ROP noise

Ike

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Is there a way to stop the noise that I am getting from my ROP. It sounlds like it is vibrating and something rattling in it
 

85Hokie

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Knott

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I filled my ROPS with window & door foam, it does not expand as much so easier to control the amount used. My ROPS is fold-able so I just did the uprights & that made it much quieter.
Without the foam it was like sitting between two speakers blaring out the HST song. LOL
Be sure to block the openings at the ROPS mounting locations, if yours is open under neath, or you will have foam in places you do not want to have to clean up.
 

skeets

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I was going to ask if the ROPS is open on the bottom of the mounting plates,,
 

tcrote5516

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No it's sealed at the bottom so you need to drill 2 small holes at the base of each upright to fill and one super small (1/16") at the top to allow the air to escape as the foam expands.
 

ShaunRH

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This technically violates your ROPS safety warranty and if they want to go toe to toe with you in case of a rollover accident where the ROPS fails to protect you, you'll lose on the technicality.

I'd see if tightening everything down would prevent the rattling first. Then you can try grease and lubricants. After that, you need to let your dealership make the modifications if you want to keep that warranty in-tact.
 

MagKarl

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Shaun or anyone else with paperwork, can you please post the text of the warranty from Kubota that guarantees the ROPS will protect you from injury in a roll over? People bring up this idea whenever ROPS mods are discussed, future liability and such. I bought a brand new ROPS from Kubota a few years ago for my ancient tractor, I'll see if it came with anything but I don't remember seeing any warranty.
 

BAP

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On the seat side of the ROPS at the pivot point for folding down, there should be a nut welded to the lower portion of the ROPS. If you get a bolt and thread it in the nut and tighten it down, it will take up the slop in the pivot joint and reduce the rattling a lot.
 

tcrote5516

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I couldn't be less concerned about the roll over risk for a couple reasons:

1. The modification of 2 1/8" and 1 1/16" hole will make no real world difference in regards to the ROPS ability to maintain structural integrity. Even if it did, I weigh less then the average American and that 80lb difference more than offsets the 3/8" of metal removed :) I'm no structural engineer but that fuzzy math makes sense to me. :D

2. If I roll it over....I ROLL IT OVER. It's not Kubota's fault that I put the machine in that position. They built it to be run wheels down and it's my job to ensure I operate it correctly. The sue happy world we live in has pushed common sense so far away people would rather live with something like a easily corrected noise issue than loose their right to sue over an accident.

I've scoured the interwebs and been unable to find a single case where a modified ROPS has failed. While that doesn't mean it couldn't happen it's a pretty good sign. I had no problem finding people who have won the lottery...I like the odds on the ROPS mod.
 

BAP

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Of course, if you roll it over and the ROPS does fail, most likely you aren't around anymore to post it on the internet.
 

85Hokie

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"The sue happy world we live in has pushed common sense so far away people would rather live with something like a easily corrected noise issue"


I bettcha that somewhere in the fuzzy math, placing a inflatable rigid (great stuff) inside the ROPS will make it .......mmmmm.....

stronger ! I like the idea too.


I was at a fast food place one time and a truck next to me in the parking lot had a ladder on the rack above, the ladders ALL HAD foam in the inside of them......it was killing me to find out WHY !!! I thought- well maybe it doesnt get as cold.....hell, I could not understand why.......guy came out after a while, I asked him - he told me the howling noise of the ladders driving down the highway was too damn loud......I though that it was another great use of that .....great stuff!!!!

When you do it - tell me how it sounds, and if the tuning fork is a little less loud!
 

D2Cat

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The foam in the ladder steps keeps the noise from howling so you can drive the truck down the highway.

Use that same foam to plug your close line cross post (if you know what they are) to keep bees and mud dobbers from building nest there.

For those who don't know what they are, they were in use just before flush toilets and gas powered weed eaters arrived!! Some do still exist.
 

tcrote5516

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TurboFire Orange

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I'm thinking about removing my ROPS (L series).

Anyone have a good way to re-connect stabilizers ?

Looks like a couple of chain links bolted to axle (in ROPS holes) would work.
 

85Hokie

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I'm thinking about removing my ROPS (L series).

Anyone have a good way to re-connect stabilizers ?

Looks like a couple of chain links bolted to axle (in ROPS holes) would work.
Ok - I am a wee bit confused....maybe not enough coffee .....:)

why you gonna remove the rops?

why are the stabilizers off ?
 

Ike

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Thanks for all the ideas. I will try them next week as long as the rain stays away. As far as removing the ROPs I don't like that idea as the one on the other tractor I had saved my life of at least saved me from getting hit in the head. I was in the woods and a limb about 8 inches in dia fell out of a tree I was by and the ROPs was up. It hit the ROPs above my head and hit the front of the hood. I always cussed that ROPs until that day
 

skeets

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Thats great Ike,, mine broke my arm that that was due to my STUPIDITY and why I carry a folding buck saw on the beast all the time now:D

Im with hokie on this one, a little more info would be helpful I think the simple question remains,,, WHY???
 
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TurboFire Orange

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Ok - I am a wee bit confused....maybe not enough coffee .....:)

why you gonna remove the rops?

why are the stabilizers off ?
Stabilizers connected to ROPS bracket.

IMO, ROPS are goofy looking, it catches low hanging limbs, and
(in reverse) slams them back on me.

I do understand the safety features of ROPS.
 

Ike

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Kubota L 3301, Farmall Cub. JD B. Ferguson TE 20
Jul 18, 2015
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Mich
Stabilizers connected to ROPS bracket.

IMO, ROPS are goofy looking, it catches low hanging limbs, and
(in reverse) slams them back on me.

I do understand the safety features of ROPS.
You may think they are goofy looking but imagine how your head would look when you have a rollover or something comes down on top of you. I remember when the ROPs first came out and every one was complaining about them. Most were to tall to go thru the door and seem to get in the way. I know of several rollovers where someone was killed and maybe had the tractor had a ROPs that person would have lived. You can fab a bracket up to hook your stablizer to replace the one on the roll bar, but sorry I will not tell you haw because I don't want to be involved if you decide to take your rollbar off. If your tractor is under warrenty yet it may void it
 

William1

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I had thought about removing the ROPS. There is no place on my property where I'd ever be driving across the side of a hill. Up or down.
I have walked into the folded down ROPS doing a greasing of the BH (that was close to a week to get over)
I caught the top edge of my garage with it up.
It has to be up to use the BH.
It does catch on low branches if I forget to fold it.
Seems silly to have if there is no interlock switch with enables driving with it folded.

However... if it saves my life once, I'll tolerate it. Takes getting used to and usage as part of 'operational procedure'. I park the tractor ROPS is folded down (after the garage episode), up during greasing and BH work, Up when driving in the open and on hills and the seat is flipped over (to keep condensation off-learned it after the first 'wet butt' episode).