Benefits of a cab with a/c?

[markmc]

A cab seemed extravagant when I was shopping, in winter (and I am fine with cold). After a fair bit of mowing in hot weather I would have really liked a cab. IMHO for crops or tons of mowing, a cab is the way to go. For smaller jobs and landscaping/construction type things a cab would potentially get in the way if you need to get on and off the tractor a lot. I also did some chisel plowing this spring and I had to get off the tractor literally every 10 minutes to clean dirt clods off the shanks. That would have been more difficult with a cab; it was bad enough without one.

Good points. If I had to decide between opening a door every ten minutes and air conditioning its pretty obvious which one would win

 

[markmc]

Let me tell you a story of NO BEES. I rented a 2 yard loader with a cab, a big mother, to tackle 4ac of mesquite that has been there since the 1800's.

I was going along just fine, then I hit some sort of bee colony, because they started attacking, yes attacking the cab. There were so many bees the cab went dark, it was like a solar eclipse. i just st there with my jaw on my lap, backed out and just waited till they left.

I went back in to decimate wherever they came from. i didn't finish the job that day, returned the loader, and never ever went near that area with my no cab Kubota.

Next day I was cleaning up around my date palm trees, and I had stopped near a tree, and looked to my left and there was a date thorn inches from my left eye. These thorns can penetrate a tractor tire like a hot knife through butter.

That next week the no cab went up for sale, and have been searching for the perfect cab model ever since.

For me also the temp reach 123 plus throughout the summer so air is not a luxury item it's necessity.

With a loader I don't know why anyone would be without a cab, the dirt, and dust flying back in your face in miserable.

Wow, I told my wife about your bee colony story and the look of concern on her face made me feel we are the much closer to getting a cab.....got anymore:B

 

[markmc]

Depends on your tolerance and how accustomed you are to being outside.
Never had a cab back in the late 50s and 60s when I grew up on a cotton farm. Didn't even have a shade on the tractor at times. The shade was nice, I have to admit. Worked for a while just out of high school for a farmer who had a tractor with cab but no a/c. I was young and dumb-- that tractor was a real cooker. Pop finally got a tractor with cab and a/c about '67. He was not one for creature comforts since he had once farmed with horses, but I think he liked the cab and A/C. I did not want one for my 5203 or 2320 but heat does not bother me, even at 57. I guess if I was farming, I would get one. But for what I do and no more time than I spend on the machine, I enjoy the sun and the dirt and had rather spend the $$ on something else.

I love the outdoors and the sun but its the combination of the allergens and the dust that are swaying me. I would rather have a tractor that I can use any time rather than when I "feel" like braving the elements. And the elelments here in Houston are quite severe. I am beginning to convince myself that spending the extra $$$ may compute to using the tractor far more often and getting those millions of chores done on the property much quicker.

 

[markmc]

A cab seemed extravagant when I was shopping, in winter (and I am fine with cold). After a fair bit of mowing in hot weather I would have really liked a cab. IMHO for crops or tons of mowing, a cab is the way to go. For smaller jobs and landscaping/construction type things a cab would potentially get in the way if you need to get on and off the tractor a lot. I also did some chisel plowing this spring and I had to get off the tractor literally every 10 minutes to clean dirt clods off the shanks. That would have been more difficult with a cab; it was bad enough without one.

We will have tons of mowing, road building, brush and tree clearing....that sort of thing. Watching the branches will be the big issue it sounds like.

 

[dirtworksequip]

If you have the extra money,a cab tractor is a joy to run in any kind of weather. Be it rain,snow,sleet,hail or hot and cold temps. One day not long ago we had some weird weather when in about half an hour it thundered,rained,hailed and sleeted.............I had a big smile on my face as I sat comfortabily in my nice cozy cab.

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[lawn_king]

If you have the extra money,a cab tractor is a joy to run in any kind of weather. Be it rain,snow,sleet,hail or hot and cold temps. One day not long ago we had some weird weather when in about half an hour it thundered,rained,hailed and sleeted.............I had a big smile on my face as I sat comfortabily in my nice cozy cab.

Sincerely, Dirt

Dirt stole my thunder, cab tractor is a joy to operate, i dont know what is the best, the heat,ac,stereo or the quiet! I have owned curtis as well as kubota cabs and they are the way to go! I would never buy another tractor without a cab.

 

[markmc]

Thank you for the helpful replies guys. For those of you interested, I found out yesterday that it was TOO late to change anything on my tractor order as it had already shipped. Seems that the 4 week delivery quoted was made up of a few days assemble and over three weeks in delivery. Oh well, at least I know for next time And now I have 6000 pre-approved dollars (by the Supreme Commander) to spend on other goodies....:B

Mark

 

[bx23barry]

Wow, never met a dealer that didn't want to sell another $6000.

 

[ddivinia]

I ended up with a John Deere 5525 cab and a John Deere 4720 open station. The 4720 came first and works great for smaller jobs. It is small, handy, the HST trans is awesome. It is a wonderful tractor. My wife wishes it was a cab (she gets confused with the power reverser in the 5525). The 5525 cab came into the picture when it was 115 outside and I had 100 acres to mow. Way too hot, and the 6' mower on the 4720 didn't cut it I got a 5525 cab and a 15' bat wing. I cuss the payments on it, but not when I am using it.

If I had to have one tractor only - it would be a cab for sure. Having the best of both worlds - hard to beat.

D.

 

[mjncad]

A heated cab in winter, a cool cab in the summer, protection from bugs, dust, dirt, spray, noise and other crud; yep I want a cab and I wish JD had one for my 4200 in 2001 when I bought it. They did for the European market.