Velcro & Vinyl cab for Max

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I've wanted to enclose Max for 3 years now and finally got to it. I had a full cage to start with so decided to just put velcro tape on the insides of the frame and cut vinyl panels to fit. I had both self sticking and sew on velcro tape and after much research and suggestions from members on this site, used Provantage heavy duty adhesive from Lowes to stick the sew on velcro. It was the only one I found that works below 40 degrees. As some suggested and now from personal experience I can tell you, spend the extra money and get the self sticking velcro, it's a whole lot easier and faster. The Vinly is the medium duty from Wal Mart. I've got it on fold down shutters that enclose my porch in the winter and after several years it's still clear as new.
I wanted an door on one side and as you can see, had to make a strange shaped bottom to make it fit the 2 different angles of the cab supports. Door corners are just lap joints screwed, glued and with metal corner brackets. The windshield is an escape window out of a Verizon service van and the awning over the windshield is just a piece of OSB that will probably be replaced with metal or plexiglass next year.
There's a few finishing touches left to be done like a door handle and picking up more vinyl to make side engine panels to direct engine heat back into the cab then in the spring a paint job for all of Max.

 

[Shadow99]

What a BEAST, it is! What is it? Like the super-duty bumper & sweeps, did you use it for logging?
Shadow

 

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What a BEAST, it is! What is it? Like the super-duty bumper & sweeps, did you use it for logging?
Shadow

It"s a 399 Massey Ferguson that was a right of way mower for a power line contractor in Mass. I wanted a small 4wd tractor and bought this one at auction for half the price of the small ones. It had a brand new engine, new rear tires, 50 ton winch and 8 ft bushog. I used it this year for a dozer , pushing off fill and for pushing/carrying snow with a 4 ft box on the plow (not installed in photo's), also I set up the blower for front or rear. It is a beast as you said, but even at 5 tons and 4wd, it needs those chains to keep from crabbing sideways.

 

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Added the side panels today to direct the engine heat to the cab. It definitely warmed it up in there but it was almost 30 degrees so don't know how it'll be at 0 with wind. I lose a lot out the bottom and may have to wrap it under the engine too.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

What department did you find the clear vinal in at Wally world. Do you know what sizes it comes in. I have been looking for some and can not find it.
Bill

 

[PeterK]

Try Sailrite.com | Home They sell industrial sewing machines mainly for boats but also sell all the vinyl including clear window vinyl, fittings, etc.

 

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What department did you find the clear vinal in at Wally world. Do you know what sizes it comes in. I have been looking for some and can not find it.
Bill

Bill,
It's in sewing and is 54" wide. They have 3 weights, light , med and heavy. I'm using the medium as the heavy is quite stiff and as mentioned, the medium has lasted for several years now on my porch. It's just under $3 per yd.
I used 7 yds. including the side panels.

I like your avatar, that Camino wheelstand. In my day I had about every piece of good iron you can name but my favorite was an XK120 Jag roadster with a 283. That was when Cha cha Muldowney as running at Fonda NY. She was way above my pay grade so never ran against her. She was turning over 100 in the 1/8th while I was running mid 80's

 

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MBN member Registered: 03/05/10
Posts: 118
Loc: Upstate NY
I used Max with the cab for the first time friday and the side engine covers work great. It was nice and warm inside even though it's not even completely sealed yet.
I installed a 3 1/2 foot straight wing (box, scoop??) only on the left side of the blade, as all of my snow is pushed over a bank on the right side of my 350 ft driveway. It worked fine and carries snow out to 8-10 ft ahead of blade before spilling over too much. I hinged the wing so I could angle it out which makes it pull some to the left. As I thought about it, I seems that I could carry almost as much snow if I put shorter 2 ft angled wings on both sides, eliminate the pulling problem and the strain on the plow mounting system, plus plowing at least a 10-11 ft pass.
I'm sure that some of you must have the newer angle wing plows and can offer some advice on this idea.

I liked the wing so much, you can see the do not pass sign wing added to my plow truck too!!

 

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This is just an update after 4 years of use on the velcro and vinyl cab. It has worked out great except for one thing. I never knew that vinyl could shrink if not supported by a frame, but I know it now. After the first summer the vinyl that just had velcro attached around the outside edges started puckering up and wrinkling from the vinyl shrinking. The vinyl that was attached to the door is still like the day it was built.
This summer to eliminate the wrinkles, I made vinyl covered frames using furring strips, for the sides, right door and rear and just screwed them in place. The engine side covers are still just stuck on with velcro because I don't have to look through them.
Here's a link to the original build of Max the snow beast.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/187397-max-snow-beast-finished.html
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