Foldable ROPS pins VERY tight

[MMH]

The pins for the JD 4500 foldable ROPS are very tight - I need a hammer & punch to remove them. Is this normal?

 

[greasemonkeyok]

No. Sounds as if the ROPS may have been sprung by hitting something. At least that is what happened to mine.

 

[jimgerken]

Mine were also, on a 3720. When I took it in for something else, I mentioned the tight pins. The dealer did a crappy job of re-drilling the holes and didn't deburr afterword. I couldv'e done that myself. No, I couldv'e done way better than that.

 

[MMH]

Mine were also, on a 3720. When I took it in for something else, I mentioned the tight pins. The dealer did a crappy job of re-drilling the holes and didn't deburr afterword. I couldv'e done that myself. No, I couldv'e done way better than that.

Thanks for the replies. I just purchased this used tractor, so that may very well be what happened. It's not like I have to pound on the pins, just some light taps (but ALLOT more than what I can just pull out by hand). Sounds lime I will just leave as is & put a punch & small hammer in the fender toolbox.

 

[ctlguy]

It is not all that unusual for the pins to be that tight. If they are too sloppy then the complaint is that the rops slops back and forth and makes noise. Some are better than others though.

 

[KennyG]

This is pretty typical. Mine were very tight from the factory and I have reamed them out with a file so I don't have to pound on them. In the folded position, only one pin can be inserted and I just put the other one through a hole on only the upper portion to keep it from rattling.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Mine are real tight. I find that if I pull on the ROPS to line them up better, I can get them in and out by hand. In the full up or down position, they are tight, but if I jiggle it, that loosens up. The issue for me is that the holes don't perfectly line up with each other on both sides.

 

[boggen]

Thanks for the replies. I just purchased this used tractor, so that may very well be what happened. It's not like I have to pound on the pins, just some light taps (but ALLOT more than what I can just pull out by hand). Sounds lime I will just leave as is & put a punch & small hammer in the fender toolbox.

flat head screw driver, philips screw driver, hammer, couple extra shear pins, some wire, channel locks. extra pin, is normal tools i keep in tool box on tractor. if i break something, or something happens. i have enough tools and stuff to normally get me back to the shed, for actual repair. vs walking back home.

normally for tight pins, prefer, to tap them all the way i can, then grab a some channel locks and twist and pull on pin.

for the hard pins that are in a bind, when ever i try and use a punch on a pin, i end up hitting a finger or punch slipping off. reason for carrying an extra pin a little smaller or same size. so i can have a nice flat edge to put up against pin i am wanting out. and hammer on the round end of the extra pin.

screw driver some times used, if it is a rather long pin. and need to tap pin out those last little bits.

 

[beenthere]

Usual as mentioned.
Ran in to this sometimes when setting up new tractors coming in to the dealer I worked at part time. Some were no problem, and others a real bear.

Loosen the clamps on the axle and re-tighten, as they may be causing some twist that results in the poor bolt alignment. I'd do that before drilling out the holes.
At first, on new setup, I'd drill the holes but hard to reem them out for it to look nice. Then I started loosening the clamps and it seemed to work better. Shouldn't be a pain to fold the ROPS, otherwise it may just get removed altogether.

 

[greg_g]

Mine needed to be hammered out too. But the alternative was hearing the **** things rattle as I worked. My solution was just to keep'em tight and quiet - but have a hammer and pin handy if/when folding was required.

//greg//

 

[C-Range]

Mine were also, on a 3720. When I took it in for something else, I mentioned the tight pins. The dealer did a crappy job of re-drilling the holes and didn't deburr afterword. I couldv'e done that myself. No, I couldv'e done way better than that.

Ditto. I was told that they weren't allowed to modify them, that the ROPS would have to be replaced. Being a brand new machine, I was surprised that it left the factory this way, but of course agreed. When the tractor came back, yep, it had been butchered and was loosey goosey without even a paint touch up but I personally prefer loose over a hammer and punch.

I wish I'd done it myself in retrospect. Before taking it back, I did try loosening up all of the mounting screws/bolts, letting it relax, and retightening, but that didn't help. Oh well.

 

[FastPauly]

The pins on my 2520 required a bit of persuation to remove....a few laps around the holes with a pencil grinding stone got things to working much better.

 

[soulasphil]

Mine were very tight too on the new tractor and required a lot of persuasion with a big hammer. The holes were skilfully filed with a compressed air tool when the mechanic came for the first oil change. Now they are just right, the pins come out easily but there is no vibration.

 

[Cocre]

A round file will work wonders. It did on mine.

 

[thatguy]

I figured out that I had to push and hold one side to get the pin in.. Then pull and hold to get the other pin in..

Took some figuring out on the which to push, which to pull, and in what order

brian

 

[glc24]

The pins for the JD 4500 foldable ROPS are very tight - I need a hammer & punch to remove them. Is this normal?

Seems the majority of ROPS pins are that way regardless of the tractor.
If you can get your hands on a reamer,they work very well too. That's what I used on mine.:thumbsup:

Greg

 

[lager1829]

Mine were that way on my 3720 when I bought it. I needed a hammer to budge them. The dealer (Deer Country) immediately sent someone to ream them out. The salesman said they do that before delivery knowing that the pins are unreasonably tight from the factory but sometimes it gets overlooked.

 

[RoyJackson]

My 4400 ROPS pins get tight if I don't lube them with a bit of Fluid Film.

Since MMH's 4500 is probably 10 years old or so, I expect he may be getting a bit of rust in those holes. Before removing any material (reaming or drilling), run a wire brush or use some sand paper on the holes.
Then, keep the pins lubed with Fluid Film.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

My new JD 5045D ROPS pins are tight as well. I attribute it to excessive paint in the holes, and possibly a very slight misalignment. I think that over time (It's ROPS up/down every time I leave/enter the garage,) the holes will wear to the point that they will remove/reinstall a little easier. Until then I have a small ball-peen hammer on board in my tool box to drive the pins in and out. I find that the ball end fits inside the pin hole, and gives it just enough for that final tap to release it. I think if I reamed the holes out on the ROPS, eventually it would work it's way to the loose side and make noise, and that would drive me nuts