Hard riding seats

Texasmark1

Well-known Member
Anybody trying to mow your lawn when it isn't golf course smooth? Got a bad back? Got lots of acreage to mow and can't stay in the seat? If you are the average Joe and have an average big box, low cost, market entry level mower, you know what I'm talking about.

I'm too lazy right now but if enough folks are interested I'll go out and take a picture of the seat springs that came standard on 2 of my conventional mowers and show you a picture of a set of springs I just received that are standard equipment on Cub Cadet low ball big box store mowers. If you know anything about springs, all you have to do is to look at the difference and you'll know the difference in performance. I'll also show you a picture of a Fastrak 44" Z mower where the designers didn't even bother to use springs on the seat and mine now has springs. Guarantee you night and day.

Cost is $5.50 each, ordered from Cub Cadet. Whole lot cheaper than spending $8k on a mower just to get a smooth ride.
 

Ive added or swapped springs on a few seats but the best thing I did for my back is change to ATV tires, softer rubber and lower air pressure than turfs, ags or hdaps make a huge differance in the ride, and better traction to boot.
 
I have made numerous attempts to solve this problem and I think I finally found what works. I'm really surprised I'm not getting any
interest on this subject as I know there are a lot of seniors here and a lot of farms with big yards and I'll "betcha" they are bumpy with
clump grasses in spots, like Fescue to name one.

Well, I'll just post the pictures I took today since it was raining off and on and couldn't mow so I decided to take them anyway. I keep
the tires at or below 10 psig and all but the Fastrak have ATV tires for traction but noticed as you said, the softer ride with the softer
(apparently) rubber. Actually the Fastrak was my wife's mower and since she is now in another place and has no need for it, I use it to
mow around the house where it's not so bumpy. But I did add a set to it too.
a195510.jpg

a195511.jpg

a195512.jpg

a195513.jpg
 
I have had several back surgeries + back injections and I mow a little over 2.5 acres and mow it with garden tractors.My yard is not smooth and takes about 2 1/2 hours to mow.My tractor ride fairly good but I think the larger tires help. One has 23x10.5-12 ag tires and the other has 24x12-12 turf tires.
a195521.jpg

a195525.jpg
 
I bet that dusty Ford pickup has a nice seat.
What is the story on that ?
Looks to be in decent condition from what I can see.
 
The larger tires bridge the cracks and clumps making the ride smoother. Less than 10 psig helps too but gotta watch front tires as they are easy to go flat on you below 10, especially if they are old and the seal at the rim isn't that good. I have used belt dressing which helped old ones hold their seal.

The parts come from MTD Shelby Operations, 305 Mansfield Ave. Shelby, OH 44875. Their warehouse location is: 1SF2206C21. Item number is 732-05182A. Description is SPR:COMPRES; 2.18X3.65X.207. Cost $5.49. 6 with freight cost me $32.94.

If that's too much trouble just www cub cadet and ask for # 732-05182A.

Do yourself, naw your back, a favor, get a couple of pair. Mount with the same screws mounting your current springs; may need to add a flat washer to get better width if current spring is small diameter. I added a washer on my JD L110. Takes about a minute per spring to install.
 
I bought it back in 1974 with about 23,000 miles on it from orginal owner.He was a seed corn sales man and used it only to deliver seed corn. It has set the last 6 years and would need to be gone through the engine is pickled and turned over every so often. I know it needs wheel cylinders and one exhaust pipe. It was last year for flathead V8 and has 27,000 miles on it.
 
Have you ever looked into small air bag to put under seat ? They make them for motorcycles and they will work on lawn and garden tractors.Better ride than springs but not as cheap as springs.
 
(quoted from post at 11:38:42 07/09/15) Have you ever looked into small air bag to put under seat ? They make them for motorcycles and they will work on lawn and garden tractors.Better ride than springs but not as cheap as springs.

I thought I answered this yesterday but can't find it in the thread today. So here it is again.

My first attempt at fixing the problem was on the DR which I use in the worst environment, pasture edge mowing. I have an air seat in my main work tractor with a built in compressor that rides like a dream. I figured I might build an air seat for my lawn mower and just air it up from the shop air supply before I go out.

The DR picture is the installation of 2 of those spring replacement air chambers for motorcycles you mention which I got from TC Brothers Choppers in Wauseon, OH. [email protected] I added the center spring to help in the mid range on a big bump. I added an oxygen tank from a small acetylene torch so as to have some volume so I didn't have to refill it so often as there are some tiny leaks somewhere. Yes it costs quite a bit more and is a whole lot more complicated and then some than the springs but it works.

I guess one reason I went to the trouble to do this post in the first place was that I could share with members of the forum the fact that a soft ride can be had for a minimum of cost, complexity, and effort. Had I had the springs first, I would not have the air system, but it's there and will stay.

Mark
 

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