Are cabs useful under say 30-35 hp?

[Robert_in_NY]

I notice no power loss to the ac in my B3030 HSDC

All AC units rob hp when in use. They require power to run and that power has to come from somewhere.

Cowboydoc (if I remember his story correctly) traded a 5000 series JD back in because it would drop about 5hp when he turned on the AC unit. His tractor was barely able to run the baler he was using before the drop in hp and after it was a struggle.

The next time you take the B3030 to your dealer have them put it on the dyno and see how much hp is lost when you turn on the ac. It might not be as much as Cowboydoc but it will be some.

 

[patrick_g]

Looks like maybe in small tractors you should buy enough HP to do the work PLUS run the A/C if you want it. I know it takes power and fuel consumption to run my A/C but I don't seem to notice much fluctuation in tractor performance with A/C on vs A/C off. I have never felt like the A/C prevented me from doing anything and if it made a task take a little longer, at least I'd be comfortable while I was doing it.

Oh by the way, I don't know how much power is lost to the hydrostat in tractors of 30 HP and under but my 39.5 HP HST is only rated at 40 HP with standard gear box. I doubt anyone would notice the difference in performance or fuel consumption. So, the A/C must "ROB" lots more HP than the HST in my tractor and since the A/C is hardly noticed it might still be tollerable down below 25 HP.

I wonder who on board has the lowest HP tractor with A/C?

Probably not me at 39.5 HP

How 'bout it?

Pat

 

[garydc]

This is a great site for cabs to fit all sizes and all makes of tractors. I hope you find it useful.

Tractor Cabs from Sims Cab Depot - tractor cabs, tractor cab enclosures, machinery cabs, and sunshades

 

[Volfandt]

I wonder who on board has the lowest HP tractor with A/C?

The Kubota B3030HSDC is rated at 30hp & a pto hp of 23. It is also an HST.

 

[wolc123]

I do not believe 35 hp is enough for a cab. I think you would want about 45 hp minimum in a gear drive or about 50 in a hydro to have enough hp left for some serious work while running an effective AC system. It might seem like a good idea to some, but those "cool" cabs require more hp than a little CUT can spare. A canopy is a much better idea on these little guys.

 

[Atlas]

I would have to say that a cab is useful at any Hp if you want a cab. If you find a 1 Hp tractor with a cab you may not be able to anything else but sit in it, but if all you want to do is sit in your backyard in the cab of a tractor...there you go! A match made in heaven!

I have a Kubota B3030HSDC. I do not do the heavy work that many here do with their tractors, but for my needs I have more than enough power to do what I need to do in the comfort of a cab.

IMHO, consider the cab as an attachment like a MMM, FEL, etc. and match the tractor to your needs.

 

[billbill1]

I stopped and looked at the B3030 w/cab, heat and air, $18,950. A co-worker bought one of them and he loves it. He moves what snow we get here (not much) and mows with it. He loves it and claims it has plenty of power for what he uses it for. I must admit that it is a very nice unit and mowing when it's 100 degrees w/ac is very appealing. If you can afford it and it does what you want it to do, I'd say get it. Trim your trees where they don't touch your cab and go for it. Also hope your garage doors are tall enough to keep it inside. You can add a radio for even more comfort. Moving snow with a heater would also be great. I would personally have a hard time justifying over $25,000 to be comfortable while driving a $10,000 truck daily.

 

[R W]

A waste of money and fresh air.

 

[hwp]

A waste of money and fresh air.

Not all would agree. I agree with Atlas when he says a cab is just another attachment and whether or not it is desirable depends on your situation. My little Kubota F2400 is only 24hp but I specifically looked for a unit with a cab - snowblowing without a cab is no fun. Been there, done that, no more thanks! A heated cab keeps you warm and dry, especially when the wind is howling, its 0F and there is a foot of snow to be cleared off your driveway. It seldom goes over 100F here in the summer for more than a week at a time so I have no need for A/C. My cab is light enough (approx. 500 lbs.) that I can use a winch to take it off or put it on. I put the ROPS on for the summer. It only takes a couple of hours to make the switch either way.

 

[art]

When talking about horsepower useage and air conditioning the 303o Kubota also has less weight to move when operating so it might not be affected as much as per say a 40 horsepower tractor that weighs 1000 lbs more when working. The size of the 3030 is also a plus when a smaller more nimble tractor is needed.
Any factory cab I've seen has more visability then the generic manufacturers! That might change but so far?