Cab or Open air??

EddieWalker · Dec 26, 2015

I don't have a cab on any of my tractors, but I want one really bad!!! I have a canopy of all of them and that helps, but I know that I could be even more productive if I could be out there during the heat of the day instead of making up excuses to wait for it to cool off. Then there are the bugs.

What I don't understand is the excuse given for not having a cab because they person driving the tractor isn't capable of not running into trees and branches. I've never hit a branch or tree that wasn't intentional. If I do not want to hit something, it's pretty simple to just steer around it. I hit them because I'm trying to get as close as possible and I'm too lazy to trim every branch that grows in my way of mowing. I trim some of them, and I will trim more of them, but it's not like I don't know they are there.

With a 75 to 85 hp tractor, I would have a batwing for sure, which should remove a lot of the temptation to drive into them with the tractor.

sacarmic · Jan 2, 2016

Everyone thanks a lot for your feedback very helpful. For those f you with cabs, do you think it makes the tractor much more top-heavy when working on hills?

TripleR · Jan 2, 2016

No doubt there has to be some effect, but after operating a total of four different ones in our hills over the years, we've never had any issues, we just set our wheels wide and put fluid in our tires.

Buppies · Jan 2, 2016

Do not notice a lot of difference in stability but comfort especially on those cold snowy days is money well spent

SARG · Jan 2, 2016

Don't have a cab on my machines ........... but there's a guy I see after every snowfall cruising around his long driveway inside his "globe" with shirtsleeves on that really makes me jealous.

Sprinklerman · Jan 2, 2016

My best friend bought a new mustang skid steer 20 years ago . The cab enclosure was an additional $ 1500 . He didnt want to spend the money . His new machine came in . The day before he was going to pick it up they were forecasting a MAJOR snow storm , I told him to get off the money , with a cab and heater you can stay on that machine for hours . He wised up real quick , had them install the cab . That machine worked 24 hours a day for 2 weeks . More than paid for the expense .

Do I want a cab for my tractor ? YES But when it snows I am driving the truck with a plow heat and stereo . the tractor goes out afterwards for clean up . So its open machine for me .

SARG · Jan 2, 2016

Yup .... One of the blessings associated with being retired is that you can wait out any storm and go clean it all up on a "nice" day.

Fire Quacker · Jan 2, 2016

I've got an open cab with glide shift; IMO, it's only flaws are not being hydrostat with cab and air. :dollarsign: :dollarsign:

Threepoint · Jan 2, 2016

Sacarmic, I'm sure the cab raises the center of mass a bit, but it's also adding considerably more weight overall, which I'd think would add to stability. I don't work sideways on steep hills, period.

One factor that hasn't been mentioned yet is age of the operator. I was quite happy plowing snow for 20 years with an open-station. Any more, I appreciate my creature comforts too much to flirt with frost-bite. Or heat stroke! I'd think central Indiana is perfectly capable of producing both!