Light mounting on FEL

[nikonman]

I occasionally have the need to move trees after storms at night. Was thinking that lights mounted to moveable brackets on the FEL cross brace would be perfect. Using rods and pivot arms it could be made to move with whatever you have attached to the FEL at the time.

That being said, is it advisable to weld to the cross brace or drill mounting holes?

What say ye wildfire?

 

[Wildfire]

I occasionally have the need to move trees after storms at night. Was thinking that lights mounted to moveable brackets on the FEL cross brace would be perfect. Using rods and pivot arms it could be made to move with whatever you have attached to the FEL at the time.

That being said, is it advisable to weld to the cross brace or drill mounting holes?

What say ye wildfire?

Technically the answer is NO. You shouldn't drill or weld on your ROPS system. I recently did it for a friend/customer on his BX and the only reason I did it is he asked me to do it plus he never ever used his ROPS in the upright position because of its height so I lowered it. It marks the very first time I did something like that but although I'm positive it's as good as OEM I wasn't comfortable doing it. His issue was the ROPS was to high
And had to be lowered 9.5". He's happy now and uses it in its upright position.

In your case there's a few ways to add lighting to your ROPS. You can clamp a bar to your ROPS via u bolts or you can use some Click Bond ancores to attach to the ROPS then bolt your lights to them. I can't seem to attach a link to this post right now but if you click on my YouTube link and go to my video with the fire extinguisher you can view how it's done.
This might work :
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WVlaTzU1a8c

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'll second what Wildfire is saying, it's never a good idea to weld or drill a ROPS!
And agree clamp or click bond is the best bet!

 

[koja]

I don't think it would hurt anything welding to the cross brace on FEL . But not sure how well lights would work mounted there . On the ROPS works great.

 

[Wildfire]

I'll say one more thing on the subject. I'm not looking at any posts or replying to them at 4:30AM anymore. I thought he was asking about welding to the ROPS

Yes you can weld a bracket to the FEL but be tidy about it

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

OOPS! I had the same problem but at 1:00am.

I'll go stand in the corner now!

 

[nikonman]

lol!! Yep, you were definitely tired when you read it.. I didn't think it would pose a problem, and I plan to be very tidy about it.

Oh, and the reason for the lighting on the FEL, it is for the grapple at night for trees downed from storms.

Thanks!

 

[Lil Foot]

While at a KOA years ago, a storm hit at night & dropped a couple of trees in the entrance to the campground. The owner used a green machine to clear the road, and had a pair of work lights on magnets (like tow truck lights) that he stuck right on the bucket.... seemed to work just fine.

 

[nikonman]

Thanks, Lil Foot! That just may be the ticket.

 

[Garandman]

Harbor Freight has a 27 LED light with magnet that is usually on sale for around $3.00 and sometimes they give them away free with purchase. Not super bright but super convenient!

 

[nikonman]

Sometimes anything will do in a pinch. I seem to be in a pinch quite often lately.. lol!

 

[skeets]

Guys allow me to toss in my 2 cents ,,,,, NEVER NEVER NEVER drill, weld or modify your ROPS, unless you have a PE sign a papper that he/she has examined and tested it, and that aint gona happen unless of course you are a PE.
Reason, is simple, should you, may God forbid, flip or roll a tractor and get injured or killed because the ROPS failed. Most ins companies will not easyly honor your surrivors claims once the accdent review has been compleated. And the Mfg, will never stand behind a piece of safety equipment that has been modified, and the ROPS aint there cause its pretty.

 

[Wrencher2423]

Here is a question. Do you think 2 small 3/8 holes to bolt a light up will greatly affect the safety of the r o p s ?

 

[olthumpa]

Here is a question. Do you think 2 small 3/8 holes to bolt a light up will greatly affect the safety of the r o p s ?

Do "I" think it will, no.
Does Kubota and your Insurance Co. think it will, that is another story like skeets mentioned.

 

[Humblebub]

As an insurance rascal of 45 years I am with Skeets on this. As a broker I tell my clients they need me to select the least worst insurance company. Sad statement, but accurate.

 

[skeets]

Wrencher I only say this due to about 30 some years working for the Feds and I have investagated a ton of roll over and injuries as well as fatals. As or of the follow ups we had to talk to the families giving them updats, and I have heard this story to many times. 2 ,3/8 bolt holes would most likely not cause a problem. But trust me when they go over that machine they will find anything they can so they don't have to pay a true shame I have to say,, Do as you will

 

[ipz2222]

skeets, your statement is true but,,, op was talking about the "front end loader".

 

[Wrencher2423]

Not trying to be confrontational at all, just wondering what they prevailing thought was. Thanks for the info. I am in the process of looking for a light bar for my bx r o p s and need to figure a solution for attaching it then .

 

[skeets]

Well you could find or make some U bolts that fit over the ROPS and use the light tabs on the light bar and bolt to a base and clamp the base in place with the U bolts. Thats how I mounted my lights and they havent gotten torn off yet,, though the OL surely has tried a couple times on low branches

 

[olthumpa]

Well you could find or make some U bolts that fit over the ROPS and use the light tabs on the light bar and bolt to a base and clamp the base in place with the U bolts. Thats how I mounted my lights and they havent gotten torn off yet,, though the OL surely has tried a couple times on low branches

I measured my ROPS and went to a spring/suspension shop and had some U bolts made to my specs. Costs me about $10