Buddy seat help

[bazman82]

I have been trying to keep an eye out for some sort of buddy seat. Since they don't have anything for my specific model tractor, any ideas on what you guys would use to mount a buddy seat? Here are some photos of what I have to work with space wise.

 

[sea2summit]

I would never, ever, never have a buddy seat on an open station tractor.

 

[WranglerX]

WHY?

 

[Jims1025R]

In the last two years, two youngsters in my township (9000 people) have gone under tractors for not being safely seated in the operator's seat. One lost his life, the other his legs. I worry that both operators thought it was safe up to the moment that they realied that it was horribly unsafe. I would never carry a person on an open tractor, other than in a seat designed for the purpose.

 

[sea2summit]

WHY?

They sit over the wheel. A part of the seatbelt, clothing, hand, hair, toy gets caught on that wheel and it’s all over before you even know what happened. From the operator’s seat you might be able to reach a wheel because those fenders aren’t to keep mud off the tractor they’re there to keep you out of the wheel. From a buddy seat it’s inches away. Too dangerous.

 

[LouNY]

Buddy seats are not usually seen on open station tractors in North America.
Also there doesn't see to be much room on your tractor for one.
That said your call about mounting one high on the left fender facing in to the operators station.
Rode many a fender in my younger days.

 

[workinonit]

Fenders, footboards, drawbars and 3 PH arms. Maybe even the hood a time or 2. You either found a place to ride or you had to walk to the tobacco field. Thing is, we knew how not to fall off.

 

[bazman82]

My kids will ride with me from time to time (either they stand in front of me or stand in the space to my left). I would not mount something on the fender if their feet would be dangling in front of the wheel. I would be looking for something that would replace my arm rest. The gap there is about 10" with the arm rest and just a bit bigger without. I know they sell them for more popular named tractors so I was looking for ideas for my set up and if one of those buddy seats specifically designed for tractors would work or if anyone has modified them to work on their non green/orange tractor.

 

[metalbender]

And yet the tractors in India, Pakistan and other such places have seating built onto the fenders. Countless videos of the third world methods. Looks awfully dangerous.

 

[sea2summit]

And yet the tractors in India, Pakistan and other such places have seating built onto the fenders. Countless videos of the third world methods. Looks awfully dangerous.

True, but in India if I ran over your child I could give you a cow and you'd be highly grateful. In Pakistan if I ran over your daughter it wouldn't be an issue at all. So there's a slight difference in the value of human life to consider too.

 

[WranglerX]

They sit over the wheel. A part of the seatbelt, clothing, hand, hair, toy gets caught on that wheel and it’s all over before you even know what happened. From the operator’s seat you might be able to reach a wheel because those fenders aren’t to keep mud off the tractor they’re there to keep you out of the wheel. From a buddy seat it’s inches away. Too dangerous.

Guess the "WHY" question was not well under stood... it was WHY would you want a buddy seat on your tractor....

 

[WranglerX]

And yet the tractors in India, Pakistan and other such places have seating built onto the fenders. Countless videos of the third world methods. Looks awfully dangerous.

Go to YOUTUBE and watch some of the videos on heavy equipment fails.... You will quickly realize countries out side US have little or no regards for human life and properly operating.. equipment....

 

[Rockbadchild]

as a kid my dad would get me up on his tractor and Id be semi seated on the fender for hours at the time until he made a platform on the 3 point with a mini van seat on it. It was safer but boring we couldn't see where we where going.

 

[bazman82]

I get that there are safety risks involved and my kids are my responsibility. If my kids want to spend time with me while I am on my tractor, if I FEEL I can do it safely then I will. Just because an accident happened somewhere in the world doesn't mean I am going to avoid taking that very small risk if any really. If that was the case, why go anywhere or do anything. We can go on and on about who has done what in the past with their parents etc but I don't think we all have the time for that. Anyways, my question wasn't in regards to that, it was in regards to ideas to make one one based on the pictures of my tractor. Lets stay on track please.

 

[bearthebruce]

Looking at your tractor, would it be possible to put a board across the two fenders, behind the seat, such that their legs would fit in the space to the left of the operator?

If so, I would bolt that board in, add seat belts and call it a day!

We have a UTV and during hunting season, we usually need to move several guys around the property. We made a buddy seat for the bed of the UTV. The photo I am attaching is the seat and back rest.. later in the year, we added seat belts.

UTV Bed Seat

Occupied UTV Bed Seat

I'm thinking you might be able to do something like this. On our Massey, there is not enough space for legs. From the pic you set in your first post, I think you could pull this off.

Note: the design we made allows us to take the bench and rifle back brace off when we need the machine for other duties than running hunters around the property. The gun case is for the drivers rifle. All others are held by the hunter. For the safety conscious, we drive slow and are driving on well cleared trails, fields and dirt roads.

 

[Jims1025R]

I am on my tractor, if I FEEL I can do it safely then I will.

And our free societies allow us to do this with private equipment - 'doesn't make it a good idea. Yes, I'm critical of this idea, unless the second seat is an approved installation. I say this as a person who approves seat installations in airplanes as a part of my living, and, as a retired volunteer firefighter, I've met several operators (generally parents) who were hysterically emotionally decimated having caused injury/death to a child, doing something they thought was safe, until a moment before it went terribly wrong.

It is a reality that coming onto a public chat group, asking opinions about doing something which others consider potentially dangerous, will attract negative comments. Your tractor has a roll bar excellent! So a person seat belted in has good safety. But, would I, as a person who approves seat installations in airplanes, support the installation of a buddy seat? No, it's just not worth the cost (in any sense - emotional, liability etc.) were someone to be injured. I expect that this is why we don't see factory buddy seats on open North American tractors - it's just not worth the liability.

As a result of the very recent death of a family friend child, involving a tractor snowblower, I have reminded my family that children/grandchildren will not be anywhere near our tractors while in operation. On that sad occasion, we all agreed. When they are ready to drive, they shall learn solo, with some helpful adult hollering from nearby, the way most of us did.

 

[bazman82]

bear - those links are not showing any photos. I do like the board idea, I'll have to check that out and see if its an option.

*I probably shouldnt mention that my tractor didnt come with a seat belt....

 

[Rockbadchild]

I would built one in the space you got on the left of your seat with steel, plywood, foam and covered with leather add a seat belt from a old car and installed 4 pin in the floor with some hitch pin for quick removal.

 

[bearthebruce]

bear - those links are not showing any photos.

Give a try now. Google photos can be a real PITA. (Idiot bears even more so!)

 

[bazman82]

Give a try now. Google photos can be a real PITA. (Idiot bears even more so!)

Thanks, they worked. Simple yet efficient. That looks like a gun case doubling as a back rest there...