Narrow base protective frame

A tractor having a narrow base protective frame comprising, a tractor including a rear drive assembly housing and a rear axle housing extending to each side of said rear drive assembly housing, a rear drive axle extending from each rear axle housing, a rear drive wheel mounted on each drive axle for adjustably moving axially to vary the tread widths of said drive wheels, means defining a tapered structure from the top to the bottom in a transverse direction for protecting an occupant, said means including a tapered upright column mounted on each of said rear axle housings, each of said upright columns being tapered with a narrower bottom than top as viewed in transverse cross-section, a base integral with said tapered upright column defining a width no wider than to accommodate bolting of the column and base to the rear axle housing, a crossbeam and reinforcing means connected between the upper ends of said tapered upright columns, a cross-member connecting the lower portion of said columns forming an integral structure with said columns, means integrally fastening said cross-member to each of said tapered columns and reinforcing said tapered upright columns across their width fore and aft and a portion of their length, with reinforcement of the protective frame around the operator station of the tractor for operator safety in the event of rollover of the tractor.