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.

 

[Tractorable]

I guess it depends on where you live. Here in Virginia we have a goldilocks climate, not too hot not too cold, so a cab isn't really necessary unless you earn a living with your tractor and need to go out rain or shine.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I ended up with a cabbed tractor, I was about to sign on the dotted line for a shinny new open cab mahindra but bought a used cabbed JD.

I’m super happy that I got a cabbed tractor, in the summer it’s so so, it’s a sauna without A/C but pushing snow in a heated cab out of the wind is 10,000 times better.

Only downside is the height, I can only fit my tractor in one door of my buildings, it would be nice to be able to put it in different buildings when I don’t use it as much instead of my main shop that just happens to have a 98in door to fit a 96in tractor lol.

I would vote cabbed with AC and heat. Second tractor open station for diff tasks.

 

[TripleR]

Cab and get some protection.

 

[mikester]

If you can swing it and have no clearance issues you definitely won't be sorry getting a cab. It's easier to cool down the cab than warm up without one.

 

[RjCorazza]

The primary reason I traded my L3410 open station tractor in was for a cab. I should have bit the bullet 15 years ago and bought a cabbed tractor.

 

[rScotty]

I've got one tractor with a cab and one without. Otherwise they are equipped much the same. If the weather is good - and it usually is - then I prefer the one without the cab. In fact, that tractor probably gets used 10X as much as the cabbed tractor. Partly because I can see what I'm doing better, and partly because it is easier to get on/off of the open station tractor & it seems like I'm constantly always getting on or off to do something.
But mostly because I just prefer to be in the open air even if it is a touch less uncomfortable.
Now I will admit that the uncabbed tractor has a full 4-post canopy and having had that I wouldn't be without it.
rScotty

 

[Fallon]

I upgraded from my L3200 to my L4060hstc mostly for the cab.

I do a lot of mowing, some driveway work, horse arena work & snow clearing. Love not being hot & dusty or frozen.

The cab does limit how close I can get to trees. I missed the L3200 putting my new 1000lbs lathe on a stand too. Could fold the ROPS down & drive it into my shop or garage. The cab is just to tall for that. It's a little harder to jump on & off the machine if you are doing that all day. I hear people who do forestry work don't like constantly breaking windows, but that's not any of the terrain or work I do.

Despite the drawbacks I'd never go back to an open station machine. Well I keep thinking about a little B or BX "for the wife". She hates climbing on the L4060 a lot more than the old L3200.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Don't even consider buying a trator wthout a cab. I know the cab is always a money issue, but for health and safety you need a cab. Besides the obvious of being protected from weather, there are many other reasons.
Breathing is dust is a health concern, in the desert SW you can get Valley fever.
The things that sold me was the time I dropped into a hive of killer bees, that swarmed the cab I as in and made in seem like a solar elcipse at noon. Thousands of them attacked the cab I was in, had I been in an open cab I'd be dead right now.
There are far, far more positives than negatives FOR a cab.

 

[oosik]

Thirty six years ago - '82 - when I bought my first new tractor - it was money and the fact that the dealer didn't have a cabbed unit. I found that I liked being out on an open station tractor - most of the time. I don't do any brush hogging or other dust raising activities. If I REALLY need to plow the snow and its UBER cold - I've got a full set of Eddie Bauer down to keep me warm.

So in 2009 when I upgraded to my M6040 - I went open station again. Never have regretted the decision.

Now that I'm retired and don't need to be anywhere at any specific time - I'll plow snow when I'm dam good & ready and when snow conditions are perfect.

 

[chim]

I built my heated cab 6 years ago after too many times in the cold. It's glass and steel and I wouldn't be without it. There's no A/C and it's made so the doors lift off in a minute. With the doors off, the "school bus driver" fan running, shade provided by the top and tinted glass it's more comfortable than the open stations I've had.

Although my current tractor is just fine, if I'd find a buried jar of cash there'd be a larger cabbed tractor with full HVAC in my future.