Cab owners - How well does your A/C work?

Poopdeck Pappy · Jul 28, 2013

For those of you who have a cab on your tractor, how well does your air conditioner work? Please say which make/model you own.

I'm close to buying a cab tractor, and I've tried a few that seem to have weak air conditioning. These have been new tractors, not used ones.

It makes me wonder whether the a/c will keep up in real world conditions in the hot Texas summers we have. I understand that if it's 110 degrees outside, the a/c isn't going to keep it 65 degrees in the cab. But a couple I tried made me doubt whether they would keep up if it was 95 degrees outside, and that would be a real problem.

I originally posted this question in the Kubota forum, and then realized I should have posted it here since I'm considering several brands of tractors. Sorry for cross-posting.

TripleR · Jul 28, 2013

I already mentioned our Kubotas in your other thread, our previous tractor, a Case CX80 it would freeze you out in SEMO summers of high humidity and 90+ temps sometimes over 100.

kiotiken · Jul 28, 2013

2012 Kioti DK45. Extremely well. I sometimes need the wipers on for the condensation that forms on the glass. I've never been in weather it could't keep up to and that I didn't have to turn it down. I have 4 vents on the front windsheild and 4 on the sides/back.

Oldgreybear · Jul 28, 2013

Even in the fishbowl of my JD5083 it stays around 80 degrees in the texas sun. More important to me, it keeps out the dust and pollen when mowing. Good luck with yours

Tx Jim · Jul 28, 2013

I own 3 cab tractors. An '80 model Ford, a '93 model JD and a '11 model Kubota. All the AC's will keep you comfortable BUT one needs to remember that these aren't highway vehicles so the condenser,radiator & filters need to be kept CLEAN. Another thing to consider is the amt of glass in the cabs. I did own a Kubota M4900 that the AC was marginal at best.

corey9212 · Jul 28, 2013

My A/C works great had 30 degree (about 90f) and I have to turn it down. When I initially start it up and the cab is massively hot and stuffy, I turn the fan to max and it will purge the cab and will be cold really fast. Oh and mine is a 2013 5115M

grsthegreat · Jul 28, 2013

I have a 2011 DK45 HST cab and both the heater and a/c work amazingly well. It was 98F yesterday outside, and i was too cold in the cab. I had to turn the fan down to the lowest setting, and even advance the temp towards the red some.

In the winter, i can snow plow in a t shirt.

I really dont know why i waited so long to get a cab.

Now add the radio, the wipers, and a;ll is good

Dingeryote · Jul 28, 2013

96' Landini 85F Advantage= Keeps up quite well, as long as the crud and dust is kept out of the condenser, and the HEPA filter is replaced every season.
When it's in the 90's, with our typical high humidity, it keeps the cab around 76 on full blast. Lots of heat comes off the tranny though, so the poor thing is at a disadvantage anyhow. Recirculating cab air works best, to keep from choking filters early. It works decent for an older design.

07' Deere 5425N= Icy cold, and able to beat even the last heat wave and humidity. Can be run at 3/4 even on the hottest days, after a good purge of hot air on full, for ten Min. or so.

jenkinsph · Jul 29, 2013

My 4520 is comfortable year round and the hvac performs well. I should mention that some of the posters in the past have had their windows tinted to reduce the heat gain in the cabs. Might help any number of tractors in the bright sun of Dallas.

DieselMonk · Jul 29, 2013

I just bought a 2013 New Holland T4.75 Powerstar. The AC works extremely well, has 2 blower fans and 10 outlets. If I turn the AC on full cold, blower setting on 2, I get too cold inside with outside temp at 95F and 90% humidity.

Rockgod · Jul 30, 2013

My JD 3720 works real well year round. It's been hot here (90+ degrees) and I haven't had to run the A/C on high.

JB Farm · Jul 30, 2013

I have a JD 4520, and I would say it is not good enough. Heat side is excellent, a/c not so much. On a 90+ day when the sun is high (mid day) it is almost good, it will cool to a semi comfortable level, but wish it was cooler. When the sun gets lower (4 in the afternoon or so) and it is coming into the cab sideways, it sucks. No where close to good enough, very hot and sweaty in there. I have to keep the radiator area cleaned out, and the cab filter cleaned every few hours to have that level of comfort, if I don't it is unbearable. Also if I am doing loader work at slower engine speeds it is bad, but full throttle mowing it does slightly better. Tractor has been to the dealer a couple times and they say it is all as it should be. In my neck of the woods there are 4 other 4520-4720's that I know of, and the owners all have complaints with the a/c.

Brian

iowaowb · Jul 31, 2013

Have a TN75DA New Holland first two weeks I had it used it to brush cut in 90-95 degree temps with very high humidity and had to turn it down off of the highest fan speed I was really impressed with the ac do not know about the heat yet.

PSDStu · Aug 1, 2013

Both my Kubota M5040 and L4060 Cabs will freeze you out of the Cab..... the B3030 Cab which I used to own never did very well for me no matter how much time I spent cleaning the radiator, condensor, or eavp coil or replacing the cabin air filter..... not sure why?????

bigblock · Aug 3, 2013

2011 JD 5105M - Very comfortable. I'm in South Georgia, very hot and humid here. In the 90's regularly in the summer. Gotta love a cab tractor with A/C! It is very important to clean the filters to keep the A/C working well.

BigMike50 · Aug 3, 2013

have inside/outside thermometer plus very dark tinted windows. was 100 degrees also extremely humid one day couple weeks ago while mowing and I got an inside reading of 70 degrees on setting one. condensation on the steel frame outside and windows. Actually have to move vents so they don't blow on me. Tinted windows makes all the difference in the world with tractors with lots of glass.

foreman Etexas · Aug 3, 2013

Kubota 7040's and run them on 2(they go to 4),thats all day baling and mowing.

ASTROENG2011 · Aug 10, 2013

Speaking as an ex-designer/engineer of mobile A/C systems, every system designed for off road vehicles has additional restrictions put on it that other systems do not. Vehicle A/C system for over the road use have better airflow through condenser and less chance of clogging or getting dirty from operating environment. Evaporator sections are easier for over the road vehicles as well because even in using 100% fresh air in the cabin, the dusty, dirty , and downright awful environment seen by off road systems does not exist--or at least for very short duration(ie-dust storms, following a un-tarped trailer, etc). The A/C systems for most tractors are designed to maintain an air delivery into the cabin that at best will only drop the air temperature a maximum of 30-35 deg f. Note that is the incoming air temp to the evaporator-- not the ambient temp. Most systems are set up to have an option to use recirculated from the cabin to air in higher ambient and higher humidity environs. Most if not all off road systems are set up to have some fresh air introduction even in recirculate mode to keep the cabin pressurized and prevent infiltration of outside contaminants into the occupants/operators volume. For very severe environs an outside dust collection and filtration system may be required in addition to the regular A/C system filtration components. Religious attention to the cleaning and replacing of filters when needed is key to optimal operation of off road systems. Sometimes additional cleaning of evaporator system may be necessary if filtration fails or is compromised. Likewise for the condenser. Since most tractors are not moving at 20 mph or anywhere that fast when operating, the function of the engine fan, shroud and all inlet filter screens, baffles and seals in and around the condenser/radiator area are more important than ever. A single baffle or foam seal that is missing or removed and not replaced correctly can allow hot air from exhaust side of radiator to return in front of the condenser. Condensers are designed to operate effectively in at most a 120 deg ambient and engine radiator discharge air temp can reach 160 deg f quite easily. Plugging or blocking air passages in the condenser/radiator sections by grass seeds, chaff, or dirt can cause an otherwise satisfactory operating system to become in efficient. Remember, an A/C system just moves the heat from one volume to another--whatever heat is removed from the cabin area is dumped in the condenser to be removed by the air flowing across it.

jenkinsph · Aug 10, 2013

ASTROENG2011 said:
Speaking as an ex-designer/engineer of mobile A/C systems, every system designed for off road vehicles has additional restrictions put on it that other systems do not. Vehicle A/C system for over the road use have better airflow through condenser and less chance of clogging or getting dirty from operating environment. Evaporator sections are easier for over the road vehicles as well because even in using 100% fresh air in the cabin, the dusty, dirty , and downright awful environment seen by off road systems does not exist--or at least for very short duration(ie-dust storms, following a un-tarped trailer, etc). The A/C systems for most tractors are designed to maintain an air delivery into the cabin that at best will only drop the air temperature a maximum of 30-35 deg f. Note that is the incoming air temp to the evaporator-- not the ambient temp. Most systems are set up to have an option to use recirculated from the cabin to air in higher ambient and higher humidity environs. Most if not all off road systems are set up to have some fresh air introduction even in recirculate mode to keep the cabin pressurized and prevent infiltration of outside contaminants into the occupants/operators volume. For very severe environs an outside dust collection and filtration system may be required in addition to the regular A/C system filtration components. Religious attention to the cleaning and replacing of filters when needed is key to optimal operation of off road systems. Sometimes additional cleaning of evaporator system may be necessary if filtration fails or is compromised. Likewise for the condenser. Since most tractors are not moving at 20 mph or anywhere that fast when operating, the function of the engine fan, shroud and all inlet filter screens, baffles and seals in and around the condenser/radiator area are more important than ever. A single baffle or foam seal that is missing or removed and not replaced correctly can allow hot air from exhaust side of radiator to return in front of the condenser. Condensers are designed to operate effectively in at most a 120 deg ambient and engine radiator discharge air temp can reach 160 deg f quite easily. Plugging or blocking air passages in the condenser/radiator sections by grass seeds, chaff, or dirt can cause an otherwise satisfactory operating system to become in efficient. Remember, an A/C system just moves the heat from one volume to another--whatever heat is removed from the cabin area is dumped in the condenser to be removed by the air flowing across it.

Good write up ASTROENG2011, I agree with all points made.