ROPS Pins

[Cliff_Johns]

The ROPS pins on my tractor are a bear to remove and put back in. Since I'm keeping the tractor in a regular garage right now, I have to put it up and down every time I do any work. I use a vice-grip and twist the pins while pulling hard and they eventually pull out. I pound them in, though I do not have to pound to hard.

The pins are standard 3/4" pins. What I was thinking was to replace them with the pins that have the big D handle on the end and a more sloped nose so they go in and come out easier. These pins are marketed as hitch pins.

Does this seem like an OK thing to do? The metal appears to be the same -- but that's only how they look and feel. The big D handles would really make my life a lot easier.

Cliff

 

[tough451]

My 451 Massey came with the D ring pins. As long as you have the same grade steel it shouldnt make a difference.

 

[To20Chris]

Mine are tough too. The ROPS is made in USA, I forget the make, and I'm sad to say the quality is noticeably poorer than the rest of the tractor. The fit of the pivot bolts in the holes is sloppier than it should be, and it seems that when the holes for the pin align on one side, they are off on the other, which makes the pin bind. I keep meaning to see if I can tweak it with the ROPS mounting bolts, but I don’t put mine down much, so it never seems to make it very high on the list! Also, I don’t know the correct torque values for the mounts, so I’m hesitant to mess with it. You may want to look at yours to see if something similar is causing the pin to bind.

I just looked at it again - it's a USA company, but it doesn't say where it's made.

 

[GerardC]

Mine were the same way when I got my tractor. I just took my Dremel and opened up the holes. They slide in and out with ease now. Piece of cake. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif G

 

[Kiohio]

Sometimes it helps to loosen all of the rops bolts and retighten them. There is always some wiggle room in them. You just have to get the clearance in the place you need it. Sometimes you do have to help them a little. Most ROPS are built by Full Vision out of Kansas(I think). You guys with CK20's: Take your upper roll bar off loosen all of the bolts then put it back on, wiggle it around a little to give proper clearance then tighten only the 3 bolts you can get to easily. Take the upper bar off again and tighten the last bolt. That should fix it without having to get out the "Dremel"

KO

 

[To20Chris]

Yes, that's who made it - here's my beef:

1. Sloppy fit of the main pivot bolts in the holes. This may be intentional, an attempt to allow for mis-allignment.

2. There are large burr/shavings around the holes - just painted right over. No attempt to clean it up between fabrication and painting.

3. I hate assemblies that pivot on the threaded portion of a bolt. could have used a shoulder bolt, or some appropriate fastener. It could also have a flatwasher or two - what are they, 1/2 a cent?

It's not awful, it works, it's just not what it could be.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 3. I hate assemblies that pivot on the threaded portion of a bolt. could have used a shoulder bolt, or some appropriate fastener. It could also have a flatwasher or two - what are they, 1/2 a cent?
)</font>

Now that's bad design in action...Guess they couldn't afford a bushing. .or a specialized long shank bolt.. or even a threade pin for that.. huh.. Makes you wonder what else was scrimped on.. then painted over..

Soundguy

 

[Kiohio]

Sad to say it is the American way of doing things. I love my country....it's just some of the people in it take no pride in the "Made in America" statement. Some of the American made stuff we have had I would be ashamed to see that sticker on it. Bolt holes to big are one thing we do to "make sure it fits".
This statement isn't meant to encompass ALL American companies, so please don't bash me for being un or anti-American. I am not.

KO

 

[Dave___in___CT]

Hi...


How about welding "D" handles onto the current bolts ?


Dave...

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hi...
How about welding "D" handles onto the current bolts ?
Dave... )</font>

That's an excellent idea! If I knew how to weld, I would do that.
Cliff

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hi...
How about welding "D" handles onto the current bolts ?
Dave... )</font>

I do have a question about that though. Does welding change the temper of the metal? Can it make it softer like regualr heating of metal can?
Cliff

 

[Dave___in___CT]

Hi...


I'd take it to a local welder/welding shop... they should know...
...and give you a price...

Dave...

 

[To20Chris]

You're not bashing - there is nothing wrong with expecting good design and execution. Where I work we design & manufacture industrial equipment - we're very picky on the design end, and so are the people in manufacturing. It's an attitude - those products are a reflection on us. When that connection to the customer is broken, the quality suffers.

 

[normde2001]

I'm sure each hole is large enough for the pin and it's a matter of hole alignment. Remove the pin, loosen the bolts, wrap masking tape around the pin to make it bigger diameter, replace the pin, tighten the bolts, shim plates if needed. With tape removed, pin should fit freely.

 

[To20Chris]

It's a, 1-1/2" head bolt that is also the pivot - even if the tape did center and align it, there is nothing to keep it there. The first time you folded it it would change.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I have to push a little on the ROPS and the pin slides easily. I haven't tried readjusting those bolts, but it seems logical. I would NOT grind out the holes, as you might end up with a lot of rattles, I'd rather have tight pins...

 

[Boondox]

I drilled mine out just slightly oversized so the pin would slide in and out easily, then tacked a big flat washer with a spring behind it to keep the pressure on. That virtually eliminated the rattle.

Pete

 

[PineRidge]

I hate rattles..... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

When I got my New Holland I ordered a Firebird fiberglass canopy installed on the ROPS. The canopy seemed to aggravate the vibration coming from the folding ROPS mating with the removable pins. Fortunately I keep my TC-40D housed in my pole barn and it has 10 foot overhead doors. So I immediately removed the pins and replaced them with grade 8 bolts and nuts and tightened them down hard. It immediately eliminated the excess noise and vibration coming from the folding ROPS and I'm now a happy camper.

 

[Junkman]

The BX Series have a anti rattle knob that you tighten after you put the pins in. This eliminates all rattles. My was so tight going up and down, I never had to use them. They are good to hand your hat on though..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[GerardC]

My Kioti CK20 has the same knob at each pin. It's a nice feature to have. G