DIY Cab - Finally decided it was time
- Thread starter chim
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chim
Elite Member
Thank you. Since I built it in our one shop at work, the guys kept track of the progress. When the pieces were put together on the tractor they informed me it was no longer a Kubota. The renamed it "The Tank".
Just went back a few pages and looked again at your cab...very nice, indeed. (Those forward-facing lights are a real help, I bet!) Seems with most any of the vehicles I've ever played with, "weight is the enemy"-- but the reverse seems to be true with tractors. Any idea how much extra weight the cab added? I bet it helps with traction.
Have you had a chance to play in the snow yet? Did you folks get hit a week or so back, or did you manage to escape that storm? Matter of fact, looks like you might get some more tonight; we're supposed to miss this one. Got about a foot last Tuesday, but a lot of the snow is now going away-- though slowly. WBB
Have you had a chance to play in the snow yet? Did you folks get hit a week or so back, or did you manage to escape that storm? Matter of fact, looks like you might get some more tonight; we're supposed to miss this one. Got about a foot last Tuesday, but a lot of the snow is now going away-- though slowly. WBB
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chim
Elite Member
I believe the cab weighs around 250#. Still no snow because I don't count the 1-1/2" I scurried out to scrape before it melted. You guys got all of the snow this winter. Mebbe next year! We go in spurts here. Some winters are no-shows and others are a lot more "for real". I'm glad I did the build. It'll come in handy one of these days. Heck, I remmeber some early and late season mowing in the evenings that had me pretty chilly.
OP
chim
Elite Member
You're right. I got to play for a few hours with very heavy snow for a few hours. Shovelling the few feet of sidewalk for the neighbor and a small amount at my garage doors was enough hand work. That snow was almost as heavy as dirt.
Today's a different story. Freezing rain is what hit us this time. There are a couple large limbs down in the driveway and I'm not comfortable going under the trees to clear them till some of the ice melts off. The property looks like a tree trimmer was here and didn't clean up after himself. I was out for about 10 minutes to move my pickup away from a tree. While keeping one eye on the tree I had to use my MAPP gas torch to thaw the door so it would open. In the short time I was outside four more big branches fell. Things are a mess around here but amazingly the power hasn't gone off - yet.
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fyfebrij
New member
Cab looks great, what an inspiration. I plan on doing something similar to my L48 Kubota.
Can you take some closer pictures of the outside door handles and also, how you attached to the floor? What about the areas behind the clutch and brake pedals, how did that turn out?
Thanks!!!
OP
chim
Elite Member
Thank you. I'm getting ready to pour concrete tomorrow, so things could get a little busy tonight. I'll try to get the pics though.
The whole cab is supported at four points. As a matter of fact, there's a bit of new extended floor that is supported by the cab. The cab is a little wider than the fenders and the sides of the cab are parallel with each other. That adds a few inches of floor area at the front (a small triangle between bottom of the cab wall end existing floor).
I made up clips that take all the weight. Two are bearing on the folded ROPS (tractor won't fit some places w/ the ROPS up). I'm not familiar with the ROPS on your tractor, but there should be some place you can get a solid connection to the ROPS or its mounting hardware.
The front is supported by short pieces of angle that go down over the FEL joystick support on the right, and a matching support I made for the left side. There are no other supports and it is rock solid.
For the summer of 2013 I removed the cab. It didn't take long at all, but I missed the lighting that was attached to it when working after dark. This summer I only removed the doors. To get a breeze going I installed one of those 2 speed fans like our school bus driver had when I was a kid.
The area below the glass in the front is made of plastic strips that are used on large refrigerators they drive forklifts through. That worked OK, but I recently picked up a piece of Lexan in hope of cobbling up something better.
The whole cab is supported at four points. As a matter of fact, there's a bit of new extended floor that is supported by the cab. The cab is a little wider than the fenders and the sides of the cab are parallel with each other. That adds a few inches of floor area at the front (a small triangle between bottom of the cab wall end existing floor).
I made up clips that take all the weight. Two are bearing on the folded ROPS (tractor won't fit some places w/ the ROPS up). I'm not familiar with the ROPS on your tractor, but there should be some place you can get a solid connection to the ROPS or its mounting hardware.
The front is supported by short pieces of angle that go down over the FEL joystick support on the right, and a matching support I made for the left side. There are no other supports and it is rock solid.
For the summer of 2013 I removed the cab. It didn't take long at all, but I missed the lighting that was attached to it when working after dark. This summer I only removed the doors. To get a breeze going I installed one of those 2 speed fans like our school bus driver had when I was a kid.
The area below the glass in the front is made of plastic strips that are used on large refrigerators they drive forklifts through. That worked OK, but I recently picked up a piece of Lexan in hope of cobbling up something better.
OP
chim
Elite Member
Weather forecast made me leery about pouring tomorrow, so I cancelled it and had plenty of time for a good meal and pictures. Support details are in the thread. Here are some closer shots of the inside and outside of the door handles. There are also pictures of the extra floor space. One with the cow mat flooring in place and the other with the mat lifted up to see the framing that is attached to the bottom of the cab frame.
