS and use it to launch pumpkins?

 

[Danno1]

.


That's been on a Porcsh/BMW/Audi??? convertable for a few years now.


.

 

[LostInTheWoods]

WOW! I don't think I have ever seen such a bizare back-and-forth on TBN. Which, naturally, draws me into the fray.

I hadn't even looked at this post until today because it seems pretty starightforward..."Do they work when folded?". No. End of story. About three posts, and case closed.

Then I glanced at the number of posts in this thread. HOLY CRAP! What could they possibly be discussing?!?

So, do they provide some protection when folded. Sure. Wholly inadequate protection, but protection nonetheless. Three walls of a square cage would provide some protection from wild mountain gorillas...

I'm no genius, and I'm no engineer. But the physics isn't too hard even for me to understand. Arguing about who's right or wrong based on absolutes seems silly to me, but I've probably been guilty of dumber things in my life.

I feel supremely confident that ROPS up and seatbelts on is the way to go. I do not see how anyone could justify not using them and not recommending to others using them this way. If the environment around you doesn't allow you to use the ROPS as intended, then alter the environment instead of lowering your ROPS.

I would almost pay the 700 bucks for an autoROPS that launched pumpkins, however:laughing:. Especially if it could accurately target mountain gorillas.

 

[hawkeye08]

WOW! ...

I would almost pay the 700 bucks for an autoROPS that launched pumpkins, however:laughing:. Especially if it could accurately target mountain gorillas.

Get a load of pumpkins in the FEL bucket and have an ammo supply for just those cases.

Practical use, if the ROPs up and down was a simple push button, would more folks that have to fold down to get into garage put them up when they come out of the garage? Maybe a sensor on the ROPs could detect before it wacks the door or header and sound an alarm?

I know that if I had to put mine up and down every time I got the tractor out, it would get old fast.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

A ROPS is a tool. Now I've always been told from my high school shop teacher all the way up to the department foreman that if you're using a tool the way it was intended, it's a safe tool. If you're not, then your tool isn't safe. So if your ROPS isn't up and you're using your tractor, you're not safe.

And arguments that a folded down ROPS provides X% protection is just another form of absurd reasoning. 50% crush protection is still likely to be 100% dead.

Roll overs are bad. I've got places on my property where I break out in a sweat just thinking about it. But a deployed ROPS also protects during flip backs; which usually happen a lot faster than a rollover.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I spent a day at the Deerfield Fair this weekend and looked at all the various tractors there: Massey Ferguson, John Deere, New Holland, Bobcat, Kubota, etc.

I checked out every one of their hinged ROPS, and the hinge point is too low to have the uprights provide any protection during a roll over with the top hinged down. In all cases, the tractor is going to rest on the seat pan.

'Nuff said?

 

[beppington]

I spent a day at the Deerfield Fair this weekend and looked at all the various tractors there: Massey Ferguson, John Deere, New Holland, Bobcat, Kubota, etc.

I checked out every one of their hinged ROPS, and the hinge point is too low to have the uprights provide any protection during a roll over with the top hinged down. In all cases, the tractor is going to rest on the seat pan.

'Nuff said?

Look how high my Kubota's is hinged:

 

[Duffster]

Look how high my Kubota's is hinged:

'Nuff said?

Guess not.

 

[beppington]

I just noticed that Kubota's Grand L brochure says "For your safety, KUBOTA strongly recommends the use of a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) and seat belt in almost all applications."

Just about as vague as my manual's "Fold the ROPS down only when absolutely necessary and fold it up and lock it again as soon as possible."

Vague as in: Wonder what applications Kubota thinks it's OK to not use the ROPS and/ or seatbelt.