B2601 Curtis Cab

greg86z28

Active member

Equipment
B2601
May 17, 2020
306
178
43
South Central Wisconsin
Does anyone have experience with Curtis Cabs - specifically for a B2601? Online, they look pretty nice. Messicks posted a video about a year ago covering a Curtis Cab on a BX series machine. He also mentioned that Curtis is the producer of the factory cab as well. He seemed to indicate they were very similar in quality.

I know the traditional wisdom is a factory built and applied cab is the best choice, and that makes sense. Curious if the Curtis B2601 cab is actually pretty good (given that it comes with a factory option like cost of $4-5k).

I'm not lining up to buy one right now, mostly kicking the tires for someday when I get too old to want to be outside doing snow chores ;)
 

Ikc1990

Active member

Equipment
Kubota m125x, m9000, b2710, and other equiptment
Dec 2, 2020
292
130
43
Vermont
My b 2710 has a Curtis cab and glass front and back window. Soft doors. I love it the doors have latches handles just like hard cab. It has metal roof. Nice in winter mine has windshield wiper but I need a heater for days like today. Will be installing on before next winter. I bought the tractor used in November so trying to pay it off before spring. Then can buy more implements and a heater mabey fan for summer and a radio. The doors do remove in seconds and re attach in seconds too. I think had it not had one I would have wanted one but mine came with it so bonouse but would be worth the money if you use your tractor for much of anything in winter or rain
 
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saskydude

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Equipment
B2601, FEL, BH70, HLA 1500, K54-22-06. PFL-1242
Nov 23, 2020
63
37
18
Saskatchewan, Canada
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Jmsossi

Member

Equipment
Bx1880 bx2830 rck54-23
Oct 8, 2013
27
31
13
Calumet, mi
I purchased a Curtis atvantage cab for my BX1880, much less money than a factory cab.
It’s not as nice as a factory cab, the heater is not very good and the blower is real weak. Also, lots of air leaks around the pedals and controls, too bad they don’t have a good seal kit. The wiper does not cover all of the windshield but overall I’m pleased with it. I built a cab for my old Kubota that was better quality than the curtis cab but due to age and health issues I purchased the Curtis cab instead of building another one.
5AFEDF69-9BD5-4763-BABF-4E54E021DD53.jpeg
 

greg86z28

Active member

Equipment
B2601
May 17, 2020
306
178
43
South Central Wisconsin
I purchased a Curtis atvantage cab for my BX1880, much less money than a factory cab.
It’s not as nice as a factory cab, the heater is not very good and the blower is real weak. Also, lots of air leaks around the pedals and controls, too bad they don’t have a good seal kit. The wiper does not cover all of the windshield but overall I’m pleased with it. I built a cab for my old Kubota that was better quality than the curtis cab but due to age and health issues I purchased the Curtis cab instead of building another one. View attachment 54662
In the messicks video I thought I remember him talking about a weather sealing kit that included sealing around the treadlepedal, etc. Did you give that a try?
 

Tughill Tom

Well-known member

Equipment
B3200
Dec 23, 2013
1,235
1,403
113
Turin, NY
Here is the cab:

I have the same one on my B3200 with a heater and wiper. I did add a LED light bar on the roof pointing FWD due to the dim OEM headlights. I do love it in the winter, in summer it can get a tad bit warm even with the doors off.
 
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Jmsossi

Member

Equipment
Bx1880 bx2830 rck54-23
Oct 8, 2013
27
31
13
Calumet, mi
In the messicks video I thought I remember him talking about a weather sealing kit that included sealing around the treadlepedal, etc. Did you give that a try?
Yes I purchased the kit it was a joke, useless! I made my own seals.
 
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Jmsossi

Member

Equipment
Bx1880 bx2830 rck54-23
Oct 8, 2013
27
31
13
Calumet, mi
Here is a photo of the cab I made for my GR series tractor 7 yrs ago. No one made a steel cab for the GR Series at that time
5BB16A7A-1B25-4767-881E-CBFF6D763373.jpeg
 
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PaulR

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 23S -- 100 hours seat time so far
Aug 3, 2020
581
460
63
Hadley, MA
agree.
I'm thinking of making my own cab. I know it won't come out as nice, but it may be a fun project.
The Curtis is a beautiful cab, but not sure it's $8000 beautiful. :geek:
 

Jmsossi

Member

Equipment
Bx1880 bx2830 rck54-23
Oct 8, 2013
27
31
13
Calumet, mi
agree.
I'm thinking of making my own cab. I know it won't come out as nice, but it may be a fun project.
The Curtis is a beautiful cab, but not sure it's $8000 beautiful. :geek:
Thanks I really enjoyed building my cab, many hrs and lots of money went into the build.
To old to do it again☹ The curtis cab I purchased for my BX 1880 was $3500 not much more than the cost to build my own. The cost of materials to build is not cheap but labor was free😀 attached a photo of inside of cab that I built
4DC33F7B-B1A8-472E-953A-3098875EEBA8.jpeg
 
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thirdroc17

Active member
Dec 25, 2013
185
35
28
Michigan
For those of you who do have a Curtis cab, (I would have preferred the Tektite but the closest dealer was a LONG way away and they wouldn't sell me one direct) have you had any issues operating the little levers that allow the roof to lift and rear panel to be removed? I purchased one installed last fall, and can NOT move any of the 4 levers AT ALL. Don't need to open them now, but come summer, I plan to remove the doors (indeed a very easy task) and the rear panel.

One minor surprise I didn't care for, the 2 door locks take 2 different keys.
 

JimmyJazz

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Aug 8, 2020
1,224
742
113
Pittsburgh, Pa
I could be wrong but in my opinion you would be better off selling your tractor and buying a used one with a cab. Thats how the economics usually work with regards to loaders on older tractors of various brands. Cabs , loaders same thing. Buy depreciated. Thats what I would do.
 
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thirdroc17

Active member
Dec 25, 2013
185
35
28
Michigan
I could be wrong but in my opinion you would be better off selling your tractor and buying a used one with a cab. Thats how the economics usually work with regards to loaders on older tractors of various brands. Cabs , loaders same thing. Buy depreciated. Thats what I would do.
Oh, to list the reasons this wouldn't work for me..... I already have a cab, I've never had good luck buying anything used, it always wound up costing more than new, a long list of modifications that works for me, but doesn't make the tractor worth more, a long list of modifications I have to do again to make it work for me... etc., etc., etc.
 
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Ikc1990

Active member

Equipment
Kubota m125x, m9000, b2710, and other equiptment
Dec 2, 2020
292
130
43
Vermont
Well here is a picture of my Curtis cab when I got sucked into a soft edge and got stuck last night dosnt look it on this side but snow was half way up door on other side it was in deep half dozen times trying to pull out with duramax with plow on duramax and down hill working for truck we got her pulled out. Second pic was the pull out marks the pile of snow was where I cleaned with truck to get to tractor its about half way up a 3/4 mile driveway feilds on both sides and she drifts bad. But the other side of tractor was in the ditch about 4 feet deep. But she didn't roll. Lucky.
20210217_173352.jpg
20210217_173352.jpg
 

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johnjk

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
B3200 w/loader, Woods RC5 brush hog, 4' box blade, tooth bar, B1700 MMM,
Apr 13, 2017
1,473
1,302
113
West Mansfield, OH
Ahhh, a heated cab and the joy of older equipment. I didn't see a part number for either manufacturer that would fit my B3200 and if I did add a metal cab, it would have to sit outside until my barn is built so add in the cost of a drive through shelter to keep the weather off. Can I build one, possibly yes, but once I add in the cost of the tools I do not have that I would need, well I'm better off buying one or doing the trade up as others have mentioned. Damn it, I need to buy the "winning" lottery ticket next time.
 

jabloomf1230

Active member

Equipment
B 3200
Sep 28, 2014
125
34
28
Voorheesville, NY
Ahhh, a heated cab and the joy of older equipment. I didn't see a part number for either manufacturer that would fit my B3200 ...
You might want to contact Curtis directly, as they manufactured both hard and soft cabs for the B3200 as late as 2019. The pandemic probably caused them to drop cabs for older tractors. They could have a line on a dealer that may still have one. Used B3200 cabs also show up for sale online now and then.