By-Passing Seat Safety Switch On MT342

KCTractors · Mar 4, 2023

I would like to by-pass the seat safety switch on my MT342 because when I lift my butt off the seat to see where the forks are, the engine will die. My question is if I take a wire and jump between the switch plug will that work? Will that do anything to the computer?

RustyA · Mar 4, 2023

Properly sized bungee cord can help hold seat down for that specific task. Lots of one armed farmers due to disabled safety equipment. Be careful.

Bobrown14 · Mar 4, 2023

You can adjust the seat tension to make it better for a lighter person (dial on the front of the seat).

I wanted to disable mine but after running over a speed bump in my driveway (itsa long driveway) in 4th gear high was going about 20mph hit that speed bump, if I had an open station I would have been ejected off the tractor. I have a cab so all I did was jamb my head against the roof and crooked my neck pretty good. It hurt but not nearly as bad had I been ejected from the tractor. Had that happened the tractor would have crossed the road at the end of the driveway and landed in a ravine 40' deep.

That experience lernt me to just deal with the occasional issue with the safety features and leave them be to do their job.

Lotta people disable the seat but that 1 time you need it might not be the time you planned for it.

duffer · Mar 4, 2023

To answer your question...a jumper might work, but try unplugging it first. I have a small JD tractor as well, as all I did was unplug it and it ran just fine. If you need a jumper be sure to seal it up nice and tight to prevent moisture from getting in there. Maybe some dialectic grease.

(if you do disable the seat switch, I wouldn't loan the tractor out to others, but that's just me)

Eagle1 · Mar 4, 2023

duffer said:
(if you do disable the seat switch, I wouldn't loan the tractor out to others, but that's just me)

You would loan your tractor? I come with the tractor, everyone I know would break an anvil figuring out how to use it.

On my XG it takes a jumper to simulate being seated. You can wire a switch in parallel to allow selective override when needed.

LS Tractor Owner · Mar 4, 2023

Try the jumper wire, if it works, just add a switch. Cut one wire coming from the switch (should just be 2 wires). Then run a wire up to the dash (or wherever you want the toggle switch). Run the wire from the toggle back to the the other side of the cut wire from the seat switch. When you need to get off the seat, throw the switch....... WA LA! --- seat switch bypassed! When you sit back down, move the toggle switch back to original position and the safety switch works as normal.

Easy peasy solution without totally bypassing it.

Eagle1 · Mar 4, 2023

If it need to be closed to work like my LS putting in series will not work since both switches will need to closed to complete the circuit. You have to wire in parallel so that EITHER switch can complete the circuit. Both wires to a switch, you can just use some piggy back or spade doublers on the seat switch and put a switch to connect the wires to pretend you are sitting down.
Now if it closed when you are not sitting, then wiring in series would work.

chiefcook · Mar 4, 2023

My XG3025 seat switch never worked since I bought it new. I just noticed that the wiring is disconnected under the the seat base. I haven't checked yet to see if it has been cut, unplugged or what. I plan on raising the seat with spacers and I'll find out then.

duffer · Mar 5, 2023

Eagle1 said:
You would loan your tractor? I come with the tractor, everyone I know would break an anvil figuring out how to use it.

I agree. I NEVER loan my tractor. Was trying to "suggest" to the OP that he shouldn't either.

LS Tractor Owner · Mar 5, 2023

chiefcook said:
My XG3025 seat switch never worked since I bought it new. I just noticed that the wiring is disconnected under the the seat base. I haven't checked yet to see if it has been cut, unplugged or what. I plan on raising the seat with spacers and I'll find out then.

Well, if you have a shuttle shift.... there won't be a safety switch. Mine didn't have one from the factory..... the plug is there, just no seat switch. Double checked with the dealer.... nope ... only the HST versions have them.