Drilling and Tapping my ROPS for LED Lights.."OH The Madness"
- Thread starter savageman
- Start date
LOL…. it’d be great call-sign or username!I haven't heard the term "Riv-nuts" since I was an A&P many moons ago.
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TheOldHokie
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Equipment
L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
TheOldHokie
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Equipment
L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
And I’m sure the dealer wanted you to think he was doing you a favor and probably would only be able to sell it for scrap. Good on you for getting it a new home that actually wanted it.
I also went this route, but then had to source extra-long riv-nuts because the standard ones wouldn't hold - the ROPS material was just a bit too thick for the riv-nut to get proper expansion.1/4-20 rivnuts ftw!
NvRudder
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L2501DT, LA525, R14's, Bison NVHA210 84" RB, Allied 60" SB, Diamond C 10k Dump
BonnySlope
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BX2380FEL, Add-A-Grapple, Titan 48" Box scraper, 60" Rake, 72" Rear Blade, Flail
Rivnuts , insert a-thread, by different names, depending on manufacture. Oop for to mention to OP. Nice and tighty looking job.
On the Kubota ROPS the factory holes except a 5/16 insert-a-thread/rivnutm I like how you plugged your unused hole.
I like, thanks for sharing
On the Kubota ROPS the factory holes except a 5/16 insert-a-thread/rivnutm I like how you plugged your unused hole.
I like, thanks for sharing
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You don't say a word, a lot, I'm finding. You never said anything about my cutting/shortening my ROP bar either.
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jyoutz
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MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
So, the other day - I DECIDED to drill 4 holes in my ROPS - o dear lord forgive me !!!!!!!! I think there were about 3/16 or there about.
Then the fun came - Took can of great stuff - shook it up good and stuck in hole and pulled the trigger.
Did I mention I had 4 holes?? HOLY sht batman, that stuff moved through that ROPS faster than Taco bell moves through the intestinal track!
Did it come out of other holes? YESSSSSSS - did it make a mess ? Yes!!!!!! Did I end up getting on fingers? YES!!!
Did it budge the metal at all - NO!
I was smart enough to have some tape handy thinking it would ease out but stupid is as stupid does, I still made a good mess.
As we know - cleaning up behind that stuff is worse than getting it on your hands etc. Nothing cuts it - gas does not help, the goo-be-gone does not help, anyway DID it reduce the tuning fork sound of the HST whine? Yes it did - a good bit.
IF I were to do again on another ROPS - I would have 4 small self tapping screws ready to tap into the holes - whether you leave them or remove later. Anything to allow the air to bleed out as the foam sets in.
Good news is the sun will cure the stuff to a point where it will come off the metal somewhat.
The whine is much better however - YMMV !
Would you listen to my cautionary tail? I doubt it, none the less you did. Just saying from 40 years in the industry. And if,,, God forbid ,,, things go sideways and the ROPS fails, odds are your lovely bride and family will never see a dime of your life insurance. Reason, because you modified a safety system, that was designed to do one thing. And since this item was never tested after your mod, you have in fact voided its certification. SO yeah I aint sayin nuttin, cause you guys all know better, than the PE's that designed it, and tested it.You don't say a word, a lot, I'm finding. You never said anything about my cutting/shortening my ROP bar either.
It's OK, really. I trust it with my life. People gonna do as they please. I'm one of them heathens I suppose.
Elliott in GA
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LX 2610SU w/535,LP RCR1860,FDR1660,SGC0554,FSP500, DD BBX60005
FWIW, there are a number of legal issues that should inform your decision as to whether to alter your ROPS.
These issues should be viewed in the context of the likelihood of drilling a few small holes in your ROPS causing a structural failure of the ROPS is very, very low.
1) Altering your ROPS will present problems at sale or trade, especially with a dealer. The dealer will most likely deduct the cost of replacing the ROPS; the dealer will do this fearing some sort of liability in the event of a future accident and dealership/legal requirements. The actual liability is quite remote, but the potential of having to defend in court is reasonable.
2) Altering your ROPS may prevent any claim against the manufacturer/seller for an accident involving a ROPS failure, but it will certainly muddy the waters. If the ROPS fails due to structural integrity around the area of modification, your claim would nearly always fail. However if the ROPS fails in a different manner (say it rips out of its base mounts in a single piece), your modification would/could not be the proximate cause of the failure. Of course, there are many possibilities that fall between the clear examples, and that is the muddy water. Muddy water costs a lot of money in lawyer and expert fees.
3) Altering your ROPS does not impact your life insurance coverage or other liability insurance coverage. People tend to believe that intentionally doing something negligent voids insurance coverage. It does not. Insurance exists to financially protect you from your negligence, which is by definition an action you undertook. Using auto insurance as an easy example, your auto insurance will cover your if you: speed causing an accident (negligent and against the law), cause an accident while being inattentive (negligent and the most common cause of accidents) and driving intoxicated (negligent and against the law).
Have I modified my ROPS - no. Do I plan to install any additional lighting - no. If I did install additional lights, would I modify my ROPS - no. I would probably purchase the lighting kit from Artillian. At ~$270, their kit offers a great deal of functionality (guards, independent pivots and etc.) with a simple install, and I like the idea of being able to easily relocate the lights if my initial location is not the best.
These issues should be viewed in the context of the likelihood of drilling a few small holes in your ROPS causing a structural failure of the ROPS is very, very low.
1) Altering your ROPS will present problems at sale or trade, especially with a dealer. The dealer will most likely deduct the cost of replacing the ROPS; the dealer will do this fearing some sort of liability in the event of a future accident and dealership/legal requirements. The actual liability is quite remote, but the potential of having to defend in court is reasonable.
2) Altering your ROPS may prevent any claim against the manufacturer/seller for an accident involving a ROPS failure, but it will certainly muddy the waters. If the ROPS fails due to structural integrity around the area of modification, your claim would nearly always fail. However if the ROPS fails in a different manner (say it rips out of its base mounts in a single piece), your modification would/could not be the proximate cause of the failure. Of course, there are many possibilities that fall between the clear examples, and that is the muddy water. Muddy water costs a lot of money in lawyer and expert fees.
3) Altering your ROPS does not impact your life insurance coverage or other liability insurance coverage. People tend to believe that intentionally doing something negligent voids insurance coverage. It does not. Insurance exists to financially protect you from your negligence, which is by definition an action you undertook. Using auto insurance as an easy example, your auto insurance will cover your if you: speed causing an accident (negligent and against the law), cause an accident while being inattentive (negligent and the most common cause of accidents) and driving intoxicated (negligent and against the law).
Have I modified my ROPS - no. Do I plan to install any additional lighting - no. If I did install additional lights, would I modify my ROPS - no. I would probably purchase the lighting kit from Artillian. At ~$270, their kit offers a great deal of functionality (guards, independent pivots and etc.) with a simple install, and I like the idea of being able to easily relocate the lights if my initial location is not the best.
Elliott, I agree with you, how ever I was not talking about auto ins. I was talking life ins, many years ago, new regs came out requiring ROPs on all equipment working mine sites. A young man doing his do diligence could not find a ROPs for an old dozer that he used daily. So he had one built, all tubing was hydro formed and welds inspected and would have seemed to fit the bill, but it was not certified by a PE. He went in to an old working that was not shown on any mining maps of the area, and was killed. Reason , the dozer flipped end for end and the ROPs collapse. Now would a factory ROPs have saved him I doubt it. I assisted on this investigation and the unit he had built was as good looking as any I had seen. However when his family filed the claim for his insurance, it was investigated by the ins company, and denied because there was no certification by a PE. Yes I know a loop hole by a scum sucking ins industry , his family lost everything , a husband, and father, all because there was no tag stating it had been checked by a PE. I know thats not the same a drilling holes in your ROPs, but the premise remains the same, if they want to screw over you they will
Elliott in GA
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Equipment
LX 2610SU w/535,LP RCR1860,FDR1660,SGC0554,FSP500, DD BBX60005
Well, that is different in a couple of ways. First, it involves a highly regulated industry. Second, it is insurance through his employer for a death on the job. However even with those issues, there must be more to the story or the family failed to get good legal representation.
EDIT: Of course, the employer insurance may also have very specific exclusions based on violating operating procedures and/or safety requirements/laws. In that case, the decedent undertook the risk.
In any event, I was referring to life insurance that people carry unrelated to their tractor ownership. The point being that negligence does not void your life insurance. Laws vary by state; in Georgia life insurance is incontestable after two years (presuming all premiums have been paid).
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