Best Skid Steer Upgrades Under $2,000
SSD
Skid Steer Doors of North America
JULY 2026
The best skid steer upgrade under $2,000 is a shatterproof polycarbonate door. Our full doors run $1,395 to $1,795, and a door does three jobs at once: it protects you better than tempered glass, it closes up the cab so you stay warm in January and cooler in July, and it lifts what your machine is worth the day you install it. From there, a cab heater at $119, an electric wiper kit at $229, and a 22 inch LED light bar at $99 finish the cab without blowing the budget.
Every price on this list comes straight from our catalog. No estimates, no “starting at” games. Here is where your money does the most work.
The short list: seven upgrades, real prices
| Upgrade | Price (USD) | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polycarbonate door | $1,395 to $1,795 | Shatterproof protection, sealed cab, resale lift | Every operator, every season |
| Rollup door (Takeuchi TL, Kubota SVL) | $795 to $895 | Hard door protection at a lower price point | Track loader owners on a tighter budget |
| Door frame kit | $599 | Adds mounting points to machines with no factory door | Open-cab machines |
| Side window panels | $399 | Closes up the sides of the cab | Cold climates, dusty sites |
| Electric wiper kit | $229 | Clear view in rain, snow, and mud | Snow removal, wet-season work |
| Cab heater | $119 | Heat inside an enclosed cab | Winter work, early starts |
| 22 inch LED light bar | $99 | Light for early mornings and late nights | Snow crews, short winter days |
Prices do not include shipping. Shipping is UPS 3 Day Air, $150 flat, typically 3 business days (not guaranteed).
1. The polycarbonate door: the hero upgrade ($1,395 to $1,795)
If you only spend money on one thing this year, spend it here. We build the Original Shatterproof Polycarbonate (Lexan) Door, and it earns the hero spot on this list for three reasons.
Safety. Heavy-duty polycarbonate takes hits that shatter tempered glass. Our owner Leighton put a hammer into our 1/2 inch thick CAT D Series door on camera, unedited, and the door took it. A rock thrown by a brush cutter or a chain that snaps under load meets that same material before it meets you.
Comfort. An open cab means dust in your teeth in August and frozen hands in January. A sealed door helps regulate cab temperature year round. Close the cab up and the machine works like a different tool in both seasons.
Value. A skid steer with a sealed cab is worth more than the same machine with an open one. The door pays part of itself back the day you sell or trade.
Real examples from the catalog: the Case 1845C door is $1,395, the CAT D Series door is $1,595, and the Bobcat M Series door is $1,695 and covers S Series machines from the S450 to the S850, T Series machines from the T450 to the T870, and the A770. We build doors for ASV, Bobcat, CAT, Case, Gehl, John Deere, Kubota, Mustang, Manitou, New Holland, Takeuchi, and Terex.
We also build for older machines nobody else supports. If you run a Case 1840 or 1845C, you are not out of luck here. For a full breakdown of pricing across brands, see our guide on what a cab enclosure should cost.
Every door is CNC-cut for your exact make and model. No guesswork. And every door carries our limited lifetime warranty against door failure or breakage: one free replacement for life for the original owner, under normal conditions.
2. Rollup doors: hard protection under $1,000 ($795 to $895)
Run a Takeuchi TL or a Kubota SVL and want a hard door without the full-door price? The Takeuchi TL R2/V2 rollup door is $895 and the Kubota SVL rollup door is $795.
A rollup gives you real polycarbonate between you and the job, and it rolls up out of the way when you want airflow. It is the lowest-cost way onto this list with a hard door, and it leaves over $1,100 of a $2,000 budget for accessories.
3. Door frame kit: for machines that never had a door ($599)
Plenty of machines left the factory with an open cab and nothing to hang a door on. The door frame kit fixes that for $599, and that price includes the added shipping cost for the frame.
The kit gives your machine the mounting structure a door needs. Pair it with the door for your make and model, and an open-cab machine becomes an enclosed one. If you are not sure whether your machine needs the frame kit, call or text us at (800) 781-8000 and we will sort it out with you in a few minutes.
4. Side window panels: close up the whole cab ($399)
A door seals the front. Side window panels seal the rest. At $399, they are the difference between a front shield and a true enclosure.
If you work in real winter, this is the add-on that makes the cab heater worth running. It also keeps dust out on dry summer sites, which your lungs and your air filter will both appreciate.
5. Electric wiper kit: see what you are doing ($229)
A door you cannot see through is a problem you built yourself. The electric wiper kit is $229 and keeps your view clear in rain, snow, and mud season.
Snow removal operators should treat this one as standard equipment, not an option. Pushing snow at 6 a.m. with a smeared door is miserable and risky. Our electric wiper kit guide covers the install and what is included. Wiring questions on your specific machine? Call us and we will walk you through your machine’s setup.
6. Cab heater: the cheapest comfort you will ever buy ($119)
The cab heater is $119. Inside an enclosed cab, that small heater changes what winter work feels like. Warm hands run smoother controls, and you stop cutting days short because you cannot feel your fingers.
Note the order of operations: heat only works if the cab holds it. Door first, then heater. Our cab heater guide covers sizing and setup before the cold hits.
7. LED light bar: cheap light, long days ($99)
The 22 inch LED light bar is $99 and it is the easiest win on this list. Factory work lights on older machines are weak, and winter daylight runs out early.
More light means you keep working after sundown and see the edge of the driveway, the fence line, or the low branch before you find it the hard way.
Three builds that stay under $2,000
Here is how the math works with real catalog prices. Pick the build that matches your work.
The winter workhorse: $1,842. Case 1845C door ($1,395) + electric wiper kit ($229) + cab heater ($119) + 22 inch LED light bar ($99). A full winter setup for an older machine, under budget with room to spare.
The Bobcat build: $1,913. Bobcat M Series door ($1,695) + cab heater ($119) + LED light bar ($99). Late-model Bobcat, sealed and heated and lit.
The CAT comfort build: $1,943. CAT D Series door ($1,595) + electric wiper kit ($229) + cab heater ($119). The hammer-test door plus clear vision and heat.
Add shipping to each build: UPS 3 Day Air, $150 flat, typically 3 business days (not guaranteed).
What’s in the box with every door
No hardware-store runs, no hunting for bolts. Every door ships complete with:
- Door handle
- Locking latch with keys
- Hinges
- Weather seal gasket
- All nuts, bolts, and washers
The door itself is CNC-cut for your exact make and model, so the panel and seal are shaped for the correct fit. Mounting is model-specific: some kits use existing factory points, while others require drilling and bolting where the included instructions direct.
Warranty and shipping, plain terms
Every door carries a limited lifetime warranty against door failure or breakage: one free replacement for life for the original owner, under normal conditions. Hardware is covered for 3 months.
Shipping is UPS 3 Day Air at a $150 flat rate, typically 3 business days (not guaranteed). If you want the cab sealed before the first cold snap, order before the fall rush, because busy season fills up fast.
Find your door in 30 seconds. Pick your machine’s make and model and see the exact door built for it: [Find Your Door]. Questions? Call or text (800) 781-8000, Mon–Fri 7am–4pm CST.