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 | SteveS
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 0 Windsor, CT 
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2000-05-08 16076
My tractor has the high ROPS and is about a foot too high to fit into my garage. I am trying to find out if it is ok to modify it in this way without compromising safety...Here goes.. My ROPS is round piping not the square tubing and I'm wondering if I could cut the ROPS low and weld on a sleeve the next size bigger with small holes drilled with which to install removable pins. That way I could pull the pins and take the top of the ROPS off to be able to park it in the garage. Sure would love those foldable ROPS. That is a nice option if it's available for your tractor!
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| Jerri Neese
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-09 16086
Steve,
What you proposes sounds OK. For those who like to sue, you would probably be doing yourself a disservice. The long story short is you will be responsible, and if that fits OK, then go ahead.
Sorry if I sound like I am preaching. I am one of those who believes in being responsible for my own actions and not in hiring a lawyer to blame someone else.
Jerri ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
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2000-05-09 16088
Steve, while I agree whole-heartedly with Jerri's comments, those who feel that way are VERY much a minority. If you modify the ROPS in ANY way you relieve the person who built it of ALL LIABILITY and assume it yourself. While this may not be a concern to you, it may prove expensive if you ever sell that tractor to someone else. In cutting the tube and welding it back you place a weak spot in it, if it were ever needed it may give out, or at least not perform as it was designed to. How convenient would it be if you only had one arm, if you were fortunate enough to survive a roll-over ? It would be far better if you wen't to your dealer and bought a fold-over ROPS, or removed & replaced it instead of modifying it. Best of luck. ....
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| KenB
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-09 16089
I agree with Murf. If you can't find a solution from a local dealer, you can try one of the following to replace or modify your ROPS:
Angus-Palm Industries (http://www.angus-palm.com/), (605) 886-5681
Custom Products of Litchfield (http://www.800cabline.com/), (800) 222-5463
Full-Vision (http://www.full-vision.com/), (316) 283-3344
Saf-T-Cab (http://www.saftcab.com/), (209) 268-5541
....
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| mbjacobs
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-09 16092
Steve, something to check if you modify your ROPS. My ROPS is a totally sealed unit, there is no way for water to get in or out. If yours is similar, and you cut it, you may want to drill a drain hole so water won't accumulate. ....
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| SteveS
Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 0 Windsor, CT
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2000-05-09 16120
Thanks to all! I really appreciate all views and opinions. I'm gonna hold off for now on modifying my ROPS but if I ever decide to do otherwise I always accept full responsibilities for my actions and would never try to put the blame on someone else if something bad would ever happen. I will check to see if foldable or lower ROPS are available for my tractor. Now... just maybe... if I let the air out of my back tires... just maybe... :-) Thanks again everyone! ....
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| Craig Dashner
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-10 16145
Steve,
Good welds do not introduce a weak spot in steel, actually the weld material is usually stronger than the steel you are welding. Any breaks occur near the weld, are usually defects in the weld itself or due to poor welding or preparation.
If you want to create a coller type there should not be a problem structurally(leagly is another matter) Make sure the next size up is as thick, if not thicker, than the orginal rops steel, and find a size that gives you a snug fit. Then the sleeve will be stronger than the original material. You will want to use a "meaty" pin, not sure what size, but I wouldn't go too small with it. ....
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| MichaelSnyder
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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2000-05-10 16152
Sounds like everyone here is correct in some aspect. No doubt that safety and liability can be an issue, but being able to use a tractor where you need it is the whole reason you bought it. I fully agree with Craig, unfortunately welders can be purchased and used by anyone, and there lies the problem. While you cannot expect the manu'f to back a warranty on a part you modified, a well performed modification should have no need for such claim. Secondly, we buy our tractors for ourselves...other than Murf, who is in another situation entirely. NOT for the guy we MIGHT sell it to SOME DAY, therefore its my opinion that one should pursue what is necessary to perform a necessary task. If something like this is done, Lord only knows this country is overflowing with hungry lawyers who can draw up a release of liability agreement in which the buyer can choose to agree to or not to agree to. Worst case...you buy a new set of ROPS for resale. Not ideal financially, but it covers all bases. Lastly, do everyone a favor, especially yourself and have the project done by a professional fabrication house. Save the shade tree welders for fixing your favorite rake or shovel. As always.....OMO! ....
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| Kim Hartshorn
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-10 16153
ROPS subject is one that I find fascinating. The pat answer is to not modify your ROPS. I made mine...which does worry me some. But my reasoning went like this...I went down to the dealer and looked at original equipemtn rops on the new boomers. If you do this the question that jumps out is "Is that flimsy piece of bent tubing supposed to hold up this whole tractor!" If you look at the first ROPS that were installed on the tractors of the 80's they are very much beefier...made out of the same sort of structural steel I would get from the steel yard if I was going to make one. Somewhere along the line the engineers and the cost cutters must have gotten together and figured the margins. Now I assume that the current ROPS still have a significant safety factor built into the design. I believe the standard safety factor for human operator applications is 10x. Given all of that and the fairly light weight of my tractor $2500 it seemed completely plausible to me that I could design intuitively a ROPS that would keep my tractor off of me. Well I hope I am right, but it is very difficult to see the $600 that the manufacturers say is their cost for a ROPS on a small or compact tractor...even with their liability insurance factored in.
What I am getting at is that I cannot imagine that your alteration would impar the functioning of your ROPS...well I hope I am right :-)
Good Luck
Kim Hartshorn ....
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| Jerri Neese
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-10 16157
I agree with Kim, if nothing else discussion of ROPS are always interesting. The long story short is that if it were not for the litigous sorts (attorneys) we would have ROPS available for probably a third of the cost. We would likely save more lives or at the least prevent many injuries. We all dance around the same subject, that of liability and the placement of blame, and it is a shame. I am sure there is not a person here who would attempt to modify or build something dangerous. However, those things do happen and with the modern advent of sue, sue, sue, well you know where I am going. It really does seem a shame that we are more concerned with the placement of fault than the protection of people. It is my understanding that football helmets would cost about $50.00 if not for attorneys and $200.00 to $300.00 of their cost is for liability. I am an engineer and I must tell you that it is sad what is now designed. Based not on good engineering judgement, but more often than not,for the avoidance of liability. It would be very interesting to hear from any attorneys out there who enjoy their tractors, regarding their point of view. Sorry about droning on....Jerri ....
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| RobertN
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-11 16182
I too find this a interesting subject. I grew up around, and have always had at least one 4x4 around. Jeep's, trucks, ect.
The first thing we ever do is add a full cage on to the roll bar on open top vehicles like Jeep CJ5, Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser, ect. We usually have done our own, or take them to a 4x4 shop to have it done.
I have not heard of lawsuits coming back on the owner or the shop who built the cage addition. In the case of many trucks, a complete cage is added inside the cab. The local shop that I deal with builds roll bars and cages all the time. Often they are building the complete system from scratch.
I am fine with my ROPS, but would not hesitate to work on it to fit my needs. I would however, advise the use of a certified welder. ....
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| droz
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-12 16197
The question of modifying ROPS and the liability has nothing to do with how well it was made or your abilities. It has to do with how much money you have. If you have a mortgage and a few implements and sell a defective product maybe you would get fined but no lawyer would touch the case unless your insurance covers it. If you have some properties free and clear and are "rich", then you pay for it to be done "right". ....
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| Jerri Neese
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-05-12 16205
Droz, you may have hit on or said something we have not. That is the common factor of greed. Our attorney brethren will not take a case unless there is money, real money, big money to be made. Heaven forbid that you and I accumulate any real networth. We then become a target. It is very common in my field (Consulting Engineer), that if an owner is disatisfied with a projects construction or whatever they everyone is sued, the architect, all engineers, the general contractor, the sub contractors...anybody who has a buck. I realize this is off target with the discussion, and apologize for monopolizing everyones time. Jerri ....
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| MichaelSnyder
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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2000-05-12 16206
Droz,
I'm a little confused after reading your post. Hope I'm not being over sensitive here.. Your last statement makes it sound like only rich people's lives are "worth" having it done "right". Maybe I'm missing something here, but this is just like the guys who I ride motorcycle with. Some of them act like they are sooooo poor they can't afford the phone bill yet alone $500-$1,000 in personal safety gear (Helmet,leather jacket,pants,gloves). Yet they just laid down $7k-12K for a new sport bike??? NOT to mention...a sport bike isn't a NECESSITY but rather a NICETY! I also cannot imagine anyone here is prying pennies off the floor to buy food. If we can afford convenience items, we can afford a fraction more to protect the most valuable thing we've got. Ourselves, otherwise...what does any of this matter. ....
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