Advantages / disadvantages of enclosed cab skid steer?

[1693TA]

I see kits on ebay and such for enclosures and I'm probably going to do this with my 1845C having decided to keep it. I've never seen one of these with A/C myself but I'm more interested in being warm than anything else.

I've never worked anything except a backhoe with a cab and I too lean forward to see a lot of times. I don't have a long bucket, only the 73" bucket supplied with the machine when new and a set of worn out pallet forks. Next implement on the list is a rock bucket with grapple and it will be nice to not have quite as much dust to eat when separating out my "piles" which contain all kinds of mixed crap. Lots of broken concrete tearout and dirt so need to get it separated and this seems the best way.

 

[digger doug]

My old tiny NH L452 has an escape hatch on top.

Now how about the JCB one armed ones ?
Until you roll it over onto it's left side....Ugh.

 

[62oliver]

For my uses, i'll take open cabs, just simpler and less stuff to give problems.
But i'm just playing, sort of.

 

[digger doug]

I don't know if I posted this before, but I cobbled up some cab heat one winter.
Wood box on top of rad (very much loose fitting, so as to not obstruct)
4" sched 10 pipe, all held on with bungees, tubes come down both sides of seat back,
end with a "Vent 90" and not glued, so you can swivel it.

 

[DPForumDog]

Thanks everyone. I appreciated the good discussion and scary stories.
I wonder if an enclosed Kubota is considered safer given it opens from the top rather than from the side?
Now I gotta google "Forestry Glass"
Thanks again.

 

[Bryan Graham]

I have a Kubota and like the fact the door can open with the boom in any position. I live in Texas so the air conditioning is nice in the summer. I also get some protection if I get into some angry bees.

 

[emmett518]

After spending years eating dust in open cab Bobcats I will not buy another CTL without cab and A/C. The cloth air ride seat and radio are nice as well.

Like KSS said it's heavy equipment and needs to be serviced and taken care of. No different with the HVAC systems.

When I bought my backhoe, I thought AC was a needless frill. Until I had to dig on a 95 degree day in Mass. Then it was a Godsend. And after getting covered in freezing, blowing snow, a heated, enclosed cab rocks.

 

[fuggly]

I agree that cab and heat/ac are waay better for the operator. I try to buy open rops stuff as much as possible because we are having to train operators and I like the idea of them being able to hear shouting from the people on the ground around them.