I'm tired of getting hit in the face with limbs, so I have decided to make some brush screens for my D3C XL III (without cab). I bought a sheet of .25" dia, 2" x 2" opening, woven wire mesh and some 2" angle iron. I'm pretty handy with a welding machine, but I can see several ways to put these together. Outside the ROPS, flush mount inside the ROPS, etc. Would love to see some pictures of how other people have mounted them.
I put it on the outside. Easier to weld and fit. Didn't need any on the sides though.
If you work in brush and tree's put them on the sides. I was given the job once to push back the brush along over grown roads for hydro authority. We had 2 small dozers a JD 550 and a D3. I insisted on the D3 in front of the hydro project manager and job was given to us, D3 had side screens , 550 had none. Boss was upset, he stated that he would get $5 more per hour for the 550. He wanted to rent that machine to hydro, told me after the guy left that he would have let me take the D3 and charged for the 550, but I had my doubts. I wanted the protection. Anyways job went OK but D3 broke down once and 1 of the boss's and myself went to fix it. He again stated that 550 was newer and would have been better then the D3, again I told him I wanted the protection of the screens.He told me I needed to 'just be careful' That same boss a short time later was clearing brush with the 550 and ended up with a big welt right under the eye, I casually reminded him of his advise to me on the hydro job and then told him he was an idiot because a) he came within an inch of losing an eye and b) we have a better machine for brush work and its 'cost' of lowbeding would be cheaper then an eye. If you do lots of bussh work remember this. You are most vulnerable when running in reverse. I was told this at an early stage of my cat skinning career. Guy who told me lost a co-worker/acquaintance when his cat picked up a small tree and he was looking backwards and sharp end of tree went thru his chest. I was running a D6 a few years later and same thing happened to me but tree top was real small and 'green' and it bent first and allowed me to put machine in neutral and go forward. So be aware of this, always be aware , and sneak a peek towards front of cat when backing up around trees. Cheers Lowbed Driver
Here is how I mounted my rear screen, flush with the rops and with tabs so it is removable,
Yeap, a rear screen is in my future. I've nearly impaled myself once. Ended up with a pretty good scrape across my back. Bad enough to bleed through a t shirt. I lucked out on that one.
Good job KyFarm. I like the tabs idea. Always easy to put stuff on with a welder but not so much when taking it back off.
Looks good but one word of caution. If you are working on a mine site that is covered by MSHA(Mine Safety and Health Administration) you would be in violation of some code for welding on or drilling into the ROPS. Not sure of other things Like OSHA. I know that doesn't affect you but just putting it out for anyone who might be in that situation. I'm sure with a little more work one could make some brackets to wrap around the legs of the ROPS.
I've heard they don't like you using expanded metal for screens either, maybe someone else can confirm that. Looks good tho! I'm getting ready to build some screens for my dozer in the next couple weeks.
Thanks for the info, however with me as an operator this dozer will not be leaving my farm. Also, the holes were already there
The way I built the back screen on my telehandler was to invert the flange so it fit inside the ROPS like a window frame and then I infilled with the woven screen in the middle of the angle flange. Four bolts hold it in place. My reasoning was that any inward pressure would be met with full bearing resistance around the entire perimeter and that failure would mean the screen or the welds holding the screen to the frame gave out not a bolt or tab shearing off. I like the looks of the tabbed style but my particular situation lent itself to the way I ended up doing it.
check at your nearest rock crusher for used screens. they may be free and are very heavy duty, just right for screens.
Good point on both issues - MSHA and OSHA. Another thing to consider even if you aren't under those two regulations, if you weld or drill your ROPS it can severely reduce the value of the machine if you want to sell it on the open market. Just a general FYI.
I picked up heavy woven screen at a crusher supply place, but it was far from free!
If you go to sites covered by those authorities (or Work safe B.C. here in our part of Canada) you should check with manufacturer of ROPS and they may have a diagram of correct welding required to install screens and if they do not help, you can work on ROPS if an Engineer is involved and signs of on the repair or alteration. We go thru this building and modifying ROPS here at our shop. )
I've been through all the ROPS deal. Once I pulled the certification plates off a brand new D11 ROPS because it had been extensively welded on by the customer's GPS contractor. Simple fact is that if you weld like on those photos your ROPS is instantly decertified, and if the tractor was ever to roll over and there were injuries involved the machine owner could be in deep ****. No problem if you're working for yourself but if your equipment ever gets on someone else's job site you will likely fall foul of their safety germs.
While were on the subject.......... Is the ROPS considered just the vertical bars or is the canopy considered part of the ROPS system? It seems like all of the side screens are welded or bolted to the canopy. What other option is there? There isn't anything to clamp to right there.
I would assume that the entire one piece welded structure as it came from the factory is considered the ROPS. Also any hardware used to attach it to the machine along with the brackets welded to the frame of the machine. We had an MSHA inspector write us up because a certification tag was missing. Seems Case thought installing the tag behind the seat where the seat rubbed on it was a good location. I believe after we were able to show him the tag that had been saved an promised to install it again the citation was dropped.
It's not a D3 but we added engine enclosures & full cab screen to the Allis dozer . I used rock screen . Was temped to put doors on the cab . Instead I just left enough room on both sides of the cab to enter or abandon ship if need be . I like the idea of bolting the screen frames to the cab so they can be removed for service work . My rear screen was welded to the cab but the pipe frame & side screens were bolted on as was the front screen .We made the engine enclosure out of 1/4 steel and they hinged at the front of the tractor & had a latch at the rear to lock them shut . It worked pretty good . Could go ripping through the woods like a wild man.
Great input from everyone. I don't work public jobs, just for myself and some close neighbors. So government inspectors specs is no worry. About two weeks ago I got hit across the forehead with a 2" thick on the end holly tree branch that broke off as it bent around the ROPS as I was backing up. Knocked me kuckoo for a couple of minutes. That made me decide I had to have screens. I have almost finished with the framing, and I bought I sheet of .25 diameter double crimped woven wire mesh that has 2" x 2" openings. I will post pics when I get them done. I am welding tabs onto the ROPS and the screen frames will bolt to the tabs.
My ex wifes grandfather was killed on a old crawler come to think about it. There was no rops, nor a screens. But he was hit by a branch off of a tree, that knocked him over the back and under the field disk. Wasn't very pretty. My little brother found him a couple hours later. Be careful folks, things go sideways fast...
All the talk of safety geeks failing ROPS for welding on it, they should have been around in the old days of either open stations or as the oil patch and loggers started adding their own cages in all form, variety and styles. Tons of variables as to welded conditions there and saved all too many a operator from serious injuries or death. Cannot fix all conditions but ingenuity is the mother of all inventions to cover most.
I added srreens and sweeps to my 4c when I got it 10 years ago. I will try and post an old photo I found(I wish it was still this clean). I went on the out side of the ROPS with short 1/2 bolts and nuts welded on the ROPS. I did the same on the rear. On the lower part of the rear I used angle iron turned in to clear fuel and HYD oil caps. John