Go Bottom

Grey Market and the ROPs falicy

View my Photos
tsterkel
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 45 Texas
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2006-02-07          124168


Just a clarification, actually two.

1. I would not buy a used tractor, without ROPs, or the ability to get one. Do not assume that ROPs is available, get a written confirmation.

2. Gray or not is irrelevant. Over 90% of the used tractors around here are "ROPs-less" and nearly none (< 1%) are Grey Market, because the Greys have not been in this market long enough to make a presence as "previously owned".

Conclusion. ROPs is important, ensure that you get one with the purchase or an early install. ROPs-less is still more of a non-Grey tractor problem in the "previously owned" market.




Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Grey Market and the ROPs falicy

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2006-02-07          124172


Just a clarification to your clarification, just to be clear about it.

Your second statement "Gray or not is irrelevant." is a little misleading, or in some cases just plain wrong.

If you are a homeowner working in your backyard, it is correct, but if you, or an employee, is using the tractor for work, then it is wrong.

OSHA requires that any tractor built after a certain date be equipped with a ROPS, period, if it is used for work. They do not care in what country it was built, and what the requirements in THAT country were.

Older models, NA-built or otherwise are exempt for the most part, but certainly not all cases.

Best of luck. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Grey Market and the ROPs falicy

View my Photos
tsterkel
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 45 Texas
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2006-02-07          124173


all my comments are relevant to "purchase" of a "previously owned" tractor. Extrapolation to other use cases is at your risk. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Grey Market and the ROPs falicy

View my Photos
greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2006-02-07          124174


If a gray market tractor has no ROPS, it's a dead giveaway that it is 21 or more years old. Except as exempted below, that's a reasonably universal statement.

From the horses mouth, unchanged since issued in 1984:
ASAE 5383.1 ROPS Regulations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued these regulations for ROPS:

"Agricultural tractors manufactured after October 25, 1976, shall meet the following requirements:

1. A roll-over protective structure (ROPS) shall be provided by the employer for each tractor operated by an employee.
2. Where ROPS are required by this section, the employers shall:
1. Provide each tractor with a seat belt that meets the requirements of SAE standard J4C;
2. Ensure that each employee uses the seat belt and tightens the belt sufficiently to confine the employee."

Exempted Uses

* Low profile tractors used in orchards, vineyards or hop yards where the vertical clearance requirements substantially interfere with normal operations and their use is incidental to the work performed.
* Low profile tractors used inside a farm building or greenhouse in which the vertical clearance is sufficient to allow a ROPS equipped tractor to operate, and their use is incidental to the work performed.
* Tractors used with mounted equipment that is incompatible with ROPS (e.g., cornpickers, cotton strippers, vegetable pickers and fruit harvesters).

Definitions

Agricultural tractor means a two- or four-wheel drive vehicle, or track vehicle of more than 20 engine horsepower, designed to furnish the power to pull, carry, propel or drive implements that are designed for agriculture. All self-propelled implements are excluded.

Low profile tractor means a wheeled tractor possessing the following characteristics:

* the front wheel spacing is equal to the rear wheel spacing, as measured from the centerline of each right wheel to the centerline of the corresponding left wheel;
* the clearance from the bottom of the tractor chassis to the ground does not exceed 18 inches;
* the highest point of the hood does not exceed 60 inches; and
* the tractor is designed so that the operator straddles the transmission when seated.

//greg//
....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Grey Market and the ROPs falicy

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2006-02-07          124178


Thanks Greg, I just couldn't think of the date, October 25, 1976.

It doesn't matter if the tractor is "previously owned" either.

If it was made after that date it MUST have a ROPS & seat belt, or be exempted.

BTW, it applies equally to homeowners in certain instances too. If you give the neighbours kid a few bucks to bush hog thr back 40 this requirement applies.

Anybody who gets a buck for the seat time is covered.

Best of luck. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



Grey Market and the ROPs falicy

View my Photos
muddy2
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2006-06-05          130511


ROPS will soon be available for most grey market tractors.
There is an Australian company called Hercules ROPS, that has a Distributor based in California. They supply certified ROPS for all the grey market brands and these ROPS will be available in the next 2-3 months.

You can contact their Distributor, Homestead Tractor on (760) 240-1062, to place your name on their waiting list. ....


Link:   Hercules ROPS Website

 

Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


   Go Top


Share This







Member Login