ROPS question MX5100

[shelby5100]

I purchased this MX5100 late last year, about to put it into service and had a question about the ROPS. The tractor has a fold down ROPS, but the unit is split at the fenders. The upper half has a square tube welded inside and a bolt hole that goes through the outside and inside tube to tie them both together when assembled.

The farmer I bought it from didn't have the hardware, so I bought some grade 8 hardware, but the bolt holes aren't perfectly perpendicular to the tube. Is this a factory setup, or am I looking at someones custom fabrication?

 

[McMXi]

I purchased this MX5100 late last year, about to put it into service and had a question about the ROPS. The tractor has a fold down ROPS, but the unit is split at the fenders. The upper half has a square tube welded inside and a bolt hole that goes through the outside and inside tube to tie them both together when assembled.
View attachment 173238 View attachment 173239
The farmer I bought it from didn't have the hardware, so I bought some grade 8 hardware, but the bolt holes aren't perfectly perpendicular to the tube. Is this a factory setup, or am I looking at someones custom fabrication?

I would say not factory based on the MX6000HST I owned for about 15 months. I wonder what the motivation was to do that given that the ROPS folds. Did the previous owner park it under a deck?

With the grinder marks and weld prep it looks like it was being prepared for welding ... to me at least.

I don't have a great photo of the ROPS on my first MX but here's what I have the day it showed up at the dealer. I see that the cross bar on your ROPS is different.

I'm interested to read what others think about this. A bit of a mystery perhaps.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Well the MX5100 did have a bolted ROPS.

But yours is not factory!
It's been altered.
Sadly you won't know how good it is or isn't until you really need it, and when it fails it could be really bad!

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

not my tractor but same model. no cuts like yours so I would say yours is after market adjusted.

 

[McMXi]

Well the MX5100 did have a bolted ROPS.

But yours is not factory!
It's been altered.
Sadly you won't know how good it is or isn't until you really need it, and when it fails it could be really bad!

It would be interesting to know the "why" ... to me at least. Perhaps the OP can ask the farmer why it was cut.

 

[whitetiger]

Is there another joint inline with the cross brace?

 

[shelby5100]

Yes, there is another joint at the cross brace.

No idea why the previous owner decided to cut the ROPS, weld in an alignment piece and drill holes....rather than pull out 4 bolts to disconnect the upper structure. His wife said he had dimensia when I was there, maybe by this point he was already making bad decisions.

She said they removed the ROPS for access in their chicken barns.

 

[McMXi]

Yes, there is another joint at the cross brace.

No idea why the previous owner decided to cut the ROPS, weld in an alignment piece and drill holes....rather than pull out 4 bolts to disconnect the upper structure. His wife said he had dimensia when I was there, maybe by this point he was already making bad decisions.

She said they removed the ROPS for access in their chicken barns.

The schematic that @North Idaho Wolfman posted shows the joint, but why the ROPS wasn't simply unbolted rather than cut we'll never know. However, the chicken barn explanation for the need now makes sense.

 

[shelby5100]

Yeah, I looked at that diagram when I bought it and said "oh, factory built, sectioned ROPS....just need some bolts". I didn't take into account that the section is secured by 2 bolts upper and lower, and a bracket.

Been calling salvage yards to see if anyone will ship me JUST the two vertical supports, but of course, everyone wants to sell the assembly.

As for the why....some people just stick to the first idea that pops into their head and run.with it.

 

[shelby5100]

Found a salvage yard willing to sell just the upper vertical portions of the ROPS and ship it out. Problem hopefully solved.

Was pursuing getting it welded professionally, but was not comfortable with the responses I was getting from "certified structural welders". I tend to overthink things that can mean the difference between life and death....most of these guys just wanted to burn a weld around the perimeter of the tube and call it good. Probably fine for a tensile test, but not what I am looking for in something that only needs to work once under a shock load.

 

[McMXi]

Found a salvage yard willing to sell just the upper vertical portions of the ROPS and ship it out. Problem hopefully solved.

Was pursuing getting it welded professionally, but was not comfortable with the responses I was getting from "certified structural welders". I tend to overthink things that can mean the difference between life and death....most of these guys just wanted to burn a weld around the perimeter of the tube and call it good. Probably fine for a tensile test, but not what I am looking for in something that only needs to work once under a shock load.

That ROPS could absolutely be welded and be stronger than the original design, but it's a moot point if replacing it gives you peace of mind.

 

[shelby5100]

That ROPS could absolutely be welded and be stronger than the original design, but it's a moot point if replacing it gives you peace of mind.

It is possible, but not probable with the welders that I found. The quotes I was getting were the same or more than the replacement parts. For peace of mind, and project turn around time, replacement was a no brainer.

Glad I caught it and I hope I never need it.