Link to homebuilt tractor cab, Kubota L3000

[roygage]

Having failed at my attempts a year ago to fashion a tractor cab for my 2003 Kubota L3000DT I redoubled my efforts and got an earlier start this year.

Done just in time, made it by one day, for the first heavy snow I have now got a good hard winters experiance with it and could not be more pleased.

Figuring I could save others some grief I have put my experiance on my blog along with pictures.

I regret I did not take pictures of the build while in progess but as was pressed for time just did not get done. Are a few other pictures, frt. cab mounts for one, I will try to get on the blog later

Life on Highway 9: Building a tractor cab.

 

[yanmars]

Nicely done.

 

[mwb]

Very nice! I plan on building a cab for my tractor, your information has given me some ideas.:thumbsup: Nice write-up

 

[roygage]

Well thank you for the kind words Yanmars. I apoligize for not posting pictures directly on this site but used up all my picture moving talent last weekend doing the blog entry.

Although having just joined this site I have been lurking for some time and seemed like a good place to post the build. Home sick with cold and chills today, seemed a good day to do it.

At some point I will get a picture of my first cab, what a waste of angle iron. whoever said haste makes waste, new from what they speak. Regards, Roy

 

[Grayson Klassen]

Spectacular job and well thought out.

and it isn't always the saving sometimes its the fun and the challenge.

 

[roygage]

Spectacular job and well thought out.

and it isn't always the saving sometimes its the fun and the challenge.

Grayson, nothing motivates like failure. My father, an amazing builder, has been gone for three years. Was determined this one would do him proud.

Years ago when I was sixteen in great haste I built a tube grill for my 59 chevy out of 1/2 soft copper tubing. It of course looked terrible. Later I took my time using 3/8 steel rod. This time I took care to get the bends even and the spacing proper.

Dad never critized the first effort but looking at my second effort commented to me what a diffrence it makes when you take your time and think a project thru.

A little thing but I never forgot it. My first effort looked every bit as bad as that first grill. (-:

 

[Grayson Klassen]

I hope my projects turn out as well

 

[mjncad]

Thank you Roy for documenting your work in such detail.

 

[buggyman1]

Nice job, it's got me thinking about this winter. Good detail on the build and pics.

 

[deerseeker001]

great job

 

[Grayson Klassen]

All I have to do is build a new door for my cab and it will be all sealed up for winter/ It has hit -2 celcius here at night for the last week.

 

[hizoot]

Very nice! And looks like it would be fun to build. Dam* shame the professional auto body messed up the color.
I think semi gloss black looks best for a cab,especially with tinted glass...I guess ,to me, it looks more streamlined/factory.But at the same time....I really like yours.....I'm fickle

 

[roygage]

Very nice! And looks like it would be fun to build. Dam* shame the professional auto body messed up the color.
I think semi gloss black looks best for a cab,especially with tinted glass...I guess ,to me, it looks more streamlined/factory.But at the same time....I really like yours.....I'm fickle

I have to admit that the color being wrong as it turns out was as much my fault as anyones. I had told the body man that there was only one Kubota orange.

I have since read in these forums the earlier Kubotas used a lighter shade of orange. I suspect this is what mine is.

As for the semi gloss black. Had not considered it but you may be right. I use semi gloss black on nearly everything else I build now as it always looks good and is easialy touched up. Find it much easier to get a nice even coat of it on then any other color.

 

[locknut]

Read your blog,Roy. Very nice cab.Having built one myself,I know how much time,thought and money goes into the project.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/161314-smallest-4-wheel-drive-bota.html

Spot on with the square tubing.I used 1-1/2" for the main frame and 3/4" for the side and door frames.Used 1/8" wall so it would be thick enough to tap well for fastening stuff to it.I had the door frames made about an 1/8" smaller than the main frame opening,then had 12ga steel sheeting welded to the door frames with about 3/4" overlap,then cut out the window openings with a jig saw.

The cab was also built with storage in mind,as it comes apart in sections and can be stored up against the wall when not in use.

 

[mjncad]

Great job on the cab Locknut. 18 or 16 gauge sheet metal would have been more than adequate; but you can tell people it's all part of the ROPS cab design. :thumbsup:

 

[roygage]

Read your blog,Roy. Very nice cab.Having built one myself,I know how much time,thought and money goes into the project.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/161314-smallest-4-wheel-drive-bota.html

Spot on with the square tubing.I used 1-1/2" for the main frame and 3/4" for the side and door frames.Used 1/8" wall so it would be thick enough to tap well for fastening stuff to it.I had the door frames made about an 1/8" smaller than the main frame opening,then had 12ga steel sheeting welded to the door frames with about 3/4" overlap,then cut out the window openings with a jig saw.

The cab was also built with storage in mind,as it comes apart in sections and can be stored up against the wall when not in use.

Followed thru on your links and gave a good look. Very nice. Like the way it turned out using the outer steel shell. Having the abilty to take off and hang on the wall would nice.

Mine I have to take loader and stack off and then walk it over the frt. of the tractor, not easy with the glass in it. This summer we simply pulled the pins and removed the door and the right side window. Stayed pretty comfortable with them off.

I found, as I am sure you did it was a mind expanding build, lots of stuff to chew on and work thru. Thanks for the links. Regards, Roy

 

[dsquire]

Roy Gage

Definitely a nice cab that you have built and can well imagine it making some of those unbearable winter tasks a more pleasant experience. I believe your Dad would have been proud of you.

While I was on your blog site I read all the rest of the stories of your memories and past history growing up. That is something that each of us should be doing so that grand kids and great grand kids will know some of their history. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every bit of it would have read more if there was more. If you ever add to it please let me know as I would like to read it.

Cheers :drink:

Don

 

[roygage]

Roy Gage

Definitely a nice cab that you have built and can well imagine it making some of those unbearable winter tasks a more pleasant experience. I believe your Dad would have been proud of you.

While I was on your blog site I read all the rest of the stories of your memories and past history growing up. That is something that each of us should be doing so that grand kids and great grand kids will know some of their history. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every bit of it would have read more if there was more. If you ever add to it please let me know as I would like to read it.

Cheers :drink:

Don

Don thank you for the compliment. I do enjoy writing, and sharing it with others. With winter coming on perhaps Ican get some more material on the blog.

 

[WillyC93]

Roy, What a great project and wealth of information. I have a 2000 L2500DT, not the most written about Kubota, and you have solved a host of my problems. Maybe I will be much warmer this next Idaho winter! Thanks for a great write-up! Bill

 

[dolphins65]

Well its coming on to summer this side of th Pacific. I read your article and echo the compliments of my priors on your build and particularly your literary skill! In fact it was motivational. I did a similar job but 'scored' a touchdown with a second hand engineered cab for a fair price on account of the armourplate glass being worth $$thousands$$ here & I need it for safety with tree work.It was designed for an IHI of some sort and All that needed doing was position the crate & create some mounts. Quickly discovered the roll bar could stay if cut & rewelded(I'm certed for arc),so done and MIGed it to mimick the rear cab frame angle is unnoticeable.Other benefits are built in roof mounted fan and front filtered intake and very importantly a windscreen wiper. I'll take a leaf from your book for the headlining as the foam remaining up there rains down on my hat at present. should serve to silence the inherent acoustics. I'll try to load a couple of pics for interested persons. And I Thank You for the motivation to tackle it myself and some nuggets of inspiration provided by your instructional account of your own venture.