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Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Boat seats

I found a universal mower seat on line when the seat on my Dixon bit the dust.

Were you happy with the universal seat? What brand of seat did you get and was it easy to install? Genuine hustler seats here are going for as much as $600 so i wont be going genuine. Found the below seat but that is still $200. Boat seats are going for less than $100. And before anyone scoffs at boat seats, they cop more abuse than a mower seat ever will, atleast in the boats ive been in.

Does it have a place for the seat safety switch?

hlw49 said:

Does it have a place for the seat safety switch?

Click to expand...

No but if choose carefully most can be modified to take one if you cant modify the mower body to take a Murray style switch
Done it dozens of times.
We in OZ have the highest UV content in our light on the planet so mower seats and plastic bodywork takes a beating unless protected with covers & kept out of the sunlight when stored.
I use a flip back seat that costs me around $ 40 Aust.
Originally I cut a hole in the base with a holesaw then fitted the seat switch after ripping out some of the foam
But I got smart and started to fit the switch in the body and put an arm on the seat to work the switch .
I have done the latter a few times to overcome seat switches that are too sensitive for elderly widows
Again first time I spent a fortune fitting a delay switch ,
Next one I simply moved the switch

I have the Garmin msg65 on a Grasshopper and just love it. No bottoming out or topping, not cheap but have had it for around 12 years and no problems

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

bertsmobile1 said:

No but if choose carefully most can be modified to take one if you cant modify the mower body to take a Murray style switch
Done it dozens of times.
We in OZ have the highest UV content in our light on the planet so mower seats and plastic bodywork takes a beating unless protected with covers & kept out of the sunlight when stored.
I use a flip back seat that costs me around $ 40 Aust.
Originally I cut a hole in the base with a holesaw then fitted the seat switch after ripping out some of the foam
But I got smart and started to fit the switch in the body and put an arm on the seat to work the switch .
I have done the latter a few times to overcome seat switches that are too sensitive for elderly widows
Again first time I spent a fortune fitting a delay switch ,
Next one I simply moved the switch

Click to expand...

bertsmobile1 said:

No but if choose carefully most can be modified to take one if you cant modify the mower body to take a Murray style switch
Done it dozens of times.
We in OZ have the highest UV content in our light on the planet so mower seats and plastic bodywork takes a beating unless protected with covers & kept out of the sunlight when stored.
I use a flip back seat that costs me around $ 40 Aust.
Originally I cut a hole in the base with a holesaw then fitted the seat switch after ripping out some of the foam
But I got smart and started to fit the switch in the body and put an arm on the seat to work the switch .
I have done the latter a few times to overcome seat switches that are too sensitive for elderly widows
Again first time I spent a fortune fitting a delay switch ,
Next one I simply moved the switch

Click to expand...

Great post bertsmobile1. My Rider 16 is in dire need of a seat change. Are you able to assist with your source for the cheaper (circa $40) seat?
I'm on Blue Mts NSW.
Mowogmaca

According to my invoicing this is the seat I have been using
Explorer folding seat or at least that is how I described them in my invoice
Last time I bought them they were 4 for $160+ $ 40 freight
It is a common seat. can't remember where I got them from but it was on line from Melbourne just before the 2019 bushfires
They are pedestal mount multi fit seat and just about every boating shop kept the exact same shell with different cushions and of course different names and different prices .
Had a quick sticky and these look to be the same seat Steamship Seat all over Evilpay, Again same plastic base different cushions .
No matter what I fitted one to one pair of bolt holes lined up with the slots in the seat but you have to fit a mudguard washer either side .
For the Timecutters I made up a mounting plate so the quick seat position adjuster would still work as it was for a commercial customer.
The Toro seat was over $ 300 and a 90 day wait .
The cheapest mower seat I can get wholesale is over $ 150 and that is basically an upholstered pan with a 3" back so after tax that ends up being $ 200 + fitting to the customer
The boat seats end up being just under $ 100 fitted , last longer, don't rust out and are a lot more comfortable
These are just a back & pan.
If you want arm rests then you are in the Realm of "Skippers" chairs & the price doubles
The fold downs are good because if you fold them down after use they don't collect water and it keeps the sun off the vynal
An old T- shirt makes a good seat cover for the back or a skivy so you can use the arms to tie it on .

I have a Tempress orthopedic high back boat seat $200 on my Dixie chopper. Love it!

Legend bertsmobile1
Mowogmaca

Northern Tool, Farm & Fleet, Fleet Farm, and Tractor Supply Company all have cheap, or good. or high-quality lawn mower seats. If you can't find a seat with enough cushioning Amazon has a suspension kit that works well on the Raptor. https://amzn.to/3PTnxRG

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

I have the same mower, I flipped over in a big ditch and crushed the seat. I didn't like it anyway, so looked for a better one. I looked online until I found one that looked just like it, and that's how I found the OEM seat maker. I then went on their website and found mine, and bought the next better model. It's decent, slightly better and stronger. I can't remember any of the details, I just remember that it had a switch, and that no mower seats are good, only decent, bad, and worse. You may have to lower your expectations or get a custom one built. Good luck Matt.

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

I replaced a zero turn seat for one that had armrest and a lot adjustability for a third of the factory price, Website is called Seatwarehouse it's located 20 miles east of Indianapolis

Their telephone # is317-762-8700 for Seatwarehouse, sometimes it takes awhile to answer, good shopping, several styles to fit a lot of different mowers.

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

Hi Mat, if you need a quick fix while you are looking for a reasonably priced comfortable seat look for a discarded office chair. Easy to install & comfortable. May not last long if left out but real comfortable until you get your permanent seat.

Just wanted to add, I found quite an assortment a while back that were from Northern tool at a local surplus bargain store. I paid around $75 for one that I pulled up on my cell that was about $300. I'd sure ck if anywhere around you sells things like that. The sticker on it said it didn't fit, couldn't find anything wrong with it, it's great on my Hustler Super Z 72".

Milsco (aka Michigan Seat Company) has some pretty nice seats. It's OEM for some equipment. They have several distributors, Northern Tool is already mentioned. I bought the V5300 for my Hustler Super Z. Pretty decent seat.

Look online for Surplus Center. They have aftermarket seats, etc.

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

For some reason riding mower seats are ridiculously expensive. Vinyl seats last a very short time. It seems they dry out and crack in just a year or so. Fabric seats are much more durable, but still expensive. Vinyl seat $150 or so, Fabric seat $300 and up. A friend put a salvage yard bucket seat on his mower and is quite pleased with it as far as price(($15) and comfort. Hustler is a nice mower so you may want to go back OEM.

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

Some angle iron, a few nuts and bolts and yer good to go

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

I have a Milsco v5300 seat with suspension on my Snapper Pro. My ZTR is now very comfortable and a great ride!

driveguy said:

Milsco (aka Michigan Seat Company) has some pretty nice seats. It's OEM for some equipment. They have several distributors, Northern Tool is already mentioned. I bought the V5300 for my Hustler Super Z. Pretty decent seat.

Click to expand...

I have the 5300 on my Snapper Pro and love it!

I can vouch for the Trac Seat on mine, bought brand new Scag without suspension seat, added one under my OE seat (had to use some 1" square tube steel to offset from seat brackets). Night and day difference on the ride. Possible option for saving on pre-made suspension integrated seat.

Seat warehouse has free shipping, my new seat slides and isn't fixed in one position, it came with a no brainier switch on the bottom also.

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

Well the ones I've seen aren't made with plywood and not knowing what you want to spend for a seat here's a link
https://www.tractorseats.com/c-178-hustler-lawn-mower-seats.aspx And here's a link from Amazon for a cheapie..

Other than that the only thing I can suggest is to tear the old one apart and rebuild it, using the old parts as a templet. Don't like plywood, got to Menards or someplace grab some 18 or 20 gauge sheet metal and us it as your base, go to Michaels or another hobby store buy your foam / batting cushioning and Pleather / Marine material, and build your new seat, Good luck

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

I don't know how much you weigh, but when you go over a bump, does it jar your back? If you can afford it, I'd get a Suspension seat. Amazon sells them. They're not cheap, but they're worth it for not breaking your back while mowing grass.

One thing I forgot to mention, the new seat is 4 inches thick, the armrest are 3 inches thick and move up and down, the seat slides forward and back 12 inches , fit like a glove, studs matched up correctly with no modifications for $175 dollars, the dealer wanted $600 for something that should have been mounted in a go cart.

I ordered a regular mower suspension seat for my Big Boy mower. That was the best $300 I have spent. There is a world of differen.. ce.

Thanks for all the replies. I’m in Australia so most of those option will prove too expensive. I looked at some of the suspension bases and they were over $300 just for the base.

The reason for replacing is the plywood rotted, screws pulled and the seat flew off when the boys were driving to a job.

Seat warehouse had a note that said after 10 years it was now closed. Not sure if I understood correctly

Northern tool had a good range but I think shipping to Oz would suck.

I grabbed a $60 seat from BCF. I should do the trick. It’s just a plastic frame with a cushion on it.

My Cub SZ came with a suspension seat and it is really comfortable and has worn well.
I think TSC carries a version of the seat.
Also, Northern...

Mad_mat222 said:

Thanks for all the replies. I’m in Australia so most of those option will prove too expensive. I looked at some of the suspension bases and they were over $300 just for the base.

The reason for replacing is the plywood rotted, screws pulled and the seat flew off when the boys were driving to a job.

Seat warehouse had a note that said after 10 years it was now closed. Not sure if I understood correctly

Northern tool had a good range but I think shipping to Oz would suck.

I grabbed a $60 seat from BCF. I should do the trick. It’s just a plastic frame with a cushion on it.

Click to expand...

I hope it has a drain hole in it

It does have a drain hole. Doesn’t make much difference when 200mm is falling though lol.

Mad_mat222 said:

Greetings,
Has anyone got any good suggestions for zero turn seats. My Hustler Raptor seat needs replacing. They are rubbish. A cushion mounted to a piece of plywood. And it doesnt even look like marine ply. Ive seena few of the boat seats look like they might fit. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Mat

Click to expand...

Mine came apart on a Toro MX5060 but the base was metal. I just got some type of sealant. I wish I could remember what brand it was to tell you. But it was , I think, something like Liquid Nails. I spread it around the edges of the steel base and the back of the seat. Then l placed a board across the front of the back rest and pulled it together tightly with a big C clamp. If I'm not mistaken I did the lower part of the seat first, let it sit a day, then did the top half of the seat. Fixed, worked very well. I think it came apart because I always would sit down on it to hard rather than just ease myself onto the seat. So I don't just plop down like I use to. Worked good for me. No purchase of a new seat necessary.

Mad_mat222 said:

Thanks for all the replies. I’m in Australia so most of those option will prove too expensive. I looked at some of the suspension bases and they were over $300 just for the base.

The reason for replacing is the plywood rotted, screws pulled and the seat flew off when the boys were driving to a job.

Seat warehouse had a note that said after 10 years it was now closed. Not sure if I understood correctly

Northern tool had a good range but I think shipping to Oz would suck.

I grabbed a $60 seat from BCF. I should do the trick. It’s just a plastic frame with a cushion on it.

Click to expand...

Adding suspension to the seat is just as important as having a comfy seat.

Mad_mat222 said:

View attachment 63147

Click to expand...

That looks 'great', hope it is comfortable!