Clean light bar on ROPS?

[cold1313]

I was wondering how you all have made a bar to attach to the ROPS, to mount your lights on? I need something that will tuck in the ROPS so that when I brush against a tree limb, the limb goes against the ROPs and doesn't hit the lights.

Curious to see what people made and how their attaching to the ROPS. My current is just some angle iron, nothing fancy. Looking for a cleaner setup.

 

[mikeman1]

i used an idea from another member. I bought a couple of 75 or 95 lb magnets from HD and attached the light bar to them and placed under the top of the rops. holds on tight.

 

[cold1313]

Thats a slick idea!

 

[mikeman1]

Yeah, it is. I saw it when I was reading about LEDs on this site. Another member did this and i tried it. IT works great. It really has to be hit with some force to get it to come off or even move. the magnet has to sit flat on the roll bar and it holds on real tight. LEDs compared to factory lights is like night and day. one pic is factory lights only. other is 120W led light bar spot/flood combo.

 

[cold1313]

I just remembered there are some branches that would push in between the ROPS bars and would probably knock that off. I was going to take some angle iron or square stock and make almost a brush guard for it also.

 

[sea2summit]

I'm cheap, hose clamps and a 2x4

 

[cold1313]

the metal is free...just looking for ideas on how to hold onto the ROPS

 

[powerscol]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/352434-20-sirius-professional-led-flood.html

Hope this helps

BTW - The light bar did come with its own mounts that could have been drilled and tapped into the ROPS.

 

[Piston]

I drilled and tapped mine into the rops just using sheet metal screws. Nice and easy but a good idea to dab a little paint after drilling just to cover the bare metal.

 

[Fallon]

I mounted my lights to a random chunk of square tubing. I then used some U bolts to strap that square stock to the ROPS. Made some hockey puck spacers out of PVC pipe to give clearance between the bottom of the brackets & the ROPS.

Got things mounted without modifying the ROPS.

 

[blackrams]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/352434-20-sirius-professional-led-flood.html

Hope this helps

BTW - The light bar did come with its own mounts that could have been drilled and tapped into the ROPS.

Nice installation.

I do have a question though. I'm always leery about drilling into such things like ROPS. Any concerns about weakening the structural strength of the ROPS?

Rams

 

[powerscol]

I dont think a small hole in the flat would hurt. Something like 1/4 or 3/8 but would not drill anything like a 1/2.

 

[cold1313]

I'm personally avoiding any modification to the ROPS. By drilling into it, I'm 99.9% sure that Kubota is not liable for any injuries if the ROPS fails because it has now been modified.

Will a small hole make a difference in strength? I don't think so. Is Kubota legally off the hook? Yes.

 

[Otgaugres]

I made brackets to use existing holes to mount to ROPS. Actually on the front I attached to my canopy frame. Prior to getting the canopy, I had planned on mounting both forward and rearward light bars to the same mounting plate that I currently use for the rearward facing bar. Overview on my YouTube channel.

John Deere 4066R LED Light Bar Installation - YouTube

 

[dragoneggs]

Here is a solution without drilling on your ROPS...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/299015-led-light-install-but-look.html?highlight=

 

[4570Man]

Ive got a bar awaiting mounting on the ROPS. I'd planned on mounting it on the bottom side and just using stainless hose clamps for the mounting.

 

[4570Man]

For those of you who have mounted a light bar on the roll bar does it blind you when looking backwards?

 

[dragoneggs]

For those of you who have mounted a light bar on the roll bar does it blind you when looking backwards?

Not for me... on my BX I mounted two facing fwd and two to the rear. They are above and slightly behind my head so I don't really see them looking back. But I do usually have a baseball cap on that likely blocks any glare or stray light.

 

[Piston]

I'm personally avoiding any modification to the ROPS. By drilling into it, I'm 99.9% sure that Kubota is not liable for any injuries if the ROPS fails because it has now been modified.

Will a small hole make a difference in strength? I don't think so. Is Kubota legally off the hook? Yes.

Make sure you always wear your seatbelt as well, Kubota would be off the hook legally if you are found not wearing the seatbelt.

A small hole was drilled into my rops for light mounting and wasn’t concerned about a tiny hole weakening the structure at all.

In addition, ROPS only “works” if wearing a seatbelt. If you don’t wear the belt, you may as well remove the ROPS, but it’s useful for mounting the lights on so May as well keep it installed.

 

[Wagtail]

Ive got a bar awaiting mounting on the ROPS. I'd planned on mounting it on the bottom side and just using stainless hose clamps for the mounting.

That's what I did. It was designed for an automobile (long mounting bolts) so I cut a steel bar, drilled the holes, bolted it on with the provided locking nuts (at a guestimated 'down' angle)and cut the excess bolt away. Next, a thick piece of rubber matting between the bar/nuts and the underside of the ROPS. The rubber matting eliminated vibration.

I used tie-wraps (zip-ties?) to position it and then secured the whole thing with a couple of stainless hose clamps. I cushioned the clamps on the ROPS using a cut-up foam-neoprene 'stubbie holder' (koozie?).

Wire was run down the back edge of the ROPS.