For Tony and Gregory at Brawner Farm in southern Indiana, a side-by-side is not an occasional recreational vehicle. Their Can-Am Defender XT HD9 works nearly every day, checking cattle and fields, hauling feed and seed, delivering parts, and even transporting newborn calves.
The Defender was already a valuable part of one of the area’s largest farming operations, but regular use revealed several ways it could be improved. Grain dust swirled into the cab, changing weather made the open machine less comfortable, and carrying tools or parts often competed with the larger loads placed in the cargo bed.
Tony and Gregory with their Can-Am Defender MAX XT HD9
The starting point was a Can-Am Defender XT HD9, a utility-focused side-by-side designed for demanding work as well as recreational trail use. Its 65-horsepower Rotax V-twin provides the power needed for hauling and property maintenance, while the XT package adds useful equipment such as a factory-installed 4,500-pound winch and heavy-duty front bumper. Brawner Farm already had a capable work machine. The goal of this build was to make it better suited to the way Tony and Gregory use it throughout the year.
For the second episode of its House Call Install series, SuperATV visited Brawner Farm to help Tony and Gregory address those problems. Rather than dramatically changing the Defender’s suspension, tires, or performance, the team focused on cab protection, cargo capacity, and visibility.
The upgrades tell only part of the story. The complete SuperATV House Call Install episode follows the team to Brawner Farm, where they work alongside Tony before revealing the finished Defender to Gregory.
Improving an Existing Can-Am Defender HD9
A factory-enclosed HVAC model would provide better sealing and more complete climate control, but that was not the starting point for this project. Tony and Gregory already had a Defender XT HD9 that was being used every day. SuperATV’s objective was to make their existing machine more comfortable and versatile without replacing it.
The resulting cab remains different from a factory-enclosed HVAC model. However, the power-flip glass windshield, rear sliding glass, and convertible doors provide substantially better protection from dust, rain, wind, and cold while allowing the cab to be opened for warm-weather work.
That flexibility matters on a farm where work continues through summer heat, winter cold, rain, and dusty harvest conditions.
Can-Am Defender MAX XT HD9 with Power Flip windshield and Convertible Cab Doors
Managing Dust From the Front and Rear
One of Gregory’s biggest complaints was grain dust entering the cab and swirling around the occupants. Installing only a front windshield does not always solve that problem. The low-pressure area behind a UTV cab can pull dust forward through the rear opening, creating the familiar dust swirl many side-by-side owners experience.
SuperATV addressed both sides of the cab with a Can-Am Defender HD9 MaxDrive Power Flip Glass Windshield and a glass sliding rear windshield.
The front windshield uses scratch-resistant glass and electric actuators that allow it to be opened, closed, or positioned anywhere in between. Tony and Gregory can seal it against unpleasant weather or crack it open to bring more airflow through the cab.
SuperATV also equipped the windshield with its optional power wiper and washer system. That should be especially useful when rain, field dust, mud, or other debris begins limiting visibility. The washer reservoir was mounted beneath the driver’s seat during the installation.
At the rear of the cab, tinted glass helps close the opening responsible for much of the backdraft. Its sliding center section can be opened for ventilation or used to reach items carried near the front of the cargo bed.
Together, the two windshields should substantially reduce direct exposure to dust and weather, although they do not turn the Defender into a completely sealed or filtered cab.
Convertible Doors for Changing Farm Conditions
The next part of the cab system was a set of SuperATV Convertible Cab Enclosure Doors. These use a two-piece polycarbonate design that gives the Brawners several ways to configure the Defender.
During colder or wetter conditions, the upper and lower sections work together as full doors. Sliding windows provide another way to introduce airflow without removing the upper panels. When temperatures rise, the upper sections can be removed to leave conventional half doors. The doors can also be removed entirely when an open cab is preferred.
SuperATV includes side-view mirrors with the door system, an especially practical addition when the Defender is traveling between fields or working around tractors, trucks, and other equipment.
The video also provides an honest look at the installation. The enclosure is not especially complicated, but it requires more time than the rear windshield or bed rack. Installing the doors involves removing the factory nets and bolsters, positioning the hinges, and carefully aligning the doors and latches.
Making the Defender More Accessible to the Family
The cab upgrades could also help another generation of the Brawner family spend time in the fields.
During the installation, Tony explained that Gregory’s father, whose father started the farm, uses supplemental oxygen. Dust had previously made it difficult for him to ride in the open Defender and visit the fields.
The aftermarket enclosure does not provide the sealing or filtration of a factory cab, but reducing direct exposure to swirling dust and debris may allow him to ride along more comfortably. It gives this build a purpose that goes beyond making the Defender more convenient for everyday farm chores.
Can-Am Defender MAX XT HD9 with SuperATV Bed Rack
More Cargo Space Without Losing the Dump Bed
Tony and Gregory also wanted more room for parts, tools, and supplies. The Defender’s cargo bed is frequently needed for feed, seed, equipment, and animals, so filling it with smaller items can limit its usefulness.
The SuperATV Bed Rack Delta creates an elevated cargo platform above the factory bed. This separates tools and supplies from larger loads while preserving the original dumping function.
MOLLE-style panels on both sides provide attachment points for compatible accessories, straps, and bungee cords. Openings in the rack also make it easier for dirt and water to drain away when the bed is dumped and cleaned.
Although the rack expands the Defender’s carrying capacity, it does not have to remain installed for every job. Thumbscrews secure it to the bed, allowing Tony and Gregory to remove the rack when they need unrestricted access to the entire cargo box.
Improving Visibility Around the Farm
SuperATV completed the build with a Deluxe Self-Canceling Turn Signal Kit paired with front signature lights.
The signature lights replace factory trim panels and function as daytime running lights as well as turn signals. The system also adds hazard-light controls and a horn. Self-canceling operation prevents a signal from remaining activated after a turn, reducing the possibility of confusing another driver or equipment operator.
Turn signals are often discussed in terms of street-legal UTV conversions, but they can also be valuable on private property. Brawner Farm has large machinery, trucks, and other moving equipment operating throughout the day. Better visibility and clearer communication can make it easier to move the Defender safely between fields and work areas.
A Farm Build Focused on Everyday Problems
This Can-Am Defender HD9 does not rely on oversized tires, a lift kit, or dramatic suspension changes to stand out. Its value comes from how closely the upgrades match the machine’s daily workload.
The front and rear glass help manage weather and dust. Convertible doors provide additional protection without permanently closing the cab. The removable bed rack creates more organized cargo space while preserving the dump bed, and the lighting upgrades make the Defender easier to see around a busy farming operation.
Most importantly, SuperATV built around the Defender that Tony and Gregory already owned. The result is not the equivalent of a factory-enclosed HVAC model, but it is a more protected, adaptable, and useful version of the open-cab machine they depend on every day.
To see Tony work alongside the SuperATV team, watch the installation process, and experience Gregory’s reaction to the completed build, watch the full House Call Install video. SuperATV also provides an overview of the upgrades on its Brawner Farm House Call Install page.
