Reviewer Profile
Tested Performance
Visual Highlights
Cooling Performance: Matt recalled about 66–68°F outlet air while the tractor cab had been roughly 106–108°F.(31:16)
Easy Installation: From cleaning out the cab to cutting the roof and powering the AC, the complete retrofit took under four hours.(28:39)
Form Factor: The compact rooftop opening gave the tractor a workable AC location while leaving the rear window available for watching implements.(5:32)
Recommendation: Matt called the tractor and implement use case a game changer and wished he had chosen this cheaper route from the beginning.(30:11)
Detailed Analysis
A Simpler Answer to a Factory AC That Would Not Stay Fixed
Matt and his son had spent about a year and a half trying to get the tractor's original air conditioning working. They had replaced major parts, but the system still failed. One repair only kept it running for a few minutes before another line failed.
That made the OutEquipPro 12 V rooftop AC a very different approach. Instead of continuing to rebuild an aging factory system, they added a self-contained rooftop unit powered from the tractor's battery system. Matt considered it a much cheaper option and later said he wished he had gone this route from the beginning.
The Rooftop Layout Kept an Important Tractor Window Usable
Fit mattered because the tractor needed its rear window. Matt wanted to keep a clear view behind the cab so he could watch implements while working, which made a rear-mounted AC less practical for this project.
The rooftop unit only needed a 9 × 14-inch opening, and Matt found a workable spot in the existing roof area. The interior control panel also lined up with a recessed section of the headliner, helping the installation fit the cab rather than taking over useful interior space.
For this tractor, they also rerouted the power cable so it passed through the roof opening and stayed protected inside the cab. From there, it ran down the A-pillar toward the batteries instead of remaining exposed on the outside of the machine.
The Complete Retrofit Was Running in Under Four Hours
With several people helping and shop equipment available, the entire project took less than four hours. That included pulling the tractor out, cleaning the cab, removing the headliner, cutting the openings, routing power, mounting the unit and getting cold air through the vents.
The kit arrived with the wiring, sealing materials, mounting hardware, support pieces, interior controls and remote needed for the installation. Matt also noted that there was plenty of extra mounting hardware, which was useful while adapting an RV-style rooftop AC to a tractor rather than installing it in a standard RV opening.
Cold Air Made an Immediate Difference in West Texas Heat
The first startup gave Matt exactly what he had been chasing with the old system: cold air in the cab. The airflow felt strong enough to compare with a regular automotive AC, and his reaction inside the tractor was immediately positive.
The test took place during a West Texas stretch averaging around 105°F during the day. Matt remembered the tractor cab measuring roughly 106–108°F, while the air coming from the new AC was about 66–68°F.
The video ended before a final stabilized cabin temperature was recorded, and Matt still planned to add insulation, sound deadening and window tint. Even at this early test point, the cold outlet air and strong airflow had already changed his view of the project. For an older tractor that had resisted repeated factory AC repairs, he considered the rooftop solution a game changer and wanted to explore the same idea for a skid steer.
