Cab or Not?

[rScotty]

Trying to help a newbie with a tractor decision and he is undecided between a cab or traditional open station. The tractor is to be 40 to 60 hp. with a front loader but doesn't need AC. Any brand, probably a new machine.
We do get snow here, & sometimes heavy snow. The tractor is for year round chore use half woodland and half meadow. Looking at cabs really cuts down on the tractor choices, so we're looking for some opinions.
Thanks, rScotty

 

[Peter 315]

If you get a cab and no ac it will be a oven . I would think in the woodland you would risk breaking the glass Maybe a soft cab for the winter or just a canopy

 

[Gary Fowler]

It really depends on what you want to do with the tractor. Precision work with the FEL is a bit limited by poorer visibility from the cab. Also dust collecting on the cab glass can be a really big issue when facing into the sun's glare. Other than that, a cab is great for climate control and noise abatement. I don't worry about running my cabbed tractor thru the woods. You just have to watch for large overhead limbs that may damage the cab. I have no trouble running my cab thru limbs to the side. The FEL arms initially bend the limbs to the side and the cab just keeps them off the operator. I mow between some planted pines on 10 acres that would be impossible on a non cabbed tractor because the limbs practically overlap the lane between rows but with the cab, I just plow right thru.

HVAC is great for summer and winter use. I don't know of any cab that you can get just heat on and even on mild days, the AC is needed to keep the heat build up down from all the glass surfaces.

I highly recommend a cab if you have freezing weather to operate in or high summer temps. Whether or not the $4000-5000 price tag is acceptable is just up to the buyer as to how much comfort is worth to him. Lets not forget about the exclusion of bugs and dust from the operator also.

 

[ID Corgi Ranch]

Having lived at 8500' in the Colorado mountains for 25 years, a cab would be a no-brainer for me. I've since moved to an area with a much more moderate winter climate, but much hotter in the summer. My first tractor was open. But now that I have a tractor with a cab I'd be hard pressed to consider one without a cab. Maybe a second tractor without a cab...but not the one I use the most.

Everything is easier for me having a tractor with a cab. Plowing snow...you stay warmer, not distracted by blowing snow and wind and just generally much more comfortable. Of course, my AC will come in handy here and the cab will keep a lot of the bugs away. There's no shortage of flying, stinging critters here and they aren't shy.

 

[BMan2005]

Would really like a cab, but with the budget I set myself I chose size & capability over cab for the time. One day in the future I may trade for a cab, but it wasn't logical for my needs vs wants. Seems your friend is in kinda the same situation so it'll be for him to decide that. Btw, no way I would give up the capability for the extra comfort of a cab in my situation.

 

[Thomas]

Cab come winter time BIG plus alone,summer time maybe you could remove the doors.

 

[nybirdman]

Other than cost there is no reason not to purchase cabbed tractor;Colorado+elevation.If you need to get in the woods ;purchase a pole saw.

 

[JerryK]

For me.... Cab is great about a fourth of the year... open station the rest. Don't like being closed in and have to run the A/C in the sun, but you don't hear much beatching from me blowing snow in the cab ....

 

[EddieWalker]

My next tractor will have a cab, it will be 4 wheel drive and it will have a loader with removable bucket so I can have a grapple. I don't know what color it will be, but it WILL have those features!!!

 

[skipperbrown]

If you can afford it, get the cab w/ a/c. The only reason I can't see the advantage of a cab is money.