I need to take the cage off my 1845 so I have enough room to safely use it in my chicken houses. With the cage on it's just tall enough to tear up feeders and waterlines. Several years ago there was a man that used an 1845 to clean out chicken houses but instead of taking the cage off he cut it just below where his shoulders were. I really don't want to cut it because if I decide to sell the machine later I want an intact cage to go with it. I haven't looked too close but I'm guessing the cage will unbolt and can be lifted off. This is what we did with pawpaw's 1835 so I'm assuming the 1845 can be done this way as well. My biggest question is what to do with the ignition/instrument box. Can it be mounted to the plate behind the seat or is there a better option?
Could you fabricate a mount for the box using the mounts for the ROPS to keep it in about the same location? I hope you are not going to be letting a hired person operate this machine with the ROPS removed or modified as that could expose you to a major liability claim if some one got hurt or worse!
Might could make a mount. Didn't think about that. My reason for thinking the plate behind the seat would be best is the lack of extra room in the operators area And no, we don't have any hired hands. It'll either be me or my wife. So, in other words, it'll be me . We've had a few hired hands over the years and it always works out to where it's easier to just do it all ourselves than to put up with the BS that other people bring.
It doesn't matter who is going to run it, you need a cage. One slight mistake could end your life or seriously injure you or your wife. I'd look at making a cage that is basically a shorter version of the cage on it. Shorten it from the bottom so all controls can stay in a similar location. Years ago I saw a skid steer cage lowered for chicken barns. It was on a new skid steer. They lowered it from the top and it was the worst butcher job I have ever seen. Wires all over the place and just a complete nightmare. Look and see if there is a way to lower the seat so you can fit in with a lower cage. Never run a skid steer without side screens. It doesn't sound like you need to lower it much.
I understand the worry of no cage but understand the environment. The machine either runs in a stack house with a level concrete floor, a chicken house with an almost level dirt floor, or the parking area that has to be level enough to load trucks from the side. I certainly appreciate your concern, and if our use was anywhere near what a skid steer normally runs in I wouldn't consider removing the cage. We have an SVL for those environments that will stay intact. The Case is strictly for use in litter because of how corrosive it is. I like your idea of lowering the cage but my problem is time. I have to use the machine everyday to put dead stock in our composter so I need a quick fix.
Nobody is going to tell you that it is safe or smart to run a skid steer without side screens. It doesn't matter what you're using it for or that you don't have time to make a proper lower cage. Can you at least make some side screens so no parts of your body can get outside of the cab?
Probably