Poor man's canopy

[jodieadair]

Its Awfully hot in Alabama this time of year so I decided I was going to buy a tractor canopy.
I don't consider myself cheap by any means but I just couldn't justify spending three or more hundred dollars on a decent canopy.
I figured I could come up with something myself but with no welding skills or equipment I knew my options were limited.
Wood would likely work but didn't seem like a good choice and cutting and bolting metal together seemed expensive and tedious.
PVC maybe? I couldn't really find anything online that made me feel good about it but it's relatively inexpensive and easy to work with.
So I gave it a shot. I used 1 1/2" pipe and plastic roofing panels for the cover. It is bolted to to the ROPS using U bolts so I didn't have to compromise the roll bar integrity by drilling.

Overall I am very pleased. It is light weight, holds up well to the vibrations and certainly serves its purpose.
All together for pipe, plastic panel and paint it cost about $60 to complete.

 

[Pixguy]

Nice! If it holds up to the continued vibration, I'd say you got more than your monies worth!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Our bigger tractor's canopy has a 1" thick insulation on the underside that keeps the top's heat from radiating through. It works so much better than a canvas yellow umbrella. The smaller tractor only has the umbrella.

 

[Thomas]

Solid built and serve purpose :thumbsup:

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Works! Looks pretty good too!

 

[sodamo]

Great job

 

[txdon]

My canopy was tilted slightly to the front so it would not catch wind when being trailered. I don't know if that would be a problem for you but at least if it rains your water won't drip on the steering wheel. The only time my tractor was ever trailered was on delivery. Your angle looks very slight, I think you will be OK.

 

[caver]

I like it!!

 

[Hroller]

Why are there companies out there that sell canopies that refuse to just GIVE YOU A PRICE... (ibullmfg.com comes to mind, no listed price and they won't give you a quote without giving them your email or phone number... what a waste of time!)

I guess I'll make my own, I like the roof on this version, it's pretty ingenious, but I'll probably make the frame out of metal for mine.

 

[jodieadair]

That's a good point about the wind catching when its on a trailer.
I can easily take it off by removing the U bolts. But I may not have thought of that without your suggestion.
That's a lesson I'm glad I don't have to learn the hard way.

 

[sodamo]

Why are there companies out there that sell canopies that refuse to just GIVE YOU A PRICE... (ibullmfg.com comes to mind, no listed price and they won't give you a quote without giving them your email or phone number... what a waste of time!)

I guess I'll make my own, I like the roof on this version, it's pretty ingenious, but I'll probably make the frame out of metal for mine.

Not just canopy people but a whole bunch of folks who that We should give up our info just for a price. So I don’t and move on. Apparently no one told them they lose potential business that way.
Somewhat related, if Amazon will not ship an item to me they often no longer give me pricing info.

 

[otlski]

Awesome! Update this thread in a year and let us know how it holds up.

 

[Hroller]

That's odd about Amazon... but kinda understandable if the item isn't available to be shipped somewhere lie HI or AK

 

[Wasmeneh]

I just did a similar for my Ford 1925. Called around to golf cart shps and got a used top for $20. Went to a metal recycler and bought $8 worth of tubing (old storage rack) Using U bolts attacked to the ROPS. Works great probably have a total of $60 in it, U bolts cost the most.

 

[two_bit_score]

Its Awfully hot in Alabama this time of year so I decided I was going to buy a tractor canopy.
I don't consider myself cheap by any means but I just couldn't justify spending three or more hundred dollars on a decent canopy.
I figured I could come up with something myself but with no welding skills or equipment I knew my options were limited.
Wood would likely work but didn't seem like a good choice and cutting and bolting metal together seemed expensive and tedious.
PVC maybe? I couldn't really find anything online that made me feel good about it but it's relatively inexpensive and easy to work with.
So I gave it a shot. I used 1 1/2" pipe and plastic roofing panels for the cover. It is bolted to to the ROPS using U bolts so I didn't have to compromise the roll bar integrity by drilling.

Overall I am very pleased. It is light weight, holds up well to the vibrations and certainly serves its purpose.
All together for pipe, plastic panel and paint it cost about $60 to complete.

Nice looking canopy!

 

[FTG-05]

Why are there companies out there that sell canopies that refuse to just GIVE YOU A PRICE... (ibullmfg.com comes to mind, no listed price and they won't give you a quote without giving them your email or phone number... what a waste of time!)

I guess I'll make my own, I like the roof on this version, it's pretty ingenious, but I'll probably make the frame out of metal for mine.

Rimguard does the same thing except it's just to find out where their nearest dealer is. It's forking moronic.

 

[npalen]

Nice design and build! Is that PVC drain pipe?

 

[kthompson]

Some companies use a computer system that requires the email address or mailing address before it will quote. They figure shipping or what warehouse it is coming from or such that to them they need the info. Others use the email address as your customer number so if you were to call back later they can pull what you were looking at which could benefit you in not having to keep up with the item number or such.

I have an email address that I call my spam email that I use with them or really anyone I think that will be sending me junk email or reselling it and I also use an adjoining zip code for my town. In my business have recently noticed have many companies who I use their web site in my business are moving to us using our email address and not an agent number or name as was the standard till very very recently.

Forgot the rest I wanted to post...

As to wind when hauling have heard some sad stories, don't like to haul my cab tractor facing forward either but do lock the doors on it. If you must haul your tractor facing forward you could run ratchet straps over it. Aluminum makes a very good roof panel and it bare helps reflect heat. May have problem getting one but road signs are strong and they do have old ones that are replaced. Once in while my son in law who works for county road dept can get one. On any canopy watch for sharp edge and your head. Course same is need for lights on them also...know that too well.

 

[dennisB]

Brilliant design. I live in North Alabama and about to pick up my RK24 and the rops is too tall for my garage so I will likely need to find a way to make the canopy lower and this may work.

 

[paulsharvey]

The price of some of those canopy are ridiculous. I just finished building a 12x12 post and metal roofed "tractor port" for $170 for wood/screws/concrete for the posts, and $101 for the metal. Some of the fabric and pvc ones are more than my permanent metal one.