Are canopies safe?

cstocks · Oct 1, 2002

I am referring to the ones supported only by the ROPS. It seems to me that if your tractor rolls over that the ROPS may do it's job in protecting you from being crushed but what will protect you if the canopy itself is crushed and is pushed down on you as you roll over?

I was giving this topic a lot of thought as I was doing some hillside mowing last weekend. I looked at my canopy and it is attached by some fairly sturdy looking brackets to the top of the ROPS. It has an angle iron frame underneath which supports it under normal use. But, I got to wondering, if my tractor rolled on me would the canopy collapse under the weight of the tractor and strike me across the top of the head or swat me in the face? Does having a canopy over my head defeat the purpose of using a ROPS?

Has anyone ever seen a report or study on the safeness of using a canopy on a tractor? Can anyone relate a story about a rollover where a canopy was involved and what was the outcome? What are your thoughts on the subject? Should this be a real concern or should I not worry it and keep on going?

Anonymous Poster · Oct 1, 2002

Hi,

I don't have a canopy, but I had the same feeling yesterday when on a hillside with trees.

IF the tractor tipped over, and there was a tree nearby, and I'm stuck to my seat by the seatbelt, and the ROPS rubs along the side of the tree as the tractor is falling on its side, and the tree is on my side of the ROPS...not a pretty picture!

All the more reason to be extreemly careful at all times I guess!

Seems to me that ta canopy on the ROPS could be a negative in a roll over. Doesn't seem like it offers any extra protection, but that it could do some damage to the operator in the worst case situation.

Got me wishing for a full roll cage...

Bill in Pgh, PA

cowboydoc · Oct 1, 2002

Got me wishing for a full roll cage...

That's exactly why I've never put a canopy on my tractors. I've moved alot of brush and such with my skidsteer and I know it's gotten the tar banged out of it with the full roll cage. There have been times where I've come close to hitting a branch or had to lower the rops etc. With a canopy I know I'd just rip it off or I wouldn't be able to easily tilt the rops back as well.

As far as getting hurt by it most tractors will just roll on their side. Very rarely will they roll like a car down a hill. Even if they did I don't think the canopy would come down enough to cause any serious harm.

BB_TX · Oct 1, 2002

I believe the canopy would offer some small measure of protection. For example, if my tractor rolled over against a tree and the tree caused the canopy to collapse against me, I think that would be better than if the tree itself hit me without the canopy there. The canopy may be just strong enough to prevent the tree crushing me. Without the canopy, there is no doubt what would happen.
Also, if your tractor happened to roll completely over, again the canopy may be crushed down somewhat by the ground, but it may also prevent your arms from flying over the ROPS and being crushed between the ROPS and the ground when you went over.
I look at it the same way I would look at a roll over in a convertible vs a hardtop. I would take the hardtop anytime.

KYFARMER · Oct 1, 2002

I do not know about a rollover but..... I have one tractor with one and it sure saves me from getting swiped in the face by tree limbs.

Jeff396 · Oct 2, 2002

I had the same concern about rolling into a tree. I talked with Carver's some about it and he said he could fit a full cage and lid from a B21 to my B7500. To do this I would have to swap him my standard rops for a higher one. I believe the cost was going to be around $1100.00 for everything. Probably should have done it.

Jeff

Kelvin · Oct 7, 2002

<font color=blue>Are canopies safe?</font color=blue>

To the specific example that you ask about (rollover protection), I agree with the other post that it will provide more protection than it will add danger. I believe that if there is an object (or the ground itself) that would have pushed the canopy into your head then the same object would push into your head without the canopy. At least at the present time I cannot image a rollover situation that would result in a different outcome.

However, I believe that canopies DECREASE safety in the sense that, with all other things being equal, they increase the rollover potential by making the tractor more top-heavy. I had traveled down a certain slope several times on my tractor without any tip-over tendancies before I installed a metal tread-plate style "heavier-duty" canopy. The first time I travelled down the same slope with the new canopy my tractor almost turned over.

Using basic engineering calculations it would be easy to show that installing a 75-100 lb object a significant distance above the center-of-gravity will raise the center of gravity of the tractor thus increasing the roll-over potential. I just wasn't thinking about my engineering background when I ordered the heavier canopy instead of the lighter, fiberglass Kubota brand canopy. I wanted a canopy for sun protection since I have survived a bout with cancer (at least for 3 years so far...) and would like to minimize my chances for a return of the disease.

Kelvin

cstocks · Oct 8, 2002

cowboydoc,

I agree that you have to be careful not to rip a canopy off due to limbs and other obstructions... I have learned to be watchful of such situations since I my tractor has had a canopy since day one.

I guess, doc, that I was thinking more in terms of a rollover where the tractor did more than lay over on it's side such as down an embankment or the back side of a steep pond levee. Where I mow I have both situations. However, I don't go on the pond levee because I don't feel safe on it and the embankments are next to the road in the front of the yard and I don't go near them either. What you say about tractors only rolling over on their sides makes sense to me and seems more like a situation that would happen to me. Since that is the case I think I can stop worrying about the canopy crushing me. Thanks for the insight.

cstocks · Oct 8, 2002

Kelvin,

Good point about the canopy adding to the top weight of the tractor. I never considered that as a potential problem. I don't have a clue how much my canopy weighs or how it has changed the center of gravity on my tractor. I have gotten pretty familiar with the slopes that I have to mow and I don't see where the weight of my canopy has caused a problem. However, I will file it away in my mental safe operating procedures under "potential hazards."

Gfranklin · Nov 2, 2002

I helped my father buy his tractor (JD 1070) and I lobbied hard that it have a canopy. While he subsequently agreed to the canopy because of a skin cancer scare, he (unsuccessfully) resisted my insistance that it be a factory canopy with matching color and OEM design. I wanted the factory look and the factory R&D.

My thinking was a canopy in an accident is better than not having one because as has been pointed out already, without the canopy, the forces that bent your canopy would be looking for something else near your head to turn into noise, heat and stress.

Anyway, I came home for a visit and noticed a significant chunk missing from the canopy in the area that would be over his right shoulder (This chunk not related to the piece missing from an earlier guy wire run-in). He was pushing over a tree in the woods and didn't see/realize that a bigger dead tree was essentially supported by this tree he was pushing on. The dead tree came down hard on the canopy. My guestimation reconstruction of the event made me shudder. I kind of wondered for a moment if the canopy actually contributed to this accident by blocking his vision since he is a cautious and observant type of guy. I'll never know all the what-ifs but I do know the canopy stopped the tree from striking him. It wasn't structurally damaged and we repaired the broken panels with a bunch of pop rivets. Best money I ever spent I think. Now I want one for my tractor.

Greg