[markgru02919]

Hi Group, I am getting ready to start a Cab modification for my 06 Ingersoll 4018. This will be an ongoing project for this summer and I will post as the project progresses. As always if someone sees a better way of doing something feel free to chime in. Advise is always appreciated.

I purchased a case snow cab this past winter and now that the nice weather is here I am ready to start modifying the cab. Because help / and a second set of hands are not readily available to me, I have disassembled the cab to be able to work with more manageable smaller pieces. The cab needs a new top, which I will have manufactured at the end of the project before painting. The modifications I “hope” to be successful at are:

1.)Making the cab larger in both the width and the length. The length should be easy enough by making a longer roof. To make the cab wider instead of cutting the cabs side supports I am looking at butting some u-channel up to the existing cab sides. This should give me the extra room I need in the width.

2.)Lowering the cab hopefully about 4” so it will fit in my shed. Otherwise a shed addition or modification will be needed this fall. If that is the case I will need to make an entrance on the gable side of the shed for the additional height I need.

3.) Mounting brackets for the back of the cab that attach to the fender bolts between the seat and the fender or across the top of the three-point hitch top mount. I am thinking of using some vertical mounted tubing on the brackets that will go inside a larger tubing welded to the cab and pinning the two together when installed

4.)Obstacles (I am sure more will appear as this project progresses)
- Three point hitch interference
- Seat interference, I operate the tractor with the seat in the furthest back position
- I will be working with a welder and basic power and hand tools

I will post some of the basic cab pictures later tonight

 

[Billygoat]

- I will be working with a welder and basic power and hand tools

LMBO :sidelaugh: :sidelaugh:

 

[Bart]

If this is a Case cab I can't imagine why you would want/need to do these modifications? If you are tall then I wouldn't suggest cutting down the height and if you're too wide a diet may be in order.

Grummy and some other members have built cabs from scratch and I suspect it would be easier to start from a clean slate than to modify something. If you have a Case cab you should sell it and invest the proceeds to build what you want from the ground up.

 

[Snotrocket]

What is wrong with your roof that the entire thing needs to be replaced?

Do you still have the original doors or are you making some new ones?

 

[CASE 220/4]

You are about to get into something big here and if you havent had any experiance working with this type of project then its going to be an up hill battle to get what you want. I would hate to see a Case cab get cut up and then scrapped because you couldn't achieve what you wanted. Your doors will no longer fit and neither will the windows so you must add in the cost of replacement of those items as well as the metal you intend to buy.

Personally, I could accomplish this task AND make it look like Case made it BUT and that's a big BUT, I wouldn't because it's just not worth it. You are better off buying material to make a brand new cab. Use your Case cab as a reference and once you are done, sell your Case cab come winter time. I would also make a new roof panel for it if its condition is beyond repair. That will help sell it this winter.

 

[Hydriv]

:goodpost: :goodpost: :goodpost: :goodpost: :goodpost: :goodpost: :goodpost:

I totally agree with my fellow ADMIN members.

Yes. you can take the OEM cab apart and modify it but by the time you are finished doing so, very little of the original cab will have been used. You will end up with a pile of scrap metal on the floor. Take the ideas from the OEM cab and then make every piece for the new cab from scratch using new steel. Then, repaint the original cab. Put it back together and sell it. You will be much further ahead.

 

[markgru02919]

Here are my thoughts on why I am leaning toward modifying the Case cab. Again this is just in the planning stage.

One reason for using the Case Cab is because I have it. I have looked at the other cabs that were made from scratch. There are some that look great, especially the one made from the extruded steel. The problem for me with this style is the cost of using safety glass after reading the plexi / lexan does not stand up very well to the winter weather. I got some rough quotes on using safety glass and I was looking at 450 plus dollars just for glass. Not to mention the extrusion, fasteners, roof etc.

There are a couple of reasons for the dimensional modifications. When placing the back portion of the cab on the tractors fenders (2006 Ingersoll 4018 not a Case) with the mounting flange to the back of the fenders as far as it can go, the top of the seat is close to being out the back window, at the very least it would be against the back window. By the same token the cab fender mounting flanges sit right on the inside corner of the fenders. I have not placed the front of the cab on the tractor as of yet. Some rough measurements indicate the window will be very close to the steering wheel. Modifying the length is not a big deal with a new roof. The other reasons for the dimensional modifications are with the present cab size it does not appear it will clear the footrests creating a problem with making doors. Height modifications are being considered so I can fit it into the shed

Yes I am a large person and I would also like the extra room in the cab. As far as a diet (Skinny people think this is easy) gluttony is not the only reason some people are overweight. There are other things that come into play such as genetics, metabolism, physical ability to exercise and fat cells. Yep fat cells, a big enemy when someone loses weight. These cells do not die off and want to replenish, There whole purpose is to store fat and when you have them they are there and you cannot get rid of them. It is like having a nagging wife with you 24 / 7. Imagine holding 5 lbs over your head determined you are not going to put it down, you will be able to hold it up for some time but eventually you will need to put it down. There are some forces a person has no permanent control of. Again a person without a weight problem will not understand this. I am speaking from experience after losing 40% of my body weight only to regain it. Not to beat the subject to death but it is no different then a person with soft teeth prone to cavities, you could say stop eating candy if you are prone to cavities you are going to get cavities, it is genetic, just like blonde hair and blue eyes.

I do have the original doors, they are in pretty good shape and I plan on listing them if I do modify the cab. These are the shower curtain style doors and the plastic is in good shape on one and the other has a tear that has been duct taped. I have all the mounting hardware including the latches. I also have the soft back window that is also in excellent shape, it is pretty clear with some minor yellowing. The roof has been folded down on the front and back. The roof could be repaired but you would never get the wave out of it.

To clarify both my tools and experience, I was a experienced naval certified welder welding for General Dynamic for 10 years with certifications in SMAW, Sub-arc, Flux Core and Pulse Arc, MIG and TIG . Besides general dynamics I spent a number of years working in a used car / custom cycle shop helping build choppers and trikes in the 70's along with doing minor body work and painting cars. The comment on tools was more or less a statement I do not have a fabrication shop instead of torches I will use cutting wheels, I may purchase a drill press if I can find an inexpensive one etc.

Attached are some pictures of the cab.

 

[Snotrocket]

I don't think anyone meant anything by the over weight comment. Just kind of an off the cuff thing.

Back on topic the cab doesn't look that bad. That front part that's bent over just needs to be bent back up to flow with the rest of the roof line.

It looks a lot like mine did before I gave it a refresher.

 

[CASE 220/4]

markgru02919, if you mentioned your experience in your first post I would not have told you it was going to be an uphill battle. Im sure you can tackle this project with somewhat ease. Widening the front panel can be easily done by just removing the horizontal upper and lower glass mounts. You can either extend them or just replace them with new material. Making the cab longer from front to rear will require a new roof which you already mentioned. A sheet of steel and a brake and you should be in business there. Now comes the fun part. In my opinion, the hardest part of this whole thing will be widening the rear panel. You can either cut it down the center and add a filler piece or make a whole new piece. Adding the filler panel will look tacky in my opinion and making a new panel will cost money. You mentioned adding a channel. How much wider are you looking to go with this cab? Are your plans to lower it simply by cutting material off the top?


If you dont end up using the OEM weatherstripping AND it is in good usable condition them let me know. I MAY need a replacement for mine. I havent looked at my cab in a few months and now you have me worried that I may not get my own tractor into my shed. I cannot leave the hot rod out all winter again just so I can put the tractors in the garage.

 

[Bart]

I got some rough quotes on using safety glass and I was looking at 450 plus dollars just for glass.

In my opinion the only window that needs safety glass is the windshield but I agree $450 seems pretty high. Perhaps you can find a source of salvage glass that would be cheaper.

There are a couple of reasons for the dimensional modifications.

The cabs are not very rigid when not installed so you might want to try to suspending the complete cab from the ceiling with some rope to check for fit and dimensions.

Yes I am a large person and I would also like the extra room in the cab. As far as a diet (Skinny people think this is easy) gluttony is not the only reason some people are overweight.

Mark, I meant no disrespect to you and understand the difficulties of weight control for some people--including myself--but my point is that I feel the dimensions are pretty generous and I would encourage you to "test" the fit if you haven't already.

I do have the original doors, they are in pretty good shape and I plan on listing them if I do modify the cab. These are the shower curtain style doors and the plastic is in good shape on one and the other has a tear that has been duct taped. I have all the mounting hardware including the latches. I also have the soft back window that is also in excellent shape, it is pretty clear with some minor yellowing. The roof has been folded down on the front and back. The roof could be repaired but you would never get the wave out of it.

With your fabrication experience I think it would make even more sense to start from scratch on this project. Clean up the cab you have and you should be able to sell it for $400 (or more after a big snowstorm).

I have used both the shower curtain style doors and the swinging doors and prefer the swinging ones as they make it easier to enter and exit the cab--the only downside is if you have it parked in a tight spot you may not have room to swing the doors fully open.

 

[mjodrey]

Sounds like it will be a good little project. :thumbsup:



Maynard :canada:

 

[walter kern]

Go with your project, but you must know that fat guy's don't need wheel weights or a cab We;re tough

 

[markgru02919]

Hi Group,

Just to address the weight comment and put it to bed. There was no insult taken and I realize no insult was meant. I felt I had to explain my weight and went much further then I should have. Touchy subject to me battling weight and I owe the group an apology for getting off topic. I am going to try to edit my previous post to remove my comments.

Anyway some of the questions raised were how much am considering widening the cab. I am looking at about 4-5 inches total 2-2.5 inches per side. Just enough so when I make doors they clear the footrest. I planned on making hinged doors, My plan was not to cut either the front panel or back panel to widen them, I would add on to them using some u-channel, welded on to the existing panel, grind the welds down a bit and feather the seam out with body filler. I am confident when completed the average person would not know what was done from the outside; I was not going to spend a lot of time on the inside of the cab. Neat welds and a good wire brushing to remove rust and paint, sand, heavy coat of primer sanded and painted. I am not going to worry about imperfections in the surface on the inside. Not to say I want it to look like I painted over a peeling surface either.

To reduce the height on the front panel I am leaning toward taking it from the bottom of the panel. The only problem I see with doing this is if I have to open the hood of the tractor with the cab on. There could be some interference. Lowering the back is still being looked at. I was playing around with the back panel yesterday and this is going to be a tough fit with the 3-point hitch and seat. The more I look at it the more it seems starting from scratch may be the best way to go. The problem is still going to be there making a cab from scratch. The back panel from the case cab actually fit better upside down on the tractor. There are definitely major foot print changes from the Case and Ingersoll for cab mounting.

 

[markgru02919]

I don't think anyone meant anything by the over weight comment. Just kind of an off the cuff thing.

Back on topic the cab doesn't look that bad. That front part that's bent over just needs to be bent back up to flow with the rest of the roof line.

It looks a lot like mine did before I gave it a refresher.

Your cab looks in better shape then mine does. I have read your posts on refurbishing this cab and it came out nice. What were the eye bolts for? Lifting?

 

[Bart]

To reduce the height on the front panel I am leaning toward taking it from the bottom of the panel. The only problem I see with doing this is if I have to open the hood of the tractor with the cab on. There could be some interference.

The canvas below the window is there specifically to provide clearance for opening the hood so it's going to be nearly impossible to shorten the height without cutting down the window.

Lowering the back is still being looked at. I was playing around with the back panel yesterday and this is going to be a tough fit with the 3-point hitch and seat.

You might want to consider simply use canvas with Velcro strips as a back panel. Not only would it simplify fabrication but it would have the added advantage of being able to partially open it when the weather is warmer--the cab can get too warm when the temps are above zero.

 

[Bill.H]

Lowering the back is still being looked at. I was playing around with the back panel yesterday and this is going to be a tough fit with the 3-point hitch and seat.

Don't forget being able to fill the fuel tank, either. That's already a PITA in the snow even without a cab.

 

[Bart]

I should correct my earlier statement about the cab getting too warm--that's only with the 3 digit models. :sidelaugh:

 

[Snotrocket]

Lowering the back is still being looked at. I was playing around with the back panel yesterday and this is going to be a tough fit with the 3-point hitch and seat.

Don't forget being able to fill the fuel tank, either. That's already a PITA in the snow even without a cab.

It's a HUUUUUUGE pain in the ass with the cab on. I have a giant funnel that I use but I've still over filled it a few times. The Onan enjoys gas quite a bit so every few hours it needs a refill as well.

What were the eye bolts for? Lifting?

Yeah they are. I left them on there just in case I ever decide to take it off again. I've been just leaving it on in the summer with the front skirt, doors, and lower rear section removed. My electrics are only 1 wire running back to the tractor itself so unhooking it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

 

[grummy]

I bought one of these last fall...

http://www.amazon.com/Moeller-DuraMax-T ... B000MT94QA

If the link doesn't work, its a "Flo n' Go" 14 gallon fuel tank with a hand pump. It takes quite a few pumps to fill an empty tank, but every time I have had to fill it from near empty, I just pondered on how people will have those hand exercise springs on their desktops that do nothing.... while my "exercise" is actually DOING something ! Before I knew it, the tank was filled.

I like it. No more funnels, no more lifting a gas can over the fender.... just pump and fill. I would be very aggravated if I had to pour over the fender. I also swapped out the black tank for a clear one, and this is a great benefit as you can SEE fuel as it gets near the top of the tank. For the price of a used tank, its well worth it !

As far as I can tell, they also offer the hose and pump system to fit your gas can, or, If you have an older vehicle without the flapper in the gas tank filler neck, nothing would stop you from just slipping the tube into your cars fuel tank and filling from there.

 

[markgru02919]

I bought one of these last fall...

http://www.amazon.com/Moeller-DuraMax-T ... B000MT94QA

If the link doesn't work, its a "Flo n' Go" 14 gallon fuel tank with a hand pump. It takes quite a few pumps to fill an empty tank, but every time I have had to fill it from near empty, I just pondered on how people will have those hand exercise springs on their desktops that do nothing.... while my "exercise" is actually DOING something ! Before I knew it, the tank was filled.

I like it. No more funnels, no more lifting a gas can over the fender.... just pump and fill. I would be very aggravated if I had to pour over the fender. I also swapped out the black tank for a clear one, and this is a great benefit as you can SEE fuel as it gets near the top of the tank. For the price of a used tank, its well worth it !

As far as I can tell, they also offer the hose and pump system to fit your gas can, or, If you have an older vehicle without the flapper in the gas tank filler neck, nothing would stop you from just slipping the tube into your cars fuel tank and filling from there.

Grummy, I have been looking at that style can, the 5 gallon can seems heavier today then it use to. Anyways all I could find was a gravity feed unit. I have not seen the containers with a pump. About how long does it take to fill a case tank from empty?