Folding ROPS question

mangus580 · Feb 13, 2013

So reading the manual, it tells me to loosen the large bolts, and then the small bolts to fold the ROPS. Is there a reason these need to be cranked down tight? What do you guys do (those of you who have to fold frequently)

I need to fold mine down to put it in the barn.... but try to put it up more often than not.

KennyG · Feb 13, 2013

On a John Deere, there's nothing to tighten. Just pins to pull and a hinge. I guess it's design specific. If it's bolts and not pins they will probably vibrate loose and fall out if they aren't tightened.

mangus580 · Feb 13, 2013

Kenny, it uses pins to hold it up/down, but the pivot bolts are what the manual refers to. They use nylocks on them, so its not like they will vibrate loose. Then there is the 1/4-20ish bolt with a lock nut that appears to help eliminate vibration too??

Not sure if its visible in this picture....

mangus580 · Feb 13, 2013

Bah, it doesnt show the 'inside' where the smaller bolt is.

Gary Fowler · Feb 13, 2013

Sounds like you just need to adjust the large bolt to where it is tight but not so tight that you cant move the ROPS up and down. Then when it is pinned in place if it doesn't rattle then I wouldn't mess with tightening the small anti-rattle bolt especially if putting it up and down.
TIME TO MODIFY THE BARN?

mangus580 · Feb 13, 2013

The 'barn' is just a Shelter Logic 'garage in a box'.... not much to modify!!

I had pretty much planned to go that route Gary, was just wondering why they talk about loosening and tightening both bolts in the manual.

rwork · Feb 13, 2013

I usually keep mine folded (90 degrees) as I've got an eight foot high beam to go under in the tractor barn. I loosened the bolts just a tad, to where I can pull it down, and it will stay in the 90 degree position. Juat watch that you don't loose the rubber grommets, when pulling the pins.
What I can't figure out, is what are those set screws on the inside of the ROPS for?

mangus580 · Feb 13, 2013

I think the set screws and rubber grommets are both for anti-rattle.

Guesseral · Feb 14, 2013

rwork said:
I usually keep mine folded (90 degrees) as I've got an eight foot high beam to go under in the tractor barn. I loosened the bolts just a tad, to where I can pull it down, and it will stay in the 90 degree position. Juat watch that you don't loose the rubber grommets, when pulling the pins.
What I can't figure out, is what are those set screws on the inside of the ROPS for?

Mine is down most of the time also. Need it down to put in the garage and whenever I drive in the yard it is too high to go under most of the tree branches. I have toyed with cutting it down and moving the hinged portion so it was able to go into the garage but I also want a sun visor for mowing and if I lower it I will keep hitting my head.

Yea I know raise the garage door and cut the branches of the trees. But that would make way to much sense!:mur:

Gary Fowler · Feb 14, 2013

Guesseral said:
Mine is down most of the time also. Need it down to put in the garage and whenever I drive in the yard it is too high to go under most of the tree branches. I have toyed with cutting it down and moving the hinged portion so it was able to go into the garage but I also want a sun visor for mowing and if I lower it I will keep hitting my head.

Yea I know raise the garage door and cut the branches of the trees. But that would make way to much sense!:mur:

Through luck or providence when I built my shop one side has a much higher roof than the other and my LS P7010 fits nicely under the North side and my B26 goes under the South wing. Also the garage door are all 8 foot doors (got 9 foot interior ceilings) so all the tractors go inside except the P7010. My brother in laws NH 2030 with cab has about 2" head room to fit under the door. Neither of us intended having those tractors when we built shops or garages. I am not sure that my RTV 900 would have fit in a 7 foot standard garage entrance door.
Better LUCKY THAN GOOD my old boss used to say.

NOTE the long trunks on all the trees before a limb in the photo. We keep them trimmed up as high as I can reach from back of the RTV which allows me to drive under them even with the P 7010. I have cut tons of limbs off all the trees in this 40 acre tract to allow this but it seems that every couple of years we have to do it all again.
Personally I think the trees also look better this way than with a bunch of scraggly limbs hanging down all over the place . I have a bunch of cedars lining the fenceline in front of my house that I had to trim up in order to safely enter the road due to vision obstruction. They tend to limb down toward the ground and though I don't trim them up to drive the tractor under them, I do keep them up enough to drive the lawnmower under without slapping me in the face. THIS is a yearly chore to keep the lower limbs lopped off as they tend to sag toward the ground.

mangus580 · Feb 14, 2013

I do have to work on some trees around here... Noticed a couple in the front yard that hit the ROPS when moving snow. (why shovel it by hand, right? I have one of my 3 year old twins calling the bucket a shovel!)

I am hoping to build a pole barn this summer to provide a better home for both the tractor and the goats and cow. I intend to put a 10' door in it, as I have a 2.5 ton military truck too, and that needs 10' clearance. Not to mention I know enough at this point to plan for something bigger.

Gary, not positive, but I think my uncle can get his RTV in his garage which I am pretty sure is a 7' door. When I built the 'roll' bar for my golf cart, I made sure to keep it short enough to fit under an 80" man door. The shed I keep it in, has a 6' wide 80" tall french door for its opening.

Funny... thats the tree that I am hitting with the ROPS!!

This one shows the view over to the driveway (where the suburban is parked). I push from the driveway to just this side of the sidewalk, and then clear the steps and sidewalk as well with the loader.

jhasafety1 · Feb 15, 2013

Guesseral said:
Mine is down most of the time also. Need it down to put in the garage and whenever I drive in the yard it is too high to go under most of the tree branches. I have toyed with cutting it down and moving the hinged portion so it was able to go into the garage but I also want a sun visor for mowing and if I lower it I will keep hitting my head.

Yea I know raise the garage door and cut the branches of the trees. But that would make way to much sense!:mur:

Why modify the ROPS or have it folded down, if you are going to defeat the purpose just take it off. Once taken off or modified you potentially die. The goal of the ROPS is to hold the tractor up from the top of the ROPS and the front of the hood giving you a safe place to be in a role over, this also requires wearing the seat belt. Tie a string from the middle of the ROPS and pull it to the front of the hood and see how close the margin of safety really is. Not wanting to open up a debate just wanted to state the obvious.

Gary Fowler · Feb 15, 2013

jhasafety1 said:
Why modify the ROPS or have it folded down, if you are going to defeat the purpose just take it off. Once taken off or modified you potentially die. The goal of the ROPS is to hold the tractor up from the top of the ROPS and the front of the hood giving you a safe place to be in a role over, this also requires wearing the seat belt. Tie a string from the middle of the ROPS and pull it to the front of the hood and see how close the margin of safety really is. Not wanting to open up a debate just wanted to state the obvious.

Actually the ROPS main goal is to stop the tractor from rolling more than 90 degrees, either back or side. Once it rolls 180, you may not have enough width on the ROPS to keep it from sinking into the ground to protect you. I have seen them after a hard roll and they collapse a lot to the side so they don't stay ridged as some think.

Cromagnum · Feb 19, 2013

mangus580 said:
The 'barn' is just a Shelter Logic 'garage in a box'.... not much to modify!!

I had pretty much planned to go that route Gary, was just wondering why they talk about loosening and tightening both bolts in the manual.

How about adding some blocks, or other such, under the shelter walls?
Should be a cheap way to stay safe.

mangus580 · Feb 19, 2013

Cromagnum said:
How about adding some blocks, or other such, under the shelter walls?
Should be a cheap way to stay safe.

I have considered that, but I would probably need to raise it 16" to get it high enough.

Bob77064 · Feb 19, 2013

Gary, you have some beautiful property.

Gary Fowler · Feb 19, 2013

Bob77064 said:
Gary, you have some beautiful property.

Thanks, my brother in law and I have put a lot of money into turning this weed and noxious tree populated spring fed swamp land into a pretty good looking land that for the most part now is well drained and under control. It was grown up in 10 feet tall weeds, sweet gum and pine tree saplings which had starved out the grass everywhere but on the high hills. It has taken 4 years of work with tractors and dozers to get it to look like it does now. I wish now that we had some before pictures.