Cab tractor for around the home?

[daugen]

We use the "more tractors the better", but in my experience, if you are in good health, good mobility, ease/difficulty of mounting/dismounting of cab v open station is really not all that significant. As to trees, I added limb risers and cab guards to prevent damage.

Steinjager(R) - Limb Riser Kit

I had to look that up, but I'm sure you did something different. TripleR, any chance you might have a photo of your tractor with a limb riser?
How does that work? At some point I guess you want a full cage around you, but that's a lot of modification and busyness to look through when not
working in the woods. Unless it was easily dismountable.
not trying to sidetrack OP but if he works in woods this is good info for all.

That cab glass is actually pretty darn tough; I've really dragged a lot of branches past I should have gotten out to prune.

 

[willysmb]

Is anyone aware of any type of mosquito net type temporary soft cabs that hang from the canopy? This could be a cheap salt to my bug problem and give me the open station that I would prefer everywhere else

 

[oosik]

I've had two tractors since we moved on the property 34 years ago. Both were/are open station. I'm on the tractor, year round, doing this & that. Moving chunks of pine trees, cultivating/leveling land, working on the driveway, moving large rocks in the summer and clearing snow in the winter.

I prefer open station because I like being out in the weather and can't justify the added cost of a cab. We VERY SELDOM get a snow storm that I won't go out in, if necessary, to move snow. Our snow storms are NOTHING like they get in the mid-west or back east. Being retired - if we ever do get a REAL storm - I enjoy sitting in the house and watching until its over - then plan my next step.

I've sat in cabbed tractors while operating them and do not enjoy the closed in feeling.

I have excellent winter clothing and do not do many "dust raising" activities - ex, using a bush hog. Mosquitos, wasps etc are not a big problem either.

I've spend a truck load of $$$$ on implements - just not a cab.

 

[TripleR]

Steinjager(R) - Limb Riser Kit

I had to look that up, but I'm sure you did something different. TripleR, any chance you might have a photo of your tractor with a limb riser?
How does that work? At some point I guess you want a full cage around you, but that's a lot of modification and busyness to look through when not
working in the woods. Unless it was easily dismountable.
not trying to sidetrack OP but if he works in woods this is good info for all.

That cab glass is actually pretty darn tough; I've really dragged a lot of branches past I should have gotten out to prune.

Here is the thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/302353-brush-guard-cab-tractor.html?highlight=

It all bolts together and is easily taken off.

 

[daugen]

and it's not very intrusive either. Kind of neat to see it installed on same tractor I own. Thanks

 

[chim]

After spending over 20 years on open station tractors I built a cab. It has a heater that runs off the engine coolant, but no A/C. The doors lift off for warm weather and the past couple years I've been leaving the roof and other glass on to provide some shade. That plus a "bus driver" fan keeps it livable on hot days. If the office pool ever hits the lottery I'll spring for a tractor with factory air.

 

[KennyG]

The compromises are why I have a soft cab. I have a lot of mowing spots that a cab would have me using the push mower. However, I can't imagine snow blowing without the cab. I put it on in the fall, take it off in the spring.

 

[oosik]

I had a 3-point snow blower with my previous tractor. There is nothing more refreshing, eye-opening than having the wind shift directions as you are blowing snow. Its about as pleasant as driving under a snow laden pine bough and having it wait to dump until you are directly underneath.

My M6040 is heavy enough to relocate the driveway berms without the benefit of a blower - the offset rear blade does the trick.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My cab is pretty tough. I recently mowed my ex-daughter in laws place that has 15 year old pine trees planted about 20 feet apart. The limbs overlap the space between but no problem driving thru them with the cab. All it did was fold back the mirrors and the front cab lights. I just pulled the lights back down when finished and had to fold back the mirrors so I could open the doors. It sure beat the heck out of getting rapped in the face with limbs all the time.
Sure, large limbs I don't go under that might puncture the top or whatever, but small limbs bend right out of the way.

 

[Texasmark]

I retired in 2005. I bought my first new tractor in 2007 with a cab. Haven't looked back. The money is a distant memory. What I bought with it will be with me till the end. After 28 years (at the time) in open stations, it was "Time For Change".