seat springs.

clemsonfor · Jun 2, 2013

After hearing others have done this I decided to do it my self. After about 2 years of thinking about it and forgetting until a long weekend on the tractor I finally did it. When I was at the small engine store to get fuel lines for rotted ones on a blower thanks to ethonol I asked if he had any parts mowers. He said he had one and pointed after I told. Him what I wanted. It had the 2 seat springs on it. I think it was an Ltd of the 90 s vintage?? Anyway he pulled them an said $4. Not a super steal but cheaper than what I was seeing on eBay. Not having my own junk nor knowing anyone with any I thought it was fair.

Anyway this is an easy 5 minute task that gives some relief to your back while in the seat. They were the same height but I need to add a few washers as spavers as the 3 point lever hits the seat bottom with me in it towards. The top of the arc due to compression of my weight. But the washers will fix it and I did not even notice till I was putting the tractor IP because I was bush hogging and don't lift it all the way anyway. Now for he pics.
One more thing I took the long bolt out that mounted them to the lawnmower and used the tractors original bolts.

kenmac · Jun 2, 2013

I made this up grade several yrs ago. You'll fine the up grade well worth it.

careyo63 · Jun 2, 2013

Yeap! my seat was a little to laid back also. The bottoms are springs then I used pvc. freeze plugs for extra lift. From the looks both of our Back Heights seem to be about the same.

Sure made it Alot more comfortable. Mine's been like this for 5Yrs. atleast.

jerrybob · Jun 3, 2013

I have similar springs on my tractor.....once added....my Prep H bill went down ten fold!!!!:laughing: Good job!!

winston1 · Jun 3, 2013

Ditto ditto, nice job. I used volkswagen valve springs. Sure helps.

TGeorge · Jun 3, 2013

I replaced mine three or four years ago. I used lawn mower springs salvaged from a local lawn mower shop. I gave $3.50 for the pair. This is an easy upgrade and well worth spending the small amount of time and money involved.

Smoody · Jun 3, 2013

I can see where this would help! The ym226 I just bought has them already..maybe the US models came that way?

Car Doc · Jun 3, 2013

Good job! :thumbsup: I will keep this in mind and start looking for some springs sounds like a good addition.

deepNdirt · Jun 3, 2013

Oh! so that is the way its supposed to be,

when I got my tractor the seat was in very poor condition, rusty and duct taped, there were no coil springs making the seat very uncomfortable, So I scored a nice high-back at the local salvage from a large lawn tractor, it had its own mount and spring system, which was nothing more than a arched pc kinda like a leave spring, so I fabricated it to fit the tractor, it sits relatively comfortable but after seeing the small coil spring I think I might can improve on the comfort by adding some coils into the cups

Good job and Thanks for sharing the photo,
here's one of my .... uh! ghetto-rig

TGeorge · Jun 3, 2013

Coil springs are the way to go! You won't regret adding them.

clemsonfor · Jun 3, 2013

I didn't respond earlier.....but what is all that braketry?? Is that the stuff from the. Mower seat?

Also it looks like u have metal pipe where my rubber was and now springs?

clemsonfor · Jun 3, 2013

What is all that braketry?? Is that part of the mower seat?

Also it looks like u have round metal pipe wherre I have the springs and what was rubber bushishings.

deepNdirt · Jun 4, 2013

clemsonfor said:
What is all that braketry?? Is that part of the mower seat?

Also it looks like u have round metal pipe wherre I have the springs and what was rubber bushishings.

Not much to it really, what I did was to weld some punched angle iron to each side of the underside of the lawn tractor seat bracket, The holes provide the forward and backward adjustment and align with the tractors original seat mount, the angle iron then folds down and sets on and to inside of the two cups/pipes preventing the seat from shifting side to side, it looks more complicated then it actually is, It's only that now the seat has double action hing

The arched spring is strong enough but yet flexible enough to absorb most the shock, We've all driven lawn tractors with seat suspensions like this , The high back seat itself is where the comfort is, I'm thinking by adding coil springs I may have to cut some of the pipe off to let the springs protrude 1 1/2 using the cup/pipe as the spring retainer, Perhaps then I could have double action shock absorbers,

clemsonfor · Jun 4, 2013

Mine has those stiff rubber bushing things that i showed in my pics. There is no metal "cups" nor have i seen any with them i think that is a rig job by a previous owner when the rubber deteriorated. And the rubber is proably slightly more forgiving than the pipe, but not much.

deepNdirt · Jun 4, 2013

I installed the cups myself, as in my previous statement the seat was in poor condition, It had one of the flat rubber isolators the other was missing, the seat was out of whack, and needed changing anyway, so this is what I came up with, yes it might look " rigged " but it hasn't failed me in the 3 1/2 years of use, Knock Knock :confused3:
When seeing the springs the OP installed on his tractor give me another brain furt,:laughing:

clemsonfor said:
. And the rubber is proably slightly more forgiving than the pipe, but not much.

I put the pipes there to level up the seat, It also helped to raise the seat up higher being I'm 6'2 I need to extend my legs as much as possible,
I also changed the steering wheel to one that was higher which help to compensate for the seat height,and give more knee space,
Remember I once post all the many modification I made to custom fit my tractor to my preferences, Sometimes I forget that our tractors are old classics, and that most folks want to restore them back to their original specs, and my information will be wrong, My input is more on how to improvise to make things work

My mom has always said since I was a little boy, Give me a screwdriver and I can take anything apart, give me a hammer and I can put it Back together again,

clemsonfor · Jun 4, 2013

I am the OP, but i guess i missed that you had to put the pipe on there, i did read something about it being all beat up though?

Is the 1700 a smaller frame than the 2000?? I dont know? I too am 6'2" and i hit my thighs on the wheel if i dont keep them wide enough but overall its not that bad of a ride. Way cramped compared to a modern tractor from america that has a huge operator area for 300lb obese men but i dont thing the yanmar is unworkable.

deepNdirt · Jun 4, 2013

clemsonfor said:
I am the OP, but i guess i missed that you had to put the pipe on there, i did read something about it being all beat up though?

LOL yes I see you are

I hate the side effects of pain killers, (Dentist prescribed),

I think our tractors are close to the same size, I have read the 2000 out weight the 1700 by a few lbs, edit: correction, the 1700 out weighs the 2000 by 165 lbs, Hmmm! i find that odd, though the 2000 is 10" longer than the 1700, I wonder where the 165lbs deferents is?
These size tractors surely are not made for long legged people, if you notice the OEM wheel is completely flat, You can get more lap space by changing to a steering wheel with elevated spokes, providing you're OK with modifying from it's original classic condition,

if by only 1" will help .... certainly was a quick fix for my dilemma,,
sorry for the confusion ( My confusion that is)

robsym240 · Jun 7, 2013

Thanks for the great idea, what a difference! I got these seat springs for $8 from a guy who was parting out a near new craftsman rider with a blown engine.