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CAB BUILD THREAD (KUBOTA L2000

9K views 113 replies 8 participants last post by  wvbuzzmaster 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
OK, So I have decided to bite the bullet and build a cab for my Kubota L2000.

I have been wanting to build a cab for 3 years now and they are saying that this is going to be a cold/wet winter, so this sounds like a good year to have a cab. Anyway, this cab is going to be harder to build because this tractor is old enough, it doesn't have a operators platform, so I'm going to half to do a lot more work to completely enclose this cab.

I got the tractor hauled over to my neighbors/friends shed today, I got the fenders pulled and I thought while I was in there, I would go ahead and tighten the brake linkages so the pedals don't push so far (they push about 4" more then they should). I successfully broke (twisted off) both brake linkages, so now I have that to deal with, but anyway, back to the cab.

I am going to build this out of misc scrap laying around, I don't have the money to spend on metal. I have a ROPS unit off of a large hustler mower, I also have a smaller ROPS unit off of a smaller hustler mower (not pictured) and I have some box steel. I also have some misc angle iron laying around that I can use if needed. I have a door (with working handle) off of a old Gleaner "A" combine, but I think the door is going to be to narrow at the top, to wide at the bottom and it might be to short (only 50" tall) If it wont work then I will just build my own door.

It's going to have one door, all the windows will open (including windshield) and be removable. The back window will open far enough to reach through to adjust the top link.

My biggest issues right now is building the cab around the power steering valve that I put on it and the 3-pt lift arms darn near hit the back of the seat.

On Saturday, I'm starting on a loader brace that goes from the belly of the tractor to the rear end, this will also sever as a mount for the backhoe and it will also be the start of a floor for the cab.
 

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#2 ·
There was another thread last week from one of our Canadian members who is building a cab. You might want to check that one out because it has a bunch of links to plans and articles.

I have a professonally made cab for my 1973 Ford 2000. It has a frame and roof of bent from 16 gauge(I think) sheet metal. The windshield is glass and the other sides are plastic. It bolts inside the fenders in the back and the front clamps to the dash. Even this light duty cab is a big improvement over getting blasted by a cold wind. Besure to have a defroster for any glass. I've been using an electric hand held(or duct taped) from HF that was $10. Between the lights, wiper, and defroster, I have to stop and turn off all electrical every half hour to recharge the battery. Good Luck, Rick
 
#3 ·
There was another thread last week from one of our Canadian members who is building a cab. You might want to check that one out because it has a bunch of links to plans and articles.

I have a professonally made cab for my 1973 Ford 2000. It has a frame and roof of bent from 16 gauge(I think) sheet metal. The windshield is glass and the other sides are plastic. It bolts inside the fenders in the back and the front clamps to the dash. Even this light duty cab is a big improvement over getting blasted by a cold wind. Besure to have a defroster for any glass. I've been using an electric hand held(or duct taped) from HF that was $10. Between the lights, wiper, and defroster, I have to stop and turn off all electrical every half hour to recharge the battery. Good Luck, Rick
Thanks, where would this other thread be? I did a search but didn't come up with much.

I am going to put in a heater, I'm going to plumb it in to the radiator hoses. I like the heater idea here http://lifeonhighway9.blogspot.com/2011/03/building-tractor-cab.html
 
#7 ·
Glad you got started.Its going to be interesting to watch your progress.Have fun with your build.
Don't expect it to look as good as your cabs, I'm wanting this to look as nice as I can get it, but I'm also going for practical. Since I have next to no money to spend on this, who knows what it will end up looking like. Basically I'm trying to say, don't hold to high expectations :thumbs:
 
#9 ·
Today I got the new sub frame/brace built for the loader/backhoe. This is going to be welded onto the loader mount that's on the belly of the tractor, it will run back and bolt onto the in the middle of the rear end, then bolt to the rear axle. this will stick out the back of the tractor and be inline with the 3-pt arm mounts. This should take stress off of the tractor when using the loader and backhoe. Right now the backhoe goes on in place of the 3-pt arms and I'm afraid of it damaging the tractor with all the stress just on the rear end.

Also dug around a little and found some more misc metal for the cab, I am getting close to having enough.
 

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#10 ·
Its nice to sit back and watch someone else build a cab for a change.This way I don't have to do all the thinking in trying to figure out how to put everything together and make it all work.
 
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#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
I got some more work done on the loader/backhoe brace, I went to test fit it today and realized the back of the frame was going to hit the rear of the tractor. So I started cutting and welding, I cut off 3" on both sides and then welded the pieces I cut off back on to the bottom side to "box it in" I want to make sure this part of the frame is strong since the backhoe will be mounting on it. After I got it all cut and welded back together. I then went to test fit it again and I found out that the frame is hanging up on the brake/clutch pedal mounts :wallbanging:. So I then pulled frame back out (bear in mind that the frame weighs around 100lbs) and I had to cut notches on both sides for the frame to fit around the pedal mounts.

I know everyone is thinking "I thought you were building a cab, not some dumb sub frame???"

Yes I am building a cab, but I also need this frame because it will be very hard to build after the cab and my cab floor is going to mount to this, so this is important to the cab.

I also snapped a picture of the new seat that I'm going to put in it, this seat wouldn't fit before because the fenders were to narrow and the seat wouldn't fit between them. Hopefully with the new fenders I am going to build, there should be enough room.
 

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#12 ·
You have to start at the bottom to build up! Good to see you are finding what needs trimmed before you get further along!
 
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#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
Didn't get much done today, went to town and bought 4 metric fine thread bolts, the only ones they had were to long so I had to cut them. The dang bolts cost $4 each :mad2:.

I went to the local hardware today and priced some thin box steel (1") and some thin flat steel (1 1/2"). The box is only $1 per foot and the flat is 50 something cents a foot. I thought steel was a lot higher then that? so it looks like I might buy a 24' stick of each.

Hoping to have the frame finished on Wednesday, (I hope) :deadhorse:
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
All the cabs that I've built, the steel was the cheapest part of the build. The safety glass is what really adds to the cost.
The windows are free, I have lots and lots of glass that I am going to use. I'm going to cut 2 pieces for each window and silicone the 2 pieces together to make it into safety glass.

I hauled 2 trailer loads like that, I believe I have all the glass I will ever need!
 

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#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
Finally, finally, finally. I got the loader/backhoe/frame/brace thingamajig finished. I had my brother come by the shop today and help me. it is heavy enough and hard to move around. We finally got the bolt holes lined up and it's now bolted on and ready to be welded to the other loader framing. My brother left and I went to the local hardware store (only a couple miles away) I splurged and bought a 24' stick of 1" box and a 24' stick of 1 1/2" flat. It only cost me around $40 which I didn't think was to bad. I was just getting started cutting box steel when I wondered out of the shed to get a cell signal so I could look at the weather. The clouds were building up and the wind was switching direction. After a few minutes i wondered back inside to find a 3' black snake slithering across the floor, under the Kubota and over my metal pile. Me hating everything about snakes, I kept my distance and watched to see where it would go. It went under the table saw and then I lost sight of him. I high tailed it out of the shop and called my brother (again) and told him to get over here. He does not mind the horrible disgusting things and he will catch them (he will not kill them) He searched the shed and finally found it between the tin on the wall and a pole. He tried to get it pulled out but the snake fell behind some junk and disappeared. So after looking a little more, my brother gave up and left. The hole time working in the shed I was always keeping a close eye out, I hated welding because I couldn't see around me, I would always stop every minute to glance around for the stupid thing. Tomorrow I'm buying a couple containers of snake-a-way and dumping them around the shed. The shed is my neighbors and it is huge. It's around 35' X 65', there is quite a bit of stuff in there so that makes great hiding places.

Anyway, enough about the snake (can you tell I don't like them).

I got to test out the rack we just built for the pickup, I used it to haul the metal on.

I got a piece of flat steel bent around the dash, then I started on the front frame work of the cab, so far so good.
 

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#21 ·
Ok, today I ran up to the local hardware to get some cut off wheels for my little grinder, they were out of the kind I normally get (DeWalt) but he had some "Cal-Hawk" cut off wheels. I have never bought these because they look to be thinner and that's not what I want in a cut off wheel. But I was needing something, so I bought 2 (at $3.50 each) and I thought I would make do with them. I stuck one on the grinder, went to cut a small weld, I just barely touched the grinder to the weld and the wheel exploded. It flung pieces all over while sticking pieces into my arms and fingers. Needless to say I'm going to return the other cut off wheel and wait for him to get the dewalt ones back in.

I didn't get a whole lot done on the cab, I got the front mounts finished and I just need to get some bolts. I also got the box steel tacked into place running back towards the tires. Next is the harder part, I need to start cutting angles and forming the fenders.
 

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#22 ·
I've used a bunch of the DeWalt wheels! But the 6" band saw is cutting that usage down. Just hard to get some angles with it.
 
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#23 ·
I stuck one on the grinder, went to cut a small weld, I just barely touched the grinder to the weld and the wheel exploded. It flung pieces all over while sticking pieces into my arms and fingers...
This is why you always need the guard in place and safety glasses. (I noticed no guard on your grinder)

This has happened to me; only the guard deflected everything away from my person and sent it across the shop. Glad I was alone at the time. Nothing hurt but my shorts. :smilewink:
 
#24 ·
This is why you always need the guard in place and safety glasses. (I noticed no guard on your grinder)

This has happened to me; only the guard deflected everything away from my person and sent it across the shop. Glad I was alone at the time. Nothing hurt but my shorts. :smilewink:
Luckily I did have the guard at the time, the guard was removed when I took the wheel off. I also always wear safety glasses but I might look into a full face shield for the future. I have had these wheels come apart on me, but never a new one like that.
 
#25 ·
Glad you were being safe. I don't care for those real thin blades; these were the ones that self destructed on me. Usually use 1/16". The 1/8" are too thick, hard to keep a nice straight line when cutting stock, work ok for cutting welds though. Full face shield in on my short list of things to get, as I have had stuff get into my eyes under safety glasses.
 
#26 ·
Today's cab building went pretty well, I should have the lower frame finished tomorrow, although I'm needing to go buy another stick of box, I only have 5ft left. I got the opening for the door done up, it turned out pretty decent. So far I'm happy with the way it's turning out, hopefully it will look pretty decent when I'm finished.
 

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