DIY my own non-ROPS

WorkingDad · Apr 29, 2019

I m not having any luck finding a ROPS system for my tractor ( 91 Ford 250c). From what I have read, making your own is very frowned upon, but I would really like something to provide some shade and mount some work lights to. Is there any issue with fabricating a ROPS like system that I know is not intended for protection?

super99 · Apr 29, 2019

It's your tractor, you can do anything you want to it, just don't call it a ROPS. Chris

moresmoke · Apr 29, 2019

The issue would be that something halfway strong enough to be a ROPS could trap you on the tractor if it should roll and collapse onto you.

neverfear · Apr 29, 2019

Have you checked with any salvage yards? Just a quick Google search shows almost all of those tractors equipped with one.
I would think there's a few in the scrap heap by now?

Adirondack case guy · Apr 29, 2019

I have fabricated a number of 2 post canopy's and fully enclosed cabs. I make no claims at all, that they
are ROPS protection. They are protection from the sun and weather, and that is it!!!
Loren

Adirondack case guy · Apr 29, 2019

It helps to be smarter than the piece of equipment that you are using and know it's limitations. Some people ARE---Some ARN"T
Loren

docmirror · Apr 29, 2019

(quoted from post at 17:54:19 04/29/19) It helps to be smarter than the piece of equipment that you are using and know it's limitations. Some people ARE---Some ARN"T
Loren

I think this is somewhat disingenuous. Accidents happen. The only 'almost' roll over I saw was a backing tractor off a trailer, and the left ramp just snapped in two. Of course, one can always use reducto ad absurdem to 'prevent' any accidents at all. A tractor which is never started, never run, never driven will never kill anyone. But a tractor like that never gets any work done either.

Seatbelts and air bags are installed in cars not because of the way I drive, but because of the way others drive.

rustred · Apr 29, 2019

I am quite any fabrication welder can put that together for you. its not like he will build them out of exhaust pipe. your tractor. before any of this ROP stuff they just used an umbrella.

Destroked 450 · Apr 29, 2019

(reply to post at 19:11:23 04/29/19)

250C is a industrial model of a 4610 ag tractor.
ROPS for a 4600, 4610, 3930, 4630 will all fit, you should be able to find one.
One can build a suitable ROPS using the proper material, I have one older rigid and one folding ROPS.
Both use 1" thick base plates mounted to the axle with 4 - 3/4" bolts thru the stabilizer bracket and a 3/4" flat bar.
6x2 box tubing 3/16 wall fully welded to the base will work for the uprights, a small hole drilled near the bottom on the 2" side allows any moisture to drain.
The old rigid has a 4" schedule 40 pipe going thru and welded to the uprights.
The pipe is also filled with sand to prevent it from bending.

Can't say how much it leans back or the height without taking some measurements.

INCase · Apr 29, 2019

i would concur. proper materials assembled well and attached to the tractor well would be better than nothing. no maybe not "truely safe" but would at least slow the roll over down, or prevent complete roll over from occurring. some of the manufactured ones you see don't look all that heavy. remember the rule of ROPS. ROPS wear your seatbelt. no ROPS no seatbelt.

I built one for my Case 800 but never finished it as I made it too tall to fit in garage and never/haven't gotten around to shortening it.

there is an outfit that builds ROPS for older tractors. you could also as others mentioned find one from a similar tractor and modify/adapt it. or at least walk around and see as many designs as you can to get ideas.

if you want a folding one copy a kubota style design but of course make heavy enough for your tractor.

INCase · Apr 29, 2019

hey how did you attach your "ROPS" to your 730?

on my 800 i used 1" plate with 4 holes. 1 set of holes the fender went on top of and the fender U-bolt went thru and had a 2nd set of fender U-bolts to go thru the other 2 holes. the 800/eagle hitch tractors probably have more room for that without the platform like the Comfort Kings.

flying belgian · Apr 29, 2019

super99 has it right. Do what ever you want.

ghostdncr · Apr 30, 2019

Interesting sets of plans found in this thread: https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=954857 for the Ford 8N, 3000, 4000, and MF135 . These were engineered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and are in the public domain, free to view and download. You might find some useful ideas there.

Keith Molden · Apr 30, 2019

And a tractor rolling or landing upside down on you without any rops will mash you too. So in my poor old dumb mind, something is better than nothing tho only 2 of my tractors have rops or cabs. and 2 of them without are the KILLER tricycle front end type and I operate them on hills. As Loren said, you have to have some common sense when operating anything.

Geo-TH,In · Apr 30, 2019

Will you add seat belt?
You flip a tractor you'll go flying.
I flipped a Farmall H when I was a kid.

rrlund · Apr 30, 2019

I'd think twice about putting work lights on something like that if you plan to run it in the summer. All you'll do is attract bugs to the operator area. If it's a sun shade you want,buy one of those buggy top sun shades.

Ultradog MN · Apr 30, 2019

It kind of surprises me that more people
aren't willing to build their own.
They aren't magical. Just some steel and
good welding skills.
IF you flip your tractor and IF your
home made rops fails or IF you aren't
wearing a seatbelt with it or IF you get
unlucky in your overturn I suppose you
might die.
That's too many IFs to worry about imo.

Hobo,NC · Apr 30, 2019

Same here Dawg... I added a canopy to my Bota a couple weeks ago its a nice addition for a old man with a bald head... I like it so much I am gonna put one on my lawn mower... If I tear it up so be it...

moresmoke · Apr 30, 2019

No ROPS = no seat belt. The hope is that you will get thrown clear of the tractor. An added structure gets in the way of that.

JL Ray · Apr 30, 2019

Build it. Years ago a neighbor was killed mowing road sides. I was doing the exact same thing. I went out and built mine after that and feel very good about what I built. First off I went to the local dealers and look at what was on tractors twice the size of my little super 55 Oliver. Then I built what was way heavier that I felt was needed. I'm guessing the tractor will break in half before the home built section fails. I also have added a seat belt.

rrlund · Apr 30, 2019

good welding skills.

That's it right there. Would trust it if I welded it? Me either. LOL

dpendzic · Apr 30, 2019

there is a lot of design that goes into a ROPS that will not collapse when the tractor rolls over, so i suspect that is one of the reasons homemade ROPS aren't common. Simple canopy's for shade and minor branches are very more common--

Ultradog MN · Apr 30, 2019

I would have zero qualms about a design/build on a simple rops for any of my tractors.

oldtanker · Apr 30, 2019

I agree. Biggest problem I see with that is some guys and that ole scrap pile. Local guy here has a bunch of round steel tubing that was used for docks. Really thin walled. Be OK for a canopy but downright inadequate for a ROPS! Then there is the need for a seat belt.

Was kinda dumb. The Army was replacing the M151 Mutt (jeep) with the HMMUV . The Hummer had built in ROPS and seat belts (great for training and really dumb for combat where exiting quickly is extremely important under fire). Some genius decided that all M151's would be upgraded to a ROPS and seat belts (keeping in mind that they had no plans of selling these things on the civilian market as they were phased out). We had ours upgraded. Did one field exercise and turned them in for the Hummers about 6 months after the upgrade. During that field exercise the BN XO's driver died in a roll over because he wasn't wearing the seat belt. Jeep went over, he came out of the seat and the roll bar crushed his head. The XO was not in the jeep at the time and friends of the driver made statements that the driver often complained that the XO made him wear the seat belt when the XO was in the vehicle.

Rick

ss55 · Apr 30, 2019

Are you thinking of building a canopy or a ROPS? The two are completely different.

rrlund · Apr 30, 2019

I know my own limitations. LOL

SVcummins · Apr 30, 2019

When in doubt over build is my motto . I see how
things are made at the factory and then use thicker
metal and use bigger and more bolts and more
bracing . An engineers job is to find out just how
week and how cheap they can build it without failure
of the part within a set limit of time or the warranty
period . A rops structure is no different although
they will do a lot more testing and designing to
figure out what. works

paul · Apr 30, 2019

So, you want a bracket to hang stuff from.

Don?t try to build it to look like a roll over frame? Build it to hold a few things you clamp to it.

You don?t want it to look like it?s strong enough to be a ROPS when it isn?t...... that?s when bad things can happen, people feel bold when they have some protection
around thrm, and the. Turns out it rolls over flat as a pancake and you would feel real bad.....

Paul

buickanddeere · Apr 30, 2019

It is a delicate line between a rips that is so stiff and strong that an axle casting or bell housing snaps . Vs a rops that is too weak and squashes .
The rops has to flex, spring and give a little to absorb the impact energy .
As previously stated. There has to be a factory built rops out there .
Wear the seatbelt with a rops . I would have been squashed without a seatbelt when the excavator I was operating rolled when the embankment collapsed.
Sort of surreal hanging upside down like a potbellied bat .

Destroked 450 · Apr 30, 2019

I disagree.
If you built something out of thin wall exhaust tubing that obviously wouldn't be strong enough to support a riding mower, someone will think it'll stop a tractor.
Build it out of material strong enough to resist allowing a complete roll over.
Even if it bends, as long as it prevents the tractor from rolling over and crushing me that's a plus.

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