M3008 – 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 run across the width of the polytunnel on the intermediate hoops. Crop bars are supplied in 3 pieces, two are 2.59m long (50/259FS) and is flattened at one end and swaged on the opposite. The other piece is 2.48m long (50/248PP) and is plain on both ends (fig 8b).

Connect the 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 (Q60) 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 tighten nut finger tight.  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 nuts on both Q clips.

Now you can fit the crop bar vertical braces. Crop bar vertical braces span from the crop bar to the hoop. They are 1.4m long and flat at each end (35/140FF). From the ridge clamp (R6035) measure 40cm along the hoop and fit a Q clip (Q60). Locate the flat end of the vertical brace to this Q clip, push a bolt through the hoop and firmly tighten in place (fig 8d). Repeat this on the opposite side.

Now fit a Q clip (Q50) 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 up to do this. Repeat this on the opposite side. Ensure that the crop bar diagonal braces are not pushing the crop bar down, nor pulling it up. Once you are happy with this level, tighten both Q clips. Repeat this process on all the intermediate hoops.

Repeat this process on the remaining intermediate hoops.