L175 Canopy... Suggestions?

[buffumjr]

I just laid in some steel for my next project; a canopy for my L175.

The uprights will be 1" x 2" x 14ga rectangular tube, and I have in stock plenty of 14ga steel sheet for the roof.

Today, I'll go to the tractor store to get an idea of what the factory considers an appropriate size for the roof.

The low beam circuit on the key switch in my dash is inop. Nothing I do can make it come back, and I'm not buying another switch. I'll get a marine spst switch, and OR that light circuit into it, and put two yellow trailer lights, also in stock, high on the canopy frame. May get two additional yellow lights for the front. I'll probably mount them halfway up the frame.

I notice some tractor canopy frames have a joint to fold it down. Should I do that?

Does my lighting scheme overload the ability of the little Nippon Denso alternator? Would I need to up the amperage of the fuses?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Sometimes, trying to reinvent the wheel can be more time consuming and costly that buying on ready made. Look at the 'Tuff Top' canopy. Folds down for transport, all the design has already been done and they are around $275 bucks. What I'm going with. I too have the fabrication ability but why go that route when a pre made unit is available and, they come in orange too.

 

[shootem604]

Do you have a ROPS on the L175? You can get one through Kubota fairly cheap and not have to manufacture uprights, plus it gives you that rollover protection. There's a number of threads on here about the safety program.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

Sometimes, trying to reinvent the wheel can be more time consuming and costly that buying on ready made. Look at the 'Tuff Top' canopy. Folds down for transport, all the design has already been done and they are around $275 bucks. What I'm going with. I too have the fabrication ability but why go that route when a pre made unit is available and, they come in orange too.

second this, factory or aftermarket canopy beats any homemade one, and even the factory one is reasonably priced.

 

[buffumjr]

Checked out the ads.

Canopy, $150 - $400+
ROPS less canopy, $440 and up.

It all costs money, son. Just how safe do you want to be?

You can also get enclosed cabs. Stereo. A/C. Digitized dashboards. GPS. GPS powered autopilot. Work lights. Strobes.

Nah.

OK. I already own all the steel. From building a 3,000 lb trailer, earlier, I have left over yellow marker lights, and lots of scrap wire. All I need to buy is a bag of grommets, to run the wire inside the tube.

From the ads, I saw them as small as 2' x 2', and as big as 4' x 6'. Got an idea of the necessary strutting. Mine will be 3' x 3', with additional 3" on front and back bent down 45°.

I'd like to find welting of some sort, for that professional look.

Will finish with orange Rustoleum on the top, black on the tubes.

Yeah, I know, NOT rollover certified.

This is going to be fun.

 

[shootem604]

ROPS through Kubota's safety program are about $150-200

 

[buffumjr]

Gee, what do I do with 12' of 1" x 2" x 14ga steel?

(chuckle)

After thinking about it, I don't think I can get away with $200. The L175 is a grey model tractor. The local dealer will support them, but Central will not. I don't think there is a ready made for this, because it's grey model. Welders charge $100/hour minimum.

Besides, this stuff is FUN.

 

[Russell King]

The l175 is not a GREY tractor.

Kubota does have a reduced cost ROPS program for the older tractors. I don’t recall the cost of the ROPS for my L185 but it really wasn’t very much and the install is free at the dealer or you can do it yourself. And shipping to the dealer is free also.

Search on this forum for many posts about it if you’re interested. I recall that I posted a pretty good explanation of how I installed mine. They seem to be a bit off to fit exactly but not too bad.


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[buffumjr]

The l175 is not a GREY tractor.

Kubota USA informed me directly this was a grey tractor. Email long deleted. If it is not, then the writer of the email was in error.

 

[D2Cat]

To give you some ideas, here's a canopy I built for my neighbor so his wife wouldn't have to set in the sun while raking hay. It looks as good as factory, if you ask me, and I got the top at the local golf cart shop for $25. He had a whole dumpster size box full of them, so I'd guess other shops have the same. It's a light brown color and matches his Kubota nicely.

Used unistrut pieces, bolts, washers, and a rod to come down on the off side for a brace. Made the clamps from threaded rod. Did not drill any hole in the canopy or the ROPS...used all existing holes. Probably took a couple of hours fabricating it, but had to get some measurements off his tractor also.

 

[Russell King]

Kubota USA informed me directly this was a grey tractor. Email long deleted. If it is not, then the writer of the email was in error.

Then you may have a grey tractor that is similar to the L175 and has the L175 stickers.

Did you provide them the serial number before they told you it was grey?


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[Diver 6]

Ditto on the golf cart canopies. Tuff, light weight and flexible so when you catch that tree branch it won’t bend all to heck. Golf cart dealers have tons of used ones laying around. Call around and you should be able to find one dirt cheap.

 

[buffumjr]

Russell King. The L175 may be a grey tractor, but, you're right, it seems they make a ROPS for it

https://www.kubotausa.com/service-support/safety/tractor-safety/rops-safety

I guess I'll have to figger out whatta do with the steel. $148 is cheep.

Hafta check out the golf cart tops.

 

[motionclone]

I got the Kubota ROPS program for older machines Rops kit. I installed myself, had trouble with the quality of manufacturing but I ended up with a pretty nice and certified rollover protection. I found a golf cart top (yamaha) from a cart dealer for $50. I fabbed up a support structure from tubing and rebar then bolted with U bolts to the rops. Its got lights and switches in the overhead.

 

[Bulldog]

, factory or aftermarket canopy beats any homemade one,

Why do you say that?

I made mine and had no issues at all.
On top of that it's exactly the way I want it instead of take what you can get.

 

[buffumjr]

OOOOOH! I LIKE the accessories! Both a front loader and a backhoe! Trick!

I'm looking at Craigslist, and I can get a Minneapolis Moline or a MF three times the weight I bought, with a loader, for the same price or less.

Well, (chuckle), er, they don't run. They need parts. And my trailer and Saturn Vue would not be able to haul them from the 200 miles away they are.

I'll keep the Kubota. It handles the task, barely, and is less a problem to stow than a three ton monster.

Another advantage to building using parts you choose, you get to make it look/do what you want. (grin) Before I heard of the golf cart thing, I was going to adapt a plastic dumpster lid.

 

[buffumjr]

I don't know whether to be bummed or delighted!

The dealership didn't have a number for a ROPS for my L175. Can't order it!

Further research shows the steel for a factory ROPS for a tractor my size is about 3/32" thick. My steel is 14 gage, or .074 thick. I COULD use bed rail instead. Got quite a bit of that. Weld two L bed rail to get square tube. Bed rail is STRONG. I can use the 14 gage steel for the lid frame.

Today, I change all the oils and filters. I have no idea how well or poorly the previous owner(s) took care of it. Almost $200 for oils and filters. I'd hate to do this for a three ton monster. Mortgage your home?

I'm DEFINITELY going to the golf cart dealership for the lid! Thanks for that!

 

[buffumjr]

Eeeeew! The hydraulic oil had water, and ... lumps ... There was grit on the filter screen, and it was thoroughly coated. The engine oil wasn't too bad. The air filter was brown, and there was 1/4 cup of dirt in the filter can. Just water in the radiator.

Being a home shop machinist, I tend to keep stray bolts and nuts. A couple of Horror Fright Tools wagon wheels gave up. They were held together with 8mm bolts. In putting the spring loaded cap back on the tractor's hydraulic filter screen, one of the bolts ran away and hid. Glad I hoard bolts.

Tomorrow, back down to Acme Industrial Surplus, to see if I can get some beefier steel. If not, I'll use the bed rail.

 

[shootem604]

The Kubota numbers for the ROPS is not for a part - the ROPS is whole goods so you need to talk to sales, not parts. A quick search on here will turn up a couple threads with the info and numbers. Check the tractor serial number tag - if it says L175, it is not grey market.

 

[buffumjr]

The Kubota numbers for the ROPS is not for a part - the ROPS is whole goods so you need to talk to sales, not parts. A quick search on here will turn up a couple threads with the info and numbers. Check the tractor serial number tag - if it says L175, it is not grey market.

Sorry. No "L175". Only numbers. - 13789.