Am I a sissy if I build a roll bar?

Arne

Oh, Nurse? - I need another bedpan! Man, I'll be happy when all this plaster comes off.

No, but seriously - you'll only be a sissy if you build a sissy roll-bar. But I don't think that any man who takes the time to protect himself from known dangers, so that he stays around for his family and his loved ones, is any sort of a sissy.

HTH

llater,

llamas

• 8N Rollover video

Boy, have lawyers improved our society, or what?

Mike

• Link

Your tractor weighs more than a ton. A poorly built ROPS (roll over protection system) may be akin to whistling in the graveyard.

New Holland dealers have an ROPS for the Nseries tractor, which by law they are required to sell at cost.

And don't forget the seat belt. Without it, in a roll over you are a piece of cheese and the ROPS is the cutter.

Just curious, what is 'at cost'? Is it something that we can install ourselves?

That story got me thinking, too, but unfortunately I don't have big bucks to spare (actually, who does?).

thanks,
Tom

Arne, ONLY sisies do without safety equipment! That is they are afraid (sisy) to be ribbed by the (susposedly) MACHO guys that don't use safety equipment. There is NOTHING macho about looking up from a casket at your grieving widow and children. A REAL MAN takes care of his wife and especially his children, and THAT means taking care of himself so he does not get injured or killed which would hinder his PRIMARY responsibility.

To say in a less diplomatic way that Ed, you would be STUPID (no insult meant - really) if you built your own RPOS. Unless you are a graduate engineer with the structural training to design it to take the loading that a roll over would subject the RPOS to. Then you would need to be a certified welder/fabricator to pur your design into effect - perfect design poorly made is just as a bad design excellently made.

[Down off saop box now]

As far a getting a RPOS on an 8N is concerned, I would say that only if you are going to operate yours where it is very hilly, or even if there is just one place you have to drive that has a steep slope will the RPOS seem to be required. You should be putting on an RPOS for an accident. NOT to protect yourself from doing something stupid. You simple should NOT be doing things so that you risk a rollover - EVER!! (oops, that sounds, "soap boxish" too) One other caveat on putting on a RPOS, that is if you expect other people to use the tractor, especially people not used to using dangerious equipment. When I bought my Ford 3000 for my farm in the foot hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, I know that my son would want to/would be driving the 3000. SO the FIRST thing I bought for it was the Ford RPOS, and promptly put it on. There are even enough times when I am using the 3000 that I like the feel of the RPOS seat belt around me that it was WELL worth the money to have gotten it. I have some very steep hills! I'm a lot more careful on my 8N with no RPOS, even to the point of not going certian places on it.

You pays your money, takes your choice.

Regards,
Larry

it was me, not Ed that was talking about making one. I hear what you are saying, but it would be a big pill to swallow to buy one after all the roll cages I have fabbed over the years. I will look into it though.

Thanks for all the replies and resources folks. Y'all are great.

Arne

You said, "after all the roll cages I have fabbed over the years." That is fine! I always start out assuming that someone is inexperenced until I find out different. It would seem that you are the exception and do have the experence to build an adaquate RPOS. Have at it! Post picts when done.

Regards,
Larry

Check the archives - there is a lot of info about ROPS