Buying Advice Trying to decide if a cab is worth the extra $$

[DutchHenryBrown]

I have had two open seat tractors and waited way to looooooong before buying the Cab unit I have now. For what I use it for it's perfect but I do not have trees or anything like that to get in my way. Turn on the A/C and just go no dust no bugs and NO BEES and it is nice to have the radio to listen to while grading. Anyhow if it will fit in with what you want to do IMO you will like having it. But each to there own. Good luck with which ever one you pick it will be GREAT. Then pictures of it.:thumbsup:

 

[Martian]

I've always said my next tractor will have a cab, one day I hope that comes true! I always find myself saying, do I want 15-20 more HP, or a cab. If you have the size tractor you want, and the budget for a cab, I'd get one.

 

[Sockwell]

I too have both. Last summer, I traded in an open L3240 for a cabbed L5740. I needed a bigger tractor and was tired of the dust and yellowjackets. Two points: First, IMO, the problems with cabs in the woods is overstated. It's tougher than I thought it would be. The only damage so far was a limb knocking off a rear flasher cover. I found the cover and popped it back on. The second point is I went back through a lot of the Open vs. Cab posts. There were a lot more folks saying they wish they had bought cabs than those saying they had bought a cab and regretted it. FWIW. I love mine.

 

[case245]

i cant not tell you to get a cab or to get one i will tell you this if you want a 6040 step up to the 7040 for the few extra bucks its worth it i have an open station my 7040 has fel 4x4 shuddle shift i like my tractor i do mostly grading i had an l3800 it took 6 hrs to move 10 ton of stone 75 feet i traded up to the 7040sud with that tractor the same amount of stone about 45 mins besides you can get A FRONT LIMITTED SLIP WITH THE 7040 HYDRO SHUDDLE SHIFT WITH CAB OR OPEN STATION
best of luck to you

 

[dschuffert]

It is definitely a personal preference. I have always had open station tractors until just recently. Now I would not buy another tractor without one. I can relate to the earlier posts on the bees. I had a similar experience earlier this summer when I moved some material that were full of hornets nests. I was fortunate to see the hornets nest, shut the tractor down, and run down the field before the hornets got to the tractor. That incident along with other reasons prompted me to look at a cab tractor which I ended up buying. I have absolutely no regrets. Shortly after buying the cab tractor I moved some old implements from behind the barn where I hit a nest of bumble bees. I was really glad I had the cab as the bumble bees were bouncing off the glass trying to defend their nest! I have only had the cab tractor for a few months so haven't had any experience with snow blowing in the winter yet, but I am sure it will be a much better experience this year with a cab than all the previous years without!

 

[big bubba]

One thing about a cab, you can listen to a radio easier, makes the time pass by.

someone mentioned the cab was safer...maybe so...but i'd say the distraction of a radio is far more dangerous. imho

 

[Cat_Driver]

someone mentioned the cab was safer...maybe so...but i'd say the distraction of a radio is far more dangerous. imho

No less so than driving in an open can with headphones on. Problem in each case ISN'T cab / no cab. Problem would be listening to loud music while operating equipment. That analogy would work for any equipment from a printing press to a generator, to a vacuum cleaner.

My thoughts are anything that distracts you from the sounds of the equipment is bad. Loud music will prevent you from hearing an engine knocking while running out of oil, a bursting hose, a grinding, hissing etc.

Cab is not at fault, it's the distraction that is at fault. Just like texting is at fault while driving.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I purchased a M5040 open station last year and traded it in last month for cab M7040. If you have kids(grandkids) really nice to put them in cab with you,dont have to eat dust(allergies suck),can listen to some tunes(if thats your thing)(I listen to radio while baling and can still hear everything else going on).I just cant say to many positive things about the open station over the cab, besides it pulled better on trailer and getting under some limbs but I bought a weedeater that has pole saw attachment no biggy to trim them up a bit(they look nicer trimmed up). Stay at the M5140 or M6040(7040 around $1500 more) dont need anything really bigger for 20acres(unless you just wont it,frame size all same,just HP), use the money towards the cab(if you so choose).I was taking care of 100+acres with the M5040(was a great tractor). The two tractors your looking at are both more than capable of an 8ft mower,if you have ldr or weights. Maybe the grandL5040/5240 I havent ever priced one with cab but looked at them on lot,nice tractors...

 

[big bubba]

No less so than driving in an open can with headphones on. Problem in each case ISN'T cab / no cab. Problem would be listening to loud music while operating equipment. That analogy would work for any equipment from a printing press to a generator, to a vacuum cleaner.

My thoughts are anything that distracts you from the sounds of the equipment is bad. Loud music will prevent you from hearing an engine knocking while running out of oil, a bursting hose, a grinding, hissing etc.

Cab is not at fault, it's the distraction that is at fault. Just like texting is at fault while driving.

i agree totally. the extent of distraction is entirely personal regardless of equipment. a person driving a luxury SUV can be much safer driving w/o distraction than a person in a convertible w/radio blaring & cell phone in hand. My point is that as the cab insulates one from the environment, so the temptation for tech distractions increase (ie ac, visibility, other creature comforts). Keeping in tune w/our environment is always the challenge. just be mindful of that whatever equipment we chose to insulate ourselves from the monotony and challenge of the task at hand.

 

[Davinator]

I purchased a new M6040 Grand Cab 1 year ago and have never looked back. I maintain 200+ acres, mostly wooded, with a 7 acre field which I keep mowed, several food plots for deer every year, and lots of road/trail maintenance and firewood work. With the heat and the dust this year, every time I was logging some seat time, which was almost every weekend,I knew that I made the right decision, for me. Yeah, the cab is vulnerable when in the woods, but with a little preliminary work with a machete or a chain saw for worst case scenarios, it is worth the trouble for me.

As a good friend told me, "the first time you run over a yellow jacket nest, it will be worth the extra money!" He went on to tell me a hilarious story of how he bailed out of the open station tractor with it still in gear, before eventually buying a cab tractor.