Anyone done this before, I need to take them off, anything I should know? Just unbolt right? They dont seve as any sort of structural support for any other components right?
Removing ROPS from Ferris
4 seasons lawn&land
21 - 37 of 37 Posts
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1,600 Posts
Otherwise known as "Darwin Award Winners" when they do something really stupid. Like using a match to check and see if there is any gasoline in the mower tank.:laugh:
I've been using a Ferris without ROPS for years but they always looked like a good idea to me. When I bought a new one the dealer said that he didn't like them. I didn't know why at the time.
I took home my new Ferris just yesterday with a ROPS and began to mow. I went around my first tree or two and got swacked! by a tree limb. Raked the branch right across my neck. Yes, I even bled. I didn't know what was wrong as I'd been mowing around these same trees for years. It took a few more whacks from tree limbs before I got it. I know, I'm a slow learner.
Now I'm removing it; and I won't be wearing the seatbelt of course. The dealer is glad to give me the blocks that he removes when setting up his machines with ROPS. He must have a bunch of 'em. I can easily see me going under a tree and hanging on a branch that's strong enough to pull me over. For me, it's an individual decision and I'm not going to be using it.
I took home my new Ferris just yesterday with a ROPS and began to mow. I went around my first tree or two and got swacked! by a tree limb. Raked the branch right across my neck. Yes, I even bled. I didn't know what was wrong as I'd been mowing around these same trees for years. It took a few more whacks from tree limbs before I got it. I know, I'm a slow learner.
Now I'm removing it; and I won't be wearing the seatbelt of course. The dealer is glad to give me the blocks that he removes when setting up his machines with ROPS. He must have a bunch of 'em. I can easily see me going under a tree and hanging on a branch that's strong enough to pull me over. For me, it's an individual decision and I'm not going to be using it.
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270 Posts
I'm gonna take the ROPS off my JD717A pretty soon. I got it with the ROPS up, first time i went under a hearty muscadine vine it almost flipped before i slammed it into reverse. I folded it to 45* and i keep backing into crap I should have enough room for because the bar sticks out so far. I've dented my shed and shattered my mailbox post, fortunately haven't harmed any customer's property.
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1,318 Posts
My Hustler comment was based on all of the Hustlers I've seen around here (and that's a bunch--local dealer sells hundreds a year) and from their website. The FasTrak Super Duty and the new Diesel model are pictured with ROPS, but that's it.
I've been skeptical of the McDonald's coffee case, but McD's was partly at fault. I had to research this case in my business law class this semester. McDonald's coffee used to be 10-15 degrees warmer than competing restaurants' coffee. That extra 10-15 degrees made the difference between "hot" and "burning hot". McDonald's has had over 700 reports of coffee burns ranging from mild to third degree.
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220 Posts
A good rule of thumb is that if a hill looks like you might need ROPS, you probably should't be mowing it with a Z. Just my 0.02
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9,874 Posts
Every commercial ZTR we have made since January 1st 2008 comes standard with a ROPS.
Been thinking of taking mine off the 1500 ..been wacked a few times. For some odd reason ferris's rops pivots up higher then my exmark ..so its more likely to catch limbs even when in the down position .If ferris and exmark could design it with a lower pivot and fold it rearward .we could have the best of both worlds .
But then that would be asking to much !! ..
But then that would be asking to much !! ..
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5,477 Posts
Is it safer to have ROP to protect you in the case of a roll over "yes"
Can you be hurt by ROP catching on an object "big yes"
Can you safely cut grass with out ROP "yes" if you use you head.
Is there any way to guarantee you safety 100% while using a ZTR "no".
I keep the ROP on the Scag in case I work dangerous area's. I take them off the Lazer for jobs that have lots of low hanging limbs or obstructions. I try to avoid dangerous area's with a ZTR.
Can you be hurt by ROP catching on an object "big yes"
Can you safely cut grass with out ROP "yes" if you use you head.
Is there any way to guarantee you safety 100% while using a ZTR "no".
I keep the ROP on the Scag in case I work dangerous area's. I take them off the Lazer for jobs that have lots of low hanging limbs or obstructions. I try to avoid dangerous area's with a ZTR.
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234 Posts
Correctomundo. Most of my yards have decorative trees, and you can't get within 10' of them without catching a branch and doing a turtle on the damn machine!
For some cutting, they're more dangerous ON than OFF.
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234 Posts
Correctomundo. Most of my yards have decorative trees, and you can't get within 10' of them without catching a branch and doing a turtle on the damn machine!
For some cutting, they're more dangerous ON than OFF. I have no accounts with hills, inclines or obstacles which would warrant a ROPS structure anyway. My mower isn't going over on it's lid without some help from the giant unwieldy bars sticking off the back.
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3,807 Posts
how???
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270 Posts
New customer, it was my first time cutting his yard. The entire neighborhood is nothing but 2-7 acre lots and relatively flat, it used to be a sod field. Well this cat let his grass get out of control, so its nearly knee high and thick as can be. I'm cutting, and do a backwards K turn so I don't throw tall clippings into his neighbor's freshly cut yard. As I'm backing up I hit what used to be his burn pit, which was nearly 2 feet deep and a straight drop off. I'm new on a ZTR(28 hrs on it) and I tried to gun it forward to prevent getting stuck in the hole, and just accelerated my flip.
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3,998 Posts
So was the ROPS up, down, or removed? Any damage/injury? Does "flipped" still mean "turned over" as in "upside down", or does "flipped mean that you did a wheelie?
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2 Posts
Same. Went under a tree almost flipped it backwards luckily the limb broke. But the customer is not happy about his pear tree at the moment. I'm taking mine off.
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1,231 Posts
My first ztr has a ROPS.
For many years I was adamant about keeping it in place.
Hardly ever even folded it down, didn't even know why I should.
Popped quite a few wheelies, always felt it was a small price to pay for the protection I thought it offered... I did however learn an important skill, and that's how to cut around trees with a fully deployed ROPS.
Then I bought my second Ztr, it didn't have a ROPS at all.
It was also missing the seat belt...
That's when I started to learn...
Not sure what to tell you, but why even buy a ztr with a fixed ROPS?
It's an option, I'm sure you can have them remove it before purchasing it, and you keep that money. Same with the seat belt, it's an option.
A fold-down ROPS on the other hand, might be nice to have should you need it.
Obviously doesn't do much good folded, but the option is nice to have.
That being said, seat belts should be worn only with fully deployed ROPS.
NO seat belt should be worn without a ROPS or with a folded one.
Which one will kill you or save your life, I couldn't tell you because I've gone on a few slides and never flipped... But don't mow near bodies of water or near a ledge on a rider, because if you slide off a ledge that could be really bad news, a ROPS and a seat belt might save your life in this scenario.
For many years I was adamant about keeping it in place.
Hardly ever even folded it down, didn't even know why I should.
Popped quite a few wheelies, always felt it was a small price to pay for the protection I thought it offered... I did however learn an important skill, and that's how to cut around trees with a fully deployed ROPS.
Then I bought my second Ztr, it didn't have a ROPS at all.
It was also missing the seat belt...
That's when I started to learn...
Not sure what to tell you, but why even buy a ztr with a fixed ROPS?
It's an option, I'm sure you can have them remove it before purchasing it, and you keep that money. Same with the seat belt, it's an option.
A fold-down ROPS on the other hand, might be nice to have should you need it.
Obviously doesn't do much good folded, but the option is nice to have.
That being said, seat belts should be worn only with fully deployed ROPS.
NO seat belt should be worn without a ROPS or with a folded one.
Which one will kill you or save your life, I couldn't tell you because I've gone on a few slides and never flipped... But don't mow near bodies of water or near a ledge on a rider, because if you slide off a ledge that could be really bad news, a ROPS and a seat belt might save your life in this scenario.
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