M2208 – Crop Bar Assembly

Crop bars span across the width of your polytunnel on the intermediate hoops and they are used so that the structure is more robust (fig 8a).

Crop bars are supplied in 2 pieces, one is 2.92m long (35/292FP) and is flattened at one end and plain on the opposite. The other is 1.96m long (35/196FS) and is flat at one end and swaged at the opposite (fig 8b).

Connect the two tubes together by locating the swaged end in the plain end. Secure the two pieces together with a self-drilling screw 4cm from the joint, ensuring that both flattened ends are inline. Fit a Q clip (Q50) to one side of the hoop approximately head height.  A Q clip can be pushed onto the hoop. If the Q clip is stiff use a hammer to tap onto the tube. Once the Q clip is on the hoop use a pair of pipe grips to tighten the prongs together. Locate the flat end of the assembled crop bar to the Q clip, push a bolt through the hole and loosely secure in place.  Position another Q clip on the other side of the hoop and locate the other flat end to the Q clip and push a bolt through the hole and loosely secure in place (fig 8c). Check the crop bar is level using a spirit level then tighten the nut on both Q clips.

Crop bar vertical braces span from the crop bar to the hoop, there are two braces per crop bar each measuring 61cm long (35/61FF). From the ridge clamp (R5035) measure 40cm along the hoop and Q clip (Q50). Locate the flat end of the vertical brace to this Q clip, push a bolt through the hole and firmly tighten. Fit a Q clip (Q35) to the crop bar, locate the flat end of the vertical brace to this Q clip, push a bolt through the hole and loosely secure in place. You may need to lift the crop bar to do this. Repeat this on the opposite side. Ensure that the crop bar vertical braces are not pushing the crop bar down nor pulling it up. Once level, tighten both Q clips (fig 8d).

Repeat this process on the remaining intermediate hoops.