Removing 4 post ROPS for transportation

[6milessouth]

Hi, i'm new here. I'll be picking up a new (to me) B21 soon, and have access to an enclosed trailer. I do not think the ROPS will clear the roof.

Any idea if it's a easy process to remove the ROPS? And how much might it weight? I'll most likely be doing this in the seller's driveway, so I just want to know what to expect before I jump in. Thanks!

6miles

 

[Eric McCarthy]

NO the 4 post rops does not remove off a B21, your best bet is go rent a flat bed trailer.

 

[6milessouth]

Thanks Eric, renting was plan B. It would have been nice to save a few bucks, though.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Spare your life and spend the money. Removing and improperlly installing the ROPS could be fatal to your life in the event you turn the tractor over. The money you'd save by not renting a trailer could cost you, your life. Is you life worth saving a few bucks on?!!?

 

[MagKarl]

I don't see why you couldn't take the ROPS off. It's got to be a bolt on assembly, so as long as you keep the fasteners organized it should be doable. I put a Kubota ROPS kit on my tractor and it was pretty easy to handle alone, sockets and a torque wrench. Your cage would be more parts though.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

On the B21 it's a 4 post ROPS and is intergrated in the tractor alot more so then your standard 2 post rops

 

[MagKarl]

It's got 4 posts instead of 2. Yes it will be more parts and a few more fasteners than a regular ROPS, but I would be surprised to learn that it is not removable. If it wasn't removable, you wouldn't be able to split the tractor. I looked up some pics of B21 on Google images and it looks like 2 bolts each on the front legs. Why try to scare the guy and say he's putting his life in danger if he messes with it? And coming from a guy who doesn't even have a ROPS on his tractor? That's not sound advice. All he needs is to keep his parts organized and get a manual so he knows what the fasteners should be torqued to upon reassembly.

 

[6milessouth]

MagKarl & Eric, thanks for your input. Eric, I completely understand your reasoning and caution, but I do feel confident returning the ROPS to its factory condition, if I'm able to get it off. I, like lots of people, do the brakes on our cars at home, and trust my work to protect my family. But your point is well taken.

MagKarl, that was my thinking too -- if it went together, it can come apart. Carefully though.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I'm not ya mamma and I'm not going to tell you what to do but its a BAD idea removing the ROPS. It is stated on a new tractor that drilling or mods to the ROPS voids the warrenty. ROPS are enginered by professionals and installed by professionals for a reason. But as I stated before its your own life your putting in your hands by being stupid and saving a buck and not tow it home properly. Even if I didnt have a ROPS there is no sturdy tie down point in an enclosed trailer to secure the tractor down with. There's a story posted on here about a fella building his own ROPS for a bulldozer, flipped it over and got killed and his wife cant collect insurance money because it was not an enginered, certified ROPS. Yeah its a bolt on structure but its bolted on by professionals at the dealer.

And to MagKarl, backhoes are 10 times more likley to flip over then a regualr tractor. All my work is on flat gound and I NEVER get on hillsides with mine.

 

[moderatmixed]

My B6100 didn't have a Rops when I purchased it last year. I researched and installed the Rops.... It was easy. Torques we available and the directions were straight forward. I have an enclosed trailer and have floor and wall tiedowns that were installed by me. I would defy any engineer to state that my work is less than what would be sufficient to hold the tractor in place. A four point rops will come off as easily as it was installed. The only point to make is that there might be tension within the rops, so when diasembling it be careful. I can say in my case, I needed to use a ratchet strap to hold both arms in position, essentially squeezing the rops, in order to install them. To Eric, reread the posts. he isn't suggesting that he operate without the Rops, he's just moving the tractor. It isn't fair to suggest that with its removal comes fire and brimstone.... Just my 2 cents.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

AGAIN as I stated I'm not his mamma and I'm not telling him what to do. But I'm a firm beliver in its a bad idea to remove a factory installed ROPS just to save a few bucks on transport. As far as I'm concerended he's free and over 21 to do what he wants to do. But for me I'm not removing anything that was put in place for MY safty from a factory just to save a buck. If all he is doing is just transporting it home once. It cant be no more then 100 to 150 bucks to rent a equipment trailer for a day and carry it home safe and sound. Safty installed items such as a ROPS are put in place from the factory or dealer for a reson. YES you can buy a 2 post or 4 post ROPS and install it yourself but in the event something does happen to the operator then the question will arise if it was installed by a professional or the owner. I'm not in good concense gonna stand back and tell them man its perfectly fine to remove and reinstall the ROPS when there is so much that could go wrong later on down the line, may not be today, may not be tommorw but shit can and will happen. He's free to do what he wants, and all he can do is listen to what we have to say and make his own determination from here.

 

[Lil Foot]

I, for one, am not particularly impressed by "professional installation".
See post #3.
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5328

But I do see your point.

 

[6milessouth]

All right, now that that is over, thanks for the spirited debate and advice. Don't worry Eric, I'm renting a trailer.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

THANK YOU for making the safer smarter choice to get you and your tractor home safly. Even if you did not have a ROPS at all, I still dont think it would have been a wise idea to haul a tractor in an enclosed trailer due to the fact theres not alot to secure it with.