That wobbly, uncomfortable, rotating tractor/loader/backhoe seat...hate it!

[GeneV]

Hi, new guy here! I have a new [to me] Massey GC1710, and I really dislike that rotating seat, bigtime. I hate how high it puts me on the tractor, hate how it wobbles and shifts while I'm mowing my less than level lawn, and also frankly, not a big fan of the rotating function either.

I'm looking for alternatives, but after searching online for tractor owners doing something (I read enough to know I'm not the only one hating on that type of seat), I haven't found much. I hear the GC1720 has a better seat, and that the newest 2019 models have a reclining seat, but that won't address the wobble and how high it puts the operator on the tractor. Or does it? If anybody can attest to it being lower and less wobbly, please chime in...I'll buy one and install it on my 1710

I don't see mounting 2 separate seats as an elegant solution there, so that's out for me. But I do got a couple ideas floating around in my head. One is to install a flip seat, kind of like the JD 110's had. I hear they're very expensive though, and I haven't even found one for sale online as of yet.

Another option I'm thinking is a fold-down seat, actually. Something that folds flat and then I would sit on the back of it when facing the backhoe. I found a few of these online, fairly cheap, too! Big downside obviously, no back to lean against. But most dudes lean forward anyways, staring into the ditch they're digging.

Anyways, any of you with a Kubota/MF/LS/JD etc tlb with a rotating seat found a better seat option? Please chime in.

 

[Diggin It]

Anyways, any of you Kubota/MF/LS/JD etc with a backhoe and rotating seat found a better seat option?

Well, since you called the brand, I made a simple pup-seat out of piece of board, some stuffing and blue vinyl. It ain't purdy, but it works for me.

My main seat doesn't wobble at all when forward though. I just didn't like the lift and swivel bit to turn it.

 

[BukitCase]

My 580B wasn't too wobbly, but the mechanism was gettin' old and cranky (kinda like me) and about half the time I couldn't get the spring loaded pin to lock in when I reversed/raised/lowerd it - it kept getting MORE irritating, since several of the jobs I do around my place keep me swapping back and forth between driving and hoe-ing - plus, the seat was gettin' long in the tooth, so I threw it away along with the plywood it was upholstered to, dug out an old folding boat seat (new old, that is) and replaced the tractor seat with that - then welded up a frame to support a fairly cheap non-folding replacement tractor seat - like digginit's it ain't purty, but my seat swap time went from a couple minutes to a couple SECONDS - adds up quicker than you might think...

Anyway, found a couple pics from when I was doing a re-hose several years ago (guess I shoulda painted the sucker back then



If you look about where the controls bend, you can see the hoe seat's hinges -

The one downside - that setup puts the hoe seat 2-3 inches higher than the stock one was, found out the hard way that if I'm tryin' to grub out a stubborn stump, WEAR A HARD HAT - one particular bugger the bucket tooth popped off and the entire hoe bounced back at me - the roof crossbar is at least 3" steel tube, caught me across the forehead I didn't quite pass out, but almost.

You might be able to do something similar to mine with slightly different geometry, or maybe your rops is different; anyway, something to consider... Steve

 

[GeneV]

Ok yeh, that's pretty smart. Actually I found a dude on youtube who fabbed up a 2nd folding seat using the rops. He welded a crossbeam and mounted the rear-facing folding seat right on that. But I'm looking to avoid a second seat, personally.

 

[GeneV]

Massey Ferguson 172 tlb Swivel seat option - YouTube

 

[BukitCase]

Yeah, everybody has their "pet peeves" and "irritation threshold" - mine tends to work like "irritate me once, I'll be watchin' ya" - twice, a few options start fermenting in my (now older, crankier) brain - 3 times, I start lookin' at the scrap pile, and by 5th or 6th time the welder's comin' out :laughing:

The flip seat probably took a few more, but only 'cause I wuz in the middle of too many OTHER projects ... Steve

 

[4570Man]

I have no idea how the seat on yours works but could you modify it with a thumb screw or something to take up the slop?

 

[GeneV]

Not that I could see, but also slop ain't the only problem, the seat just puts me too high up on the tractor for my liking. Yeh, I can't live with this bs seat, but I do have an alternative in the works...if it works.

 

[kthompson]

Look at boat seats. You can find them with different height pedestals, with seats that lock in place so they don't turn, with slides on them to adjust your distance from the wheel. Mine does all those functions and there is no slope in the design. If you don't find the height you want you could make the pedestal.

 

[coldsteelva]

Do you feel it puts you too high in the seat because the steering wheel is too low? If that is the case, the newer (2017+) models have a taller (deeper dish) steering wheel which allows for a more upright seated/steering position. As for the wobble, might I suggest a galvanized rubber hockey puck (yep ice hockey puck). Drill a hole through, bolt/washer/nut and done. Puck (or a 10-pack) is much cheaper on Amazon than trying to use a poly bushing or bumper.

I use hockey pucks for jacking of vehicles (saddle and pinch weld), I replaced the crappy rubber feet on my generator (these won't ever wear or degrade), fixed wobbly items on uneven surfaces.