Canopy. Are they good to have or not?

[Mister]

I wouldn't mind the shade, and protection from rain. I also plow my property with my MX5800, and I get tired of the roll bar knocking the snow off branches, which then goes right down my neck.

That said, it's $525 and I want to make sure it's worth it. Do they work pretty well? Does it reflect engine noise back down and make things more noisy? I've noticed when I wear a cowboy hat on the tractor, it's much more loud than no hat or a baseball hat.

Any other opinions on a canopy?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I made a shorter version of the ROPS for my BX23S, so I can drive it THROUGH the 7' garage door opening NOT hit the dang wall.... screwed an aluminum plate on for 'sunshade',works GREAT, keeps Mr. Sun off me as well as most raindrops. even works well when using the backhoe. Of course I added some LED headlights as the stock ones are, well, useless.....

 

[Creature Meadow]

Mister wandered some of the same things. Not much snow here but hours riding mowing in NC during the summer can get toasty.

A thought I had was to take couple hours and fabricate me a plywood canopy, couple 2x4 braces to hold it up and try it out. If satisfied then buy a canopy if not I'm out nothing but little time. Plenty of wood around for the "test" canopy.

Noise, I don't like noise! I wear ear plugs for everything right down to running vacuum cleaner in the house. I have pairs everywhere, when I walk out in the morning I wrap a pair around my neck where they stay till shower time. They are easy to fit in my ears when not needed the cord keeps them around my neck. Don't feel they impede my ability to hear as I can still talk to someone and hear fine with them in. But when they are out not long before I'm putting them in when on tractor, weed eating, mowing, chain sawing, wood working, blowing leaves etc. May want to give some a try.

Good luck and if you get one please report back on your findings.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[85Hokie]

I wouldn't mind the shade, and protection from rain. I also plow my property with my MX5800, and I get tired of the roll bar knocking the snow off branches, which then goes right down my neck.

That said, it's $525 and I want to make sure it's worth it. Do they work pretty well? Does it reflect engine noise back down and make things more noisy? I've noticed when I wear a cowboy hat on the tractor, it's much more loud than no hat or a baseball hat.

Any other opinions on a canopy?

I built mine simply to knock out the sun - it works better than expected. A cheap used golf cart top and little bit of head scratching......

Plus a fan
mirrors
small storage
lights
even a speaker when time allows!

I do not have any resonating sounds from it.

That cowboy hat acts as a huge reflector, where as the baseball cap has a smaller reflection of sound.

I would say get you one and enjoy the benefits of having.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Mine is to keep me from getting a sunburned pate. I have a color matched Tuff Top. Nice canopy, inexpensive and easy to install or take off. Not a cab but my other unit is a cab.

 

[PaulR]

I made a shorter version of the ROPS for my BX23S, so I can drive it THROUGH the 7' garage door opening NOT hit the dang wall.... screwed an aluminum plate on for 'sunshade',works GREAT, keeps Mr. Sun off me as well as most raindrops. even works well when using the backhoe. Of course I added some LED headlights as the stock ones are, well, useless.....

pics please, pics of all of them please! Thanks.

I'm guessing the canopy would not do me much good unless the rain or sun is coming straight down, which here in New England, is about 10% of the time.

 

[old and tired]

It does increase the noise level!!! But I wear hearing protection since it's HST... Depending on how you feel about the "look" of your tractor... golf cart tops are super cheap. Yea, it looks like I spent nothing* for mine but you can't beat the price.

*I purchased 16 golf cart batteries at the time... he felt sorry and gave me a free top.

I parked the tractor under my deck, use C clamps on the joists to strap the top up where I wanted it. Bolted it to the rops using an existing hole. Then made arms to support the front.

I mounted mine below the rops since I have barn clearance issues.

 

[NHSleddog]

YES - Very good to have. Sun/Rain/Snow etc.

In my case I tow a lot and most of the canopy "Kits" say do not tow with them. I wanted a highway rated setup so I built my own. I also added a fan, lights, mirror and time/temp/volts gauge. I am very happy with the results.

 

[85Hokie]

another golf cart top !

$40 For the top

 

[Mister]

This is all really good information. Thanks!

 

[random]

Anyone ever try sticking some acoustic or egg crate foam on the underside of the canopy to help with noise? I would be curious how that worked.

 

[PaulR]

Sleddog: You got a rangefinder that gives you yardage to the hole on that thing??

 

[Henro]

I built something similar to a canopy to offer protection from falling branches/debris and for other reasons. It uses expanded metal on the top.

I thought it would work as a canopy if I put a sheet of plywood on top of the expanded metal. NOISY!!! I could not stand it, and do not have the greatest hearing.

Removed the plywood and used a piece of cloth on top of the expanded metal. MUCH quieter. Like it is not there.

If I were to buy a canopy, I would be looking for something that was soft and absorbed sound, not something that reflected it back down at me, making things twice as noisy.

 

[armylifer]

Where are you guys getting the golf cart tops? I have done searches on CL for them with no luck.

 

[85Hokie]

Where are you guys getting the golf cart tops? I have done searches on CL for them with no luck.

Go online and find places that sell golf carts - some places "fancy" them up - get lifts, larger wheels and what not - THEY will take the tops off old carts and store them. When I went to get my top - there were 40 or 50 of them in a pile.

Call one of these guys in your neighborhood - betcha they will have some!

 

[armylifer]

Go online and find places that sell golf carts - some places "fancy" them up - get lifts, larger wheels and what not - THEY will take the tops off old carts and store them. When I went to get my top - there were 40 or 50 of them in a pile.

Call one of these guys in your neighborhood - betcha they will have some!

View attachment 52446

Thanks T, I will look into that. I appreciate your help.

 

[mcfarmall]

I wish to purchase the Artillian canopy by Curtis. Detaches easily for towing down the road and you can buy additional mounting brackets so you can use the canopy on multiple tractors, ZTR's, etc..

Southern Michigan summer sunshine gets mighty hot. Might help keep me mostly dry from those popup showers every now and then.

 

[armylifer]

Go online and find places that sell golf carts - some places "fancy" them up - get lifts, larger wheels and what not - THEY will take the tops off old carts and store them. When I went to get my top - there were 40 or 50 of them in a pile.

Call one of these guys in your neighborhood - betcha they will have some!

View attachment 52446

I found one for $20.00 The dealer said they have several beige ones and he will let it go just to move it. I pick it up tomorrow. Thanks again, T.

 

[85Hokie]

I found one for $20.00 The dealer said they have several beige ones and he will let it go just to move it. I pick it up tomorrow. Thanks again, T.

Get the orange rattle can out .......... and spray away!!!!! 3 good ol coats ought to do it!!!!!!

 

[BXHoosier]

I built mine using some free aluminum extrusion from a friend and covered the top with 1/4” HDPE plastic. Made it hinged so I can fold it and the ROPS for towing. With it folded down on my trailer, it just clears the 8’ door on my shop.