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

[Soldier415]

Love having a factory cab. AC in the summer to stay cool and cab keeps the bees, hornets, dust and other crap away from me. In the winter clearing 1/4 mile of driveway with rear mount blower in a t shirt toasty warm without getting covered in blown snow.

 

[jcbGM]

I keep the tractor parked in the winter. I find plowing with our RTV much faster and easier than the tractor.

Have you considered a utility vehicle?

 

[Jchonline]

I keep the tractor parked in the winter. I find plowing with our RTV much faster and easier than the tractor.

Have you considered a utility vehicle?

This is the route I am going as well. Have the RTV X1100C with V plow all ready to go.

 

[Brokermike]

This is the route I am going as well. Have the RTV X1100C with V plow all ready to go.

I have, very seriously. However, my place is steep and there is no way even an RTV can push back up the hill. It would also have very little other use for me since I already have a 4 wheeler. I've had a few SxS's prior to the ATV and found they just collected dust.

If I could find somebody to buy my tractor for a reasonable price I'd pony up and buy a new one but the low rate financing on new tractors really has the market distorted in pricing used equipment

 

[finn1]

One of the SxS manufacturers (who shall remain unnamed) does winter testing of their products here. They have included a couple of SxS’ with plows for the past couple of years. Part of the deal is that you can sign up for their test drivers to plow your drive gratis, on their schedule, of course.

They plowed my drive at the shop about a half dozen times last year. Overall, I guess the little machines worked, given what they are, but my truck was twice as fast as the two machines they sent, and, being so light, they couldn’t really push the banks back far enough after a moderate 8”-10} snowfall. They could go only so far before they started to climb over the snow, to the point of potential high center situations.

I ended up driving the tractor with front blower to the shop to move the banks back by late February.

They were kind of cute with the little plow in front, but not really up to the task of moving serious snow accumulations.

 

[BufordBoone]

We cut our fields last weekend. Not supposed to be high 90s in the end of Sept. Now we are into October. Got to about 99 yesterday.

I am so glad to have a cab and air conditioning!

 

[rScotty]

We cut our fields last weekend. Not supposed to be high 90s in the end of Sept. Now we are into October. Got to about 99 yesterday.

I am so glad to have a cab and air conditioning!

If the climate scientists are right we'll be seeing a lot more of this warmer weather. So far it looks like they are right, here in the Rocky Mountains we're having earlier springs and longer falls these last 5 years. The ski industry is taking a hit, but overall it's a good thing. For working outdooors here we can stand for the summers to be a bit warmer & the winter less cold and snowy. Only difference is that on our mountainside the makes a cab less necessary instead of more so.
rScotty

 

[IXLR8]

I have a DK40SE, open cab. Moved snow for 6 years with it. Bought a soft cab for it, I kick myself for not doing it sooner. It was a pain to do the initial install as they sent the wrong wedge pieces for the canopy. But now that it is installed, I can have it removed in 5 minutes, reinstalled in 15 minutes. If the sun is out, it warms the cab up enough so I am only wearing light jeans, sneakers and a tee shirt. Before I was wearing Sorrel boots, LLBean vest with Carhart lined coveralls, the heaviest ski gloves I owned and a 'mad bomber' hat. I so wish I had done it sooner.

 

[deserteagle71]

We cut our fields last weekend. Not supposed to be high 90s in the end of Sept. Now we are into October. Got to about 99 yesterday.

I am so glad to have a cab and air conditioning!

Me too! Only I'm happy for the cab and heater. Below freezing every morning this week - 19 degrees one morning! - so I'm loving not being out in the weather. Mowing weeds in sleet and snow one afternoon.

While some parts of the country are baking in heat, around here it has been cooler and wetter than normal.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Love my heated cab in winter. Love the A/C cab in summer. Also love mowing in summer and staying dust free. And the added benefit of watching the wasps buzz around the cab glass when I "find" a nest while out mowing the pasture.

Totally worth it.