Ford 3000 Seat Kills My Back, Anybody Tried a Modification?

lastcowboy32

Well-known Member
I grew up on a dairy farm, and spent hours in the seat of...hmmm...let's see..

IH 460
IH 706
IH 856
JD 1520
AC 170

All of them had quirks. If I had to say which was the easiest to drive; I think I would pick the 1520.

Now, for myself, I have a 2N and a Ford 3000.

I know that I'm older now, but none of those tractors gave me the backaches that my Ford 3000 gives me, not even my old 2N with the cantilevered bucket-over-a-spring seat.

The seat seems to tip forward; so I always feel like I'm sliding forward.

The parking brake lever requires me to take a couple of yoga classes before summer field work.

In order to adjust the clutch to fully disengage the PTO, I had to set the linkage so the clutch pedal is almost as high as my knee when my foot is on the running boards.

So...mowing hay with the haybine consists of a constant tenseness to stay pushed back in the seat...then, if I need to push the clutch, I practically bring my left knee to my chest...press the clutch...reach forward with my right foot to hit the brakes

THEN... God help me if I need to pull and twist the little parking brake. At that point, I have to tuck my torso down between my thighs as if I'm trying to get extra points from the Russian judge.

Has anybody else noticed any of these issues?

Have you made any modifications that help that you would share?

Thanks!
 
That's why I never much liked any tractor with live PTO that I've had... that dang high clutch pedal. I like independent PTO.
Which seat do you have? Some of the aftermarket seats have an adjustment for seat angle.
For the parking brake lock, you might try updating it with the parts from a x600 series. Makes it MUCH easier to use.
 

The seat is old and crap. I'd really like to get another one. When it comes to the seat; I was mostly trying to find out if anyone has purchased a specific aftermarket seat for their 3000 that they liked.
 

By "x600" series, do you mean something like the Ford 3600? You don't mean the 600 series...like the 641, 671, etc, right?
 

My 3000 and 3600 both have the exact same brake lock handle never had a 600 so not sure how they are set up.

I have the common aftermarket ~$100.00 seats on both and don't have any complaints. The back angle is adjustable although both mine are still set where they were at the factory.
 
If there is a front and back set of attachment bolts on your seat bracket,

A bit red neck here, just loosen the front two bolts and insert some flat washer between the tractor frame and seat bracket, this might tilt the
seat back some so you would not feel like you were sliding out of the seat,

Maybe some others with Ford tractors would include pictures of their seats if they are satisfied with them, again maybe you need a new seat,
At our age we are not going to live forevermore might as well be as comfortable as possible,
 
I meant like a 3600, 4600, etc. The brake latch on my
4600 is about level with the top of the transmission.
I've never seen an x600 without the extended brake
latch... but maybe it was a running change?
 

It tilts forward to drain water that may get on it while not in use... Look for the leaver to tilt it back :idea: If its a stock seat its there :wink:
 
(quoted from post at 20:55:38 06/14/17) I meant like a 3600, 4600, etc. The brake latch on my
4600 is about level with the top of the transmission.
I've never seen an x600 without the extended brake
latch... but maybe it was a running change?

My 3000 is the English version and has the brake handle on the left . It is easy to reach but missing some parts . I have been looking for a stock set up , either a short 3000 or the longer ? set up . The guys on ebay know they are worth some money .

I would think you could weld and extension rod / t handle to the top of a short set up so you could reach down and pull up , then twist ? Might want to fab a tab to bolt to the trans to keep your longer handle from getting kicked and bent .
 
Ford 2000; 3 cyl. gas; 4/1...my 2000 was missing the parking brake handle but still had the toothed pawl that engages the brake pedal. So I don't have to drop my fat belly between my legs to set the parking brake, I made a handle and a longer rod to get the brake handle up higher. Much easier to set the brakes with it up closer to the seat. I'll try to post a photo.
49710.jpg
 
Got a 64 4000, had the same problem with the clutch

took a piece of 1/2 x 4 steel, drilled the appropriate holes so I could move the seat back a few inches, made a big difference

As far as the parking brake, here's what i did on a 5000

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ford&th=555894

Fred
 
Take the top end of the shock absorber loose (push the plunger all the way in) and get a can of spray lithium grease. Go over all the
moving parts, both on the vertical seat slider (down inside where you can't get to it and on the scissor underneath. Then get a good soft
2" cushion....most of mine have come from WM. Amazing what removing that shock does to your back. Thinking about it just the other
day, the old single high tensile bent piece of metal with the stamped dish seat, other than no back to it, was simple and cheap and worked
really well.
 
I like that idea on the 3000. Keeps you from having to bend over so far to grasp the handle. Other thing I did was to bolt a ?" plate to the
footrest to keep it from bending and allowing the brake to pop loose....after I did what I could to sharpen the engagement surfaces so that
they would hold better. The old 2000 4 cylinder brake of mine is a lot more reliable.
 

I lied, must be getting senile. Been a while since I was on the 3000 and had forgot the brake lock handle is down on the floorboard. Now I understand why some may prefer the higher version on the X600's
 
(quoted from post at 19:29:10 06/14/17)
It tilts forward to drain water that may get on it while not in use... Look for the leaver to tilt it back :idea: If its a stock seat its there :wink:

I had to laugh, Hobo. I'm familiar with the tipping seats. My father's Farmalls all had them.

Apparently, my seat isn't stock. It's just some crummy seat that got put on God knows when. It doesn't tip to drain water, but it sure does lean forward just enough to make it a pain in the....er...um... back.

I saw a recommendation about moving the seat back up there in the comments.

I did that already last year. It helped a little.

This year, though... must be getting another year older has just made me way, way less tolerant of not having at least a modicum of comfort. ... especially when I went over to talk to the neighbor while he was baling....

I walk across the field
We wave hi to each other
He stops his big old JD with a cab and MFWD
He opens up the door on the cab
Cold air rushes out at me from the AC
He has to turn down the stereo so that we can talk

...while he sits on a yellow seat fit for the captain of the Starship Enterprise

Sometimes, you realize that you... yourself... deserve a little comfort too.

:)
 

Had a 6600 stradle cab tractor just like that.. The seat finally failed and put a new one in... Life has never been better.. Dont know why it took years on the miserable beast, but now its a great driver. Its a ranch tractor and no one was owning up to the task till it broke plumb off the mount.
 
Last cowboy,

Some underside and back photos would bring you more suggestions as to a fix.

I have this ford 2000 seat on my Jube. If I needed to change the tilt I would probably shorten the two rear arms. I just finished restoring it but haven't put the cushion back on. I think it used to have a rubber bumper underneath for when it bottoms out so I'm glad I didn't put the padding back on yet -- might have to drill a hole thru my patching. I know . . . why didn't I just buy another seat. Oh well :)

49752.jpg
49753.jpg
49754.jpg
 

Nice work.

Thanks for the pictures. It helped me to realize that my seat is definitely not original. None of the spring loaded suspension parts that I see on your seat are present on mine.
 
(quoted from post at 08:41:37 06/19/17)
Nice work.

Thanks for the pictures. It helped me to realize that my seat is definitely not original. None of the spring loaded suspension parts that I see on your seat are present on mine.

Last Cowboy,

Whatever you do don't take my air suspension seat frame as an original equipment Ford 2000. Only my seat pan itself and it's two rear pivoting arms are of the Ford 2000 era.

The suspension frame/air cylinder unit were made by some other company. I haven't been able to find out who made it but they seem to have designed it to fit the 2000 style seat. the only thing written on it is "air suspension" on a decal on the cylinder. Compressed air is added to the cylinder.

That wrench is my rear blade adjuster. The box end of the wrench will go through the clevis but not the open end. :)

T
49829.jpg
 
I put a relatively cheap ($100) TSC seat on my 3000.
I keep it indoors out of the weather and sun, so it will probably
last for quite a while. It has a cab on it now too.

Sliding adjustment fore and aft, fairly comfortable. Far more comfortable
than the original that was on it. That one was compressed all the
way down and could not be pried up with a 6 ft steel pry bar.

You can kind of see the new one here, still covered in plastic.

49838.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 18:17:20 06/19/17) I put a relatively cheap ($100) TSC seat on my 3000.
I keep it indoors out of the weather and sun, so it will probably
last for quite a while. It has a cab on it now too.

Sliding adjustment fore and aft, fairly comfortable. Far more comfortable
than the original that was on it. That one was compressed all the
way down and could not be pried up with a 6 ft steel pry bar.

You can kind of see the new one here, still covered in plastic.

49838.jpg

I was looking at seats in TSC. I think that I may have seen the one that you have.

Thanks
 

I knew you had a addiction to amsoil but not brass... :shock:
I am a little jellos I would kill for that seat set up and the art for melting brass... It's not as EZ as it looks...

I brought a new Kubota the seat S>U>C>K>S GRRRRRR!
 

Remember that you can move the clevis pin and drop the pedal down to the lower more comfortable position when you dont need the live pto mode. For most pto work you can live with the lower position. For shredding, you can live with the pto running all the time, the lower position will work fine. I can start the tractor with the pto engaged and leave there till I come back in, or move the clevis pin when I get to the field with the pto already on.


AND... YOU can always turn the pto off with the lever.. as you have to do it that way on most tractors anyway.




For things like bailing hay, however you need to shift and "keep power on the baler", so you need the higher position.

As to seat.. replace it and never look back. I waited way too long.. on one of my tractors and suffered for years.. Also make sure to adjust the seat for your legs.. too close or too far will make life miserable. But most of us have too much to do to tend to the little things in life. best wishes.. Bill
 

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