Welding onto the ROP

[JimMorrissey]

I want to easily attach and detach (if broken) some lights to my ROP. I don't want to drill it, but welding some fairly thin metal to it doesn't seem like the end of the world. I can then attach my light to the welded hangers. Can anyone give me a good reason why not to......aside from some legal reasons. Will the heat compromise the integrity? I kind of doubt it, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks, Jim

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Jim, if not done right, the welding will weaken the ROPS. If you really need to have it done, find a certified welder to do it. It's not worth taking a chance. Oh, and drilling holes also weakens it a bit, but not nearly as much. Depending on the size of the hole. Just my $.02.

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

 

[jims5acr]

I have thought about doing the same thing except I was going to drill very small holes and use self tapping metal screws, maybe 2 per light and put on 2 lights. Anybody added any lights?

 

[rbargeron]

To answer your question directly, either welding or drilling is ok. I drilled and tapped my ROPS to attach work lights (tubing is about 3/16" thick).

I have also gotten my ROPS modified - had it shortened it a couple inches so it would clear 90" door heads - this involved pretty extensive cutting and re-welding so the fender flange spacing was preserved. With some material addition and good welding prep and technique, the ROPS is stronger now than it was before.

On my Kubota tractors the ROPS tubing material is not hardened - it cuts and welds like a regular low-carbon steel, with no unusual sensitivity to welding heat. The material is steel tubing with decent strength properties, but not exotic.

From some experience I have in stress analysis, drilling a 3/8" diameter hole in the middle of any flat surface of a ROPS would have no measureable effect on its strength.

Regarding liability for mods to a ROPS, life's too short to worry about it. If you make a home-grown folding one, you can expect some legal hamsters to yammer if there's an incident where it collapses - but they will anyway. The real function of a ROPS is to keep the tractor off you in a rollover. They are very strong and not made of glass - welding and drilling within reason is ok.

 

[Bird]

Jim, I'm sure you know the manual says to not drill, cut, weld, or modify because of "product liability." You might weaken it (or you might not). Just as long as you understand that if you turn the tractor over and the ROPS collapses and you want to sue the manufacturer, you have greatly weakened your case./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif And I think you understand the situation. I drilled 4 little quarter inch holes in the ROPS on my last tractor./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Bird

 

[Oscar]

Jim,

I just added work lights to my L3710. I toyed with many different options, and read through many posts on different suggestions of how to mount work lights. There were a lot of good ideas. I was tempted to drill holes in my ROPS but after seeing how some other people mounted their lights I decided to mount my lights using square U bolts a two pieces of 2" angle iron. It turned out to be much easier and if I decide to remove them in the future I am not left with holes or ground off welds. The wiring was simple also as I used a three position toggle switch to control the lights. The back position turns the back flood lights on, the center position is off, and the front position turns the trapizoidal lights on. The switch mounted in an existing hole on the fender. This was a combination of several ideas that were posted on this forum, and it worked great. I enclosed a picture (although not a very good one) that shows the finished product.

 

[woodstock]

Why does everyone mount the lights at the top bar?
I too am going to install auxiliary lights and am considering mounting them on the side near the top.
Is this good or bad?
I have a shaved skull and already bang my head on enough things never mind adding more objects to knock my block on.

<font color=red>Winnipeg, Manitoba</font color=red>

2001 BX2200 (50 hrs)

 

[MikePA]

What would be wrong with mounting a light at the end of the FEL arm, right before the joint that goes down to the bucket? (see attached)

 

[rbargeron]

I like top inside corners of the ROPS for lights because you get best protection and higher lights give better illumination around the tractor. On my rig I put one facing forward, one back, with pushbutton switches in the bottom of the light housings - easy to reach. Power is from the worklight circuit red wire near the right tail light - ran the wire up through the ROPS - took some fishing. Very neat and so far have not banged my head on them, or wiped one off on a tree branch. The way I use my tractor, extra lights wouldn't last very long mounted anywhere else.

 

[JATO_RaT]

Mike great setup but you obviously don't use your loader like me. I'd give those lights 2 to 3 minutes before they were hanging from their wires. Thats another thing that bugs me about some loader manufactuers, I like having my hydraulic connections on the sides of the cylinders not the top. I often use the cylinders as part of a carrying platform for plywood etc with the bucket being the stop that holds the bottom of the material. As far as welding to the ROP's, not a problem provided you don't over heat the suface which for some little brackets for lights is going to be pretty tough. Weld or drill, you'll be OK. A mig welder will heat considerably less then a stick welder. Rat...

 

[MikePA]

Rat,

I haven't installed mine yet, the picture was a composite. My problem with mounting lights on the ROPS is that my ROPS is probably folded more than it's up since I have to fold it to get it into the garage and for some of my mowing in order to get under trees.

Mounting the lights on the fixed portion of the ROPS seems too low and too far back for lighting in front of the tractor. I was also thinking about mounting the lights on the vertical portion of the FEL.

Which of the 3 positions in the attached pic is best?

 

[Jeff396]

I just gotta wonder what good the lights on the FEL will be when it is in any other position than all the way down. It'd give you a pretty nice view of the trees though. What we really need is lights on the ROPS with one of those helmets they have in the Apache helicopters where they will aim wherever we are looking. But I suppose cost may be a bit of an issue.

Jeff

2001 B7500HSD, LA302 FEL, 60"mmm, grass catcher

 

[JimMorrissey]

rbargeron, what kind of lights did you buy and where did you get them? Also, exactly how did you fish the wires up through the ROPS? Both lights are mounted off the one work light wire under the seat?

 

[JimMorrissey]

Rat, That's exactly what I wanted to do....mig weld a little bracket on there. Done in minutes.

 

[MikePA]

With the lights on the horizontal FEL arms, the relationship between the lights and the bucket would stay the same. IOW, if the lights are aimed to point just over the bucket they would always point just over the bucket even as the FEL is lifted up and, as you mentioned, could end up pointing skyward /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

Thinking out loud here...this would mean the lights would illuminate whatever you're plowing or loading into the bucket. As you raise the FEL, for transporting the load (low to the ground) they'd illuminate the path ahead of you. The only time they'd be useless is when you raise the FEL.

Thoughts/comments?

 

[JimMorrissey]

Mike, You highjacked my post

 

[MikePA]

Hmmm, I do seem to have a number of posts in this thread! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif What else are fellow MCSEs for?

Not being a welder, I am looking at attaching the lights with screws (ROPS) or using double sided foam tape. Many of the aftermarket driving/fog lights use this tape as does the new Tiltmeter mounting bracket.

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya
well like alot of people with FEL's where to put lights is a prob years ago i though of sticking lights up front on the loader mast but like someone else kinda hinted ya will hit them with sticks etc etc unless ya mount them in a bit of box steel and mesh the front also when ya take ya loader of there goes ya lights too..mid mounting on the loader frame(part that stays with tractor)is ok but ya get a bit of glear (?)off the side of ya tractor but lights stay with ya loader on or off..on top of ROPS good place but same kinda deal with trees and if in wrong place ya get some funny shadows being cast on buildings if ya head gets in the way ie with earmuffs and from a certian angle ya look like mickey mouse!!!or batman's call sign depanding on haircut....kinda a tough one with no loader no probs stick them above front axle on side of tractor ,no glear and light where ya want to go very well ....with loader on 99%of the time maybe a steel mounting box to protect lenes and mounted on loader mast could be a winner light when ya working and follows bucket for tipping ,if moveing tractors main lights will replace addon lights when loader is rased
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[JATO_RaT]

Mike, oddly enough, I rarely use my tractor when its dark, but I'm sure that when one does, you cannot have to much light. I think just quickly looking at your picture with the 3 lights, either the one right at the loader/lift attachment point would be good because you have quick access to readjust, I could see several problems though from glare off the hood and possible view blocking. I don't see why you could not attach them to the folded part of the ROP's since you will use the ROP's in the up position whenever your using the tractor at least I would assume. You could easily route the wire to handle this. Good ideas you have, Rat...

 

[rbargeron]

Jim - answering your question above, the lights are inexpensive little utility lights - sealed beams, about 4" diameter bulbs, in rubber housings with a pivoting metal mount, I think they came from Harbor Freight or Northern Hydraulics or some such source - have had them on the shelf for years. They are about 30 watts each - not a huge amount of light - but quite adequate. They are both powered by the one red wire - on my tractor this is a heavy wire fused with 15a so could handle 150 to 180 watts. Each is separately grounded to the ROPS. I drilled a small hole at the bottom of the ROPS tube just above the flange and fed the wire up and over. My ROPS had two 5/8" holes on the sides - useful for fishing a smaller pull-wire through. For mounting the lights, I drilled a 21/64" hole and ran a 3/8" tap through it - worked fine. Drilled another smaller hole for the power wire at each location. Guess I better get a digital camera so I can post some pics. I used some rugged wire with thick insulation so grommets weren't needed where it passes thru the ROPS.