Manufacturer.
CLASSIC ACCESSORIES
Project.
JD 100-200 SERIES WEATHER ENCLOSURE
Product Manager.
LIZA MENDOZA
Designer.
ALEX MULD
Lead Designer for all licensed and private label snow cab and sun canopy attachments.
Licensees included John Deere, Husqvarna and Ariens with the weather enclosure category producing upwards of one million dollars in total revenue for Classic Accessories.
OBJECTIVES
.01
Reverse Compatible Design
It is in the best interest of both partners to reduce the number of SKU's to consolidate inventory and simplify the buying process for customers and dealers alike. Thus, John Deere requested that the cab be reverse-compatible going back three generations of the 100-200 Series lawn tractors.
.02
Reduce Snow Accumulation on Windshield
Among the most critical piece of consumer feedback regarding previous models of the cab enclosure was that snow would accumulate on the windshield resulting in considerable loss of visibility if not frequently cleared off manually.
.03
Develop New 'Attachment Control Bracket'
The most common use case of the weather enclosure cab is by customers utilizing the John Deere 'Snow Blower' which requires an additional component known as the attachment control bracket - previous designs lacked a mounting position for the Snow Blower trim handle and was cumbersome to use. Therefore, a redesign was required to enhance overall functionality and ergonomics.
.04
Update Aesthetics to Match New Brand Direction
The redesign of this snow cab was the result of an all new body style being introduced on the 2021 model of 100-200 Series John Deere tractors - these tractors would have have to incorporate a new, iconic vent detail referred to as the 'Shark Gill' for a more aggressive aesthetic.
OVERVIEW
FRONT ATTACHMENT POINTS
REAR ATTACHMENT POINTS
100-200 SERIES LAWN TRACTOR
DASH 2021+
DASH 2020 OR BEFORE
ALL 100 & 200 SERIES
DESIGN
Backwards compatibility was among the primary design objectives and challenges that had to be achieved on this project. Despite differing mounting locations and varying hood-to-fender height across models, the resulting redesign can securely fit to all three generations of 100-200 Series John Deere lawn tractors.
Among the most significant changes I implemented from previous and competitive non-licensed models was a forward raked windshield - this was introduced to reduce snow build up to enhance visibility and provide a less claustrophobic environment for the operator.
FORWARD RAKED
WINDSHIELD
CONCEPT
TUBED FRAME
This John Deere weather enclosure is made of two primary components: the 'Tubed Frame Assembly' made from powder coated steel, and the enclosure 'Skin' made of weather resistant polyester and clear PVC.
SNAP-FIT
ASSEMBLY
[PART B]
DETAIL
BOTTOM VIEW
A1
[PART A]
FRONT MOUNTING BRACKET
The Front Mounting Bracket design presented a unique challenge as the design needed to span three different dash profiles to achieve reverse compatibility. The most significant variable was the deviation in the mounting locations on the dashboard with the newest tractor models deviating over 25mm's from earlier models.
By specifying slotted pockets instead of through holes, carriage bolts could be used to span both distances and maintain a secure fit. Additionally, by stamping a large radius into the center of the bracket and adding wings to rest on the dashboard, the front bracket would now rest firmly on multiple dash profiles.
CARRIAGE BOLTS
X2
DETAIL- A1
SNOW THROWER
CHUTE DIRECTION
SNOW THROWER
CHUTE TRIM
[PART O]
ATTACHMENT CONTROL BRACKET
This attachment control bracket secures the primary control arms and levers that control the chute direction and trim of the Snow Blower.The attachment bracket I redesigned was an inexpensive, secure, and easy to assemble feature that functions as a dashboard extension.
PROTOTYPING
TEST-FIT - JOHN DEERE HEADQUARTERS
Once the review of the current model fit-up was complete I traveled to the John Deere Headquarters with the SR1 frame to test fit the prototype on all the new 2021 200 Series Lawn Tractor (shown here as a 1:1 3D print).
While opportunities for improvement were identified, the fit-up was exceptionally successful as the enclosure proved to meet all objectives upon the first fitment - a first for the Classic Accessories and John Deere private label partnership.
TEST-FIT
SNOW BLOWER
HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT HANDLE
'SHARK GILL' DESIGN ELEMENT
Upon my visit to John Deere Headquarters I met with the marketing representative who helps helps create branding guidelines for machine and attachment design. He disclosed the new 'Shark Gill' design (outlined above) would be the new defining design element on the next generation of lawn tractor machines, and as a result, requested that I integrate the profile into the enclosure design wherever it possible. Upon my return to CA I mocked up my concept for the Shark Gill element into the window and door panel design of the skin. Images were sent to John Deere and were met with enthusiastic approval.
SKIN DESIGN
100-200 SERIES JOHN DEERE WEATHER ENCLOSURE
John Deere 100 Series / S240 Weather Enclosure - LP74604
-
Fits all 100 Series and S240 Riding Mowers (with D & E prefixes)
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Roomy steel frame cab shields against snow, rain, sun and wind
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Forward raked windshield helps reduce snow and ice accumulation for improved operator visibility
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Double-zipper slots located mid-door on both the right and left side allow easy access to control arms and enhance isolation from the elements
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Super-clear vinyl windows are cold crack tested to -29°C (-20°F) C
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Double-zipper access slot for snowblower chute control cable and chute crank
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Assembles and installs with standard hand tools in 1 hour
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Frame-mounted attachment bracket for fixing chute control handle and chute crank handle within the cab
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Internal non-scratch magnets ensure a custom fit around the machines fender deck
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Rear locking panel holds enclosure tight against tractor frame
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Overall height from ground to the top of cab 78 inches, or 6.5 feet
FINAL DESIGN
ABOUT.
FRAME MATERIAL.
STEEL
FINISH.
POWDER COAT
SKIN.
COATED POLYESTER & PVC
FULL INSTALLATION
REVIEWS
SAMPLE REQUEST 1 (SR1)
After modeling the frame design in CAD on a model of the new tractor design and receiving preliminary approval from John Deere, I requested development of a prototype.
This prototype would be tested on the current model year tractor that we had in house which was also used to drape the 'skin' component of the enclosure.