Opps forgot a key thing when you call Burkes, ask for Mark when you call. Sometimes hard to get a hold of but it's worth it. Yes they don't use the internet for their advantage yet. They still stay real busy the old fashioned way by keeping people happy with fair deals and repeat business.
Gordon - I've never had a cab on a tractor, so right now I'm not sure whether I'll prefer it or it'll just be in the way. I did see a couple of cab models when I went to SC, and I have to say I was more impressed with the fit and finish of them than most cabs I've seen. Still - I'm not sure yet whether I'll love the cab more than I hate it. Probably depends on the weather, eh?
I've got a cab on my Int. 2500b. It has a heater on the ceiling, no air. The heater hoses get hot to the touch, but a shield would fix that. In the summer, it was unbearable. I had to take the doors and the rear window off and it was still hot due to the side windows.
MossRoad - That's exactly what I'm concerned about, myself. The EarthForce folks assure me that enough of the glass is removable that it won't be a problem, but we'll see.
I can think of a couple pluses, too, though - I'm constantly getting mulch in my eyes when I haul lots of it in the bucket, and the front-mounted bushhog is bound to throw some chips, both of which will I hope be remedied by the windshield.
Safety glass= when it does break it shatters into a million little pieces. A piece of expanded metal might be a thought on this one. Thats what I had over my cab windows on the old tractor. Around the outside edges of the expanded metal I had 1/8"x 2" flat stock to bolt onto the cab.
On the heater hoses of my last one I had a three way valve on one line and a check valve on the other under the hood. That way no hot water was going through the heater in the cab during the summer months. You don't need any extra heat in the cab during summer.
Gordon - I don't know yet how the heater in the EF-5 works, but I can see where keeping the hot water out of the cab in the first place would be a good idea. Given the position of the hydraulic oil cooler, though, I'm suspicious that the cab heater uses hydraulic oil, not engine water, but I'm not sure. I'll find out pretty soon.
I have the shutoff for the heater for summer, also. And, every piece of glass is cracked except the back window. I go through lots of brush and overhanging branches in my woods. I like the idea of expanded steel on the sides. I could make hanging clear vinyl windows for the insides in winter. I would leave the windshield glass or maybe find some Lexan. It scratches, but is bulletproof.
