Buying Advice If you could only choose hydro or cab what option would you choose for your tractor?

Texasmark · Mar 5, 2017

If you never sat on a tractor I'd opt for a tractor with both. If you have and feel comfortable with manual shifting and all, cab hands down. My 6530 has a cab for all the right reasons but is 24F/R (creep selector doubles the 3x4 speed selector) with F/R shuttle for fast shuttle work. I don't want nor need hydro. My riding lawn mowers are hydros.

Silly question · Mar 6, 2017

Well, a gear tractor can do everything a Hydro can do, but its hard to heat an open station, so I'd take the cab if you have to choose. Mind you I have gears and open station which is fine for me where I live.

mike69440 · Mar 6, 2017

Texasmark said:
If you never sat on a tractor I'd opt for a tractor with both. If you have and feel comfortable with manual shifting and all, cab hands down. My 6530 has a cab for all the right reasons but is 24F/R (creep selector doubles the 3x4 speed selector) with F/R shuttle for fast shuttle work. I don't want nor need hydro. My riding lawn mowers are hydros.

Cab, Really gears are fine, especially a shuttle.

Beaux Duke · Mar 11, 2017

Do you work in dusty conditions? Most of the cabs I see are covered in dust. I don't see how the operator can see out the sides and back. I realize you guys with cabs are probably staying on top of things keeping the glass clean but the cabs I've seen look like they've never been cleaned.

As for the HST, I think I'd choose it over a cab. I have lots of limbs to deal with and while I certainly would like to have a cab I don't feel it would work out in my situation.

grm61 · Mar 11, 2017

I have never seen a post on here where anybody regretted getting a cab

Get any snow this year?

TripleR · Mar 11, 2017

Dirt and dust are not really as big a problem as you might think, I use my wipers a lot and blow the side windows off from time to time. You won't find an open station ag tractor anywhere down here and if you ever disked a burned wheat field you'll sure know why.

riptides · Mar 11, 2017

Depends on the amount of open land to me. I have 50 acres wide open, and the sun, dust, birds, bugs, and when we have "winter" is just too much for an open station tractor. When the Deere is here, that cab station is like I died and went to heaven. No comparison.

Huskerfan · Mar 11, 2017

Both are important but the cab is more important. Your personal protection from sun, bugs, extreme temperatures, and dust is a given. That being said, cab or not, wear your sun protective clothing, hat and broad spectrum spf 50 or greater sunscreen. Melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer is reaching epidemic levels in this country. The numbers continue to grow.

If low hanging limbs are a problem and you and the protective pipe frame is not an option (innovative idea, great pictures TripleR!), consider trimming them with a chain saw like the Stihl HT 130.

Nissan197 · Mar 11, 2017

Like the majority have said and what it appears you went with......a Cab. I am currently looking to purchase a LS XU6158C. Have been using an open station Mahindra for the past 10 years. It has been a great tractor, but when doing hay and rotary cutting during June/July I sure dream of having a cab.