i noticed jcb is the only skid steer with a modular cab. i see its on some pretty good rubber mounts. y do they not suspend it?? that would be sweet and inexpensive compared to suspending the whole machine. if their is any machine in the world that needs to be suspended its a skid steer. im thinking jcb fastrack skid steer.
The CNH cab is modular and rides on ISO mounts.
ah thats interesting. i will have to take a closer look.
What do you mean by "modular?" The Cat C-series cab is also "modular" in some senses. As for a suspended design... maybe that's what engineers are working on now, but I think that there are some challenges to creating a suspended cab that's also easy to open for service. Another is cost of implementation. It might have been prohibitive to come up with an inexpensive way to do it without adding a significant amount to R&D. But a very interesting idea -- I hadn't given it much thought before.
modular would mean you could take the cab off the machine with the operator in it and the operator wouldnt even notice. most of the time all you need to do is unhook a few hoses, unhook the cab mounts, and a wiring harness or 2 and the cab comes right off. cab is completely separate from the machine.
i would suspect that the biggest challenge with suspending a cab on a skid steer would be getting enough suspension to make a difference yet still keeping cab movement within the booms. jcb would have an advantage here all they would have to do is narrow up their already wide boom and they should be good. it would not be hard to do. a problem that could arise is debris getting in the machine chassis via gap between cab and frame. i dont think it would take an elaborate suspension system to make a big difference in ride quality. ic everyone has the air ride seat now. that is nice. but especially driving over frozen ground a lot like i do you are subject to jolts from every angle not just vertical. a lot of time my max ground speed is 1 mph because what happens is it gets muddy and u make skid steer tracks everywhere going in every direction then it freezes and its like driving on a pile of concrete bowling balls.
Well the cab on the CNH machines is built seperate from the chassis at another location. The cab has external hinges so it is easier to keep tight. With the cab raised up there is very little in the way of wires or hoses, and the bottom is sealed. Very clean. Not sure it that meets your definition of modular but that would seem to. The cab on the older CASE models, the hinges were internal, and the seat stays with the machine. The new machines it is all one piece. Its the only way to keep the cab tight.
hmm i looked into it and it still seems the jcb is the only one with a modular cab. i would have to take a closer look at a jcb to be sure. the area where your feet are located on a cat and case seems to stay with the frame when you tilt the cab. on the jcb the entire cab is completely sealed and completely separate from the machine even where your feet are located. i would say other machines would lose their cab pressurization over time because the cab is not a separate from the chassis.
Ah, I see. I wasn't considering the foot area; Cat's floors are still with the machine chassis.
Dave, I think what you are trying to say is that the cab on the new JCB is a complete enclosure with a solid floor, sides, and rear. When you tilt the cab, everything goes with it, floor and all. On all other machines, there is a point at which the cab "seals" around the chassis of the machine. The JCB does not have this because the cab is 100% separate, or modular, of the chassis, with the exception being the hinge point. That is one of the main advantages of the new cabs and how they can post the quietest decible ratings in the industry. I've operated one at full throttle and it is quite comfortable in the cab (You can actually hear the radio without having it at max volume!)