[Blessed 1]

I dont have 8 hrs on my 04 yet and after hooking up the seat belt 4-5 times I forgot 1 time and next thing I hear is a ugly sound coming from the blades. My seat belt had fell beside the seat and I backed over it. I need to replace the buckle assy now. How can I get a replacement? Have we considered a self retracting belt?
Thanks............ Mike

 

[eXmark]

Mike,

I've got a team of engineers working on this. They are currently studying how this could happen. You have a seat belt. The seat belt is supposed to be buckled when you’re operating the machine. Yet somehow the seat belt falls down beside the seat and gets entangled ripping it and the buckle from the seat The last time I saw them they had the smallest engineer in the group buckled up and stuffed half way down between the seat and the tank and still could not duplicate this issue........Just kidding. I had to have a little fun with ya.

There is a potential for this to happen and it's expensive when it does. Most people won't hafta buy too may replacement belts before they remember.

It's going to take guys some time to get accustomed to wearing the belts but the goal is to get them using them. Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] with your dealer info as well as your name and address (your dealer may not know you by "Blessed 1") and I'll see what I can do.

The retracting seat belts have some issues as well. Most of them can tend to ratchet tighter and tighter as you bounce in the seat. For some it could begin to cut of the circulation to their legs and feet. For me the circulation to my brain.........get it seat/brain......... The big issue is these belts tend to get really uncomfortable really fast when this occurs which could cause some to not wear them.

Thanks

Terry

 

[John Gamba]

Can't you just put them together, Like we did in 1975 Chevys
John

 

[brucec32]

I'm curious yet again. I'm sure Exmark has access to the statistics....how many rollover related COMMERCIAL mower deaths in a year? And of those, how many would a ROPS have prevented?


It'd be interesting to see what kind of a problem this is.

 

[Blessed 1]

Yes you can put them together its just that I was trying to do the right thing and use them and forgot to put it on 1 time and next thing you know bang,bop,pow.......and I say to myself "that doesn't soung good". I took a few minutes for it to come to me. Actually I saw the remnants of the buckle and still could not ID it. It was about 5 minutes later when I realized what i had done.

 

[John Gamba]

Blessed 1
I threw a rock out one day the size of a cantolope and i just kept mowing.
They do chop it up pretty good.
John

 

[eXmark]

Bruce32,

I don't know of any agency that tracks that information.

I believe the Exmark management saw a way to make the mowers potentially safer and decided to take a lead role in our industry. We have had various types and styles of ROPS available for several years however they were only offered as an accessory. By putting the ROPS on as standard equipment we are making a bit of a statement that we and all manufacturers need to try to build better, stronger more durable and safer products.

The ROPS is there to help protect the operator if the operator gets himself or herself in a situation where a roll over could occur. Let's face it we all have taken chances that we should not have. Most of us have had a Lazer on a slope or in a situation that we knew we should not be in. The ROPS just helps protect us when we make a mistake.

I hope that helps clear things up a little bit.

Thanks

Terry

 

[CSRA Landscaping]

Speaking strictly from the "Z" perspective ... the thought of a seatbelt scares me silly. I'd rather be able to bail (like I've had to once or twice) than be pulled down with the machine.

 

[eXmark]

Jeff,

Have ROPS have seat belt, don't have ROPS don't have seat belt. The general opinion is that just like a car, in the event that something goes wrong and all heck breaks loose your better off being contained in the protective cage of the car or ROPS in this case. If the protective cage or ROPS is not in place and the same situation occurs you may be right.

Thanks

Terry

 

[dannyc33]

blessed 1,

are you able to remove the ROPS completly from the mower, or just fold in down.

If you can't it looks like I'll be getting a cutting torch.

Dan

 

[brucec32]

Originally posted by CSRA Landscaping
Speaking strictly from the "Z" perspective ... the thought of a seatbelt scares me silly. I'd rather be able to bail (like I've had to once or twice) than be pulled down with the machine.

That was my thought on it. I'd feel very trapped on a ZTR I was literally strapped down to.

 

[dannyc33]

Blessed !,
Can the ROPS be removed? or will I need a cutting torch.

 

[CSRA Landscaping]

Ah ... I see. I misunderstood. I thought the seatbelt and the ROPS were being spoken of separately. I'm sorry, I didn't realize they were being used in conjunction ... makes a lot of sense, though.

 

[eXmark]

Danny 33,

We would NOT recommend that you remove the eight bolts that hold the ROPS in place or using a cutting torch either.

Thank you

Terry

 

[Blessed 1]

The ROPS folds down. Its has 2 or 3 ssettings in which it folds down to with the lowest about shoulder height. I have now had any problems so far except yesterday it got caught on a guide wire on a telephone pole and that was scary for a minute. It is something that we are going to have to get used too because from what I was told by my dealer that starting in 2004 it is a OSHA regulation that all commercial ZTR's will eventually have to have.

 

[Blessed 1]

Thank You Terry/Exmark
I received my new seat belt from Westover L & G yesterday. I will be more careful this time about keeping it buckeled. This kind of service is why I am have converted over to all Exmark mowers.