Can lift retrofit kits be used on a tractor without a cab?
Yes. What matters is not the cab but the presence of a cable-controlled Lift-O-Matic mechanism. Since on a cabless tractor the kit will be directly exposed to the weather, the LFT20's IP66 galvanised metal housing or the LFT54's galvanised sheet metal box and embedded watertight board become important. Position the switch at a point sheltered from rain that the hand reaches comfortably.
The points to watch in cabless use are these:
- Main unit placement: Fix the box in a position that wheel impacts and direct mud spray cannot reach and where the cable entry faces downwards. The LFT20 needs 170 x 130 x 55 mm and the LFT54 155 x 175 x 70 mm of space.
- Water: The LFT20's IP66 rating means complete dust tightness and resistance to powerful water jets from every direction, but continuous immersion is out of scope. Do not mount the box in a hollow where water collects.
- Cable: Secure the supply cables with clips, do not run them over sharp sheet metal edges, and use rubber grommets at pass-throughs. Leave a drip loop at the cable entries; that way water cannot follow the cable into the box.
- Switch: Choose a place the hand reaches naturally in the seated position, such as on top of the fender or beside the console.
On tractors with a cab the box is generally mounted behind the cab or on the inner face of the fender, and the switch on the in-cab console.
The full topic: Converting a tractor hydraulic lever to electronic control