New seat on my BX

dlsmith

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BX2230, LA211
Nov 15, 2018
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Goshen, IN
So far the only thing I haven't liked about my BX2230 is the seat. Why Kubota designed/made it the way they did I have no idea. Even with my big 250# butt on it, the seat still slants downhill towards the front, and it isn't comfortable and I don't like it.
A couple of weeks ago while I was at Rural King I saw a universal seat that looked like it might work if I made an adapter to level the mounting base. After checking the dimensions and looking it over to be sure it would fit in the available space, I made another trip to RK and bought one for $199.99.
Got back to she shop and removed the original seat, unboxed the new one and test fit it on the mount with a couple of leveling blocks. Looked like it would fit just fine.
I cogitated on jut how to make an adapter and decided on using a couple of pieces of 17" long 2" wide 1/4" thick bar stock. By putting a twist on each end of the bars and putting a 2" tall spacer under the front mount to get a level mounting surface to mount the new seat tracks on, it would work out just fine.
By putting the bars in the vise 1" from the end, clamping pieces of 1/4" strap up 1/2" from there, I could heat the 1/2" gap red hot and twist it the proper amount, or at least fairly close.
That done and the bars cooled down, I drilled holes to match the spacing on the original mount, cut a couple pieces of spacer stock for the front mount and welded them fast. I had to do a little fine tuning with a 4 lb hammer to get the twists just right, but they came out really close to parallel. I measured the mounting pattern on the new seat, transferred it to the new mounts and drilled the holes.
I had to take the tracks loose from the seats to get it all aligned and then tightened everything up. The adjuster worked back and forth just fine, so I was happy with that. I lugged the seat assembly over to the tractor and slipped the pivot pins into the mounting tabs and put the retainer pin in so it stayed in place.I flipped it back into normal pisition and it fit just fine and looked really good. Hopped up for a test sit, and it felt really good and way more comfortable.
I put the arm rests and covers on and it looks like mission accomplished.
The only interference problem I have, is the handle for adjusting the seat back angle hits the inside of the left fender when you bounce in the seat. I think my solution is going to be to take the cutoff tool and cut off the portion that interferes leaving a short lever that can still be used if the back needs adjusting.
I just mowed the yard yesterday, so it will probably be a week until I get much seat time to test it out, but it has to be better than the stock seat.
All it needs is to have my daughter embroider a Kubota name or emblem on the seat back cover to make it look factory installed.

Edit. Link to seat info.
https://www.brabereq.com/high-back-black-seat-sea-44000be
 

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D2Cat

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L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
12,899
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Nice work. That bend on each end is a fun one!

I found a seat cover similar to this one on Ebay a couple of years ago. It was designed specifically for a tractor model, so had to make sure it fit my seat. I actually fits better than in the pictures.

 

SidecarFlip

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M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
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The new seat I got from Rural King went on the OS9 with a suspension unit from Seats, Inc. Nice seat, very comfortable.
 

dlsmith

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BX2230, LA211
Nov 15, 2018
1,191
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Goshen, IN
Nice work. That bend on each end is a fun one!
I found a seat cover similar to this one on Ebay a couple of years ago. It was designed specifically for a tractor model, so had to make sure it fit my seat. I actually fits better than in the pictures.

That's a really woodsy looking seat cover, and even has a lot of orange in it!

If I had a Bridgeport mill I would make a bending tool with a 1/4" X 2" slot for twisting 1/4" bar stock, which I do fairly regularly on things I'm fabricating, but a couple of pieces of 2" X 2" bar stock, vise grips, and a big Crescent wrench gets the job done for now.

The new seat I got from Rural King went on the OS9 with a suspension unit from Seats, Inc. Nice seat, very comfortable.
SidecarFlip - I had seen a thread here some place about this type of seat at RK, but I couldn't find it. When I saw this one there I thought it might be the same one or something pretty similar, so I bought it. It's definitely more comfortable than the original seat.
 

SidecarFlip

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Oct 28, 2018
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"SidecarFlip - I had seen a thread here some place about this type of seat at RK, but I couldn't find it. When I saw this one there I thought it might be the same one or something pretty similar, so I bought it. It's definitely more comfortable than the original seat.
dlsmith is online now Report Post "

D2Cat turned me onto one and I bought it that minute. I had to wait for the suspension as RK was sold out so K&M shipped me one direct.

The low mount suspension would be idea for any small tractor or mower and suspension is light years better than 2 coil springs.

All ISO so all plug and play.
 

D2Cat

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Did you guys see the new sale on the same seat at Rural King I just posted this morning? $47 including shipping!!
 

shootem604

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L245DT with Kubota (Arps Model 22) FEL and Kubota B/L4520B (Woods 650) BH
Apr 23, 2018
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I ordered one. I had also just picked up two new plain seats locally on CL for $80 each for each of the L245s - I guess one will go on the L245, one on the backhoe, and the Black Talon seat will go on my L245DT. Wish you had posted last week.
 

D2Cat

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Shootem604, but I was just drinking my coffee this morning when I came across the new reduced price. I did buy one for a spare though!
 

dlsmith

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BX2230, LA211
Nov 15, 2018
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Goshen, IN
Did you guys see the new sale on the same seat at Rural King I just posted this morning? $47 including shipping!!
Of course! Never fails. :(

The day after I bought mine, on goes on sale for 1/4 the price I paid. Although the one I bought is a little different, though not much.
It's still worth it though.

Maybe I'll buy one to put on my JD430, the seat mount on that is pretty worn out and the seat is not too comfortable.
 

D2Cat

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L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
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It's baffling to me how they can sell the seat at that price including shipping. When I clicked PayPal I had to click on shipping. If I had to pay for it, it was like $20.61 JUST for shipping. That leaves $27 for the seat!

I don't need one right now, I just bought one for sport!!
 

Kytim

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Aug 14, 2009
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Rural King typically is able to offer these types of deals because they purchase a complete manufactured items inventory from various companies. These can be for many different reasons that they are offered, over runs, design changes or line close outs. They have the purchasing ability to buy quite large inventories st one time. After all they have 85 stores currently in several states.
 

SidecarFlip

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Oct 28, 2018
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Like I said, I added the low mount suspension plus the seat. Interestingly, the low mount suspension was not in stock and shipped from the manufacturer but at RK pricing. The manufacturers website lists the same suspension for 230 bucks. I paid 150 from RK.

RK has one store here in Michigan so I get dinged with sales tax, Oh well.

RK and ASC are my 2 favorite online retailers to deal with.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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I've now done 3 seats, one at the great price of ~$100 that it was and now 2 for ~$90 some, no tax and no shipping costs.
Shipping for me would have been $46, so it's always a great deal when I can get free shipping.

I need to buy another tractor or two to fit the seats. :D
 

GeoHorn

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Did you guys see the new sale on the same seat at Rural King I just posted this morning? $47 including shipping!!
I had just two days ago bought one for over twice that from them an already installed it. :confused: