I have been kinda hesitant to post this mostly because of all the people that I know like to say "your not an engineer you can't build one of those" and "that's not safe since it wasn't made my someone certified".
I am very happy with the way it is turning out I like to share it with everyone.
First a little back story. My friend bought a new to him John Deere 2010. It did not have a ROPS on it. My friend and I are both volunteer firefighters. He is also a sheriff. Between the two of us we have seen more than enough tractor accidents to know that not having a ROPS is a bad idea.
So he brought this tractor to my house and here is what I have done. I am just in the painting stage now hoping for completion by the weekend.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/cage_start.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1491929713)
here is the start.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170412_184703.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1492085139)
this is the mount. I added 3/4" bar stock to make a nice tie down point or step or tow point.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170415_105301.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1492431218)
more progress.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170416_182055.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1492431220)
Mocking up the halo for the sun shade.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170423_160435.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493035793)
assembled sitting on the floor.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170423_191241.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493035795)
first step of painting.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170423_191306.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493035796)
more paint
Will post final pic when it leaves my shop.
hope everyone will enjoy this. Just felt like sharing.
8)
looks like you did a good job smiley_thumbsup :) and to all the ones who say it aint safe which would be safer what you built or nothing at all which is what it had :)
45 years agao i worked in a place that made tractor cab's my job was to weld the ROPS that went into them and to me it look's like you did a mighty fine job on that one 8)
Thanks. I am pretty proud of it. hopefully have the paint finished tonight and put it all together when I get home from work tomorrow.
Next project is reskinning a plow another person.
You will really like the roof for shade.
Nice job.
It looks a lot like my 2440 before the rops was put on.
It's a very stable tractor.
We had one incident where one of the boys was going too fast on a small side hill and hit a bump.
He said the tractor went up on two wheels.
Scared the dickens out of him. Drives like a perfect gentleman now.
Lol.
You're friend will appreciate the shade cover. Makes a huge difference.
I think it looks great it will all so help if you hit a tree and the top brakes out or a dead limb falls it wont hit you but may scare the crap out of you when it hits the top :D
Coxy that is the reason I chose the .095" aluminum. It should easily withstand a good size limb. the halo is made out of 1.75" .095 HREW. the main hoop is 2x6x.188. I think it will be plenty strong.
This is going to be his hay tractor but in this area of NY there is no such thing as a flat field.
after this build I am seriously thinking about taking the fiberglass sun shade off my Kubota and making a new one out of steel. The fiberglass one keeps getting busted up from hitting trees in the woods.
Ok. here it is. After way to many hours of painting it is complete.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170428_174330.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493482193)
Completed
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170428_152215.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493482400)
Here is the connection detail
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170428_174344.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493482385)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170428_174412.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493482276)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170428_174428.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493482307)
When I was putting the halo on I used a chain around the truss above just to support it. after I had all the bolts tight I could not remove the chain. That halo is quite a bit stronger and stiffer that I was expecting.
Make sure you add a seat belt or the "ROPS" is of little value except for the shade it provides.
Seat belt was installed before the ROPS.
here is the last pics. A very happy person drove it away yesterday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170429_191646.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493568358)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170429_191633.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493568395)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45059/20170429_191619.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1493568572)
now you have to paint the rest of the tractor :) just watch when your running under low limbs you don't catch one under the ROPS and rip it off if that becomes a problem you could you run small square stock down to the nose of the tractor like on a dozer or skidder to deflect the limbs
Hitting a low hanger will make you do a wheelie! :o
MM never thought of that
I did not either until I did. :o
Same as catching a yard limb with the ZT ROPS. I can positively assure you that your reflects are not quick enough to stop.
You could add branch sliders? I forget the forum member who had built those on his tractor.. I wanted to make some for my tractor too.
Can't say I've ever did it on a tractor but been there on a horse or two ::)
I never have caught a limb. BUT I have diffeant trees here too. On my trails I try to keep the limbs away from my tractor. One reason,which many of you don't have,snow. Don't need the snow dumping on me when I drive by.
If I needed limb risers,I would have them.
First time I bought a tractor with a rops on it and i tried parking in
the barn my front wheel kept lifting off the floor. I backed up and
mover over a foot thinking i was driving over something. Second
time I got off the see what I was driving over. there was nothing
under my front wheels but air.
:D :D :D the rops on my little ford tc24 folds down and thats were i leave it most of the time but i was using it on a new pond levee we had just built so i had it locked up and when i went to put it back in the shed i done the same thing ::) 3rd try i rememvered what the problem was :-[ :D :D :D
This tractor should mostly be a field tractor. otherwise I would have done the front also.
I tried to keep the height under 7' for just the reasons mentioned above :)
On an old Ford 1500 that came with a ROPS I got into brush hogging years ago. For that I made a brush slide that mounted to the front bumper and rose up and connected to the roof I had made attached to the ROPS. It ended up looking like a forestry model of one of the orange tractors that are out there. Not pretty but effective. It was removable so I only put it on when I was doing something that might get caught. I still have that tractor but no longer have the brush (limb) guard. That tractor is now a single purpose tractor, it has a "Weed Badger" mounted on it and I use it to cultivate or mow in my blueberry fields. Back when I was using it, it proved effective. The main slope upward was made out of 1.5" heavy wall black pipe and it had 3 cross ties made of 1" heavy wall black pipe. The welds were my first weld ever and looked real iffy but it never failed.