Buying Advice Trying to decide if a cab is worth the extra $$

[3boys865]

Am looking at purchasing the M5140 or possibly the M6040 to maintain 26 acres. Main use will be cutting approx 20 acres with some light FEL work and plowing approx 2 acre garden. Also have a few acres of woods and fencing to maintain. I am trying to decide if a cab would be worth the extra $$. Any advice on the pros and cons of a cab and feedback from current owners of a 5140 or 6040 would be appreciated. Still trying to decide on the best tractor and cutter configuration for my needs. Don't want to go too small and regret it later, but also don't want to go too big either.

 

[94BULLITT]

I love the cab on the l4240. If you are going to be doing cutting with it I would recommend one. It will protect you from bees and snakes. Plus you won't be sweating like crazy while you are working.

 

[TripleR]

If you want to spend a day or so reading, there are a couple of old, very long threads on cab v open station. Both have their pros and cons. I ran a combination of open station and cab beginning with my father in laws first cab reactor in 1998; used it and a Massey Ferguson 375, Case 995 etc. At my age, I quit using open station last year and like it a lot better with less bronchitis, allergies etc., also don't have to take all my clothes off before coming into the house at the end of the day.

 

[big bubba]

Am looking at purchasing the M5140 or possibly the M6040 to maintain 26 acres. Main use will be cutting approx 20 acres with some light FEL work and plowing approx 2 acre garden. Also have a few acres of woods and fencing to maintain. I am trying to decide if a cab would be worth the extra $$. Any advice on the pros and cons of a cab and feedback from current owners of a 5140 or 6040 would be appreciated. Still trying to decide on the best tractor and cutter configuration for my needs. Don't want to go too small and regret it later, but also don't want to go too big either.

in these years of drought and heat, cabs/ac would be a "necessary" luxury (i have open station, but never feel need to go cab). will you be making a living doing this, or weekender? do you plan to keep the tractor, or trade in & expand (resale value question). and lastly.....(sorry) how old are you and tolerant of environmental insult including allergies, etc? Many on this forum love & go with cab conditions. i appreciate their choice. fortunately (i'm 64) can stay in the open all day long w/o issue & go w/open station. another question....do you drive your car 90% of the time in summer w/ac or drive w/open windows? just asking questions. and good luck.

 

[PapaPerk]

I love the cab on the l4240. If you are going to be doing cutting with it I would recommend one. It will protect you from bees and snakes. Plus you won't be sweating like crazy while you are working.

Do you have flying snakes where you live?! LOL :rotfl:

 

[3boys865]

Thanks for the reply... I am not planning to use my tractor to make a living, just typical homestead maintenance. I do see my tractor purchase as a long time investment and plan on keeping it for a long time. The cabs are very nice and do have a lot of benefits, but they are pricey which makes it a difficult decision. I am sure I would be happy either way, but without ever owning one, I don't know what I would be missing with or without it.

 

[3boys865]

I love the cab on the l4240. If you are going to be doing cutting with it I would recommend one. It will protect you from bees and snakes. Plus you won't be sweating like crazy while you are working.

I was considering the L4240 as well, but thought it might be too small. How much cutting do you do and what size cutter do you use? Trying to determine appropriate sized tractor and cutter to handle approximately 20 acres. Thinking I need a utility sized tractor, but not sure...

 

[94BULLITT]

Do you have flying snakes where you live?! LOL :rotfl:

Yes I do. I have seen them go across the rough cut before. I guess they cant fall out of a tree either.:confused3:

 

[94BULLITT]

I don't do much. I do a little bit for a family member. I only have a 5ft (bought it for the 8n years ago). You can't even tell it is behind the tractor. On the grand l tractors you can watch your pto speed on the intelli panel. When I would run it up to 540 pto and when I would go through thick stuff it would only drop to 537! The owners manual says you can pull a 6ft cutter. I think it would easily handle a 6 or 7 footer. I know rhino makes a rough cut that is 10' and only takes 35 pto hp to turn it. I guess it boils down to how fast you want to get it done and the size of the fields. I think a cab on a grand l is around 4k. I don't know what it would be on a M. One advantage to me with the Grand L you can get them in hydro but the M's are a nice looking tractor. TripleR has a L5740 and a M8540 and I think he does a lot of rough cutting you may want to ask him for a second opinion.

 

[Cat_Driver]

A cab saved my life once so I will never climb on a tractor without one.

I was clearing some brush with a front end loader with a cab and AC, and all of a sudden it seemed like we were having a solar eclipse. It was a swarm of bees that were attacking the tractor because I must have hit their hive. There were so many bees they actually blocked the sun coming in the cab. I know for a fact I would be dead without that cab that day.

A bout a two weeks later I hit another patch of brush with an open cab Kubota. The engine was running hot as the temps that day were hot. I hit another hive, and the bees started flying. As I saw them coming I got the heck out of there. What was strange is there was soo much heat surrounding me form the engine, that the bees got so close but no closer. They felt the extreme heat and backed off - weird and amazing at the same time.

That was the last day I went cab less.

Now the other benefits are warm in the winter, cool in the summer, dry in the rain, and you can breath in a dust bowl- who can argue with that,