Canopy/sun shade options or designs?

[couleedude]

I see many on the internet, mostly plastic or fiberglass, but I am leaning toward making my own with shade cloth or sunbrella material. Possibly a PVC frame or aluminum, EZ on and off for storage, etc. Using my boat bimini top as a general design idea.

Has anyone come across something like this, or have one, and can you share the design or photos so I can copy it without having to re-invent the wheel?

 

[David T]

Been thinking about the same thing. Fabric seems the way to go as I have to lower my rops to store the tractor and around a number of trees on the property. Shock corded poles from tents??

 

[D2Cat]

I made a canopy a few years ago and it's not pretty but works fine. Cost zero! Neighbor had a 9' umbrella that the wind turned inside out and he trashed it. I took the arms and used them for the frame. Had some canvas pieces I used for painting shutter on so I used that material over the frame. Used zip ties to anchor the canvas to the frame. Backside of frame, I weld some bracket that fit inside the ROPS when it is folded down and the rubber plug is removed. This mount was made so the tractor fit into the shed I keep it. There is not enough headroom for the ROPS up under there, so I leave the ROPS down all the time anyway. I can put it on and off the tractor in a few minutes.

I might get a couple of pictures if interested.

 

[85Hokie]

Golf cart tops are typically cheap - making the frame take a bit of skill.

 

[Hoserman]

I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but with all the trees and low hanging limbs I have to contend with I would have to get one of those stupid looking umbrella hats. Any kind of canopy for my 2380 would get busted up in no time.

 

[BBFarmer]

I made a canopy a few years ago and it's not pretty but works fine. Cost zero!

Wish that's what I would've done.

I was out $500 and had something that was 2 feet above my head and only gave me coverage if I was cuttin at high freakin noon!

Angled it down a bunch which help a little bit.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

All you need now is a margarita.......

 

[Bearcatrp]

UTV (side by side) tops are fairly cheap. Have looked at ones made for my 1880. Nuts for what they want.

 

[couleedude]

Good suggestions and ideas...

I am thinking a simple rectangle frame, maybe with a couple of cross supports (maybe, if needed). Wrap shade cloth around it and use paracord at the edges and connect them across the bottom of the frame. If I put in an adjustable bracket, I could move it forward, backward, angle it down, or just take it off with the turn of two T-handled screws. I am thinking along the lines of a T-Bag for a boat, when I think of the design.

 

[trikepilot]

I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but with all the trees and low hanging limbs I have to contend with I would have to get one of those stupid looking umbrella hats. Any kind of canopy for my 2380 would get busted up in no time.

+1 here. Anything made of fabric would last all of 5 minutes on my property with all the low hanging branches. Especially true when mowing the outermost edges of many of the fields.

The previous owner of my machine built a top for my B2620 from a plastic base for an outdoor HVAC unit. It has served me well enough for 4+ years now. I cannot imagine this cost him very much.

 

[Bee-Positive]

Used an old Subaru car hood, cut down the sides, supported by adjustment arms from an old satellite dish bolted into existing ROPS holes. Just barley fits in the garage while up (1" clearance). Pretty heavy but it's taken a lot of abuse from tree limbs. My son calls it the bat mobile hood.

 

[couleedude]

Some good ideas here, and good ingenuity!

 

[Sidekick]

I have one of the lightweight plastic ones on my zero turn and it pops right off easily. Just a thin sheet of polyethylene with a bow that makes it rigid but it doesn't break. The heavy plastic one on my bx is beat up pretty bad from hitting low branches. It just shattered the edges with a light hit.

 

[Smokeydog]

If you work around trees a four post ROPS are better.

 

[old and tired]

Here is my write-up... (as well as some other ones on that thread...)

Canopy. Are they good to have or not?

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...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[couleedude]

I have no trees on my property. Just sage brush and rocks. I really just need shade from the sun and periodic light rain.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I second the suggestion of a side by side roof:

https://www.amazon.com/Polaris-1000-TURBO-Trail-Plastic/dp/B07TZFP41Y/ref=sr_1_8?crid=ZKZ6OSB9LAXF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cG8BIanFVkPpVStz6izF0NZzNKGDdq12-YLJAdox51BYUliMRelPJ0LKk89c9LGP00daTE4ggPZ8X2cSjFWoLI6UGkMkTeTpq-MKa73fpigkzJi5_EAMs7a9NHCsfJnIhMYFOQ7-TS7cuRT5JyK0CgQuAAVW6WPgd5RLJqSKUa8LSDj6ZEH6-Q85pUgcjMpy_XIdY3vwhpWSy_9RsMUZ8IwCzwEq8b6u_YylC4qRElmS4uT432rmBHNN9htPsqM-GfqKZ60hMDnmD_j-cj-PQ6vlxoJhefhkNfZ5yyj2X3Y.a9a1bhbo7QGR7kuu0HkVcqaUo4o27lfVTzDQJGYLJ-M&dib_tag=se&keywords=sxs+roof&qid=1747500895&sprefix=sxs+roof%2Caps%2C315&sr=8-8

 

[couleedude]

I second the suggestion of a side by side roof:

https://www.amazon.com/Polaris-1000-TURBO-Trail-Plastic/dp/B07TZFP41Y/ref=sr_1_8?crid=ZKZ6OSB9LAXF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cG8BIanFVkPpVStz6izF0NZzNKGDdq12-YLJAdox51BYUliMRelPJ0LKk89c9LGP00daTE4ggPZ8X2cSjFWoLI6UGkMkTeTpq-MKa73fpigkzJi5_EAMs7a9NHCsfJnIhMYFOQ7-TS7cuRT5JyK0CgQuAAVW6WPgd5RLJqSKUa8LSDj6ZEH6-Q85pUgcjMpy_XIdY3vwhpWSy_9RsMUZ8IwCzwEq8b6u_YylC4qRElmS4uT432rmBHNN9htPsqM-GfqKZ60hMDnmD_j-cj-PQ6vlxoJhefhkNfZ5yyj2X3Y.a9a1bhbo7QGR7kuu0HkVcqaUo4o27lfVTzDQJGYLJ-M&dib_tag=se&keywords=sxs+roof&qid=1747500895&sprefix=sxs+roof%2Caps%2C315&sr=8-8

At $90, that is a good place to start! Framing would be easy.