To CAB or NOT

[Twist Trees]

Hello again,

As I get closer to purchasing a new tractor, I am still struggling with getting a Cab. I have always been in an open station and feel a little enclosed when testing tractors with a Cab. I am 46 and not getting any younger (starting to feel it more). I want this next tractor purchase to hopefully be my last and payed off by the time I am 50. I dont think prices are ever going back down and if I put it off for another 5 years, and finally decide I need the Cab, it will probably be 70K + for one. I do a lot of burning in the cold rain and snow and bush-hogging, tilling and grading in the summer with lots of dust. I am starting to get tired of eating dust and being dirty/wet from head to toe. Probably answering my own question here while typing this. LOL

Anyway, how many of you on here have gone through a simliar situation/buying experience at this stage of life? Did you choose a Cab or did you stay open-station? This is going to be a big purchase and I dont want to do it again. I know I could get a canopy but that will just keep some rain off of me.

I have mostly pines that are around 20 feet tall now. Currently 4 acres open and 12 wooded but I am still clearing with the excavator and burning lots of brush piles. Will probably end up with 8 open and 8 wooded. I guess the biggest concern I have and hear from folks is hitting tree limbs and such while in the Cab. I feel like I am pretty observant and careful with operating but mistakes happen.

Any opinions/experience/similiar situations welcome.

Thanks

Not sure

I upgraded to a cab tractor shortly after I hit 50. My tolerance for being out in the elements really tanked, particularly while plowing snow. After a 2 day 36" blizzard and plowing 15 long rural driveways, I was done with open station tractors.
Now at 62 I enjoy AC, heat, and music while I'm out on the tractor.

RJ,

Not sure how helpful this will be, but while I LOVE the cab on my excavator, I don't miss it on my MX5400, although I do have a fantastic canopy. My property is heavily wooded (PNW).

For what it's worth, I agree with your contention that prices are unlikely to come down for this kind of equipment.

Regardless of what you choose, you're going to enjoy the hell out of your new tractor.

Best of luck,

MT

 

[bdhsfz6]

Another plus for my Kubota cabbed tractor is, it's actually easier to get on and off than an OS machine. The doors both have sturdy, full length grab rails which swing out with the door. They provide stable lift / balance points which extend outward to aid entry & exit.

I'm not sure about other brands, but the door handles on the Kubota cabs are well designed.

 

[pwhite42]

Hello again,

As I get closer to purchasing a new tractor, I am still struggling with getting a Cab. I have always been in an open station and feel a little enclosed when testing tractors with a Cab. I am 46 and not getting any younger (starting to feel it more). I want this next tractor purchase to hopefully be my last and payed off by the time I am 50. I dont think prices are ever going back down and if I put it off for another 5 years, and finally decide I need the Cab, it will probably be 70K + for one. I do a lot of burning in the cold rain and snow and bush-hogging, tilling and grading in the summer with lots of dust. I am starting to get tired of eating dust and being dirty/wet from head to toe. Probably answering my own question here while typing this. LOL

Anyway, how many of you on here have gone through a simliar situation/buying experience at this stage of life? Did you choose a Cab or did you stay open-station? This is going to be a big purchase and I dont want to do it again. I know I could get a canopy but that will just keep some rain off of me.

I have mostly pines that are around 20 feet tall now. Currently 4 acres open and 12 wooded but I am still clearing with the excavator and burning lots of brush piles. Will probably end up with 8 open and 8 wooded. I guess the biggest concern I have and hear from folks is hitting tree limbs and such while in the Cab. I feel like I am pretty observant and careful with operating but mistakes happen.

Any opinions/experience/similiar situations welcome.

Thanks

I have a MF 2310, no cab, a Kubota L2250 with a cab that the vinyl sides are no longer any good, and a Kubota SSV65 skid steer with a solid ca with heat, A/C, and music. When I'm out there in the winter thI'd se SSV65 is my favorite. I got tired of looking like Frosty the Snowman after clearing the 800 foot driveway. I'd say get the cab.

 

[Bentrim]

Dad sat on a tractor mounted picker harvesting corn for many years. When he finally got a combine with a cab (no heat or air conditioning) he thought that was the cats meow. The tractor he bought had a roll guard on it and we kids bought him a heat houser for the winter, he was happy with that too. Kept the rain off and provided heat from the engine.
In the end the decision is yours. You must decide if you can use a cab or if low branches, low shed doors and manuvering around tight spaces will tolerate the use of a cab. And if the extra cost is tolerable.
As for me I don't have a cab for a few of the above reasons, but when it is cold and I am pushing snow one would sure be nice.

 

[LouNY]

I look out in my yard and see 4 tractors from 25Hp to 100Hp 3 of them have cabs and AC, only 1 is an open station. It's main purpose in life is to be the generator tractor with the ability to do other work as needed.

 

[DieselBound]

I have both. Smaller tractor, B7800, is open station and is great for doing jobs that I'm having to work in nasty situations (indestructible tractor; I go slamming into lots of stuff with it- my initial attack machine); getting on and off is quick. My larger tractor, NX5510, is cabbed and I went through this "should I get a cab or not" evaluation prior to buying it and all I can say is THANK YOU to all who argued in favor of going with a cabbed tractor. The NX5510 has no shelter and the cab allows it to live like that: no bees but I do have to deal with mice from time to time (this is one of the only drawbacks with a cab). I'll note that the Kioti's cab has a lot of room in it: I'm not a big guy but I know that other bigger guys have noted this as well.

I have LOTS of blackberries. On my open-station I used to end up with ripped up arms and even face. And when hitting heavy brush with my bush hog I'm VERY thankful for the cab as it cuts down on the noise (nice not having to wear ear protection, something that kind of gets uncomfortable after a while) as well as flying debris (and dust). Even when out mowing a cab protects against all the debris and pollen. I did a quick cleanup job on my B7800 and hit a hornets nest; suffice it to say my memory would be different had I been running my cabbed tractor. And then there are mosquitoes: not having to saturate myself with repellent is a positive. And if it starts to rain on me I don't much care: get a LOT of rain here- the heavy rainy season I'll only use a tractor, which will be the cabbed one, to move firewood to my deck or restock some feed.

And yes, one can break stuff on a cab. I've blown out one door. Replaced at a cost of about $700 (materials; my labor) and my lesson was thus learned: NEVER operate with a door open! (even if it's a quick action) I'm at about 900 hrs and I figure that I've done pretty good given the environment I operate in: about 40 acres; maybe 20 acres mowing (much around trees); much of the rest is comprised of places where one wouldn't take any equipment.

 

[mcmxi]

I'm not really tracking with all these "bees or wasps in the cab" thing. Modern factory installed cabs do a good job of keeping just about everything out.

 

[Roar]

I upgraded to a cab tractor shortly after I hit 50. My tolerance for being out in the elements really tanked, particularly while plowing snow. After a 2 day 36" blizzard and plowing 15 long rural driveways, I was done with open station tractors.
Now at 62 I enjoy AC, heat, and music while I'm out on the tractor.

I hear you. I am now 85, and I dream of a cab when I blow snow. Our driveway is thousand feet long, and it has an S curve, so it seems no matter which way the wind blows, snow is going to blow back in my face. I am reluctant to let go of my open tractor, that is blessed with none of the newfangled electronic controls and soot burning filter crap. I use my tractor, New Holland TC30, to till our garden, move junk trees to the burn pile, Move firewood out of the woods and, most importantly of all, snowblowing my driveway. Yes, we live in the so called "snow belt" in northern Michigan. There is a reason there are so many ski resorts around here, although this winter has been no problem. I've had thoughts about keeping the open one until I will no longer be able to do firewood, as I can see a problem with a cab in the woods.

 

[chim]

...........................I suffer from the berries down the shirt and stained seat of my paints when mowing, as well. But I'm mowing with a zero turn.

Laughed when I read this. Brought back some memories. It's been a while since the mulberries attacked me along the fencerow.

 

[lincmercguy]

I'll throw my $0.02 in here.
I can easily understand both sides of this argument having ran a lot of both types of machines. For me at the present time, I am a no cab type. I spend my days in an office driving a computer for days on end so the opportunity to get out of the office chair and into or onto a tractor or some type of equipment is more than just a change off scenery. I enjoy being outside and taking a bit of whatever is happening just to know that I am doing something I enjoy and not in some far away land. One of these days, i am sure I will get one with a cab, but not yet. I even enjoy moving snow when the opportunity arrives.

I'm in the same boat. Cab or not, getting behind the wheel is nice.

I didn't really mind snow plowing in the 5105 when it wasn't super cold or windy. The spring storms usually have nice weather behind them. The other improvement with my 5055 was front wheel assist amd newer tires. Instead of running chains and planning each path so I didn't lose traction, I can just plow or moce snow wherever I feel like. The 5055 is probably the best snow vehicle I own, so it makes it fun.