Welding guard on tractor with HF flux wire welder

[Sodo]

The ROPS is frickin strong. If holes or little tacks could make a spit of difference on the structural integrity of the ROPS it wouldn't be a ROPS. Drilling BIG holes like 1" diameter etc, close to the bends,,,,,maybe. But who would do THAT? Quarter-inch, 5/16, 3/8" holes in the straight sections will have ZERO effect on the structural integrity.

I'd be MUCH more worried about grinding marks & birdpoop devaluing a $20,000 tractor. Bolting could be cleaner. I'd just get the steel, fold the ends so there's a one-inch 90* flange. Sorta like this guy, except with bent flanges sitting flat up against the ROPS. Paint it and bolt it on - thru the holes, with washers, a 1/4" bolt+washer every 8 inches or so. Drill & tap, or use Rivnuts, would look the cleanest. Here's 25 rivnuts for $5 on eBay.

You COULD drill thru and use a bolt+nut but it would look much cleaner if you tap it or use Rivnuts. Search YOUTUBE with this "youtube rivnut". Do a couple test-holes on material similar to your ROPS thickness, and you'll understand them, then go to the ROPS. Or Tap it. Tapping it is by far the quickest if you are a tapper.

Square U-Bolts is straightforward and non-invasive - you can take it all off. But to make it look good you will HAVE to take it all off. Which you can do if you sell it.

 

[muddstopper]

Not trying to get into a Peeing contest with anybody, but anyone that says welding on anything with electronics without unhooking the battery isnt a problem, just hasnt ever burnt up $10grand worth of computer boards. I had it happen, twice. Of course that was a specialized piece of equipment and not a farm tractor. Just a fact that all the electronic control modules dont like electrical discharge. If you have a old 8n tractor, you can get away with not unhooking the battery. This new stuff with all the electronic control modules, you might get lucky and you might not. Hooking the ground as close to whats being welded helps, but isnt a guarantee. Unhooking the battery dont take much time and can save you hundreds in repair cost.

As for welding the expaned metal to the rops, not a good ideal. Making all those tack welds along the edge of the expanded metal will warp the rops. I would make a frame out of angle and weld the expaned metal to the angle, then bolt the angle onto the rops. this way if yo want to take the guard off, you just have to remove a few small bolts.

 

[OkieDave]

The ROPS is frickin strong. If holes or little tacks could make a spit of difference on the structural integrity of the ROPS it wouldn't be a ROPS. Drilling BIG holes like 1" diameter etc, close to the bends,,,,,maybe. But who would do THAT? Quarter-inch, 5/16, 3/8" holes in the straight sections will have ZERO effect on the structural integrity.

Except that those welds are a place for rust to start forming (holes even moreso). What may be fine today won't necessarily be fine tomorrow.

I'd be MUCH more worried about grinding marks & birdpoop devaluing a $20,000 tractor. Bolting could be cleaner. I'd just get the steel, fold the ends so there's a one-inch 90* flange. Sorta like this guy, except with bent flanges sitting flat up against the ROPS. Paint it and bolt it on - thru the holes, with washers, a 1/4" bolt+washer every 8 inches or so. Drill & tap, or use Rivnuts, would look the cleanest. Here's 25 rivnuts for $5 on eBay.

You COULD drill thru and use a bolt+nut but it would look much cleaner if you tap it or use Rivnuts. Search YOUTUBE with this "youtube rivnut". Do a couple test-holes on material similar to your ROPS thickness, and you'll understand them, then go to the ROPS. Or Tap it. Tapping it is by far the quickest if you are a tapper.

Square U-Bolts is straightforward and non-invasive - you can take it all off. But to make it look good you will HAVE to take it all off. Which you can do if you sell it.

Noninvasive is good.

 

[California]

'HF flux-core welder' is what caught my eye. The 110 volt, 90 amp AC model? I think you need to be a skilled welder to do decent work with that one. I got better over time with mine but not to the point where I would build safety gear with it.

 

[Shield Arc]

I bought this several years ago, haven't had the opportunity to use it yet. Guys who weld on cars all the time swear by them.

 

[NTG]

Zip tied it on today and it worked great. It'll need to be on the back side instead of the front for maximum strength, but I'll have to trim my expanded metal to go around stuff. I agree that a removable piece is the way to go and that's what I'll do. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[dieselcrawler]

Sodo, thanks for sharing the link to my picture, my photobucket app has been messed up, which is hurting my picture sharing abilities!

I've welded on a bunch of later model pickup trucks at work, can't remember ever disconnecting a battery, and never a problem. However, I'm VERY careful to have a very clean ground, as close as possible to my weld area.

In this case, I would think the square u-bolts, perhaps 3 per side, would be the most reasonable option. I have made all the mods to my tractor without drilling or grinding any factory paint, except the loader bucket (hooks and forks mounts).

 

[dragoneggs]

You should consider making a frame that is removable. The expanded metal can be welded to the frame and the frame bolted to the ROPS.

Or use Click Bond studs bonded to the ROPS. No holes, no hot work. This how I mounted lights and also ammo boxes to my FEL towers. Get them at electricalhub.com.

 

[newbury]

Zip tied it on today and it worked great. It'll need to be on the back side instead of the front for maximum strength, but I'll have to trim my expanded metal to go around stuff. I agree that a removable piece is the way to go and that's what I'll do. Thanks for all the suggestions!

View attachment 500727

Looks good.
Keep an eye on those zip ties. I'd be concerned about the metal cutting through them when bouncing around.

 

[Sodo]

Back to the old grind....