Rops on orchard tractors.

[13fx]

Spent the last week and a half visiting my dad. He lives in orchard country and I live in big wheat country. Anyway I guess I never really paid to much attention to the rops on orchards before because I happened to notice last week that the orchard tractors that do have ropes mostly have them in the middle. At first I thought that placing the rops midway in the tractor would allow for a shorter rops to be used then if it was mounted to the rear but, I don't see that moving it to the midway point would matter. What is the reason for the placement change? Sorry that the picture isn't the best, we were driving.

 

[Janicholson]

Opinion} if tall, and in the center it can deflect limbs from hitting the operator, as well as prevent the full 180 roll over. Jim

 

[MJMJ]

It will actually just cause the limbs to snap back into the operators face. Are you sure them are ROPs?

 

[Hoofer B]

It like having a screen door on a submarine. Bill

 

[13fx]

It will actually just cause the limbs to snap back into the operators face. Are you sure them are ROPs?

It's rops. But it won't slap you in the face in most orchards. Not saying all orchards run the same way, but most of the orchards have been groomed in a way that prevents that while on ATVs and orchard tractors. The kubota's in the picture are part of a group that have multi-sectional sickle bar mowers to line up the edges of the trees and cut the top at the same time.

 

[Russ from MN]

I added a canopy, using 12 ga steel, and front posts to our JD 4600. It protects me from falling objects, rain, sun, and branches. I use it in the woods a lot, I

should have done it as soon as the warranty expired! Not the best photo, we were moving a deer stand in some rugged terrain!

 

[Blackhole49]

Opinion} if tall, and in the center it can deflect limbs from hitting the operator, as well as prevent the full 180 roll over. Jim

Not sure about the limbs, but I agree with preventing the tractor from going over backwards.

 

[13fx]

Not sure about the limbs, but I agree with preventing the tractor from going over backwards.

I think Jim has the right of it. Just because the orchards I'm used to seeing usually are trimmed or planted in a way that allows for travel without catching a stick to the face doesn't mean that a lot of others around the country aren't run differently. If you do hit a limb or stick with the rops you can lean forward and be pretty well protected. As for stopping it from going over backwards, I'm pretty sure if that happens the person is a goner being pinned between the ground and the rops. Could be wrong but I think Jim ment it as a stop for sideways roll overs and not ending up wheels up.

 

[DoubleO7]

Gonna take a lot to lift the front with that hedging sickle apparatus out front like they are.
Are these also very narrow i.e. like a vineyard model?
If so they are more worried about rollovers than up enders.
After hedging season they likely only pull a disc or rotary mower or wagon.