Winter Cab Revisited

[Rivco]

As requested I am reposting a few pictures of the cab I built for my old 180 two years ago. The first picture shows the custom rops that I built the cab around. It would be interesting to see someone build a modified version of this cab to work with their OEM PT rops.

 

[Barryh]

As requested I am reposting a few pictures of the cab I built for my old 180 two years ago. The first picture shows the custom rops that I built the cab around. It would be interesting to see someone build a modified version of this cab to work with their OEM PT rops.

Mine was built around the OEM ROP'S

 

[RegL]

As requested I am reposting a few pictures of the cab I built for my old 180 two years ago. The first picture shows the custom rops that I built the cab around. It would be interesting to see someone build a modified version of this cab to work with their OEM PT rops.

I remember now. Very nice job. It looks like the pt 180 has more space between the seat and engine cover. My 1430 only has about 2 in.. maybe I could use a soft material for the back of cab.

 

[Barryh]

I remember now. Very nice job. It looks like the pt 180 has more space between the seat and engine cover. My 1430 only has about 2 in.. maybe I could use a soft material for the back of cab.

I posted this as an answer to Toy on the other thread should have put it here under Rivco's thread I guess, so here goes again. Between the two of us you should get some more ideas for your cab.

Not sure about the 1430 but, it was very tight in the back around my cab also. As you can see by the pictures I had to taper the frame for the articulation to just miss the back hood. I just took the side windows out during the summer and it was fine.

No wipers were needed as I had the front window striaght up and down along with the lip you see at the top. It kept the rain off of the windows just fine. You can also see an arm rest if you look. My right arm rested on that and the other on the knob most of the time, it was very comfortable working inside.

The front and back windows were made of heavy gage lexan the front window took a couple of hard blows from dead trees when working in the woods, it protected my face more than a couple of times.
This setup gave me more than enough head and arm room, I even had a tool box secured down by the right arm rest.

If I wanted to take the cab off. I had to take out the large front window along with about 15 bolts screws, and tilted it backwards to miss the ROP"S. I needed someone on the other side as it was a little hard to do by myself, then it came off. The floor and seat panels had to be taken out separately.

Toy has also built a cab trying to get him to take some pictures of his and post on here for everyone. I believe he has a 425.

 

[Barryh]

Plowing snow this year won't be anywhere near as fun. My new plow rig complete with chains ...

 

[Barryh]

As requested I am reposting a few pictures of the cab I built for my old 180 two years ago. The first picture shows the custom rops that I built the cab around. It would be interesting to see someone build a modified version of this cab to work with their OEM PT rops.

That's some pretty incredible stuff you've done with that 180... Seems you turned it into a whole different animal. You deserve a lot of credit

 

[MossRoad]

I have armrests on my PT425 (2001 model). With the seat all the way back, when I am in full articulation and oscillation, the armrests will rub the engine cover to the point that it moves the seat and/or tears the fabric off the "elbow" area of the arm rest. I would think a hard cab would require me remove the armrests and move the seat forward a bit in order to clear the engine cover in extreme situations. If I were going to cab my PT425, I'd do a solid windshield and soft sides and back with no bottom. I'd also install some sort of electric blower to circulate air inside the cab to keep the breath fog off the windows.

 

[Barryh]

I have armrests on my PT425 (2001 model). With the seat all the way back, when I am in full articulation and oscillation, the armrests will rub the engine cover to the point that it moves the seat and/or tears the fabric off the "elbow" area of the arm rest. I would think a hard cab would require me remove the armrests and move the seat forward a bit in order to clear the engine cover in extreme situations. If I were going to cab my PT425, I'd do a solid windshield and soft sides and back with no bottom. I'd also install some sort of electric blower to circulate air inside the cab to keep the breath fog off the windows.

Speaking for myself. I would say it just depends on how you build it. Mine did fine without a blower or wipers of any sort. I did leave a ¼ inch crack at the bottom of the front window for ventilation that could be closed off if need be. Other than that it was very closed off to the outside.

I think because of the head room and air space, it never was a problem. Windows never fogged and, rain / snow stayed off of the windows unless it was a sideways sort of rain. And I could still see fine. Now if I were to go with a soft plastic cab of some sort then a blower would be in order.

 

[Rivco]

If I had it to do all over again and I had the OEM PT rops I would design a soft shell cab with pin hinged removable doors for summer use and utilize the PT roof as the roof of the cab. I would build the frame work as needed using thin wall tube or alum tube then take it to a awning Co. and have them stitch it together. I would also want Velcro side windows that I could roll up or down if needed.

 

[Barryh]

If I had it to do all over again and I had the OEM PT rops I would design a soft shell cab with pin hinged removable doors for summer use and utilize the PT roof as the roof of the cab. I would build the frame work as needed using thin wall tube or alum tube then take it to a awning Co. and have them stitch it together. I would also want Velcro side windows that I could roll up or down if needed.

That's pretty much the same idea I had at this point. A soft shell cab something I can use to keep the rain, snow, wind off of me but, can take back off easily for summer use. Great minds think alike.... Only difference would be I want to build it around my own ROP'S design.......

 

[Rivco]

That's pretty much the same idea I had at this point. A soft shell cab something I can use to keep the rain, snow, wind off of me but, can take back off easily for summer use. Great minds think alike.... Only difference would be I want to build it around my own ROP'S design.......

I agree Barry....you would be better off to have a local certified welding shop fabricate a rops for you using your design, because the OEM PT rops is an engineering brain fart!!!!. When PT designed the rops they never took into consideration that someone might want to build an all weather cab. The way the OEM rops sits so far back, you would have to install curved bow sprints to attach the windshield to ....otherwise the windshield would never clear the steering wheel if you Incorporated the OEM rops as part of the cab structure!!!!

 

[MossRoad]

If I were going to build a cab, I think I would fab up a windsheild frame that I could insert either a piece of lexan with a wiper in the winter or a piece of expanded steel in the summer for woods work or stump grinding.

Then I would fab up some door frames pinned to the windshield frame on the leading edge and hung from the factory canopy on the top with pins drilled through the canopy in the front and rear. I would use clips to hold the pins in from the underside of the canopy. Then, in the door frames I could insert fabric panels with vinyl windows in winter and expanded steel in summer, again, for woods work and such. I would probably use a steel rod or two to secure the rear of the door frames to each other, bending them appropriately and running them behind and/or under the seat so that the door frames would stay relatively parallel to each other.

For the back, I would use fabric with a vinyl window in winter and probably roll it up and secure it under the rear of the ROPS in summer. The fabric would have snaps to secure it to the door frames and possibly the rear of the seat.

If I saw the need, I might even make a fabric skirt for the winter to enclose the bottom of the cab. However, our winters have been getting milder and milder, so I think the skirt to seal it all off may not be needed as I stay pretty warm in my Carharts.

 

[Barryh]

I agree Barry....you would be better off to have a local certified welding shop fabricate a rops for you using your design, because the OEM PT rops is an engineering brain fart!!!!. When PT designed the rops they never took into consideration that someone might want to build an all weather cab. The way the OEM rops sits so far back, you would have to install curved bow sprints to attach the windshield to ....otherwise the windshield would never clear the steering wheel if you Incorporated the OEM rops as part of the cab structure!!!!

Your right, is was a pain to build my cab around the PT ROP'S. Mostly just hard to get on and off other than that, it worked out fine.

 

[Barryh]

Well another tractor, another winter cab coming on. Looked at all of the soft shells out there, nothing under 300 bucks that I could find. So I bought this online got the idea from someone else. Price was right, will figure how to adapt it to my BX. It might also work for a PT with a little improvisation for you guys wanting a cab.

Classic Accessories Golf Cart Rain Cover | Golf Car Covers | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Barryh]

Rather than spend $260.00 for a canopy.

Here is my home made dog crate wire canopy. I'll be putting some plywood under the top for falling tree branch protection. I used two square tube arms off of an old work out station that was collecting dust turned the handles around and bolted them to the rops. It's pretty solid.

Used the plastic dog liner tray that came with the crate on top to keep the rain off. My golf cart cab got here Friday so will be adding that to the mix when the snow fly's. I may add more to the frame but it would take a hard hit right now the way it is. Now I need to hook up my new halgens to the top, one backup light then I'm pretty much set.

A few pics.