Is air ride my solution?

   / Is air ride my solution? #1  
C

cold1313

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
480
Location
Northern, Ohio
Tractor
Kubota M4D-071 Kubota F3990
I have an F3990 to cut the grass which takes me around 3 hours of run time. My yard is quite bumpy, some slopes, etc so I'm always in low gear and can never "floor" it in low gear. I get bucked around too hard.

My issue is my giant sized head and the sore neck I get after mowing. I'm guessing I look like a bobble head doll when I mow.

Would an air ride seat fix this issue? I have the factory kubota suspension seat adjusted to my weight and I've played with it heavier and lighted. I can bottom out the seat every once and awhile. I'm not the lightest person at ~250'ish pounds.

What also started this is that mice have gotten into the back of the seat already this winter and have started remove the foam. I'm furious.

Would an air ride stop my head from bouncing all over the place, or make it worse? I was trying to find just a basic air ride seat but the Grammar ones start adding in heat seat options, etc...I don't need any of that.

Suggestions?
 
   / Is air ride my solution? #2  
If you didn't have a suspension already I'd say you'd think this was God. I don't have any with air so I can't say for sure but I'll go out on a limb and say it would "probably" be better than what you have now. How much better..? :confused3:
 
   / Is air ride my solution? #3  
The front mower units are a great tool to mow large areas, but the design does nothing for a smooth ride. The packaging dictates the tire diameters are small and the operator is directly above one solid axle. Small tires fall into holes more than a large tire like a tractor and being right above the axle (w/no suspension) inputs all shake into the bobble head.

Semi trucks once had a option of a good seat but it only addressed the up/down movement, none of the rolling action (bobble head). They now have the fancy air ride cabs that suspends the entire cab...big difference.

If I were to design this mower, I would have the operators station suspended so it would float to isolate it from the side/side shake to help us bobble heads (your not the only one who feels like those toys). I was looking into Ferris mowers as they seem to be a leader into mower suspensions. I ended up getting a Toolcat that has 4/wheel suspension and it is WAAAAY smoother than my tractor.

How to fix your unit? It may take re-engineering some float into your seating platform or buy something else.:2cents:
 
   / Is air ride my solution?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Ruffdog you nailed it - I just realized that I didn't consider the side to side sway that I get. I'm an engineer and my father is a retired millwright (which means I overthink everything and he makes it the simple and clean way that typically works better!) so I'm sure we can come up with a solution - I just thought I'd see what people thought of an air suspension seat.
 
   / Is air ride my solution? #5  
A velvet smooth ride would be great for the operator - but would it be good for the equipment? If the operator is "Cadillac Comfy" on the roughest terrain, he's a lot less aware he's beating the snot out of the equipment.
 
   / Is air ride my solution?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Maybe for some, but for myself, I can tell when the equipment is getting pushed hard. You shouldn't need a seat for feedback on that.
 
   / Is air ride my solution? #7  
cold1313 said:
Maybe for some, but for myself, I can tell when the equipment is getting pushed hard. You shouldn't need a seat for feedback on that.
Click to expand...

You and I may not need it, but trust me, there are some that do. Happy New Year!
 
   / Is air ride my solution? #8  
Yes the air ride seat will make a big difference. OEM Kubota seats generally suck and give very little suspension. You can get a Grammar air seat which should bolt on to your machine relatively easily.

FYI I put one on my ZTR for the same reasons. I was hesitant to do it because of the cost - I have no regrets other than I should have done it sooner. I need to do the same for my M59 because the OEM seat really sucks on that machine...no suspension and it's tilted so you feel like you are constantly sliding off the seat.
 
   / Is air ride my solution? #10  
I've often wondered if something like a Grammar air ride would make my M6040 smoother. I have the seat suspension knob cranked full. I seldom bottom out. I SURE do a lot of bouncing though. I do a lot of "topping up". My OEM seat suspension has no "moderation" to movement - up or down. It's like I'm sitting on one of those bouncing pigs on a coil spring at the local children's park.
 
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