Suspension seat

HayDR · Mar 29, 2003

No MFG in the USA has made this style seat for 20 years. Griffin, Sears, Michigan Seat, Milsco, Speer Cushion & K&M stay out of this market because they can not compete with US made seats. Spanish and Italian seats are also available but at higher prices.

RET · Mar 31, 2003

Got my seat Friday and installed on my baby BX over the weekend. I had to do a fair amount of weekend warrior work to fab up a frame for the new seat....but a test drive showed it was well worth the effort. Soooooo much easier on my back and kidneys!
Best $75 investment I've made in a long time.
I wish I had a digital camera to show the installation.
RET

jph_in_Bama · Mar 31, 2003

What kind of work did you have to do to modify it for the BX? I am thinking about ordering one, but I dont want to have to construct a bunch of stuff to make it fit?

RET · Apr 1, 2003

Modifications weren't all that bad....just time consuming because I went through 3 different ideas before finding the an acceptable solution!
Here's the easiest, best, and last method I could come up with:
I removed all the OEM seat assembly (seat and 'slider' mechanism, and springs) and installed 2 sections of angle iron across the seat frame - one as far forward as possible (facing 'up'), and one in the back (facing 'down'). A piece of heavy plate may have been better - but I didn't want to take the time torching the large sheet I had (yes, I'm lazy).In the back of the frame, the angle iron was installed 'facing down', and I used the bolt holes where the springs were attached previously. Also, in the back, I used long bolts, bolt head underneath, threads looking up, and with nuts on bottom and top of frame. These long bolts will be the replacement support in place of the old springs. Head of bolts sit where springs used to.
After taking measurements, I drilled and bolted new seat assembly to the new angle iron on the frame.
Note: trial and error according to personal taste and beer gut size: I had to shim up the front end of the seat assembly with several washers; otherwise the seat leaned too far forward after installation.
Also, Be sure that you assemble the seat as far back as possible....you'll need every spare inch you can get.
When doing the next test fit, adjust the long bolts in back of the frame so that seat assembly rests just barely above the fuel tank....DO NOT forget this step - else you may damage the tank the first time you plop down on the seat for a test fit!
Basically, that's it.
Caution - I am only 5'-8" and find that the leg room remaining after new seat installation is just adequate with the seat in its rear-most position. The higher seat position changes the angle of your right leg as you operate the tranny pedal - more 'upright' - feels a bit awkward right now, but I think it will be just fine after a little seat time.If you are much taller than me, this set-up may not work.
I still think the seat is leaning a little too far forward to accomodate my beer gut...I may make some modifications later after a few hours of seat time.
This seat definitely smooths out the ride. There is a weight adjustment knob in the back of the seat - learn your metric system 'cause the weight is marked in kilgrams. 1 kg = 2.2 lb. I found the seat more comfortable when I adjusted the seat to significantly less than my weight. This also allowed the seat to sink lower when I sat down - seat was a little too high for my short legs otherwise.
rt

jph_in_Bama · Apr 1, 2003

Thank you very much for the detailed instructions. I went ahead and printed out your post and ordered my seat. I figured what the heck, I haven't messed with the welder in a couple of months might as well give it a try. I did find it interesting that they had 2 models of the seat, one with folding arms and one solid arms. I went ahead and ordered the one with the folding arms since they were the same price. I will hopefully be able to put it on this weekend and I will post the pics (if I do a respectable job) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks again for the instructions!

RET · Apr 2, 2003

Spring has sprung big-time here in south Lousiana. I got spring fever yesterday....took the afternoon off from work, went home and mowed the yard. First real test of the new seat. The seat suspension REALLY helped dampen the bumps from my rough yard. I will probably have to go back later and re-think how I have the seat attached. I would will like to have the seat leaning a little more backward - just a little too upright for my gut right now. But, IMHO, the $65 seat cost was well worth it. BTW, I got the fold down arm rests also. Just don't plan to put any real weight on the rests (like grabbing them to help pull youself up), 'cause they are a little on the flimsy side.
RET

jph_in_Bama · Apr 6, 2003

Well I ordered my suspension seat from Carter and Carter. It was a pleasant expierence. I decided to get the one the fold up armrest. I wished now that I had just gotten the wrap around arms, but its no big deal. The seat seems like a high quality seat, but I was disappointed that there were no instructions in it? I never could get the slide lever to work, but it ended up not mattering anyhow, because I turned the mount around backward.

On my BX2200 I took the old seat off and removed the flip over bracket. I then welded a piece of 1/16 steel plate (don't know what guage it is its all I had handy! )to the flip over bar. I welded supports on the 1/16 plate. I then took the bottom slide piece off the seat and set it up at an angle backwards (turned it around so that I could slide the seat over it easier) I welded the front of the slide on top of the bar that flips over, this created a little bit of back tilt to the seat so that I wasnt leaned over to far forward. I set the seat down on the slides and tested it. I found that it farthest point back I was too far from the steering wheel for it to be comfortable. I am only 5'8"! I moved it forward a couple of inches and tightened down the locking bolt.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gifI worked on boxblading a large hump of dirt for a couple of hours and was very pleased with the suspension.

I would recommend this seat to anyone. Thanks to everyone that recomended it to me! BTW mine was $65.00 with no shipping and was here in 2 days!