L3400/2800 suspension seat...

[tallyho8]

I brought this old thread back to the top because I think many people have a stuck suspension seat in their Kubota and do not even realize it.

Last week I bushogged my pasture with my new L4400 I bought last year. It was such a rough ride that my bad back hurt so bad I couldn't get out of bed the next day. I hadn't noticed that the suspension seat wasn't working. After my back got better a few days later I reduced the air pressure in my rear tires to 10 psi and discovered my seat was frozen.

I looked up this thread and followed the advice in it and was able to free it back up and make my ride much more comfortable. It was amazing how many people didn't even know that their Kubota had a suspension seat because so many were frozen up.

Teg's video "seat progress" was a big help. I did not remove my seat to work on it.

Thanks Teg!

Just got around to freeing up the suspension seat of my "economy" tractor. Mine did not move from day one... in fact, it was this thread that got me to act. It took a couple of hours, gave up at one point, but finally got the seat suspension thing to "work". The finished product.... TEGTube - seat working.

This is how it was done. Removing the seat and the four bolts that hold it down was easy. I clamped it to a table and used a pry bar to raise the seat (mine was stuck in it's compressed mode). Once up, I could not force it to get it back down... even jumping up and down on it didn't work. I put a metal tube across the top and used some pipe clamps on the ends to compress it. Once compressed, I would have to pry it open once again. I repeated this process about a million times spraying lube (WD40 & silicone lubricant). Once it started to move: TEGTube - seat progress it gave me hope that it will work more freely.

Is there a better lubricant (penetrating oil??) that I should use. Also, for the original poster... Chip, how often does this freeze up? It looks as if there are no adjustments and either you get one that works or NOT... kuboota quality...

 

[teg]

No problem :thumbsup: and I bought a finishing mower from a guy with an L3400 - with a non-working suspension seat... Pointed him to this thread. The only reason, I removed my seat was to work on it while I was home. Hate to waste any seat time when I'm up at the "farm".

 

[Harvest Moon]

Yup, in my mind I thank Teg every time I hop on my tractor and the seat smoothly glides down an inch. My bad back appreciates it very much, only wish I knew about it before the back went bad. Thanks Teg.

 

[teg]

You all need to thank Clenhart, the Original Poster... :drink: because I did not know about the suspension seat either (see post #3). I was surprised how hard mine was to free up (gave up a couple of times trying to free it up). Makes a world of difference, for sure.:cool2:

 

[tallyho8]

Yesterday I went to see a friend who bought a new Kubota L3400 3 years ago and didn't know it had a suspension seat. Yes, it was frozen up. I showed him how to loosen it up. He couldn't believe the difference in the ride.

 

[teg]

I wonder how many seats are locked up and people think that the two little springs are the "suspension seat" ...those two little springs are part of the "operator present" switch (not able to leave the seat with the PTO running or drive while your butt is not in the seat).

 

[clenhart]

You all need to thank Clenhart, the Original Poster... :drink: because I did not know about the suspension seat either (see post #3). I was surprised how hard mine was to free up (gave up a couple of times trying to free it up). Makes a world of difference, for sure.:cool2:

Glad to see this piece of "info" is still contributing to the Kubota knowledge pool. I have certainly gleaned my share of useful information from this site.

Chip

 

[TDVT]

I wonder how many seats are locked up and people think that the two little springs are the "suspension seat"

I didn't even know a suspension seat was a feature but as you said, I assumed the two springs were all the spring there was. I bought the tractor new 2 years ago.

So....I just spent the better part of an hour loosening up (trying) mine. It seems the whole thing is assembled, then tack welded in place making it impossible to take apart to clean (maybe ream the holes too?). I was so irritated I nearly cut two of the pins so I COULD dismantle it to make it work properly but it started to loosen up just in time.

The two top/forward pivots (hardest to get to) seemed to be seized on mine.

I nice idea with idiotic execution. It wouldn't take much more to make them work right. I would bet that 90+% of them never work. Why bother.

But thanks to all for the tip.

 

[ccsial]

Glad this came up again. Thanks to all. It reminded me to lube my seat.

 

[Chilly807]

I freed mine up tonight, as far as I know it had never worked since I got the tractor. Nothing like watching a grown man pry at a seat, then leap up and down on the seat base for 20 minutes...

I'd like to take it apart and ream the holes a titch larger. A little more play would be a good thing. Ah well.. if my 200 plus pounds won't keep it moving there's no hope anyway.

It's still a bit sticky, but I think that may get better with time. It's stored inside so shouldn't rust much.

Sean