Cabin Fever
Ever see an operator with the fever? It’s an ugly affair. He’s jittery, restless and irritable, burned out on being confined in the discomfort, cold or heat of a small machine for eight-hour workdays.
It’s a condition called cabin fever, and it can affect the best operators. While the ice and snow of the winter weather drives most of us indoors and the humid heat of summer sends the rest into their air-conditioned ivory towers, professional machine crews must still brave the great outdoors and all its extremes to continue construction. Long days in uncomfortable machines can cause a workplace form of frustration and claustrophobia, which leads owners to yearn for the comfort and controlled climate of a cozy cab. By outfitting your skid steer, compact tractor or utility vehicle with a nice enclosure, a driver can create a working environment that’s more relaxing, satisfying and efficient.
From factory-installed pressurized cabs to aftermarket soft canopies, enclosures come in a variety of configurations, colors, sizes and price ranges. Cabs can be purchased directly from the manufacturers (whether it’s Bobcat, John Deere or Kubota) or from a third-party aftermarket upfitter (such as Sims Cabs, Cozy Cab or Curtis Cabs). Just don’t hold off until winter to make your final decision.
“If a buyer knows that they will be buying a cab, don’t wait until the cold weather arrives. By then, the season has reached its peak and wait times for some models can jump to six weeks or so,” says Chuck Crawford, president and CEO of Sims Cabs. “Buyers can pre-order their cab and specify a delivery sometime later in the year. That way, they ensure they get what they want when they want it, while at the same time, not paying for something sooner than they need to.”
A Factory Job
A trusty tractor, skid steer or UTV is an adaptable contraption. Not only can these tool carriers command hundreds of attachments and implements, but all are
capable of working in the winter white stuff or the sweltering summer sun with a properly fitted cab.
Probably the easiest (but perhaps not the cheapest) option is to order a factory-installed cab with your initial machine purchase. It’s a pretty simple process; just check with the maker to ensure your particular model has a cab option — both a hard cab and soft cab. For example, John Deere offers its fully-integrated cabs on the company’s 3000 Series and 4000 Series compact utility tractors.
“John Deere ComfortGard cab tractors are designed by John Deere and built in Waterloo, Iowa, the same place John Deere’s agricultural tractors are built,” explains Scott Burleson, product manager of compact utility tractors at John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division. “Some of the most advanced design techniques were used to develop the features that are available on these cabs such as an ultra-quiet ride, carefully laid out interior, superior creature comforts, a full 360-degrees of visibility and best of all, maximum ride comfort to minimize operator fatigue,” Burleson continues. “Operators also are well-protected from the elements with a high-performance climate control system capable of a 30-degree temperature change within just five minutes.” These types of cabs are typically installed at the factory only — along with the initial purchase. Although on some machines (like a UTV), buyers can get a factory cab after the machine has left the lot.
“John Deere cabs can be factory-installed during your initial UTV purchase. If you decided later that you want a cab for your Gator, you can install the cab yourself,” says Kevin Lund, utility vehicle group product marketing manager at John Deere. “There may be some limitations on what you can do yourself, depending on the type of cab and Gator model that you have. Your dealer can work with you to help you identify any special requirements you may need to install your cab.”
When it comes to comparing similar machine models with different brands and cab options, breakdown the list of features: high-performance climate control systems; factory-installed deluxe air ride seat with adjustable backrest and armrests; inside rearview mirrors and dual exterior rearview mirrors; integrated loader joystick controls; interior dome lights; AM/FM radios with CD players; sun visor blocks; and added storage (cup and cell phone holders and tool cubby holes).
These cabs can often be pre-wired for optional field-installed accessories like a radio, horn, rear work lights, electric hydraulic diverter, rear wiper/washer, beacon lights and maybe a cigarette lighter. Look for the cab to integrate these things with the normal items in the operating platform — controls, pedals, seats, warning lights, turn signals, tail lights and any antennas. Often times, these hard cabs are permanent fixtures for your piece of equipment, but some manufacturers will also sell a soft-sided cab that is cheaper and can come off easier (great for seasonal work).
“Bobcat’s utility vehicle hard cabs are more of a permanent fixture, while the soft-sided cab is definitely easier to remove,” explains Rob Gilles, utility vehicle product specialist with Bobcat Co. “Bobcat offers a full cab enclosure and heater options on the 2100, 2200 and 2300 utility vehicles. We also offer vinyl enclosures for all of our models, including the 2200S. UTV cab enclosures for Bobcat utility vehicles cost approximately $3,000, with heater kits costing an additional $750 to $1,000. Pricing for vinyl enclosures runs for $500 for a complete cab [although competing models can be as high as $3,000].”
A customer should also note the number of posts on the ROPS when considering a cab. A six-post ROPS will impede visibility more than a four-post ROPS.
“A quick test for a tractor with a loader is to raise the loader to its full height and note how long you can see the bucket before it goes out of sight,” says Burleson. “And the best way to judge a cab’s quietness is to climb inside and try to call a friend on a cell phone. If you can’t carry on a conversation, chances are it’s too loud. The customer should try this with multiple machines to see the difference.”
Prices for factory-installed cabs on a compact utility tractor can range from $3,000 to $7,000, depending on the options that are selected. Prices for a factory-installed utility vehicle can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000. Factory-installed skid steer enclosures cover a wide range, depending on the manufacturer — $1,200 to $2,000 for the front door assembly or $3,000 to $5,000 for a fully-enclosed unit with heat and AC. Note that skid steers always have a semi-enclosed structure as standard equipment, so fully enclosing it is typically a simple process. Case, on the other hand, changes the whole upper structure on a factory unit, so retrofitting a field unit with a factory cab is not feasible. Be sure to check with your dealer.
Other ancillary options include lighting like the front and rear halogen working lights ($150 to $250), beacon light ($300) and interior lighting ($50). Heater kits can cost from $700 to $1,500 and air conditioning kits range from 2,000 to $4,000, depending on the output; note that not all UTVs, skid steers and tractors will take heat and air conditioning — check with your manufacturer.
The Aftermarket Bazaar
Sometimes the ritz of a factory-installed cab is just not an option when buying a new piece of equipment. Later on down the line, owners still have the option
to fit their mean machines with an aftermarket cab. The size and style of the cab will largely be determined by the design of the tractor, skid steer or UTV operator platform. Companies like Sims Cabs will adapt the cab to closely match the existing contours of the unit, including the cowl, fenders, floor and ROPS placement. Although many platforms across different brands, and even within a brand, look similar, they are often different enough that elements of the cab must also be different, in order for the final fit-up to be acceptable.
“A buyer of aftermarket cabs should decide on how he or she is going to use their equipment. Is it used for a hobby or is it used every day as a key asset of a business?” asks Crawford. He suggests a serious Q & A: Is the equipment used more in one season than another?; Will the equipment be transported by trailer?; What accessories are likely to be used with the equipment, and therefore must be accommodated by the cab?; Is there a preference for hard sides or soft sides?; Is weight a factor?; Is accessibility to functions or control outside of the operator platform envelope important?; and what is the buyer’s budget for this purchase?
Once these questions are answered, or even if many of them are not, a buyer of an aftermarket cab often just needs to know the make and model (and sometimes serial number) of the equipment they are fitting the cab to. Optional configurations are also important, whether it’s soft or hard sides, steel or styled ABS roof or heat and AC.
“Major options for Sims include the style of door, hard or soft, style of roof — basic steel or styled ABS, heater, air conditioning, exterior and interior lighting, mirrors, radio and rear wiper,” says Crawford. “Almost all of Sims Cabs products include an electric front wiper and locking door handles.”
Aftermarket compact tractor cabs can start as low as $1,300 list for some of the more basic older designs, up to about $2,500 for a soft side, about $3,000 for a hard side and up to about $3,500 to $4,600 for some hard sides with all the features.
Skid steer enclosures start with the front door assembly, which can run from about $1,000 to $1,400. Hard sliding glass windows or soft sides can be added to the skid steer enclosure for about $200 to $400 for soft sides and up to $600 to $800 for sliding glass sides. UTV enclosures with hard sides run for about $3,300.
Companies offer various exterior light kits, depending on the buyer’s needs. These can start as low as $100 for a pair and come with the necessary wiring to install, which is minimal at about an hour or less. Heating kits run cost from $200 to $500, while air conditioning kits can run from $2,200 to $3,000, depending on the kit and whether it is purchased with an aftermarket cab. Air conditioning kits should be installed by an experienced HVAC technician at an equipment dealership.
Generally, professional companies try to offer coordinated colors for their cabs to match the OEM color scheme, and cab materials will run the gamut. “We use sheet metal, steel tubing, ABS plastic, glass, polycarbonate, vinyl, rubber and other man-made synthetic materials,” notes Crawford. “Nothing beats steel and tempered safety glass for low cost and tough, long-lasting materials for a cab. However, buyers often need the impact resistance of materials such as polycarbonate, when the operating environment includes flying debris. If the equipment is intended for more casual or hobby use, the vinyl materials Sims uses for soft sides stand up very well to temperature extremes and UV exposure.”
Most manufacturers recommend the dealers perform the installation, as they have the necessary tools and experience to do an efficient job. Installation times run from four to 12 hours. Only basic shop tools are typically required to install the cab, but a lifting device or hoist always makes this job easier. Of course, accessory installation time can add to these figures.
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