B7500

JonSpinosa · Dec 22, 2001

Hi guys,

I am about to swap my new ZD21 for a new B7500 and wonder what you guys know about these foldable ROPS. I wanted a tractor with a standard ROPS, however, the dealer only has a foldable ROPS available. Do you guys see any advantages between a foldable and standard ROPS?

The height difference is 7". The standard ROPS is 76" and the foldable ROPS is 84". The foldable ROPS will not fit in a 7' high door without folding it.

Also, have any of you guys run a 5' brush hog with the B7500? I am wondering how the B7500 will handle the 5' brush hog.

I have decided to swap the ZD21 for a B7500 because I have found the ZD21 very limited to only grass mowing. However, I am going to miss the cutting speed of the ZD21!! You just cannot have everything!!!

GlueGuy · Dec 24, 2001

<font color=orange>Lucy! </font color=orange> has a foldable ROPS too. I think they all come that way now. I actually preferred it, as it gives me half a chance of getting her into the shed. I find that the ROPS actually goes up/down pretty quickly. I've also made securing the ROPS in the up position the warm-up time before I go out and do real work.

I guess that a 5' bush hog would work on the B7500, although I have a 4' on mine. I've run over some pretty big coyote bush with mine, and the engine doesn't even slow down, so it seems like the capacity is there. Maybe somebody else has experience with a 5' on one.

The GlueGuy

Wheeldog · Dec 24, 2001

JonSpinosa,

I've got a folding ROPS on my B2410. I find it to be very handy to mow with it in the down position, since I have quite a few trees to maneuver around and under. My garage door height is just under the height of the ROPS in the up position, so I store it folded. It isn't a big deal to put it up each time I bring the tractor out since the tractor needs to warm up a few minutes anyway. My only issue with the ROPS is forgetting to put it down sometimes before I back into the garage (a.k.a. CRUNCH!).

Rob

boatman · Dec 24, 2001

i have fixed rops on mine. 2001 7500hsd. i use a 4ft brush hog and have never had any problems. make shure that you have a fel or suitcase weights.

TWINKLE_TOES · Dec 24, 2001

JonSpinosa,

I have the folding ROPS. It cost an extra $100 the way my dealer does business. The standard is shorter and not as wide. I looked at the two side by side and asked, which one would I rather roll over under? The answer came up neither./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Mowing flat ground around trees I (wife) fold the ROPS down. Like GlueGuy, the 7500 runs the 4 foot cutter with ease. The sales brochure shows the 4 & 5 foot cutter for the B7500. Seems like the 5 foot would be 25/16 more demanding than the 4 foot.
Al

GlueGuy · Dec 24, 2001

I hear that Crunch!! load and clear. I have the same interference fit when the ROPS is up, and I hit the garage door trim once on the way in. Lucy didn't stop, and the trim came down. Sheesh.

The GlueGuy

Wal · Dec 27, 2001

Ditto on the CRUNCH sound!! I too have the foldable rops on my B7500. It has to be down when going into my Bota's house, a 10x16 shed. I specifically got the foldable rops just so it would fit, having carefully measured the height before deciding on folding or non-folding. Oh yes, I thought I had everything figured out /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif. Then, in the excitement of my first couple of hours "in the saddle", I forget to put the rops down when reluctantly putting her away in the shed /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif. My shed has about a 10 inch step up, so I use a couple of very heavy duty ramps to get to get things in and out. So, I'm going up the ramps for the first time real slow and careful. I'm halfway into the shed and I notice my perspective is changing just a bit /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. And I'm not moving. And I then notice my two front tires are about six inchs off the floor of the shed. I say to myself, "what the $#@&%$ is going on here!!!" I couple of seconds later it dawned on me the top of the rops was hitting the outside of the top door jamb, thus pivoting me backwards /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif!!!! Very carefully I put it in reverse and backed out. I don't think I have ever berated myself for stupidity quite so thoughly before! Luckily, no harm done. A couple small marks on the top door jamb and a little scuffed paint on the top bar of the rops.