Talk me into (or out of) an Original Tractor Cab enclosure

[jweedz]

I have a Kubota L2501 w/FEL blade that I use to plow our driveway in the winter (south central Wisconsin), and although it usually takes less than an hour to do, I occasionally get a blast of wind driven snow that makes me long for some type of enclosure. I really like the looks of the original tractor cab enclosures, and they seem to review pretty good as well. My question is, does anyone have experience with one on an L-Series, and what (if anything) did you do to close up the area under the seat to the rear? If I do end up with one, I'd also most likely purchase and install an aftermarket heater, so I'd like to block the majority of the larger openings.

 

[dadohead]

Hi, I'm surprised that nobody has responded to your question. I don't have a Kubota but I can't imagine the design varies too much from the OTC on my JD2520. I got it last year just before a sub-zero cold snap. Wow... should have done that years ago! My 2520 is comparable to your L2501; again, I'm guessing the cabs would be too. The rear cab section, behind the seat, is covered by the equivalent of 'leaving your shirttail out'. The vinyl just hangs below to just above the upper control arm.

Does it 'block' the opening? Pretty well actually. You won't feel a draft or wind. I'm not compelled to improve mine (I wouldn't know how to actually... a lot going on in that section of the tractor). Regarding the heater, I don't want one. In fact, when I bought, OTC had a promotion and gave me a 12V heater with the order. I didn't install and gave it to a friend for his cab'd Mule. Ease of installation/removal is important to me (kiss). I was comfortable with a coat on in that 10 day sub-zero snap. When the weather is in the 20's... the full winter coat is a bit much. Remember, you're putting an enclosure up against a machine that is rejecting heat as it chooches.

My cab is in the basement right now because I am about the fab a wooden lift beam tool before re-installing it this year. TTWT has a few videos showing his installation method... pretty wonky. I have an open post in the "Snow Blowing" section here asking for installation ideas; 2 responses so far. One lifts it off then stores up to his garage rafters and the other takes it all apart. I really want to leave it together (again, ease of install is important to me.) I just finished installing a box rail to the ceiling of my shop. I bought a single 'truck' in it to carry a simple deer hoist pully system. The plan is to park the tractor centered under the rail, snap the lift beam to the cab, attach to the hoist, lift cab, slide over the tractor from the rear, and lower down. I'll post results and pics by week's end probably. Hope this helps!

 

[Torvy]

@dadohead Either your profile needs to be updated, or you are not in South Central Wisconsin. Horicon is just plain Central. Probably need to be south of 94 to be considered South Central.

I don't miss the snow. I went to Whitewater. Lived in Waukesha for about 6 years. Do those cabs help with dust and yellow jackets?

 

[jweedz]

Hi, I'm surprised that nobody has responded to your question. I don't have a Kubota but I can't imagine the design varies too much from the OTC on my JD2520. I got it last year (south central Wisconsin too) just before a sub-zero cold snap. Wow... should have done that years ago! My 2520 is comparable to your L2501; again, I'm guessing the cabs would be too. The rear cab section, behind the seat, is covered by the equivalent of 'leaving your shirttail out'. The vinyl just hangs below to just above the upper control arm.

View attachment 721752

Does it 'block' the opening? Pretty well actually. You won't feel a draft or wind. I'm not compelled to improve mine (I wouldn't know how to actually... a lot going on in that section of the tractor). Regarding the heater, I don't want one. In fact, when I bought, OTC had a promotion and gave me a 12V heater with the order. I didn't install and gave it to a friend for his cab'd Mule. Ease of installation/removal is important to me (kiss). I was comfortable with a coat on in that 10 day sub-zero snap. When the weather is in the 20's... the full winter coat is a bit much. Remember, you're putting an enclosure up against a machine that is rejecting heat as it chooches.

My cab is in the basement right now because I am about the fab a wooden lift beam tool before re-installing it this year. TTWT has a few videos showing his installation method... pretty wonky. I have an open post in the "Snow Blowing" section here asking for installation ideas; 2 responses so far. One lifts it off then stores up to his garage rafters and the other takes it all apart. I really want to leave it together (again, ease of install is important to me.) I just finished installing a box rail to the ceiling of my shop. I bought a single 'truck' in it to carry a simple deer hoist pully system. The plan is to park the tractor centered under the rail, snap the lift beam to the cab, attach to the hoist, lift cab , slide over the tractor from the rear, and lower down. I'll post results and pics by week's end probably. Hope this helps!

Thank you! That's quite helpful as haven't been able to find a pic of the rear of the cabs to see how far down they came. Luckily, things have been pretty mild and snow free so far this year, but the more the temperature drops the more I think I should've already purchased and installed one of these by now!

 

[dadohead]

I edited it out to make you feel better Torvy. Did Whitewater ever get accredited?

 

[Torvy]

Who needs it? They got A bunch of Championships.

Up north in Horicon, you're practically a Yooper.

 

[Byrdnyrd]

JWeedz,
I have an OTC on my BX, you can read this thread for my thoughts

Buying Advice - Anybody buy/install or review an atvcabs cab for a BX? (2370/2380)

Link here: Kubota BX238 Tractor Cab - Steel Enclosure - ATV CABS LLC Curious if anyone has any info on them. I like the idea that they can be installed & removed fairly easily. And that they are hard cabs, with decent options (Wipers, glass winders, heater option) I like the new factory...

www.tractorbynet.com

hope that works!

cheers,
BN

 

[jweedz]

JWeedz,
I have an OTC on my BX, you can read this thread for my thoughts

Buying Advice - Anybody buy/install or review an atvcabs cab for a BX? (2370/2380)

Link here: Kubota BX238 Tractor Cab - Steel Enclosure - ATV CABS LLC Curious if anyone has any info on them. I like the idea that they can be installed & removed fairly easily. And that they are hard cabs, with decent options (Wipers, glass winders, heater option) I like the new factory...

www.tractorbynet.com

hope that works!

cheers,
BN

Awesome, thank you! The majority of the feedback I've seen has been pretty positive for such an affordable unit, in particular the life span people seem to be getting out of them. I deal with a fair amount of soft cabs on UTVs at work, and they're less than ideal in many cases. The OTC cabs sound pretty well put together.

 

[Byrdnyrd]

I had an OTC on my Wheelhorse tractor for 18 Winters and it was still mint!!

I really wouldn’t be able to use a cabbed tractor on my propert.

FWIW I got the glass windshield with the wipe. As far as heat, I’m a weather wimp and all I ever wear is a light jacket while snowblowing. The only thing that ever gets cold is my Right hand operating the chute and schnozzl!

let us know how you make out!

cheers,
BN

 

[KennyG]

OTC on my John Deere. It's great. Get the glass windshield. Never seen a need for a wiper.

 

[Byrdnyrd]

Kenny is right, I don’t think I’ve ever used the wiper!!

 

[jweedz]

Came across a few recently posted pics of a L2501 with an Original Tractor Cab on a Facebook group I'm in, and judging by the looks and the feedback so far, I'm pretty well sold! Although, 52 degrees in Wisconsin today, so still hard to believe that winter is coming even though I know better! If I do pull the trigger on one this year, I'll be sure to update. Thanks all!!

 

[civilian]

I have a Sims Cabdepot cab on my BX2230. Hard top and sides and has a glass windshield, rear glass and 2 small side glass windows. Hot water heater, wiper, and circ fan. Left side soft door, and soft right side. Door and right side comes off in the summer. Wiper gets used during snow blowing and when raining. I am glad I have mine and others may not need a cab. My conditions call for a cab. If I put a cab on my B26TLB, I would look at OTC cab, and others to suit my needs and costs. Jon

 

[Williy]

The cab here is factory installed would never
purchase a tractor without factory installed.
Have used the water with wiper it works great.
Whit the factory installed cab I get no dust in
side and when ever it rains dash, seat etc stays
dry. And the a/c and heat works great!
I would not even consider a after market cab
don't like what I have heard about them.

willy

 

[KennyG]

Well, Williy, we're all different and that's why there are options. There was no cab option for my tractor, and if there was, I wouldn't have paid the $3,000 to $4,000 price difference. A/C? We don't need that here and I wouldn't want a cab on the tractor in the summer. I wouldn't be able to mow under my trees and I like the open station. Heat? Big deal. In the winter I'm going to be wearing winter gear anyway since I'm always getting in and out of the cab. I see people post about wearing a T-shirt in the winter and wonder if they bundle up each time they get out of the cab.

There's a little snow on the ground this morning, so it looks like a good day to install the cab.

 

[Williy]

Kennyg I am from Wisconsin and at 30
degrees below zero would cut fire wood
in a t-shirt and you could see the steam
coming off of us but when we stopped
working we put our coats on. Some times
in the summer I would have liked to have
a/c in the car/truck when the temps went
over 80 degrees and very high humidity
But here temps in the summer are upper
90's and 100's for approx two weeks and
very seldom get any rain so very dusty
you can see little clouds of dust when you
foot his the ground but humidity is usually
under 40% so here cab is a comfort!

willy

 

[Byrdnyrd]

Williy,

Did you have to walk 6 Miles to school up hill BOTH ways too?

 

[bird dogger]

I have a Kubota L2501 w/FEL blade that I use to plow our driveway in the winter (south central Wisconsin), and although it usually takes less than an hour to do, I occasionally get a blast of wind driven snow that makes me long for some type of enclosure. I really like the looks of the original tractor cab enclosures, and they seem to review pretty good as well. My question is, does anyone have experience with one on an L-Series, and what (if anything) did you do to close up the area under the seat to the rear? If I do end up with one, I'd also most likely purchase and install an aftermarket heater, so I'd like to block the majority of the larger openings.

I made my own removeable cab, as I only wanted the enclosure for winter snowblowing. the heavy factory cab wasn't an option considering my steep ditchmowing and working in the woods.

You can find my cab build project here In it you'll see how I closed in a lot of the open areas such as the rear 3 point area, under the seat, pedals, etc. A Jegs heater was also easily installed and heats the interior to shirt sleave conditions for snow blowing. I make some removeable winter front/grill covers that really help to keep the engine/coolant temps up in our cold ND winters. Their use at least doubled the heat output of the heater I installed.

Let me know if I can help you out in any way.

 

[Williy]

NO I had to walk a little under 4 miles to school
round trip and no gloves or warm foot wear in
the winter froze my hands and feet.

When you get past 75 being out in the cold will
not appeal to you your body will start talking to
you with lots of complaints

willy

 

[Byrdnyrd]

Carrying Ice too?