Replacement seats

[WinterDeere]

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.

 

[Runner]

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.

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.

 

[WinterDeere]

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.

 

[Spindifferent]

These days, anything of good quality is not going to be cheap, so I'd vote for OEM and then move on with your life to more important things...

My 3520 from the year 2005 had a seat with a crack in it and I replaced it with the OEM seat to ensure fit and finish several years ago. The seat has held up just fine.

I know that this doesn't answer your question about the non-OEM seat on amazon, but wanted to provide a little perspective on the OEM.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[WinterDeere]

These days, anything of good quality is not going to be cheap, so I'd vote for OEM and then move on with your life to more important things...

The trouble is, I have already proven the OEM is not very good. I'm not such a fanboy that I believe components are always better, just because they have a Deere logo on the baggie.

 

[scootr]

I would try that Amazon replacement for half the money. And keep the tractor or the seat out of the sun.

 

[alexpops]

maybe have amazon deliver a plastic welder kit too. If you don't like the new one, maybe you could repair the old one. At worst, you have a back-up for the next tear.

 

[WinterDeere]

...keep the tractor or the seat out of the sun.

Tractor is stored indoors, out of the sun. The mention of tape failure was more about exposure to temperatures in an unheated shed, or during use.

 

[WinterDeere]

Just pulled up the Green Parts Store pricing on OEM seat, without rails or suspension: $939.65.

That's just silly. It's plastic shell with some foam and vinyl molded to it.

But what Amazon claims is a direct fit for 3033R is a different part number.

Deere Parts Catalog: LVA23751
Amazon direct fit: E-LVA12909

The Amazon one gets mostly positive reviews, except one saying it's much harder than OEM, and another stating the holes for the SMV triangle didn't line up.

 

[WinterDeere]

Weirder.. if I enter LVA12909 into Green Parts Store, it shows up as a valid match for 3033R, even though Deere Parts Catalog lists a different seat. Maybe a region-specific or serial number-specific difference. The 12909 is only $326, versus $940.