Shorter ROPS?

[Msamt]

Heard an urban legend that people have cut the bottom 3 or so onches off a DK ROPS, to fit under an 8 foot garage door. Truth or legend? risks?

 

[davrow]

It is common to shorten the ROPS. Some manufacturers use the same ROPS on multiple models, making them out-of-proportion tall in some cases. In my opinion, as long as it is tall enough to protect you in a roll-over it is okay.

Try this thread for a recent one: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/308578-anyone-ever-had-their-rops.html

A google search for the topic provides TBN threads from 2008, 2010 and more.

I don't know anything Kioti DK specific, though.

 

[George2615]

It has been done before but at your own risk. Some say never to cut, drill, or weld on a ROPS. If I had an open station with a tall ROPS that needed to be shortened I would cut and re-weld my own but would never do it for anyone else for liability reasons but that's just me. The risks are if you cut and re-weld and your welds don't hold in case of an accidental rollover you could be killed. Manufacturers design there ROPS to protect the operator and any modification could compromise that safety.
My cab tractor is 93" tall. When I built my pole barn addition I wanted a 9' high insulated door. Door Co. had an 8'6" door in stock for a much lower price (they ordered it for a customer who cancelled the order and wanted to get rid of it). Cab clears my opening by 3-4". The DK must have a tall ROPS

 

[Msamt]

Thanks, read a lot of the split JD ROPS threads, but the DK seems so much simpler, and the few inches seem like it couldn't make a huge differerence.

 

[ray66v]

The height of a ROPS is determined by federal regulation.

It calls for 30" from the part of the seat you sit on, to the ROPS, with the seat adjusted in the highest position it can be put in.

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=18478

 

[murphy1244]

Your link is bad

 

[davrow]

Manufacturers design there ROPS to protect the operator and any modification could compromise that safety.

I've heard this often on TBN, but I don't believe it. As ray66v says, it is designed to meet Federal regulations so they can sell the tractor. They wouldn't put them on at all if they were not required to do so. Our money is important to them, our safety... I don't believe it enters their minds. (see GM for substantiation of my beliefs. No action on deadly faults until government stepped in)

Murph, I think this is the link he was trying to provide: OSHA ROPS Regs

 

[ray66v]

Your link is bad

Thanks. I fixed it.

 

[murphy1244]

Thanks. I fixed it.

Thanks Ray, Where the heck did you find the 30" rule?? I went thru it and did not see it.

 

[Coyote machine]

ROPS are effective only when the seat belt is worn in conjunction with the ROPS. Depending on how much one removes of the ROPS, it may end up not being high enough to keep your head from being the nail and the ground being the hammer.:confused3:

 

[ray66v]

Thanks Ray, Where the heck did you find the 30" rule?? I went thru it and did not see it.

The easiest place to see it is, if you look at the dimensions in one of the drawings, you will see the space I referred to as "e". And later, you will see e=30".

I read the part about the highest setting the seat can be set at, either in there somewhere, or one of the other documents I found when I search this, a while ago.

The part about the highest setting the set can be set at, explains why the ROPS is higher on a subcompact that has a backhoe, than the same tractor without it. This is because the seat raises to a higher position, to operate the backhoe.

 

[George2615]

I've heard this often on TBN, but I don't believe it. As ray66v says, it is designed to meet Federal regulations so they can sell the tractor. They wouldn't put them on at all if they were not required to do so. Our money is important to them, our safety... I don't believe it enters their minds. (see GM for substantiation of my beliefs. No action on deadly faults until government stepped in)

Murph, I think this is the link he was trying to provide: OSHA ROPS Regs

Here is the excerpt from the Federal ROPS guideline pertaining to altering ROPS.
(2) Alterations or repairs on ROPS shall be performed only with approval from the ROPS manufacturer or under the instructions of a registered professional engineer with knowledge and experience in ROPS design. The manufacturer or engineer shall certify that the ROPS meets the applicable performance requirements.
MSHA - Code of Federal Regulations - 30 CFR 56.14130
As I mentioned I would alter my own if I had to but I doubt if I could get a ROPS manufacturer to re-certify it. I don't wear my seat belt either.

 

[murphy1244]

Ray, so your saying the dimension is from the bottom of the seat to the top of the bar is 30"s? That's not very tall.

 

[ray66v]

Ray, so your saying the dimension is from the bottom of the seat to the top of the bar is 30"s? That's not very tall.

Here is one example where The height dimension is mentioned:

(e) Performance requirements. (1) General requirements. (i) The
frame, overhead weather shield, fenders, or other parts in the operator
area may be deformed in these tests, but shall not shatter or leave
sharp edges exposed to the operator, or encroach on the dimensions
shown in Figures C-2 and C-3, and specified as follows:

d = 2 in. (51 mm) inside of the frame upright to the vertical
centerline of the seat;
e = 30 in. (762 mm) at the longitudinal centerline;
f = Not greater than 4 in. (102 mm) to the rear edge of the crossbar,
measured forward of the seat-reference point (``SRP'');
g = 24 in. (610 mm) minimum; and
m = Not greater than 12 in. (305 mm), measured from the seat-reference
point to the forward edge of the crossbar.

If you refer to Illustrations C-1, and C-2 you will see dimension "e" shown from the top of the part of the seat you sit on, to the bottom of the ROPS bar. That is consistent in the other illustrations of dimension "e", except in W-15, where they are talking about the dimension measured after the ROPS has been distorted, due to a side load being applied.

The 30" seems to be a set standard in this document. I do not know if this is the current standard. Or, a minimum standard.

Since you are making me read it, instead of sleeping, here is one place where they mention the position of the seat, for the measurement:

The seat-reference point shall be determined with the seat unloaded and adjusted to the highest
and most rearward position provided for seated operation of the tractor.

 

[Fuggley]

I leave the adjustable ROPS on my CK on the mid/45 degree setting. I figure they built it with an adjustable setting, so half way up must provide some degree of protection on a compact size tractor. Not much safety literature available on the mid point adjustment that I could find.

 

[ray66v]

Not much safety literature available on the mid point adjustment that I could find.

I think that is your answer.

From what I saw during my research, the government is considering requiring a self deploying ROPS, in lew of folding ones, due to the fact that they are not being used as intended.

The self deploying ROPS would operate like an airbag does, and extend in the event of a rollover.

The cost added to a tractor for this, will likely be high. They could also require replacement after a certain interval of time, to maintain them.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/awards/hamilton/pdfs/deploy-rops.pdf

 

[square1]

All Safety Regs aside. If you have a light bar on your ROPS, lowering the height will bring the lights more into your field of vision which can be an annoyance when watching the work being performed behind the tractor or your path while in reverse.

 

[BKBoiss]

If you can weld any sort of decent I would not give it a second thought. Cut it, put a sleeve inside bevel it up nice and leave like an 1/8th of an inch gap so your weld goes down to the sleeve, a sanding wheel to clean it up nice and some paint. You can only tell where mine is cut when the sun shines the right way on the joint or you really look for it. That being said I took out five inches just below the curve at the top making sure I left enough strait stuff for the sleeve. With that little bit of leverage on the joint it would have to be a pretty bad accident to make it fail. In which case I'm pretty sure that would be the least of my worries.

 

[ray66v]

If you can weld any sort of decent I would not give it a second thought. Cut it, put a sleeve inside bevel it up nice and leave like an 1/8th of an inch gap so your weld goes down to the sleeve, a sanding wheel to clean it up nice and some paint. You can only tell where mine is cut when the sun shines the right way on the joint or you really look for it. That being said I took out five inches just below the curve at the top making sure I left enough strait stuff for the sleeve. With that little bit of leverage on the joint it would have to be a pretty bad accident to make it fail. In which case I'm pretty sure that would be the least of my worries.

You are probably right. However, the liability you accept once you do that, needs to be understood, and mitigated. Especially when selling the tractor.

It may not fail in a rollover. But, the difference in height could be a factor in an injury to someone.

Or, perhaps enough for an attorney to convince a jury it mattered.

 

[BKBoiss]

You are probably right. However, the liability you accept once you do that, needs to be understood, and mitigated. Especially when selling the tractor.

It may not fail in a rollover. But, the difference in height could be a factor in an injury to someone.

Or, perhaps enough for an attorney to convince a jury it mattered.

. Yeah that is true. In my case I did check the height before I cut it and even after 5 inches removed it's about 10 or 12 inches above my head. As far as selling it the only time that will happen is if my son decides to get rid of it after he gets it in the will. In which case I doubt I will really have to worry about it.