Retrofitting a ROPS bar

David Lewis · Nov 2, 2011

I work fields in hilly Northern Kentucky, and now I'm in my 60's, I need to be a bit safer. Do you know a company that can make a ROPS bar for my Ford 860? I know of Bareco in Sacramento, CA, but they are expensive, and shipping will be big too, as I live in KY. Your help appreciated.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 2, 2011

If you had decent pictures could you make one yourself??? Or have bubba at the weld shop make it? Be a good project for a couple kids in shop class....

fixerupper · Nov 2, 2011

Try a tractor salvage. I'd think there would be more roll bars in salvage yards in the south than here in the north. We're in cab country up here in Iowa. Come to think of it quite a few years ago I bought a roll bar with a roof at a salvage yard and put it on a tractor I had. Ironically, the bar was off a Ford. If you do retrofit one from another brand tractor, make sure it's tied onto your tractor really well or it'll be a death trap if you go over. It'll be engineered and roll tested for the tractor it came off of and not yours. I'd question the integrity of a homemade one. Jim

farmer boy · Nov 2, 2011

I think it might be worth getting the local weld shop to make one, but don't get kids to make it. It shouldn't really be that hard to make. A decent shop can make one alot heavier than the mfgs make.

Billy NY · Nov 2, 2011

R.O.P.S. needs to work with an appropriate seat, so that if it does go over, operator stays put, instead of falling out.

The R.O.P.S. might be sourced by a manufacturer, one who has done the fabrication from drawings and checked by an engineer, to insure its built and installed in a manner that will support necessary loads. A steel fabricator could easily sketch something up for an engineer to check just the same, but with the numbers and popularity of those hundred series fords, has to be more than one outfit offering a R.O.P.S. for them.

A steel fabricator could probably duplicate one if you provided some details from that sacramento outfit, material size, type, thickness, welds, and flange connections to the axle housing etc.

Ray · Nov 2, 2011

I think i might have one that came off a 4000 ford,i'll check tomorrow.

formerly ny bill · Nov 2, 2011

u of kentucky has a link for ROPS
http://warehouse.ca.uky.edu/rops/ropshome.asp

i have a hercules on my 504 farmall, which is similar in weight to the ford..
i have saf-t-cab rops on my 826 and 1206. cost a lot more than hercules, but is built a lot heavier.
your best bet still might be a tractor parts yard that has one from another ford.

showcrop · Nov 2, 2011

Check with your local farm services (FSA) or county extension office. Many states have programs where they pay for a good chunk of an approved system.

rodgernbama · Nov 2, 2011

I got one for a small ford tractor from a salvage yard for $250.00

buickanddeere · Nov 2, 2011

Does anybody here think that Bubba in a welding shop. With a minimal investment in tooling, time, materials, engineering a testing. That they can equal the strength and energy absorbs ion (controlled flexing)? That took an entire team of factory engines months to achieve.

farmer boy · Nov 2, 2011

Yes I think Bubba can do it. You gotta remember that them factory 'engines' spent months coming up not just something that would work, but something that would be as cheap as possible. Them tractor mfgs. are no more generous than the car mfgs., every penny counts. If bubba builds something that is twice as heavy, it's going to work

IA Roy · Nov 2, 2011

If Bubba has a brain, he will back away from your request to build one. That is a very dangerous liability proposition. Maybe you wouldn't sue him if it didn't provide protection, but the chances that someone in your surviving family would sue are probably pretty high!
Sorry to be negative, but these are the times we live in!

Anonymous-0 · Nov 2, 2011

Any decent welder could build a ROPS that would work on a D11. There are even ROPS cabs that have a name plate that says, "This roll over protective structure is designed for roll over protection but is not tested". A huge portion of the cost of an approved ROPS is the testing and certification. I quoted some cylinder carts for a cutting torch set up with a lift hook on them. The customer needed them to be engineer approved with a certification plate attached. The certification added over $100 to each cart. The customer needed 10 carts.

I would think that if you signed a release of liability a good fab shop or welder could make you one but a lot of stuff like roll bars will fit several models. I would check with tractor salvage yards for a used one first.

mike1972chev · Nov 3, 2011

I cant see that bar that already fits THAT tractor being that hard to find.Here in Indiana,I have seen countless Ford 600 thru 4000 series highway tractors with them installed for years now.Got to be a few available?

buickanddeere · Nov 3, 2011

Anybody can build a rops that is too strong. You seem to have missed the point about energy absorption.
The tractor chassis and the attachment points between the rops and the tractor. They are are exposed to high stress when the weight and speed of a upset tractor is applied.
If the rops does not have a controlled amount of flex/spring/energy absorption. To gradually halt the tractor instead of a sudden jolt. The rops attachment points, tractor axle or the tractor it's self usually around the belhousing. Components will fail and leave the operator pinched between broken parts.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 3, 2011

I can remember when the blue tractor company hired Bubba to weld buckets for their backhoes. Beautiful welds every one of them. Then the buckets were subjected to a drop test where the bucket was dropped from a given height and impacted on the cement floor. Bubba's welds had no penetration and the bucket fell apart. I figured Bubba was all washed up in the welding business after that but aparently he is back.

chevytaHOE5674 · Nov 3, 2011

(quoted from post at 04:24:22 11/03/11) Anybody can build a rops that is too strong. You seem to have missed the point about energy absorption.
The tractor chassis and the attachment points between the rops and the tractor. They are are exposed to high stress when the weight and speed of a upset tractor is applied.
If the rops does not have a controlled amount of flex/spring/energy absorption. To gradually halt the tractor instead of a sudden jolt. The rops attachment points, tractor axle or the tractor it's self usually around the belhousing. Components will fail and leave the operator pinched between broken parts.

Few years back a co-worker and myself built a ROPS for a log skidder he had. We built it out of the heaviest iron we could get our hands on. Because after all a little extra weight makes it pull better. He proceeded to ride that skidder down a hill as it tumbled at least 3 times before coming to a rest with the ROPS wedged against a tree. There was no "controlled amount of flex/spring" and guess what the machine didn't break in half. We winched it upright and let it sit overnight for the fluids to drain back into their sumps and then winched it up the hill and its still going to this day.

showcrop · Nov 3, 2011

No, but if asked I bet he could get the tractor with ROPs mounted turned upside down to give it a test. We live and work with a whole lot of stuff that was engineered the old way in the 40s-60s. They built it strong then added a little more. Modern engineering and testing designs it strong then pares it down to the minimum to do what is required to save time, weight and money. There are many Bubbas out there, (I have known a few) who are very sharp, who have people trusting them with their lives every day, simply because computers have not yet designed and built everything that we need. Hopefully a few of them will keep going as I am sure that a few new things will have to be built in the future.

glennster · Nov 3, 2011

if you cant located a used rops for your tractor, try a custom race car chassis builder or drop down to the pulling forum and see if there is a builder near you that can make the rops for you. it will be a certified rops structure. i found mike boss chassis craft in bluff city tenn, as the nearest to you. here is a link to their site
poke here

glennster · Nov 3, 2011

here is a fabricator for pulling tractors

built right fabrication, mount upton, ny......phone 607-764-8302

MFPoor · Nov 3, 2011

As is usually the case (always the case) you seem to think you're "smarter" than you really are. Just about every brand uses a common ROPS structure through a variety of models. Generic aftermarket structures are essentially the same for a wide variety of brands/models. Manufacturers don't build individual ROPS for each and every weight/size of a relatively common platform, even though weights/lengths/widths may vary greatly. And with that, they have no clue as to what speed a tractor will be rolled at, nor do they have any clue what slope the tractor will be operated on when/if it is rolled. ROPS are ALWAYS built considerably stronger than is needed for the "average" roll-over.

"Soft rollovers", as is the norm with the vast majority of tractor rollovers is well within the strength limitations of OEM ROPS, as well as within the mounting points/structural integrity of the tractors chassis.

Mounting points are designed into tractors built in recent years, where they were an afterthought years ago. ROPS structures aren't specifically intended for extreme high speed rollovers. These are tractors, not top fuel dragsters or NASCAR racers....

No one "missed your point", which is simply your attempting to be obtuse. Attempting to bluff your way through the discussion with nonsense and mythical "facts" doesn't make your case.

The fact of the matter is, it is just as likely "Bubba" can build a safe, and durable ROPS structure that stands up to that of an OEM ROPS as not...

farmer boy · Nov 3, 2011

I don't see how the ROPS could possibly be made to have controlled flex, especially as much flex as you're talking. With controlled flex the ROPS would only be good to tip on one slope at one speed. If the tractor tips/flips while going too fast on too steep of slope the forces that the ROPS would be subject too would be way more than a slow tip/less slope, meaning it would just get bent to hell. Them factory ROPS aren't as great as you think. I saw a ROPS on a tractor that was up when driven into too low of barn. Welds broken, steel ripped out of place. From simply driving into a barn, driver said that they didn't really feel it the way you'd expect too. This was on a modern tractor with factory ROPS.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 3, 2011

While I'm sure a roll bar builder could build a very good ROPS, race cars are a different breed than a commercial ROPS. I'm fairly certain that for a ROPS to be certified, it has to be tested on a tractor over the maximum size and weight it was designed for. Roll bars are inspected and have to be very well built but you don't see too many race cars being rolled to certify the roll cage. You don't see certification tags on them either. They are very well built and designed though. Most are chrome-moly and have to be TIG welded.

buickanddeere · Nov 4, 2011

(quoted from post at 07:57:31 11/03/11)

(quoted from post at 04:24:22 11/03/11) Anybody can build a rops that is too strong. You seem to have missed the point about energy absorption.
The tractor chassis and the attachment points between the rops and the tractor. They are are exposed to high stress when the weight and speed of a upset tractor is applied.
If the rops does not have a controlled amount of flex/spring/energy absorption. To gradually halt the tractor instead of a sudden jolt. The rops attachment points, tractor axle or the tractor it's self usually around the belhousing. Components will fail and leave the operator pinched between broken parts.

Click to expand...

Few years back a co-worker and myself built a ROPS for a log skidder he had. We built it out of the heaviest iron we could get our hands on. Because after all a little extra weight makes it pull better. He proceeded to ride that skidder down a hill as it tumbled at least 3 times before coming to a rest with the ROPS wedged against a tree. There was no "controlled amount of flex/spring" and guess what the machine didn't break in half. We winched it upright and let it sit overnight for the fluids to drain back into their sumps and then winched it up the hill and its still going to this day.

What does this one time test of a four or six point rops on a skidder built by one particular welder? Have to do with any other Bubba fabricating any two post rops on any farm tractor ?

chevytaHOE5674 · Nov 4, 2011

Its been tested a few more times since then. I was just stating you don't need some crazy "controlled flex/spring/energy absorption" that you talk about. Chances are when you buy an aftermarket ROPS for a tractor it is generally the same for 10+ models just the mounting brackets changed for each individual tractor. That means it would be near impossible to engineer your "controlled flex/spring/energy absorption" into one ROPS for 10 tractors...

mkirsch · Nov 4, 2011

The typical ROPS on a modern farm tractor is little more than a length of beefy box tubing bent into a hoop. You can't tell me that that simple hoop of steel somehow has special "energy absorption" properties, or "crumple zones" or whatever.

No way. It's designed so it doesn't collapse under the full weight of the tractor. That's it.

If your rollover is violent enough to crack castings, frankly, the best thing for you would be the tractor landing on you and crushing you to death. Even with a seatbelt, you would've been slammed between the uprights of the ROPS like a bell clanger. If you lived, you'd have severe brain damage at best.

buickanddeere · Nov 4, 2011

(quoted from post at 06:45:30 11/04/11)

(quoted from post at 07:57:31 11/03/11)

(quoted from post at 04:24:22 11/03/11) Anybody can build a rops that is too strong. You seem to have missed the point about energy absorption.
The tractor chassis and the attachment points between the rops and the tractor. They are are exposed to high stress when the weight and speed of a upset tractor is applied.
If the rops does not have a controlled amount of flex/spring/energy absorption. To gradually halt the tractor instead of a sudden jolt. The rops attachment points, tractor axle or the tractor it's self usually around the belhousing. Components will fail and leave the operator pinched between broken parts.

Click to expand...

Few years back a co-worker and myself built a ROPS for a log skidder he had. We built it out of the heaviest iron we could get our hands on. Because after all a little extra weight makes it pull better. He proceeded to ride that skidder down a hill as it tumbled at least 3 times before coming to a rest with the ROPS wedged against a tree. There was no "controlled amount of flex/spring" and guess what the machine didn't break in half. We winched it upright and let it sit overnight for the fluids to drain back into their sumps and then winched it up the hill and its still going to this day.

Click to expand...

What does this one time test of a four or six point rops on a skidder built by one particular welder? Have to do with any other Bubba fabricating any two post rops on any farm tractor ?

Are you kidding or do you really need the difference explained?

buickanddeere · Nov 4, 2011

(quoted from post at 08:37:42 11/04/11) The typical ROPS on a modern farm tractor is little more than a length of beefy box tubing bent into a hoop. You can't tell me that that simple hoop of steel somehow has special "energy absorption" properties, or "crumple zones" or whatever.

No way. It's designed so it doesn't collapse under the full weight of the tractor. That's it.

If your rollover is violent enough to crack castings, frankly, the best thing for you would be the tractor landing on you and crushing you to death. Even with a seatbelt, you would've been slammed between the uprights of the ROPS like a bell clanger. If you lived, you'd have severe brain damage at best.

You and Chevy need to get in touch with what really happens with a two post rops is subjected to the stress of de-accelerating at least two ton of tractor at the velocity a roll-over occurs.
There is a distinct flex which limits the peak loading and extends the time frame. Ever stop to consider the amount of leverage on the axle attachment points?
If you won't believe me, talk to an actual engineer that designs rops units.
Here is another thought, how much does the top of the CN Tower, Empire State building or the Sear's Tower move in a 40mph wind? And why?

Anonymous-0 · Nov 6, 2011

Your State or the Feds would have a design standard and it would be prudent to buy one which conforms.

SparepartsTN · Nov 7, 2011

If you are in tobacco country and have any Ford dealers near you, they may have some take-offs that will fit. The dealer near me in middle TN has a lot of them laying around because they won"t fit in the tobacco barns, at least that is what the dealer told me.

Retrofitting a ROPS bar

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