Shorten, make foldable ROPS on L 5040

Treckerzeug

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Carraro tgf 7800 taijfun 4,5 t winch, trailer with crane, double bl saw
Apr 17, 2015
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Bavaria South Germany
Hello,

Didn't anyone of you shorten the ROPS on one of your grand L tractors?

I'd want it 4-5 inches lower to be able to leave it always upright.

The lower part under the traverse seems to be separated, any tips, hints?

I'm a reasanable welder and could cut and weld preferably the lower part.

Thanks for your tips/ideas.

Regards

Robert
 

ShaunRH

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May 14, 2014
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ROPS mods are usually treated as a 'no-no' since all the design and engineering is basically voided once you hit the thing with something that cuts and something that welds. All manufacturer responsibility for injury is also voided.

So, if you are okay with that, you can probably get away with the mods, however, it's probably a mistake to lower the height from the top. If you can control your heat input to the metal enough, you can resize it from where it bolts onto the frame. Heat control is a more intermediate-advanced welding concept and needs to be done to keep the integrity of the steel alloy's used in place, otherwise you need to increase the durability of the lower frame at the same time to make up for the loss of metal integrity.

This is why nobody welds onto a ROPS, they bolt on.

So, that's about all I have available to me on the subject. Go forth at your own risk (assuming you will be the only one operating the unit!) :D
 

Treckerzeug

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Carraro tgf 7800 taijfun 4,5 t winch, trailer with crane, double bl saw
Apr 17, 2015
135
19
18
Bavaria South Germany
ROPS mods are usually treated as a 'no-no' since all the design and engineering is basically voided once you hit the thing with something that cuts and something that welds. All manufacturer responsibility for injury is also voided.

So, if you are okay with that, you can probably get away with the mods, however, it's probably a mistake to lower the height from the top. If you can control your heat input to the metal enough, you can resize it from where it bolts onto the frame. Heat control is a more intermediate-advanced welding concept and needs to be done to keep the integrity of the steel alloy's used in place, otherwise you need to increase the durability of the lower frame at the same time to make up for the loss of metal integrity.

This is why nobody welds onto a ROPS, they bolt on.

So, that's about all I have available to me on the subject. Go forth at your own risk (assuming you will be the only one operating the unit!) :D

Hello Shaun,

I agree after some thinking over the problem, you are absolutely right, i ll solution my problem in an other way
I ll make a lever to fold the ROPS from the ground safely, as in winter snow and ice i wont stand on tyres or mudguards.

Thanks

Regards

Robert
 

Bulldog

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M 9000 DTC, L 3000 DT
Mar 30, 2010
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The ROPS on my L3000 is a 2 piece but doesn't fold. It has a metal piece on the inside of the tubing with nuts and one bolt top and bottom on both sides.

I looked for a better picture but you can see the bolt a little. Obviously you can tell where the 2 colors join, that's where it separates. I don't see why a person couldn't cut one into, shorten it and bolt it back together just like the factory did.

I understand the warranty issue but it's you tractor and if you need it shorter then make it shorter. If you do it the right way it will still be just as strong as it is now. Just don't turn it over and the warranty will never be a problem anyway. :D
 

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mdhughes

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I would think that the height of the ROPS has to do with keeping the tractor from smashing you as it rolls and you are seat-belted in. This is one safety device on the tractor that would NOT modify in any way.

Bulldog, I agree that it is your tractor, but it is also your life and I wouldn't want a modified ROPS to cause you to loose it.
 

85Hokie

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I would think that the height of the ROPS has to do with keeping the tractor from smashing you as it rolls and you are seat-belted in. This is one safety device on the tractor that would NOT modify in any way.

Bulldog, I agree that it is your tractor, but it is also your life and I wouldn't want a modified ROPS to cause you to loose it.
You are right in that regard - it is designed to protect those that operate it.
However - those that use the machine MUST use the seat belt, and if not the ROPS is almost useless, almost. But I still dont understand the height vs the width, the engineers could design it to be a smidge wider, thus stopping the roll over sooner, and at the same time shorting the height - many of us have build buildings that will allow the ROPS to roll through without being folded or modified - I just finished my shed the opening is 7 5 1/2. Hell I built the whole thing just so I DIDNT have to fold it every time I want to get on it !! I know - lazy as hell......but truthful;)

If you modify it - true it might be out of spec, and IF you still wear your seat belt each and every time you operate the machine, I am gonna bet that the one time you roll it over - it will still be a helpful design.

I would hope that those same engineers would "see" that the typical garage door has a clearance of less than 7'0".... and most ROPS are right above that....like (BX) 7' 2 1/4" !!!!

Anyway - when the warranty runs out - it is what it is, you can do whatever you wish to do ........(and I agree - make sure that your butt is the only one affected my a mistake if it happens)
 

Treckerzeug

Member

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Carraro tgf 7800 taijfun 4,5 t winch, trailer with crane, double bl saw
Apr 17, 2015
135
19
18
Bavaria South Germany
Hi,

Thank you all for your comments,
It is as it is with all safety items, belts, helmet, motorbike suits you name it,
They are only useful when you actually use them,
Work with the tractor with the ROPS folded down is certainly way more dangerous then shorten it, or have a shorter version from the factory.
Here is another severe problem too, as soon as you are slightly pro you have to be member of a kind of syndicat :
work, safety, health organisation,
If you are membrr you are insured, but if you have an accident and this is due to a protection or safety device not in place you don even touch money for the hospital bill, if you are lucky to make it into the hospital,
So it is better to leave the ROPS as it is and weld a lever to one bolt only to swing it up.

Regards

Robert
 

coachgeo

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Nov 16, 2012
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Run a long piece of string from 4 to 6 inches below height of front of hood (aka-how much it could crush in a roll or reverse flip) to the top of the ROP. Now sit in the seat and see if your head would get crushed if you were upside down. Now measure this as if your ROP was shorter. Now you'll see that in a roll or flop.. you would also be come shorter via a crushed spin and skull....... or dead.

Now that being said..... there is an option. Find someone who bends cages for Jeepers, race cars etc. They can build you a front grill guard that is say 4-5" TALLer than your hood. This changes the angle and allows you to drop the ROP height. They will have to add other supports more complex than just a front grill guard intended to protect your tractor from brush though. This may not be possible if you have a FEL.

Course a whole cage like say a Buggy, Rockcrawler etc. could be done and allow you to have a total height much lower than ROP. Probably cheaper though to raise height of your garage door and remove any limbs in area you often drive that would catch your ROP.
 
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coachgeo

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Southern OH
It sucks that you can't search in google, in here.. or much of anywhere else by three letter words. If you could you could have found this same ROP question asked a few times on this board already and added your questions to one of those threads if they were not answered previously.

Anyway....... here is a post on that topic that might also include good info to review. Their are a few others; it just takes creative searching to find them such as search for a combination of terms like [ folding, weld, roll ]

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5458&highlight=modify+fold+weld&page=2
 
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85Hokie

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Probably cheaper though to raise height of your garage door.
removing that header in a standard garage door would not be cheap! If you had a 9 foot ceiling - it still would be very $$$ to do, and that is assuming you had something on the face like wood or vinyl . brick would be a.....well you get the idea. Any thought of reducing the total height of the header would allow get your butt twisted with the good ol building inspector.......ifn you really had to shorten the ROPS - a professional welder would do it for a couple of C notes!
Either way - it is at a certain height for a real reason