ROPS and what can happen
- Thread starter traildust
- Start date
I rented an articulating ( bends in the middle) backhoe with fel once. After about 10 minutes of use, I got the feeling this thing would be real easy to turn over with something in the bucket. It did have a rops on it. I sat in the seat and thought " what would I do if it started to turn over?" Stay inside the rops, I don't remember it haveing a seat belt. 20 minutes later, that's what happened. I picked up a large section of a brush pile and turned the wheel, I was on a slight bank and the tractor just started to roll over. I jumped up on the seat, planted my hands sideways and my shoulder against the top. fortunantly, it only rolled on its side. I'm very cautious now.
Most times a tractor is tipped over 3 things come to mind, ignorance, too fast and stupid. You can't fix stupid. One example are the videos a guy took of his tractor on it's side. Both times the fel was way above the hood.
I don't have an rops on any of the tractors I use. I had one on my K008 mini excavator. After 7 years I took it off last year. I can duck under a tree limb, it couldn't. I pulled the front end up once by catching it on a tree limb. I have banks I climb where I put the boom out staight in front of me not to tip over backward.
I have a bank I mow along the road. When they widened the road the bank got steeper. I can't mow all of it now. I go at it in 2nd low range. When the tire on the high side starts to slip I put it in reverse and back out slowly. (as someone mention previously) When the tire on the high side starts to slip you DON'T lock the rear end or ride the brake to keep it from spinning. It is trying to tell you you are about to go over.
I'll be 61 next month. I started cultivating a vineyard on a sidehill in Upstate N.Y. when I was 12. The brakes on the 2N Ford dad had were about useless. I never came close to having a problem doing the 8 acres. You had to plan ahead. At times I had to go slow.
I use a tractor almost every day for cultivating, discing, shredding, spraying or moving something. I pay attention to what I am doing. I don't get in a hurry on uneven ground. I have wheel weights and loaded tires. I know from experience what I can do and can't. Many times I'll be in low gear low range. That is why I am still here.
I don't have an rops on any of the tractors I use. I had one on my K008 mini excavator. After 7 years I took it off last year. I can duck under a tree limb, it couldn't. I pulled the front end up once by catching it on a tree limb. I have banks I climb where I put the boom out staight in front of me not to tip over backward.
I have a bank I mow along the road. When they widened the road the bank got steeper. I can't mow all of it now. I go at it in 2nd low range. When the tire on the high side starts to slip I put it in reverse and back out slowly. (as someone mention previously) When the tire on the high side starts to slip you DON'T lock the rear end or ride the brake to keep it from spinning. It is trying to tell you you are about to go over.
I'll be 61 next month. I started cultivating a vineyard on a sidehill in Upstate N.Y. when I was 12. The brakes on the 2N Ford dad had were about useless. I never came close to having a problem doing the 8 acres. You had to plan ahead. At times I had to go slow.
I use a tractor almost every day for cultivating, discing, shredding, spraying or moving something. I pay attention to what I am doing. I don't get in a hurry on uneven ground. I have wheel weights and loaded tires. I know from experience what I can do and can't. Many times I'll be in low gear low range. That is why I am still here.
When I was shopping for a compact one dealer told me ROPS wasn't worthwhile as these small tractors tend to fall on their side and stop rather than roll over completely. What's needed are the leg guards you see on motorcycles, rather than overhead bars. I've also been warned about use of ROPS in orchards (where I use my kit) and them getting caught by low branches. That's a weaker excuse though.
Talk to Skeetz about low hanging tree limbs and broken arms. Take a saw and cut those limbs high enough to gain tractor clearance!
Ahhhhhh yeah,,,
Sledge Im not sure what tractor you have my 2360 has a ROPS a little taller than me Im 6'2" and like you most likely have pushed low hanging branches out of the way when mowing,,,,,,
Well now all the low hanging branches are now over 6 and 1/2 feet high,, I was pushing low hanging branches out of the way over top of the rops in the orchard not wanting to loose to many apples,,My fingers got snaged in the leaves and before I got stoped my arm was bending in the most un-natural position,,
6 weeks later the cast came off and a month of PT before it got working right,,,,
YES CUT THE DAYUM LOW BRANCHES OFF!!!!!!
Sledge Im not sure what tractor you have my 2360 has a ROPS a little taller than me Im 6'2" and like you most likely have pushed low hanging branches out of the way when mowing,,,,,,
Well now all the low hanging branches are now over 6 and 1/2 feet high,, I was pushing low hanging branches out of the way over top of the rops in the orchard not wanting to loose to many apples,,My fingers got snaged in the leaves and before I got stoped my arm was bending in the most un-natural position,,
6 weeks later the cast came off and a month of PT before it got working right,,,,
YES CUT THE DAYUM LOW BRANCHES OFF!!!!!!
You know this ROPS thing is kinda like a seat belt in a car. I don't know if there are any stats on tractor accidents, but on autos and trucks it's just plain stupid, IMHO, to go anywhere without wearing one.
I feel the same way about the ROPS. It is there to keep you alive if the unthinkable happens. Yes, there are good defensive drivers who, LUCKILY, never have an accident on the highway. And, there are good tractor operators who, LUCKILY, have never had an accident. But there is always that one time that you have a small lapse in judgement, especially when you've plowed all day, or there is a failure of a component that allows the tractor to roll.
Here's my thing. If it's there, like guards, ROPS, seat belt etc. it only takes about as much time to use them correctly as it takes to roll a tractor.
No, I've never had an accident on a tractor. Plowed fields for years as a teenager in VA. But, there's always that first time and I enjoy my little Kubota too much to want to miss a day in the seat or never get to do it again just because I was too pig headed to use the safety features built into it.
Just my 2 pennies.
I feel the same way about the ROPS. It is there to keep you alive if the unthinkable happens. Yes, there are good defensive drivers who, LUCKILY, never have an accident on the highway. And, there are good tractor operators who, LUCKILY, have never had an accident. But there is always that one time that you have a small lapse in judgement, especially when you've plowed all day, or there is a failure of a component that allows the tractor to roll.
Here's my thing. If it's there, like guards, ROPS, seat belt etc. it only takes about as much time to use them correctly as it takes to roll a tractor.
No, I've never had an accident on a tractor. Plowed fields for years as a teenager in VA. But, there's always that first time and I enjoy my little Kubota too much to want to miss a day in the seat or never get to do it again just because I was too pig headed to use the safety features built into it.
Just my 2 pennies.
As far as seatbelts go I always wear one on the road. One place I gas up it is hard not to put it on to drive one aisle over in the parking lot to go in the grocery store.
On my little B6100E I stay on flat ground. The only place that isn't is when I move my 2" diesel irrigation pump up on the bank by the pond. I have the 200 lb. pump on a stinger/boom pole. I back up the bank to the level spot where I use the pump.
I sold my L345 when the bearings went out in the steering box. I never liked that tractor. It had a high center of gravity and was the most user unfriendly tractor I ever had.
My main two tractors are British Leyland 154 diesels. The one I have with 150lbs on each rear wheel, 70 lbs on each front plus loaded would out pull my L245 4wd. It was the same hp but from 1100 cc compared to the Leyland 1500 cc. Some in here might remember the low end torque from cubic inches. I know the newer cars are more hp and faster, but they don't have any low end torque.
The tree limb I caught my rops on was at my sister's place. It won't happen again. I can also go in the garage doors of my new barn. I couldn't with the rops on. I did some dirt work on the ditch bank in front of the house. I have the option of putting the boom out on the high side for counter balance.
My favorite picture is of a new Kubota laying on it's side on a flat yard. The guy said he swerved to miss his dog. The tractor had 20 hours on it. It was his first tractor. He was going too fast and had a bucket of dirt about a foot above the hood.
I'll take my experience over the rops. They have probably saved many lives. They have probably helped many tractors tip over. How many say "I'm safe, I have the rops. I can go as fast and be as dumb as I want."
On my little B6100E I stay on flat ground. The only place that isn't is when I move my 2" diesel irrigation pump up on the bank by the pond. I have the 200 lb. pump on a stinger/boom pole. I back up the bank to the level spot where I use the pump.
I sold my L345 when the bearings went out in the steering box. I never liked that tractor. It had a high center of gravity and was the most user unfriendly tractor I ever had.
My main two tractors are British Leyland 154 diesels. The one I have with 150lbs on each rear wheel, 70 lbs on each front plus loaded would out pull my L245 4wd. It was the same hp but from 1100 cc compared to the Leyland 1500 cc. Some in here might remember the low end torque from cubic inches. I know the newer cars are more hp and faster, but they don't have any low end torque.
The tree limb I caught my rops on was at my sister's place. It won't happen again. I can also go in the garage doors of my new barn. I couldn't with the rops on. I did some dirt work on the ditch bank in front of the house. I have the option of putting the boom out on the high side for counter balance.
My favorite picture is of a new Kubota laying on it's side on a flat yard. The guy said he swerved to miss his dog. The tractor had 20 hours on it. It was his first tractor. He was going too fast and had a bucket of dirt about a foot above the hood.
I'll take my experience over the rops. They have probably saved many lives. They have probably helped many tractors tip over. How many say "I'm safe, I have the rops. I can go as fast and be as dumb as I want."
The linked news article mentions widely-spaced front tires.
Little if any relationship to the accident as reported.
Sounds much like a standard "pulling from too high" flip-over incident.
Always attach chain when pulling at a point BELOW the rear axle---at the proper longways-beneath-the-tractor drawbar. That's what the drawbar is for.
If the chain is attached to the 3-point lift cross-ways drawbar (which will typically be higher than the rear axle--especially when pulled taut) the tractor will flip over backwards every time.
Basic mechanical leverage. Can't truly recommend you try it but if you don't believe what can happen next time you latch onto something try it both ways at low engine power and with feet on brakes and clutch and heart thumping.
ALWAYS use the under-tractor drawbar. If you don't have one, get one. If you don't have one, don't pull with the tractor.
Little if any relationship to the accident as reported.
Sounds much like a standard "pulling from too high" flip-over incident.
Always attach chain when pulling at a point BELOW the rear axle---at the proper longways-beneath-the-tractor drawbar. That's what the drawbar is for.
If the chain is attached to the 3-point lift cross-ways drawbar (which will typically be higher than the rear axle--especially when pulled taut) the tractor will flip over backwards every time.
Basic mechanical leverage. Can't truly recommend you try it but if you don't believe what can happen next time you latch onto something try it both ways at low engine power and with feet on brakes and clutch and heart thumping.
ALWAYS use the under-tractor drawbar. If you don't have one, get one. If you don't have one, don't pull with the tractor.