To cab or not to cab? Tired of being cold snow plowing

[ruffdog]

My whole life was on un-cabbed tractors and never really minded it. I like being out in nature, hearing the critters and feeling the breeze on my face. BUT, I'm getting older. I now have a cab and like others have said, get ready to cut trees and trim branches. Just imagine driving your tractor while standing, now, outstretch your arms. Anything and everything you can touch must be trimmed. I burn a brush pile every few weeks and keep feeding the fire with my grapple. It is a bunch of work but the place is starting to look like a park. A cab will force you to make bigger trails and more open areas where you drive. Have fun!

PS...it sure is nice to do work mid-winter and have a warm cab.

 

[RustyA]

After 20+ years of grading roads and winter plowing without a cab for my 60th birthday present got a new tractor with a cab. Now I grade while it's raining with no bugs listening to the radio. Plow snow with a light jacket unzipped in the winter. Cab is quieter, less exhaust noise and smell and includes front and rear wipers and lights for all seasons. I did buy an inexpensive pole saw and did some trimming but it's a small price to pay for comfort at my age.

 

[ruffdog]

It also takes awhile to adjust to the mild sensory deprivation that comes with operating a cab tractor in close quarters after years with open-stations. All that said, this can be overcome, and there is nothing like a warm cab in a snowstorm, and a cool cab in the summer heat (or during black-fly season up your way).

I agree about being deprived of using my senses...it was the hardest adjustment I made. You have to slow up a bit and use your eyes more to look at EVERYTHING. After one year, I'm feeling much more comfortable in the cab.......................enjoying the tunes!

 

[nybirdman]

I traded a open station for a cab;mostly for winter work but is nice when it's hot out.I have ripped off a couple of caution lights but that was an easy fix.We do have a small open station for woods work.Pros and cons both ways.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

No questions here. Cab all the way. Wouldn't even consider an open station tractor for winter snow work.

 

[5030]

Something to be said about plowing snow in a Tee shirt.:laughing:

 

[hawkeye08]

I wonder if I would have stayed in farming if we had cabs on the tractors, swather, bale wagon, combines growing up.. air conditioning in the trucks would have been nice too... when Pa passed in 1983, Mom wanted me to take over the farm, but after being away from it for college and a year of working in data centers, my allergies got the best of me and after careful consideration, declined her offer.

Even with cabs, there was much work that was not on the tractor so probably would still have passed..

 

[BAP]

We used cab tractors in the woods pulling logs and gathering Maple Sap. Over 30+ years I think we lost 1 window. The glass is pretty tough stuff and will take a pretty good smacking. It’s certainly nice plowing snow with heat and staying dry.

 

[buck12]

I have now owned a cabbed tractor for all of two weeks and all I can say is that I wish I had bought it sooner. My tractor use is on our remote property so I typically spend weekends and vacation time at this property. Because of this I try to get lots of work done in a short time. I don’t feel beat up and tired when I spend a day working at the property. I used to come home exhausted.

I still have my noncabbed tractor and plan to keep it for the next year to see how much I really need it. After only two weeks with the cabbed tractor I am starting to lean towards selling it but I will give it some time to be sure. Snow removal is a nonissue for me but sure is nice to bush hog with no dust, bugs, or MS heat. I may yet keep my Mahindra noncabbed for work in the woods or I may limb lots of trees. The only down side I have found in my limited time with a cabbed tractor is that I don’t feel as connected to the tractor.

 

[Tractorable]

The OP should also check out the new Kioti DK5310SE HC and/or DK6010SE HC cab tractors. They’re really nice!