Replacement seats

[1Mech]

What about an upholstery shop, they can usually recover seats with the material of your choice.

 

[Frxdy]

I've patched seats with clear Shoe-Goo. It's tough stuff. I use it for 1,000 off label reasons. That being said, Tractor supply has some seats that aren't horrible. I have yet to find any that are better than OEM. ( I did upholstery my entire career, and the molded one piece seats really can't be properly recovered) People always are shocked at seat prices, be it cars or equipment, but they think nothing of paying 3 grand for a new sofa. We humans are a strange lot! When you buy a $50,000 car, the seats are not $500 of the price, and when you buy a $30,000 tractor the seat is not $150 of the price.

 

[johng@imbertconstruction.]

Dealer put a big scratch in my 3033r's seat, back when the tractor was new and in for a warranty issue. Not thinking it was too terrible, I never did anything about it.

Fast forward a year or two, and the seat split along that scratch, and now the foam is spilling out. I've played the game of taping it back shut with yellow poly tape, but the tape always re-splits in cold weather, or the adhesive goes gooey and peels off in hot weather. It's not working for me.

I think a replacement seat thru Deere is something like $430, and that wouldn't kill me, but I'm not sure it's really the "best" seat for the "best" price. I'm wondering if anyone tried this little number from Amazon, and how the quality was, compared to OEM:

Amazon.com

And yeah, I know I should be pissed at the dealer. But save your breath if you're just going to post something stupid about me going after them for this. I let it go five years now, too late to even mention it, now. It wasn't a big deal to me, when I thought it was just a scratch.

 

[johng@imbertconstruction.]

I was astounded to see that the replacement seat listed on Green Parts Store (part LVA23751) was $935. The reason I was looking was because I was able to buy a replacement seat cushion (just the yellow part with the foam backing) without the rest of the seat for my JD 185 lawn tractor waaaay back when.

I thought maybe it would be possible to buy just this part of the seat for less money for your machine, but unless I'm missing it on the parts diagram, it doesn't look like it.

Sorry I don't have any experience with the seat you are referencing.

I know you've already thought of this, but JD does have some nice seat covers like this

https://www.lowes.com/pd/John-Deere-Compact-Utility-Tractor-Seat-Cover/1003139234

I have one on mine and like it.

I have Amazon prime as I buy a lot from them. If you don't like the aftermarket seat they take oit back, no questions and you dont pay the freight. I have a JD 345 garden tractor and the cowl cracked and fell apart. The repair lasted a few years but the acetate plastic cowl cracked further, beyond repair. OEM replacement was ridiculous price. I bought a replacement at a fraction of the cost "Kumar Brothers from memory) through Amazon. Turns out it was perfect. If it wasnt, it would have gone back, no problem. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

 

[AnotherBueller]

There was a post on this subject about using a replacement seat for a fishing boat. Since they live outdoors in the sun and last for years and are cheaper then tractor seats. Just had to find the style that had the same bolt pattern. Thought I saw on a post about Kubota seats, just couldn't find it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Damn new seat is almost too bright and clean for the tractor it’s on!



Credit to @DarkBlack for the screen shot method.

I think I’ll find an OEM cover to go on this one. Just gotta figure out how to get the right cover for this seat, since it’s a higher back than the common garden tractor seat.

 

[Runner]

Damn new seat is almost too bright and clean for the tractor it’s on!

View attachment 2098056

Credit to @DarkBlack for the screen shot method.

I think I’ll find an OEM cover to go on this one. Just gotta figure out how to get the right cover for this seat, since it’s a higher back than the common garden tractor seat.

That looks fantastic. After comparing side by side, would you say it is a duplicate of the original?

I can't remember if you posted the specific brand listing off amazon, but if you could identify it some way in this thread for future reference it would probably be appreciated by some down the road who needs to buy one.

Looks like a score to me. Thanks for the follow up.

 

[WinterDeere]

That looks fantastic. After comparing side by side, would you say it is a duplicate of the original?

The shell is 100% identical, as is the molding of the seat. But the finish on the vinyl, or whatever that material is, seems to be different. The one that came off the tractor was a more shiny glazed vinyl, and this new one seems to be more matte finish. I haven't been able to decide if they started life the same, and the old one has just become burnished by weather and my butt, or if the materials are actually a little different.

I also notice that where the covering material is tucked in the corners, the old one is smooth where the new one has "folds", making me think the covering material is indeed slightly different.

I can't remember if you posted the specific brand listing off amazon, but if you could identify it some way in this thread for future reference it would probably be appreciated by some down the road who needs to buy one.

Brand was OEM Deere, just a different part number. The seat I bought was Deere LVA12909 from Green Parts Store, for $326. The Deere Parts Catalog calls out LVA23751 for $940.

As stated, shell is identical, mounting patterns identical, even foam and coping are identical, but the vinyl covering may be slightly different... I'm honestly not even 100% sure of that. All I can say is that I'm real happy I didn't spend $940.

 

[Runner]

The shell is 100% identical, as is the molding of the seat. But the finish on the vinyl, or whatever that material is, seems to be different. The one that came off the tractor was a more shiny glazed vinyl, and this new one seems to be more matte finish. I haven't been able to decide if they started life the same, and the old one has just become burnished by weather and my butt, or if the materials are actually a little different.

I also notice that where the covering material is tucked in the corners, the old one is smooth where the new one has "folds", making me think the covering material is indeed slightly different.


Brand was OEM Deere, just a different part number. The seat I bought was Deere LVA12909 from Green Parts Store, for $326. The Deere Parts Catalog calls out LVA23751 for $940.

As stated, shell is identical, mounting patterns identical, even foam and coping are identical, but the vinyl covering may be slightly different... I'm honestly not even 100% sure of that. All I can say is that I'm real happy I didn't spend $940.

Good deal. Glad to hear there is hope for a solution not involving taking out a loan or selling body parts. Thanks.

 

[JBacon52]

The covers are indeed nice, and a good cheap way to protect your investment. But the reason I'm shying away from covers at the moment is two-fold:

1. This machine is more difficult to get on/off the seat, than any other I've owned, due to the relationship of the steering wheel and massive travel in the seat suspension. As soon as you remove your weight, the seat comes up almost to the steering wheel, when I have everything adjusted to a comfortable driving position. So, unless I literally tilt the wheel up/down a hundred times a day, I need a seat I can slide on/off without dragging a seat cover with me, due to the higher friction between pants and fabric cover.

2. The way the seat split, I suspect will continue to telegraph thru the cover, as it has two sharp edges of the thick vinyl sticking up, and foam peeking out. Tape has proven unreliable for long term, so just taping it before covering is probably not a permanent fix.

TLDR, so I'll just add this. I took my seat to a local upholstery guy, who redid it for about $95..