Regret a cab tractor?

[Jac65]

I live in Michigan and have an open Tractor that I use year round. The snow blowing can get a little annoying when you have wind blowback, but if you dress properly it is not too bad. I would base my decision on how many hours you are going to be sitting on the machine. If I have to blow snow 5-10 times a winter, at an hour each time, I can't really see the need for the cab for 10 hours a season. Use it more in the summer but a sunshade takes care of the worst of it.

 

[finn1]

I live in Michigan and have an open Tractor that I use year round. The snow blowing can get a little annoying when you have wind blowback, but if you dress properly it is not too bad. I would base my decision on how many hours you are going to be sitting on the machine. If I have to blow snow 5-10 times a winter, at an hour each time, I can't really see the need for the cab for 10 hours a season. Use it more in the summer but a sunshade takes care of the worst of it.

Try five times a week and you’ll be singing a different tune.

 

[tjandrews]

60 years ago, when all we had to move snow was a home-built snowplow on our Case SC tractor, my grandfather bought an enclosure something like this, shown here on a Farmall H. Ours had a plastic windshield mounted on top. It did the job, cutting most of the wind and providing some heat back to the operator.

 

[RickB]

Try five times a week and you’ll be singing a different tune.

Or having to plow in the rain as the upper level atmosphere warms at the end of a storm.

 

[RoyJackson]

My only regret is that having a cab has made more work for me by forcing me to limb the trees I mow around far enough up that I don’t beat my cab to death!!

Same here, but can't say I regret having to do that trimming

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm just starting to look for a used cab tractor and every time I go out with my open station tractor, I wish that I had a cab. I was stung on my neck last weekend when I was drilling post holes. Having a cab tractor wouldn't change that because I'm still going to use that open station tractor for post holes, but it reminded me of the other times that I've been stung while out mowing. Here in Texas, I believe we have a lot of bugs that like to attack people. Several types of bees and some of the worse wasps ever created to cause pain!!!

In Summer, it will be too hot to do anything outside, so nothing gets done. If I had a cab with AC, I could be out mowing, or moving some dirt, or cleaning up down trees and branches. I would be productive instead of doing indoor stuff. Same in winter, when it's too cold to enjoy being on the tractor, I could be getting things done.

 

[RoyJackson]

I went for a cab after my first winter in Vermont...getting too damn old and cold. That was a Deere 4520 with Curtis Cab (heat, but no AC). Last year, I sold that tractor (private sale) and bought a Deere 4052 Cabbed tractor (factory cab).
As others wrote, downside of a factory cab is the necessity to limb all the trees where I mow. So, I got a pole saw to go with my chainsaw (both EGO battery powered). Have a chipper and, for the most part...life is good

Only two things I don't like about a cab tractor...the extra $10K for the cab (bought my 4052 used, so I didn't take all the hit) and all that very expensive glass, if I do screw up

 

[JethroB]

Compare a 2020 to a Ford 5000 or an IH 674 and it looks a lot better than comparing it to something 50 years newer.

And a 45 YO MF 135. I gave it some exercise recently and was happy to get back on the Kubota HST. That stiff, straight-down, dual stage clutch wears me out. And the diesel fumes wafting up from underneath the rear axle.

 

[IndyIan]

I'm curious what's the average tractor age is before the AC needs some work? Anyone ever fix up an old AC system that has sat for a few years?
My buddy has 3 cabbed tractors but only the one under 2000hrs has working AC. He's not in a hurry to spend the money to fix the other two as he doesn't need to use them too often in the summer.

For me, the tractor is more like a 4 wheeler that gets work done, and at about 80-100 hrs a year I'm not out in the hottest or coldest weather, or rain, and I park it in the shed so the operators station isn't weathering or wet.

For sure if you do alot of hours in a tractor or use it for a living, get whatever makes the job easiest. I find for me with a limited tractor/toy budget, I'd rather spend the money on more hp or weight or a back hoe or implements, than buy more complexity and less durability with a cab so I can wear a t shirt in winter plowing for a few hours, or not sweat a bit when its hot in the summer... Our weather is pretty temperate though and for the few ground wasp nests I've run over, none yet has actually stung me. I have fed a few mosquitos and black flies though but I'm not so worried about it even to put on bug spray most of the time.

 

[YanmarFever]

After running open station tractors for years, I got tired of the allergies, hornets and yellow jackets attacking me.
We bought a Mahindra 5010 cab and it was great with the AC going and parking the mower on top of the yellow jackets nest it was purely sweet revenge.
We had a spray arm mounted on the Mahindra, so we bought a Branson 5520 cab for mowing with a 10' bush hog pull mower.
Cabs have there place, but if you have low hanging tree limbs sooner or later one will get you....