A drafty but dry cab for a tightwad

[rimshot]

Weather and Winter snows are on the way. Last year after blowing tons of snow with my CK-20 (s) I vowed to do something different this year. In my area we get plenty of cold light powder snow. If one has to clear out the drive on a windy day just expect at some point the chute is going to be wrong to the wind and you are going to get a whitewash. This really feels great when it's 20 below.

Now that golf season has come to a close I thought about the windowed golf cart enclosure sitting idle all Winter. Now wouldn't that make a nice break from wind and blown snow if it were mounted on my tractor.
A call to Bob at Michigan Iron & equipment confirmed the measurements. The unused golf cart enclosure should drape nicely around the steel hung tractor roof. He shipped a roof up to me and I installed it.

As you can see in the pics I have good clear visibility and access to chute cranks 360*. I got some light plastic abrsive cleaner and it really helped renew the clear window panels. Before throwing it over the new CK-20 roof lid I got four 2" c clamps and clamped a couple wood strips along the flat FEL mounting. This fit and aligned perfectly with predrilled holes in the tractor roof so I stuck a coupe big washers and screws to catch the wood framing. The wood strips make nice framing for that limp retrofitted golf cart enclosure.

Not enough snow yet to give it a field test but I'm thinking its going to be a great snow stopper and will cut down on some of the wind. I know, you don't have to tell me it's certainly no CurtisCab and yes, I can throw a cat through those intentionally left gaps in bottom. I'll just say that the draft is engineered into this model to defrost the cab if my 12 v defroster from EBAY blows a fuse. BTW, golf cart enclosures can be purchased right here at EBAY for as low as $69.00 and up:

golf cart enclosure, great deals on Sporting Goods, eBay Motors on eBay!

Wait till my wife gets the bill for all those golf balls I buy with the money I saved over one of those fancy fiberglass heated cabs those city folks got to have. No offense to anybody please.

FORE!

rimshot

 

[beenthere]

That looks mighty clever and will be anxious to hear how well it works. Fun when an idea and a plan come together.

 

[Steve C]

Weather and Winter snows are on the way. Last year after blowing tons of snow with my CK-20 (s) I vowed to do something different this year. In my area we get plenty of cold light powder snow. If one has to clear out the drive on a windy day just expect at some point the chute is going to be wrong to the wind and you are going to get a whitewash. This really feels great when it's 20 below.

Now that golf season has come to a close I thought about the windowed golf cart enclosure sitting idle all Winter. Now wouldn't that make a nice break from wind and blown snow if it were mounted on my tractor.
A call to Bob at Michigan Iron & equipment confirmed the measurements. The unused golf cart enclosure should drape nicely around the steel hung tractor roof. He shipped a roof up to me and I installed it.

As you can see in the pics I have good clear visibility and access to chute cranks 360*. I got some light plastic abrsive cleaner and it really helped renew the clear window panels. Before throwing it over the new CK-20 roof lid I got four 2" c clamps and clamped a couple wood strips along the flat FEL mounting. This fit and aligned perfectly with predrilled holes in the tractor roof so I stuck a coupe big washers and screws to catch the wood framing. The wood strips make nice framing for that limp retrofitted golf cart enclosure.

Not enough snow yet to give it a field test but I'm thinking its going to be a great snow stopper and will cut down on some of the wind. I know, you don't have to tell me it's certainly no CurtisCab and yes, I can throw a cat through those intentionally left gaps in bottom. I'll just say that the draft is engineered into this model to defrost the cab if my 12 v defroster from EBAY blows a fuse. BTW, golf cart enclosures can be purchased right here at EBAY for as low as $69.00 and up:

golf cart enclosure, great deals on Sporting Goods, eBay Motors on eBay!

Wait till my wife gets the bill for all those golf balls I buy with the money I saved over one of those fancy fiberglass heated cabs those city folks got to have. No offense to anybody please.

FORE!

rimshot

Great Idea! No more snow down the neck!

 

[ToadHill]

It may look goofy but I'll bet it keeps you from having to blow the snow off yourself before you go in the house.

 

[rimshot]

It may look goofy but I'll bet it keeps you from having to blow the snow off yourself before you go in the house.

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"It may look goofy", Toad says. Thanks Toad, that was mighty generous of you to say because the truth is this thing is downright butt ugly.

rimshot


(it's the thought that counts)

 

[rd_macgregor]

It looks like something a redneck gypsy would come up with, but if it works, its great!
Since blowing snow was one of the activities I KNEW I was going to be doing a lot with my DK45S, I got the factory cab (and hydraulic chute control for the blower). If you can control the fogging, your solution should work just fine...plus, you can take it off in the summer when the weather is nicer.
BOB

 

[Travelover]

Nice idea. I'd say that dollar for dollar you'll get a lot of comfort from that set up.

 

[Mike058]

So you either have a tractor with a cab, or a golf cart with 4-wheel drive, a loader and snow blower. I'll bet the other guys on the links would let you play through with that bad boy.

 

[IslandTractor]

==================

"It may look goofy", Toad says. Thanks Toad, that was mighty generous of you to say because the truth is this thing is downright butt ugly.

rimshot


(it's the thought that counts)

It's so ugly it's cute. A face only a tractor owner could love.

 

[rimshot]

It's so ugly it's cute. A face only a tractor owner could love. (IslandTractor)=

======================================

Yeah but..........I'm thinking it's going to look much better from the inside looking out and remain Ugly from outside looking in.

especially on a snowy windy day that I get to snowblow.

rimshot

(still trying to prove my claim that "Ugly" can be beautiful.....sometimes)

 

[jimb1724]

Hey Rimshot -

nice job with the cover. It will make a BIG difference... I did the same thing a couple of winters ago with my CK20hst to cut down on the wind and blowing snow from the blower... I got some 1" pvc pipe and made a frame held on to the fel and rops with 4" hose clamps... drop the cover over it, connect the tie-down hooks to the platform and good to go. takes about 20 minutes to put it on for the winter and ten minutes to take it off in spring... also use the cover for fall golf... on a golf cart no less.......

one other thing I did was take the plastic cowling off under the steering wheel. it lets more engine heat come into the operator area and makes the covered cab a little warmer.... give it a shot...
Jim

 

[JoelD]

Bottom line is anything is better than being in direct line of fire from blower blowby.

Will be interested to see if it holds together through wind.

Great idea, great price and hopefully great service.

Besides, my buddy tells me that chicks dig guys who have tractors with golf cart covers.

Same guy who proudly told me when he showed me his skull tatoo on his shoulder "chicks dig skulls'. Still single, go figure.

Joel

 

[rimshot]

Hey Rimshot -

nice job with the cover. It will make a BIG difference... I did the same thing a couple of winters ago with my CK20hst to cut down on the wind and blowing snow from the blower... I got some 1" pvc pipe and made a frame held on to the fel and rops with 4" hose clamps... drop the cover over it, connect the tie-down hooks to the platform and good to go. takes about 20 minutes to put it on for the winter and ten minutes to take it off in spring... also use the cover for fall golf... on a golf cart no less.......

one other thing I did was take the plastic cowling off under the steering wheel. it lets more engine heat come into the operator area and makes the covered cab a little warmer.... give it a shot...
Jim

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Nice looking cab, Jim. Your see through panels look in good shape but in the event they ever get hard to see through try some of that plastic window polish. I like the indoor plumbing and great idea about cowl removal to pick up some engine heat.

<<Besides, my buddy tells me that chicks dig guys who have tractors with golf cart covers.>> ( JoelD)
================

they don't care about me Joe, it's my backhoe they are after.

rimshot

 

[rimshot]

Well, recent snow storms have kick started my snow removal by CK20 and a 60" 3PH meteor Blower. After two years of snow removal w/o the benefit of the protection of the tightwad version of sno cab. I can now give a status report.

In short, this thing works great. No longer is it necessary for me to wear a snow suit and look like snoopy the red barron flying in his open cockpit airplane through a blizzard after clearing the drive. When I am forced into the wind no more blowing snow to my face. That snow just seems to hit that loose hanging golf cart enclosure and slide right off the tractor. Yesterday, the snow was uncharacteristically wet so it had more of a tendancy to hit and splat or stick like a snow ball. No problem because a simple swat of a backhand from inside the dry snow free cab and the snow fell right off. Visibility is good thanks to the drafty nature of all thee ill fitting spaces along thee bottom of the tractor deck. Ventillation helps keep moisture from forming inside on viewing surfaces.

This is a successful retrofit and it's a very cheap cab that unlike expensive store bought varietys can be removed in five minutes come Spring weather.

rimshot

 

[jimmyj]

Awesome! I love it. Very redneck (which is a term of praise around here!)

 

[WilliamBos]

Awesome! I love it. Very redneck (which is a term of praise around here!)

We did the same with an ATV cover that we bought at Royal Distributing. Worked well, but did tend to fog up. Still better than being out in the cold, covered in snow.

 

[rimshot]

We did the same with an ATV cover that we bought at Royal Distributing. Worked well, but did tend to fog up. Still better than being out in the cold, covered in snow.

==================

So far so good so far as condensation. I have not had a drop of moisture on the inside. The unit has now been tested in blizzard wind and snow conditions in temps from 14* F to 28*F. I think it's due to my patented open air vents caused by ill fitting panels. Some people point and snicker as I drive by at my air gaps. But they were cleverly engineered into this structure expressly to ventillate the cab keeping temperatures closer to outside air. This just might be the needed breakthrough required to eliminate inside moisture. Perhaps when conditions are perfect this moisture might bear it's ugly head but I am prepared with a 12 Volt defroster purposley obtained from EBAY for such an event ......this has yet to happen. Check out my pictures presented earlier in this thread featuring the 12v defroster that has yet to be turned on.

Now, should any moisture or snow choose to cling to outside of see thru panel a simple sharp back hand applied skillfully from within the cab to the center of the window panel sends the precipitation flying for another resting place.

Rimshot (trying to take credit for inventing absolutley nothing)

 

[rfmr]

Golf car cover works. It kept me dry for 4 years. This year I upgraded tractor and cover.

 

[Piperflyer]

so the "cover my tractor' works good? Good quality and all hey. I can't find a price for them on there web site. I got a kubota 3030.

 

[rimshot]

so the "cover my tractor' works good? Good quality and all hey. I can't find a price for them on there web site. I got a kubota 3030.

======================

Try these links Piperflyer. The first one is the very same as my enclosure and it looks like $90 gets it shipped to your door. I presume Kubota makes a tractor roof that would support a very few extra pounds. These links are only good for a few days on ebay because once the auctiion is over they go poof:

NEW DELUXE GOLF CART CAR COVER ENCLOSURE. HUNTERS GREEN - eBay (item 260521648325 end time Dec-17-09 12:32:49 PST)

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Here is a whole list of cart enclosures but watch which one you get because prices are all over the map. So basically you have a store bought top and a golf cart enclosure hanging on it to cut the wind and blowing snow off. For close to $400.00 you have a very functional snow blower cab. Curtis cabs cost close to $3000.00 and are permamently fastened so you can't take them off and on. I work in the woods to much for the likes of any expensive cab to get broken by a tree branch and I need no cab on in warmer seasons to get in the way.

golf cart enclosure, great deals on Sporting Goods, eBay Motors on eBay!

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