Cab or no cab?

[Lucky Dog]

Cab or no cab?

What did you do, and what were your reasons?

I'm shopping for a new tractor addition and see a lot of advantage with a cab and AC/ Heat. But I also see some disadvantage in that the only heated workspace I have has a 7' door.

Tell me your thought process and long term, are you happy?

 

[EddieWalker]

I do not have a tractor with a cab and my next tractor will have a cab. Summer heat here can be brutal, so I have to plan when I can use the tractor and what I'm doing around the heat of the day. And then there are the bugs that can be very painful if they get mad at you. Now that it's winter time, I could be out working on my tractor, but it's just too cold most of the time, and to me, that's even worse then too hot!!!!

 

[metalbender]

Cab X 3. Especially for cold weather snow blowing and plowing. I'm in the same position, regular seven ft garage door. Purchased a shelterlogic to store the tractor out of the weather. Most attachments can be built or repaired in the garage. Regular maintenance is done in the BIG shop during summer.

 

[Citydude]

I had 2 open station tractors, then I bought a cabbed tractor. In the summer months, I enjoyed the open stations. I was basically forced to get a cab because of the winter months. I just could not keep warm blowing snow off our 1/4 mile road.

Best of both worlds would have been to have kept one of my open stations but in reality I couldn’t justify it.

 

[nybirdman]

For sure cab.Mine sat out doors until last year when I put up a pole barn.Ten years out doors,block heater and always started.I have ripped off a couple of caution lights brush-hogging but an easy fix.I liked my open station but sure is nice getting out of the weather in all seasons.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Grew up with open station tractors, some of the same reasons as other posters and dust and debris that get all over you and what you breathe in during dry windy conditions, bottom line if you can afford a tractor with a cab buy it.

 

[sea2summit]

I never thought I'd own a cabbed tractor, thought the MX would be my forever tractor. Weird turn of events and I got the M4 with the ultra cab. Wow, what a different tractor experience. I won't part with the MX because it's a power house and will go many places in my woods the M4 wont plus it has the BH. If I could only have one tractor it probably wouldn't have a cab, but the second tractor should absolutely have a cab.

 

[Lucky Dog]

For sure cab.Mine sat out doors until last year when I put up a pole barn.Ten years out doors,block heater and always started.I have ripped off a couple of caution lights brush-hogging but an easy fix.I liked my open station but sure is nice getting out of the weather in all seasons.

Thanks for the comment.
Looks like tractors are not our only common interest.

 

[mred2]

If I were on a tractor a lot more, I would say cab for sure. If I had the snow, cab for sure. If I would pulling logs, no cab. For my little use and the brush I go into, open is ok for me. A friend of mine that farms has not had a tractor without a cab for over 20 years.

 

[crazyal]

My backhoe has a cab and I hate the doors. If I was going to sit in the seat and run it while someone else had to do the 'outside' work it might be different. But after opening the doors repeatedly it gets old. So I got my Kubota without a cab. Sure it would be nice in the winter but I can live with an open station. But since I use my tractor in the woods there's just too much stuff on a cab that would be damaged.

 

[chim]

Cab. Year round comfort. A/C in the Summer to deal with bugs, dust and heat. Staying warm and dry in the Winter is a biggie.

 

[Jframe]

For me the most useful tractor tool is my backhoe, and I have the impression that if you buy a given model of tractor the backhoe will almost invariably be smaller if you have a cab. But now I am plowing my driveway with a Bobcat skidsteer I just bought that has a cab and therefore has heat and a windshield wiper, and the 90 minutes it takes to plow would be a lot less enjoyable without a cab and heat. That said, the skidsteer sure is cramped. There isn't even a place to put a thermos or a coffee cup. I think I have worked out how to put in a rifle rack that will take an M1 carbine (I am old school) but there sure isn't much room. Some two years ago I was looking at the largest Yanmar, and it had a cab and a backhoe; it would I think even had room for my wife's little (30 pounds) dog. Work distracted me and the tractor was gone by the time I could get back to it, but I think on the whole it would have been the right solution for me.

 

[kf4uda]

No question for me, my next tractor will have a cab. I really regret not getting a cab on my 75hp NH.

 

[hosspuller]

A cab is great for field work. I don't have very much field work as I use it as chores. Meaning I have to get on & off multiple times for the task. The door as there's only one would be a pain and a time waster. So I have two open station machines.

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

No question that the cab tractor makes using the snowblower WAY more comfortable than the open station tractor. LOVE the new tractor with cab!

 

[deserteagle71]

The correct answer is, of course, one of each!

Two days ago I had to spend 5 hours picking up rocks out of a firebreak I maintain around my place. So that meant getting on the tractor, moving it forward 50 feet, getting off to pick up rocks, and then do it all again...about 200 times. Even though it was cold out there, I used my old open-station John Deere because I would have hated to open and close the cab doors on the Kubota each time. But most of the time, when I'm doing something that allows me to sit in the seat for extended periods, the cab is wonderful. I just smile when I see the bugs beating themselves against the glass in summer - and the snowflakes hitting the glass in winter - while I sit in comfort inside.

 

[JethroB]

Keep in mind that an open station may not go under a 7 foot door with the the ROPS up. And taking the ROPS down every time will get old quick. You will likely find their is not much height difference between a cab and ROPS on a given model.

 

[MechE1]

Cab. I added an 8ft door at the back of the garage, which is now a drive thru garage. Understandably not possible for all. Love the cab. Some pros/cons. Pros: heat/AC, no bugs, noise reduction, out of elements like rain/snow/sun, lockable, out of dust. Cons: Cost, height, opening door all the time, no ROPS storage options, hearing of things around you is muted. In MI, I wouldn't even question it. I've snow blown with both. Open station is not fun in the wind with a face full of snow.

 

[EddieWalker]

For those with cabs, is there a way to operate your tractor with the door open or removed?

 

[Steppenwolfe]

As is usual around here, I am the odd man out. I just bought a new MX5400 open station. My other two tractors, and mini ex are open station. My job requires me to be inside much of the time, and there is no way I want that on my tractors. Now mind you, these are my toys; every minute I spend on them is fun as well as productive. Being on the southern slopes of the Blue Ridge mountains we have fairly mild winters, a long spring and fall, and a not so bad summer. I don't farm so it's not like I have that as a job. I also went for the gear drive, shuttle shift; I hate HST... but, then again, that's just me.