cab or no cab?

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xbred

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cab or no cab? I have always wanted a tractor with a cab..test drove one the other day and to my surprise, i was underwhelmed..although it had plenty of room, i felt cooped in...the air conditioner was nice, but the open tractor with canopy was pretty good too..which would you choose?
 
how do you intend to use your new tractor? That will determine what you get. Do you want it for doing chores such as feeding in the winter time? Does it get cold where you are? Is a comfort cover good enough to keep you warm. If you are just going to be using it in the spring/summer/fall, I would probably skip on the cab as well, it adds quite a few dollars to the price of a tractor.


I made this very decision you are mauling over right now, back last year. I had 2 80 horse tractors without a cab,that just weren't getting any use 6 months out of the year, so I decided to trade them both in for one tractor that had a cab, and it is going to become my new main chore tractor/hay tractor. I purposely got a smaller tractor (another 80 horse) just because I already have a 110 horse, and another 100 horse, and a 330 horse tractor, so I don't intend to use this one for any field work, or pulling planters.

Of course this was an easy decision for me, I already have several small tractors without cabs of the less than 80 horse variety, (8N ford, D15 Alis Chalmers, Farmall Cub, ACWD, Miniapolis Moline) and two more without cabs just weren't working into my program.

Now, for running things like a hay rake, dirt scraping, mowing, running hay wagons, etc, a cabless tractor works just fine. Sometimes it's more convienient to hop on and off a tractor and not have to worry about opening and shutting a door. Sometimes cab hight is a problem, like with low roof sheds, and working under trees. ( my wd is going to be converted at some point to an orchard tractor. ;-) )

However, another consideration is if you are going to be doing lots of dirty or dangerous work. A cab is safer if you are running a loader, and cleaner if you are running a round bailer, or square bailer, or manurer spreder. You don't see combines too much any more without cabs, and some tractor work can get pretty dusty as well.

Lastly, is the tractor something you will want to trade off right away, or something you will keep untill the wheels fall off. (I run my equipment untill I can't give it away, my neighbor trades darn near every other year) A cab will help resale.

Good luck tractor shopping. :banana:
 
Well if I had the where-with-all to be forced into a decision like that I would choose the cab. It would sure be nice when baling hay. Or puttin' the stuff out in the Winter when its raining.
 
I bought a used tractor with a cab because the price was too cheap to pass up but if i was buying new I'd prolly get one with just a canopy. Maybe. :?
 
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Doing any kind of haying or mowing in the wind, a cab is worth it's weight in gold
 
About 5 years ago when I was looking for a second tractor, the plan was to get one with just a canopy and loader until I got stuck feeding cows on a cold drizzly winter day because the cab tractor had left me no choice that day. That is when I made the decision that an extra 5 grand would be well spent on a cab. Only thing I might regret is I bought a 55 horse tractor. It is easier getting around in some of my barns and runs cheaper than a 90 horse, but a 75 horse would have been more useful.
 
We bought our first cab tractor with air to bail and feed with this years. I am well pleased with the cab keeps me out of the dust and cold. The one we use for brush hogging we do not want a cab, Would get it tore off in the trees. The small tractor we rake and use the auger on just has a roll bar, A canopy would be nice on it. It all depends what you are going to use your tractor for. I am sure if you buy a cab you will never be without one.
 
A cab costs me about $1.50 per hour over the life of the tractor. Never spent a 10 hour day in the hay field that I didn't think it was worth the extra $15.
 
dyates":1au4h5l4 said:
Make sure you keep that AC in good shape. If you think your old tractor is hot, try a cab tractor with a broken AC.
Click to expand...

Boy howdy, ain't that the truth?
 
Really depends on what you're doing. I have one of each, and each are used for different things. As Dun stated, if you're doing hay, a cab is priceless. Also good on those 25 degree days when the wind is blowing.
 
Baydog":1kqaz3ne said:
A cab costs me about $1.50 per hour over the life of the tractor. Never spent a 10 hour day in the hay field that I didn't think it was worth the extra $15.
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Well put. We haven't had a non-cab tractor around here in 30 years and would never remotely consider one. No matter what you're doing in the field, you've always got dust, weed seeds, and insects that try their steady best to make you miserable. A/C, heat and a radio makes it possible to put more hours on without feeling it. A tired operator is a dangerous operator, so keeping comfortable should be around the top of the list when considering any purchase.

Rod
 
DiamondSCattleCo":3lslxoj9 said:
Baydog":3lslxoj9 said:
A cab costs me about $1.50 per hour over the life of the tractor. Never spent a 10 hour day in the hay field that I didn't think it was worth the extra $15.
Click to expand...

Well put. We haven't had a non-cab tractor around here in 30 years and would never remotely consider one. No matter what you're doing in the field, you've always got dust, weed seeds, and insects that try their steady best to make you miserable. A/C, heat and a radio makes it possible to put more hours on without feeling it. A tired operator is a dangerous operator, so keeping comfortable should be around the top of the list when considering any purchase.

Rod
Click to expand...

Well put as well Rod. Our dealer put a number of 35 - 40% improvement in operator efficiency and tractor utility in a cab.

Unless you are rarely working in adverse conditions a cab makes common and dollars sense.
 

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