Is a ROPS or cage necessary for safety in a 466CI, 3000rpm class with a 3LM466 turbo and either a rotary (13mm model 100, 450 Rosa) or 10MM A pump? Our club voted it in at the last meeting, but we are hearing a lot of backlash about the rule. What rule does your club have on this?
The club we pull in its recommended but its not required, and most people dont have the money to put a cage on their tractor, you really dont need it in a 3000 RPM class in my opinion.
Our club is the same way, its optional, but not mandatory. Only plus side to installing a cage (aside from safety), is that if we do, we are then allowed to remove the top 3pt rockshaft from the tractors. Otherwise, they have to remain in place. We do have one tractor that has a factory ROPS bar, that's about it, though. Otherwise, no one else in 3000 RPM class has a cage on at all.
We pull BSTP and are required to have it . You may think at 3000 rpm you arent going that fast but after it happens it is to late!
In my opinion safety is first, if you have an accident and get hurt, then cant enjoy your hobby, I wouldn't be able to live with the fact I could have prevented my injury. Just my opinion though
Lets say you are just having one heck of a run down the track but then suddenly that weld on hub breaks clean off the axle,no problem I will just jump off but oh crap-dam seat belt! Not something that the crowd should ever have to witness! I will admit to having a biased opinion on this topic being we have equipped all our farm tractors with ROPS and oh ya can't forget my two months in hospital after rolling an IH b275 at a ripe age of 12 years old. guess every one has a different comfort level? good luck!
the argument that its to expensive to put a rops or cage on is crazy, if you can afford to go down the track you can afford another 1000.00 or less to protect yourself. if your track speed is over 10 mph there should be no question. if someone rolls it and becomes seriously injured without the safety equipment, just tell there kids or family at least he saved some money, see how that goes!
Might as well get used to it. Sooner or later the insurance companies are going to mandate it. Here in MI we went to full NTPA cages in any class that can exceed 10mph on the track (excludes the trucks) for 2009. I've never driven a puller that was more than an antique that did not have a cage and I can say it's very comforting to have around you. I'm not sure I'd want to pull a high-powered tractor without one.
Tractors in the Thumb club with similar rules (less cubes) are getting 20+ MPH ground speed. A cage and a harness is pretty good insurance in case of a rough ride.
I watched a Farmall M with wheelly bar roll onto the sled on night running stock rpms, and also know of a 970 Case that rolled back onto the sled. I alway said it couldn't happen because of the laws of physics involving the tractor hitch/drawbar and sled chain but I know for a fact these both happened. When the Case rolled the driver only ended up with a broken finger(might be because he comes from one of the toughest familes I know of) and in the other the driver had some broken ribs, broken collar bone and some internal damage. Today both are back pulling though.
So if you want to take the risk it would be your chose but watching 6-8 men lift the front end off the sled so the driver could get out is something you will not forget.
Chucky
i was like you when our association. i thought those no good suckers voted another dang useless money spending rule in and thought it was pointless. we ran a rops for one year basically in protest. after being forced to put the cage on and running for awhile i feel like i must have been crazy pulling without it. i feel a lot better knowing i dont have to worry about being stuck under a tractor or killed. its well worth the money to put one on.
This is not a question of right or wrong! If their is an accident and someone is hurt, or even worse(KILLED), Just because someone is to flippin tight, or lazy, or whatever reason, to make a trip to the salvage yard and get a rops! This could the end of ur club! Cuz im sure ur insurance co would drop u! We just made the change from 3000 to Hot stock and put a full 3 bar cage on this winter! Its not to hard 4 a couple of us hicks to figure it out! Ask urself this! Do u want to pull or not?! P.S. If anyone else would like info on where we got our setup at I would be more than happy to let u know! It wus under $1000, and dosent look cheezy!
