Electric Lift Provides Tractor Cab Access

Electric Lift Provides Tractor Cab Access Getting run over by a tractor prevented Bill Powell from climbing into his tractor cab. His electric lift helped him get back into his tractors, with only minor design adjustments for his Deere and Versatile models. “I devised power steps that lift me to the tractor platforms and back down when I want to get off,” says Powell. “A small electric winch, not much bigger than a pop can, does the lifting on both tractors.” The winch has a 2,000-lb. capacity and mounts to the cab roof. On his Deere, the step unit features a receiver hitch design that rides on a 2 by 2-in. square tube. This tube is attached to the cab roof and the OEM steps, as they’re one unit.  The Versatile cab is rubber-mounted, allowing it to flex independently from the steps. Instead of a rigid mount, the step unit floats freely at the bottom. However, the cable passes through a retainer to help stabilize it as the step moves up or down. The step units share a common design with a handhold made from 3/4-in. steel tubing. The lift steps that Powell rides differ slightly in how they’re attached to the lift, due to the fixed and free-hanging designs. “People have asked me to build similar units for them, but I’ve refused due to liability concerns,” says Powell. “I recognize that there’s no safety cable should the lift cable break. The lift could have a safety, so it couldn’t drop more than a few inches.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Powell, Box 101, Youngstown, Alberta, Canada T0J 3P0 (ph 403-854-6359).

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