These seats have been cracking since they were first developed. You would think John Deere would put a better quality seat on these. Mine cracked at less than 300 hours on a $7000 lawn mower. Good job on video
@@joedirt7640, Yes sir, that's pretty much every item we purchase anymore from electronics, small engine equipment, and even cars. I've been working on small engines for over 30 years and there is no comparison between the build quality of then and now.
People like this gentleman should have over 100,000 subs. He is showing us a very good and reasonable way to fix seats without breaking the bank. Thank-you sir for sharing your knowledge and know how with us.
+John M Thank you so much for taking the time to share your comment! I hope to see you around on future videos. 😊👍 I have another seat repair video that also shows you how to reattach the vinyl to the base as well. th-cam.com/video/gRXUKQC_434/w-d-xo.html
You can lighten the yellow out some by adding a bit of white plastic dip. By adding small amounts n mixing you can test color match b4 application. This will get you a match that will blend better.
Mask off and spray final coat mixed with thinner - usually it’s a lighter coat and less intense color. Heck, I’d really just dye the whole seat black for easier future color matching
You might try spray painting the entire seat with Rust-Oleum spray paint to make it a uniform color. They have different yellows to match, perhaps Marigold or Sunburst Yellow. It's manufactured for plastics and I've used it on bicycle seats without a problem. Costs less than $5 for a can.
@@paulg444 So duct-tape and Sunburst spay paint for those that want it done in 10 minutes, right? ;-) Your videos have helped me with some projects so kudos to you!
After watching your video, I more or less used your technique on a craftsman mower seat (black in color) that I was fixing. I hadn't done this before, so I was hesitant, but was encouraged by your video. The cracks on this seat were larger and the vinyl edges were curled up. I decided to trim the edges down as close as I could to the normal level of the seat and then sanded around like you showed. I cleaned the area as well with a de-greaser. I actually used liquid flex seal instead of plasti dip simply because that was what I could find at the store. I did one crack first to learn from. After repairing the first crack, I changed plans a little. Originally, the first crack was gaped open by about 1/4 of an inch. After the repair was done, the center of the crack was noticeably soft. The rubber was attached well, but I decided I should have put some foam in the crack to fill up the space. I did this on the other cracks and it seemed to work well. In the end, it turned out looking really nice. Since it was a black seat, the color match was almost perfect. I don't know how well it has held up since the mower was given to a family who needed it, but for the 2 weeks or so that I had it after the repair was made, I got on and off the mower almost daily to test it and everything seemed to hold up well in that time. Also, the thin coats while applying the liquid rubber did seem to be the way to go. I tried applying a thicker coat at one point and it definitely increased the time between putting on the next coat. Thanks for the video!
I fixed my cracked john deere seat and my cracked potato chip style hood on my lawnmower permanently by trading the dam thing off for a zero-turn Toro. Best thing I ever did!
You’re not the only one. I bet there are close to a hundred comments on my hood and seat repair videos saying similar things. They are money makers for me so I’ll take all of them I can get. 😁👍
@anvilsvs You’re not alone. There are hundreds of comments on this video with similar stories. Thanks for watching! Hopefully you’ll find other videos I’ve posted interesting or useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
Well done. As long as it keeps your backside dry and you didn't have to spend a lot of money, it's well worth doing it like this. I've got an old John Deere with cracks that I'm gonna fill. Thanks for making this video.
Including golf karts, shop stools and mowers I’ve probably done close to 20 or so. If you want something that works even better get a piece yellow marine vinyl and some RH-66 vinyl glue and patch over the top of the crack. amzn.to/40PdfGi
I'm going to start doing more restoration videos once the season slows down a little. Unfortunately, I retired this one before I decided to get serious about TH-cam videos. I'm working on a GT262 restoration now. Stay tuned. The videos are coming. Thanks for watching. 🦅
GREAT video! I never, ever thought of using Plasti-Dip to do vinyl repair like that. I've only used it for tool handles. I discovered you and your videos about a week ago with the hood repair video you did. I subscribed and will be checking out your other stuff soon.
I don't care too much about the color match - the important thing, how well does this hold up? It's a great solution if it extends the life of the seat!
I'm going on a season leaving outside also exposed intentionally to see how well holds up over the Michigan winter. Seems to work great without sanding and only using some carb cleaner spray to prep. I also cut foam to fit in the void and somewhat even the surface. Finally got around to start repairing my seats last September and looks like I didn't make a video regarding. I'll try to make one when I do the next repair and/or custom coating since have a can of the blue to make a Ford Blue seat from one of the seats. Last left off wanting to make a mold and wondering what resist works best to be able to raise the Ford lettering on the back... though now thinking I can print the logo in vinyl and just Plastidip over since invested in a Cricut a few days back. Did post on FB however: facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4247637905297979 facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4325255164202919
So far, out of all the diy repair tricks.. this one has the best long-term durability. After two years a few of the cracks thar are in the pit of the chair have re-opened from me jumping in and out of my seat all year. However it was a simple touch up!! Highly recommend this repair for someone looking to avoid a new seat purchase... Hats off my shiny topped friend. Good on ya!!
Sorry to say I tried this fix and even used wire mesh beneath the split and it looked really good after repair and painting. Didn't even last one mowing. Time to buy a J.D. cover
thanks I know this is a couple years old but I appreciate your time in doing this and getting to the point without the music and the talkie talk I hear on most videos.
Good stride brother! I have a husqvarna, seat tore a long while back meant to fix it but after a tree fell on it making it look like an old beaten pos, I've just let the looks go! As long as it keeps going I'll be content to what she looks like. If I ever run across an old pre 90s John Deere I'll keep this quick fix in mind but those plastic transmissions of these newer mowers just don't hack it! That and I'm always in work clothes even in leasure time anymore!
Thanks for the video. I have a 36 year old 400 series Wheel Horse that I installed a high back vinyl seat on from Northern Tool years ago. The seat has developed a crack in the same area as your John Deere. I'm sure I can get that PlastiDip in black to repair my seat. Thanks also for showing the can!
I love the Plasti-dip products. A few weeks ago the spring back on my 3 bladed pocket knife broke. I didn't want to throw it away, as the blades were in excellent shape. So, I dismantled it, attached the second spring back and two liners to the main blade with the original pin. Then I silver soldered everything solid. I dipped the now rigid handle in Plasti-dip and after 3 coats I had a comfortable small, fixed blade knife with a very nice sharp blade on it with a sharp slender tip. Perfect for small, detailed jobs!
+@rodgerearll3912 Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
Actually the Plastidip seat repair has held up pretty good on my 2007 JD X300. I did mine about 4 years ago, although I need to repair it again since it's developed few more small cracks in the seat now. Another repair I did to the JD X300 was a hood repair, my hood split pretty much down the center about 18 inches long. The small 4 inch green colored zip ties with drilling small holes for size of zip tie on each side of the crack using a X pattern stitching worked great for that repair. I did that about 2 years ago.
You cud probably use some matt ounce n half weight works well and some polyester resin and fix your hood like new. Good prep job and making certain surface is clean of contaminants with acetone or similar. Very similar to this guys technique . Cheers.
Great video, thanks, I'll try this and I'm sure it will turn out well. From a distance (neighbors) would never see the color difference, and I couldn't care less. Thanks again.
Your a life saver. My seat has several cracks and they poke me when I sit down, This fix will work for what i need. I just purchased a new Compact JD Tractor and i may have to do this repair on it too. Thanks for the info👍
+@Aaah-Mazn-Creations Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
I have 2 Craftsman 3500$ lawn tractors to repair and a 20,000$ Kubota seat to repair, this appears to be one of the best videos for seat repair I have seen. Thank you for all your videos.
Thank you! I’m working on another seat repair video that I hope to have out in a few weeks. It’s a little more extensive but will outlast this repair. I’ve started using bulk yellow marine vinyl and an industrial vinyl cement. You can cover as much or as little of the seat that’s needed but the cement is extremely weather resistant and the vinyl will tear before it comes loose. I’ve tried a few different brands but this is the one that works the best. 👇 amzn.to/3x1HGAh
Thank you Barb. I’ve started making a few videos on oil changes and stuff like this in my “Back to the basics” playlist. I’ve not gotten around to making a video on the 350 yet not if you click the subscribe button and the notification bell TH-cam will notify you once I do. 😁👍
This was a solid vid. My only suggestion would be if you added a little bit of hobby acrylic yellow that is a brighter hue that could easily change the plaistidip base to match closer?
The durability of the the job comes with the prep and application being done correctly. 30 years exp in vinyl leather plastics repair. Good Job and great video...×××dont forget the prep-all.×××
Another great solution! Thank you! -- I have an old (and beloved) John Deere LT150 with a cracked seat, broken hood, etc. You would think that John Deere would improve their quality control on these parts to prevent these awful cracks and breaks -- but, then again, they wouldn't then be able to sell their WAY overpriced replacement parts. -- These videos are extremely useful and fun to watch. I already ordered products for my repairs next Spring. Great job.
Having priced a new seat for my 20+ year old Snapper Lawn Tractor, this is one of the greatest money saving ideas I've ever seen. Thanks for showing us how it is done! p.s. Could you get a can of John Deere Yellow spray paint, and spray the whole seat after the plastic is fixed. The wax and grease remover could be used on the whole seat at the beginning, then after the functional repairs have been made, you could then use the John Deere yellow spray paint on the whole seat. Before I moved to the City, I lived on the old family place in the country and used my John Deere tractor just about every day, and I wish I still had it. Tip for occasional users of smaller to mid-size John Deere tractors with clutches- if you know it will beva week,or so until you use it again, the clutch much remain in the "disconnected" or depressed condition. Your John Deere will provide you with the correct bolt, about 6" long on mine, and the bolt hold is pre-drilled at the factory to kept the clutch plate and the pressure plate from welding themselves together. My dealer, and good friend, told me to crank it in neutral, slide it into first gear and drive it around until everything warmed up and the clutch started working again. That didn't happen, and something inside gave way, and the dealer and I agreed to split the costs, about 10 seconds after I saw everything relating to the clutch and gearbox laid out on the floor in an orderly manner by his expert mechanic.; hundreds of parts.
harbor freight got this stuff nine bucks and the cheap brushes are stiff and probably nicer I haven't started it yet but we shall see..... I'm going to use my multimax to sand down because there's quite a few tears but I do appreciate your podcast
You have just saved thousand of people money they would have normally spent on expensive seat replacement from John Deere. I love my Deere but boy is everything expensive when replacing seats and such. Thank you for sharing, Great video.
I love taking old neglected JDs and making them look like new again. I need to start getting more videos of what these things look like when I drag them home. Thanks for watching. 😁👍
Wow, thanks man, this actually worked, mine looked real bad, but i really didnt want to spend 90 bucks on a new seat. Looks great, hopefully it will hold
Nice repair. I have two John Deere seats that are cracked. I will use your solution; however, for a final step I think I will paint the repair with John Deere Yellow paint. it should hide the mismatched yellow. This JD yellow & green paint is sold at Menards for $11/pint.
For a 2002 model that thing is still looking quite nice! Well other than the fact that it is one of those green things. I mean we all know that orange tractors are where it's at, but we can overlook the green part considering it's been so well maintained. You can tell that you are a man that likes to actually take care of and maintain your equipment properly. So many people nowadays consider everything, even multi thousand dollar tractors, to be short term disposable items. Yeah sure it's nice to get the newest fanciest thing every once in a while I guess. However I personally get a lot of pride and satisfaction from properly maintaining my various equipment and watching it continue to look and work great for the long run. It feels especially good when your 20 year old tractor looks and performs better than your neighbor or whoever's 2 year old tractor, lol! Awesome job good sir and um... Orange Tractor Pride!!! 🚜😁
I have a JD mower it is about 4 years old now. I am on my 3rd seat. The first one cracked and they replaced it. The next year it cracked again. This time the folks at JD looked and saw that the new seats were available. It seems they know about the problem and If it is within the years the thin ones were on they replace them no questions asked. Good luck. They treated me right. The new seat is on over a year and no sign of cracks. Better material. Thanks Randy
+@bdc2007 Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
This is one of those "why didn't I think of that" ideas. I have three mowers, and two of them are going to get this repair as soon as it gets a bit warmer. While I don't think that cracked seats can be completely avoided, I think one big reason for that happening is UV rays. When I got my last mower three years ago, I had my wife make me a seat covers. Not only are they pretty much always on the seats, but I also make habit of tipping the seats forward when not in use. That last seat still doesn't show any signs of wanting to crack. The other two mowers both started cracking before they were that old. Wish I'd used seat covers before. All of my seats are black, so matching colours won't be much of an issue, but I wouldn't worry about it anyway. These mowers are used to do work on my acreage (mowing, tilling, harrowing, snow blowing, trailer towing, etc.), not to take to mower "Show and Shines". Thanks for the posting.
It looks good and a lot better than buying a new one. I like the version of sweet home Alabama that you had playing. Thanks for the video on the seat and repairing the hood.
Thank You !! I need to do this on my Husqvarna Seat. Gotta find some gray !! Better than shelling out $80 on a new seat that will do the same thing in a couple years !! Thanks again !!
your tractor is so nice it deserves a new seat! I think thats a good repair for the old machines and as you mentioned much better than duct tape. good tip!
Thats a great tip! Thank you. I wonder though, usually by the time the seat starts cracking, the whole thing is brittle. I could see it just cracking somewhere else.
There is a point when you're better off replacing it with a new seat. In line with your comment, the repairs I've done on previous black seats, the repaired areas have lasted longer than other areas of the seat.
+@talltom1129 Thank you, I figure people looking for this type of video really just want the info. It aggravates me when I’m trying to fix something and it take 5-10 minutes to get to the point. Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
Plastidip does sell a Clear version you could likely tint with John Deere Yellow powder coating powder to get a closer color match while keeping the price down. Great video. God bless.
Best tip I can give is get started and have fun with it. I never think of stuff like this as work. It’s something I enjoy and I take each challenge as it comes.
+Rebecca Gray, the brushes I use are just inexpensive chip brushes that you can purchase on Amazon for around $10 for 24 of them(link in video description). I dispose of them when I'm done. If you get some other tools, it will wipe off pretty quickly when it's still wet. If it's dry, I take it to my bench grinder with a wire wheel, and it will strip it right off. Hope this helps and good luck with your repair. 🦅🇺🇸
Thanks for the video. I've been looking for ways to save seats. I fix and flip mowers and a good seat is getting harder to come by. That JD is in awesome shape. I sold one last year I thought was nice , yours looks new
Thanks for watching. This mower was sold shortly after the video was made. I've not heard anything back from the buyer so hopefully, all is still good.
I’m sure that would help. Others have also suggested dipping the mesh before stuffing it down in the crack. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. 😁👍
i like the way u present info, u don't talk it to death thanks. my first time to see your video. u done good. i have subsribed and hit the bell will be back. u tube needs more like u
Awesome job on your video sir. My seat is cracked worse than yours at 100 hrs. I certainly will try your repair and thank you so very much for taking the time to make this video 👍😎
@@jmarent435 Thank you! I do have a newer seat repair video that shows a little more involved process but works well for more severally damaged seats and has proven to last much longer on seats I’ve repaired. How to Save Big on John Deere Seats: Avoid the $380 Dealer Price! th-cam.com/video/hWEoQM65fto/w-d-xo.html
Appreciate the advice regarding the sanding. Didn't even think about doing that when I did mine last sept. and left two of the riders out exposed to the Michigan winter to see how performs since I recall watching a video a few years ago where someone repaired their JD seat and noted they just left theirs outside and held up good. Works even for hose repair where I used to repair the crankcase breather hose end that goes into the air intake on the 18.5HP 31HXXX engine that I originally first repaired using type 1 silicone though that didn't hold up well to the gasoline. Plastidip seems to do well exposed to gasoline or at least the fumes also. I'll try to make a video, since forgot, when I do the next repair and/or custom coating since have a can of the blue to make a Ford Blue seat from one of the seats. Last left off wanting to make a mold and wondering what resist works best to release from the mold, so to be able to make a raised Ford lettering on the back... though now thinking I can print the logo in vinyl and just Plastidip over since invested in a Cricut a few days back. Did post on FB however: facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4247637905297979 facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4325255164202919 Thanks for sharing!
Decent repair if you get it early! The tractor supply seats are vinyl impregnated fabric and don't crack like the OEM ones. If you want, most of your autobody supply places will mix vinyl spray paint in a spray can. prep it and spray it.
That's a good idea to seal those cracks. I think if it were me I would do what you did but then I would buy a JD seat cover. My JD sits outside and I do cover it but the cover of course isn't waterproof. I remember the first JD mower I bought years ago. I bought it used and there was no back to the seat. Instead of buying a new seat I made one. I went to a craft store, bought a pillow insert and a couple of yards of yellow vinyl fabric. The color match was spot on. After sewing the fabric I then used Liquid Nails to adhere the seat to the plastic form on the mower. The mower was old and the hood was missing. The previous owner didn't take good care of the mower which was unfortunate but the mower ran well. I was desperate for a riding mower and had a lot of grass to cut so I bought it. I kept it covered and had it serviced a couple of times. When I decided to move out of state I sold the mower.
Of all the DIY seat repairs I've seen, this seems to have the potential of being the most durable
Thanks for watching. 🦅
👇UPDATED VIDEO HAS BEEN POSTED! See it HERE!👇
th-cam.com/video/hWEoQM65fto/w-d-xo.htmlsi=2MzpfUJFhY0-1hoA
These seats have been cracking since they were first developed. You would think John Deere would put a better quality seat on these. Mine cracked at less than 300 hours on a $7000 lawn mower. Good job on video
Won't argue with you on that one. I guess as long as we keep buying them there's no incentive to make anything better.
Thanks for watching.
Have you ever heard of built in obsolescence? This. I’m going to do this repair. Not going to keep giving JD money.
@@joedirt7640, Yes sir, that's pretty much every item we purchase anymore from electronics, small engine equipment, and even cars. I've been working on small engines for over 30 years and there is no comparison between the build quality of then and now.
@@baldeagle242
Thanks for your video,I have 2 to repair.
@@joedirt7640 I'll be sitting in the front row watching once you get a video posted. 👍
People like this gentleman should have over 100,000 subs. He is showing us a very good and reasonable way to fix seats without breaking the bank. Thank-you sir for sharing your knowledge and know how with us.
+John M Thank you so much for taking the time to share your comment! I hope to see you around on future videos. 😊👍
I have another seat repair video that also shows you how to reattach the vinyl to the base as well. th-cam.com/video/gRXUKQC_434/w-d-xo.html
You can lighten the yellow out some by adding a bit of white plastic dip. By adding small amounts n mixing you can test color match b4 application. This will get you a match that will blend better.
Great idea.
If you have a junk Deere seat, you could mix yellow and white until it looks right, then apply a final coat to the one that you already did.
Great info!
Mask off and spray final coat mixed with thinner - usually it’s a lighter coat and less intense color.
Heck, I’d really just dye the whole seat black for easier future color matching
You might try spray painting the entire seat with Rust-Oleum spray paint to make it a uniform color. They have different yellows to match, perhaps Marigold or Sunburst Yellow. It's manufactured for plastics and I've used it on bicycle seats without a problem. Costs less than $5 for a can.
Sunburst is my preferred JD yellow... It's brighter than JD yellow and looks much better.
I’ll have to look into it. I don’t think I’ve ever tried that color. I know Safety Yellow is pretty close.
@@paulg444 So duct-tape and Sunburst spay paint for those that want it done in 10 minutes, right? ;-) Your videos have helped me with some projects so kudos to you!
I changed the color of a full interior with vinyl trim repair kit and paint available in all auto body supply stores. I did everything but the seat
They sell John Deere yellow. Rust-Oleum brand paint
I like your no “filler” approach. Just quick and to the point! Thanks for the great vids! New sub!
Thank you! I appreciate you're support and look forward to seeing you around on future videos. 😁👍
After watching your video, I more or less used your technique on a craftsman mower seat (black in color) that I was fixing. I hadn't done this before, so I was hesitant, but was encouraged by your video. The cracks on this seat were larger and the vinyl edges were curled up. I decided to trim the edges down as close as I could to the normal level of the seat and then sanded around like you showed. I cleaned the area as well with a de-greaser. I actually used liquid flex seal instead of plasti dip simply because that was what I could find at the store. I did one crack first to learn from. After repairing the first crack, I changed plans a little. Originally, the first crack was gaped open by about 1/4 of an inch. After the repair was done, the center of the crack was noticeably soft. The rubber was attached well, but I decided I should have put some foam in the crack to fill up the space. I did this on the other cracks and it seemed to work well. In the end, it turned out looking really nice. Since it was a black seat, the color match was almost perfect. I don't know how well it has held up since the mower was given to a family who needed it, but for the 2 weeks or so that I had it after the repair was made, I got on and off the mower almost daily to test it and everything seemed to hold up well in that time. Also, the thin coats while applying the liquid rubber did seem to be the way to go. I tried applying a thicker coat at one point and it definitely increased the time between putting on the next coat. Thanks for the video!
I fixed my cracked john deere seat and my cracked potato chip style hood on my lawnmower permanently by trading the dam thing off for a zero-turn Toro. Best thing I ever did!
You’re not the only one. I bet there are close to a hundred comments on my hood and seat repair videos saying similar things. They are money makers for me so I’ll take all of them I can get. 😁👍
Oh no , Nothing , nothing runs like a Deere.
Love my Zero turn Toro!
I have three Toros. After the way Deere treated me on warranty for a 333D CTL I'll never touch another Deere product.
@anvilsvs You’re not alone. There are hundreds of comments on this video with similar stories.
Thanks for watching! Hopefully you’ll find other videos I’ve posted interesting or useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
Well done. As long as it keeps your backside dry and you didn't have to spend a lot of money, it's well worth doing it like this. I've got an old John Deere with cracks that I'm gonna fill. Thanks for making this video.
That's precisely my two cents on this repair. Inexpensive and effective. 😉👍
Thanks for watching. 🦅
Including golf karts, shop stools and mowers I’ve probably done close to 20 or so. If you want something that works even better get a piece yellow marine vinyl and some RH-66 vinyl glue and patch over the top of the crack. amzn.to/40PdfGi
Great idea on the seat repair. I can't believe the condition of that tractor, it looks like new
I'm going to start doing more restoration videos once the season slows down a little. Unfortunately, I retired this one before I decided to get serious about TH-cam videos. I'm working on a GT262 restoration now. Stay tuned. The videos are coming.
Thanks for watching. 🦅
Great idea on seat repair. Thank you very much! Better than a foam waterlogged cold butt!
Thanks for watching, and good luck with your repair.
GREAT video! I never, ever thought of using Plasti-Dip to do vinyl repair like that. I've only used it for tool handles. I discovered you and your videos about a week ago with the hood repair video you did. I subscribed and will be checking out your other stuff soon.
Thanks for subscribing, and thanks for watching. 🦅
New subscriber : Thank for the great editing of your videos . The pace and content of your videos are excellent . Keep up the good work .
Thank you!
Function over fashion. I appreciate it.
Thank you. 😁👍
I don't care too much about the color match - the important thing, how well does this hold up? It's a great solution if it extends the life of the seat!
I'm going on a season leaving outside also exposed intentionally to see how well holds up over the Michigan winter. Seems to work great without sanding and only using some carb cleaner spray to prep. I also cut foam to fit in the void and somewhat even the surface. Finally got around to start repairing my seats last September and looks like I didn't make a video regarding. I'll try to make one when I do the next repair and/or custom coating since have a can of the blue to make a Ford Blue seat from one of the seats. Last left off wanting to make a mold and wondering what resist works best to be able to raise the Ford lettering on the back... though now thinking I can print the logo in vinyl and just Plastidip over since invested in a Cricut a few days back. Did post on FB however: facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4247637905297979 facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4325255164202919
Couldn't agree more. Thanks for watching!
So far, out of all the diy repair tricks.. this one has the best long-term durability.
After two years a few of the cracks thar are in the pit of the chair have re-opened from me jumping in and out of my seat all year. However it was a simple touch up!!
Highly recommend this repair for someone looking to avoid a new seat purchase...
Hats off my shiny topped friend. Good on ya!!
@@4Da_Tech Thanks for the info and feedback on a prior repair. 😁👍🦅
I love the “shiny top friend” comment! 😂😂😂
Looks good to me. I will consider doing this to my cracked seat. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching. 😁👍
I don't even have a lawn mower but these restoration videos are pretty interesting and satisfying 👍
Thanks for watching! 🦅
Working on a 1992 GT262 now. Should have another video posted in a few weeks.
LOL!
Sorry to say I tried this fix and even used wire mesh beneath the split and it looked really good after repair and painting. Didn't even last one mowing. Time to buy a J.D. cover
I hate to hear that. 🤔
You are a VERY good instructor!
Thanks!
+YourAflacGal Thank you, and thanks for watching. 🦅
thanks I know this is a couple years old but I appreciate your time in doing this and getting to the point without the music and the talkie talk I hear on most videos.
Thank you. 😁👍
Very clean tractor!
Thanks for sharing your repair.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. 😁👍
Good stride brother! I have a husqvarna, seat tore a long while back meant to fix it but after a tree fell on it making it look like an old beaten pos, I've just let the looks go! As long as it keeps going I'll be content to what she looks like. If I ever run across an old pre 90s John Deere I'll keep this quick fix in mind but those plastic transmissions of these newer mowers just don't hack it! That and I'm always in work clothes even in leasure time anymore!
Thanks for the video. I have a 36 year old 400 series Wheel Horse that I installed a high back vinyl seat on from Northern Tool years ago. The seat has developed a crack in the same area as your John Deere. I'm sure I can get that PlastiDip in black to repair my seat. Thanks also for showing the can!
I love the Plasti-dip products. A few weeks ago the spring back on my 3 bladed pocket knife broke. I didn't want to throw it away, as the blades were in excellent shape. So, I dismantled it, attached the second spring back and two liners to the main blade with the original pin. Then I silver soldered everything solid. I dipped the now rigid handle in Plasti-dip and after 3 coats I had a comfortable small, fixed blade knife with a very nice sharp blade on it with a sharp slender tip. Perfect for small, detailed jobs!
Well sir, the color may be a little off, but the practical results are great. Awesome video.., excellent narration.
Thank you sir.
Thank you. 😁👍
I have the exact tractor, you have kept that machine in perfect shape! Looks awesome. Thanks for the good vid..
+Bill, They are great little machines. Thanks for watching. 👍
Covered storage, car wax, and Mother's tire shine.
Thanks , Going to try this on my mower seat too . Was wondering how long it would last but saw you sold it .
Thanks for the illustration on fixing the seat,great video and walking through the fix!
+@rodgerearll3912 Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
Actually the Plastidip seat repair has held up pretty good on my 2007 JD X300. I did mine about 4 years ago, although I need to repair it again since it's developed few more small cracks in the seat now. Another repair I did to the JD X300 was a hood repair, my hood split pretty much down the center about 18 inches long. The small 4 inch green colored zip ties with drilling small holes for size of zip tie on each side of the crack using a X pattern stitching worked great for that repair. I did that about 2 years ago.
That's great. Thanks for sharing your experience. 👍
You cud probably use some matt ounce n half weight works well and some polyester resin and fix your hood like new. Good prep job and making certain surface is clean of contaminants with acetone or similar. Very similar to this guys technique . Cheers.
I just got done rebuildiny my 182 Hydro but I was just gonna leave the seat, will definitely have to give this a shot...thank you so much!
You're welcome; thanks for watching. 🦅
Beautiful tractor. Really shows how long something can last if you truly take care of it and store it properly.
Thank you, and thanks for watching. 🦅
Great video, thanks, I'll try this and I'm sure it will turn out well. From a distance (neighbors) would never see the color difference, and I couldn't care less. Thanks again.
Let us know how it turns out. Thanks for watching. 🦅🇺🇸
Great video ! Thanks for taking the time to help others like me .
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
Great video, now I will be able to repair my garden tractor seats with confidence. Thank you!
Awesome, thanks for watching. 🦅
I bought a new JD in 2017 A X570 ! By 2019 the seat cracked, had NO problems with the dealer, they replaced it ! 👍🏻
That’s great to hear that the dealer replaced it. 😁👍
I did this to my Kubota lawn tractor's black seat with the spray. It took many coats but it worked really well, Perfect color match also!
That’s awesome. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 😁👍
Add a little WHITE plasri-Dip to town it down to match.. Or get a John Deere yellow spray paint and paint the area.
Your a life saver. My seat has several cracks and they poke me when I sit down, This fix will work for what i need. I just purchased a new Compact JD Tractor and i may have to do this repair on it too. Thanks for the info👍
+@Aaah-Mazn-Creations Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
Plastidip sells a "Create your own color kit" that you could use to create a color that closely matches the original yellow color.
I have 2 Craftsman 3500$ lawn tractors to repair and a 20,000$ Kubota seat to repair, this appears to be one of the best videos for seat repair I have seen. Thank you for all your videos.
Thank you! I’m working on another seat repair video that I hope to have out in a few weeks. It’s a little more extensive but will outlast this repair. I’ve started using bulk yellow marine vinyl and an industrial vinyl cement. You can cover as much or as little of the seat that’s needed but the cement is extremely weather resistant and the vinyl will tear before it comes loose. I’ve tried a few different brands but this is the one that works the best. 👇
amzn.to/3x1HGAh
@@baldeagle242 Thank you for replying. I will look forward for your next video.
@@billsilvers6066 👇UPDATED VIDEO HAS BEEN POSTED! See it HERE!👇
th-cam.com/video/hWEoQM65fto/w-d-xo.htmlsi=2MzpfUJFhY0-1hoA
That's a good idea. My 2015 seat is starting to show wear but no cracks, might just cover the whole thing before it cracks.
Thanks for watching, and let us know how that works out.
just make sure you send the entire surface and use the prep-all. Several thin coats and your good for quite some time.
Like how you done the seat it’s nice. You have anything about oil change etc on a 350…. 2022 yr Thanks
Thank you Barb. I’ve started making a few videos on oil changes and stuff like this in my “Back to the basics” playlist. I’ve not gotten around to making a video on the 350 yet not if you click the subscribe button and the notification bell TH-cam will notify you once I do. 😁👍
This was a solid vid. My only suggestion would be if you added a little bit of hobby acrylic yellow that is a brighter hue that could easily change the plaistidip base to match closer?
Thanks for the tip, and thanks for watching. 🦅
I picked up a lt160 a couple years ago and wow so abused. Replaced all wiring harnesses and much more electrical, runs like a top now the seat, thanks
Thanks for watching.
Helpful video for my Kubota (black seat), I will definitely do this.
Thank you. Let me know how it turns out. 😁👍
The durability of the the job comes with the prep and application being done correctly. 30 years exp in vinyl leather plastics repair.
Good Job and great video...×××dont forget the prep-all.×××
Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching. 🦅
As you said its weather resistance. Looks perfect to me.
Thanks again, Dean. I appreciate the comment. Thanks for watching. 😁👍
Thanks for the info. I will have to repair my seat this way.
😁👍
Let me know how it turns out.
Another great solution! Thank you! -- I have an old (and beloved) John Deere LT150 with a cracked seat, broken hood, etc. You would think that John Deere would improve their quality control on these parts to prevent these awful cracks and breaks -- but, then again, they wouldn't then be able to sell their WAY overpriced replacement parts. -- These videos are extremely useful and fun to watch. I already ordered products for my repairs next Spring. Great job.
@BOSTON-STRONG, let us know how your repairs turn out. 😁👍
@@baldeagle242 Will do! Thank you!
Great Job saving that seat man! That mower looks a million dollars!
Thank you. 😁👍
Thanks 👍
Having priced a new seat for my 20+ year old Snapper Lawn Tractor, this is one of the greatest money saving ideas I've ever seen. Thanks for showing us how it is done! p.s. Could you get a can of John Deere Yellow spray paint, and spray the whole seat after the plastic is fixed. The wax and grease remover could be used on the whole seat at the beginning, then after the functional repairs have been made, you could then use the John Deere yellow spray paint on the whole seat. Before I moved to the City, I lived on the old family place in the country and used my John Deere tractor just about every day, and I wish I still had it. Tip for occasional users of smaller to mid-size John Deere tractors with clutches- if you know it will beva week,or so until you use it again, the clutch much remain in the "disconnected" or depressed condition. Your John Deere will provide you with the correct bolt, about 6" long on mine, and the bolt hold is pre-drilled at the factory to kept the clutch plate and the pressure plate from welding themselves together. My dealer, and good friend, told me to crank it in neutral, slide it into first gear and drive it around until everything warmed up and the clutch started working again. That didn't happen, and something inside gave way, and the dealer and I agreed to split the costs, about 10 seconds after I saw everything relating to the clutch and gearbox laid out on the floor in an orderly manner by his expert mechanic.; hundreds of parts.
You’re welcome. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 😁👍
harbor freight got this stuff nine bucks and the cheap brushes are stiff and probably nicer I haven't started it yet but we shall see..... I'm going to use my multimax to sand down because there's quite a few tears but I do appreciate your podcast
Thank you. I’ll look into that stuff myself. 😁👍
Well done. FUNCTIONAL! Great idea. Thank you.
Thanks for watching.
You have just saved thousand of people money they would have normally spent on expensive seat replacement from John Deere. I love my Deere but boy is everything expensive when replacing seats and such. Thank you for sharing, Great video.
Thanks for watching. 😁👍
I'm wondering if you could get the JD to shine some more??? She's looking real good!!! Nice repair.
I love taking old neglected JDs and making them look like new again. I need to start getting more videos of what these things look like when I drag them home.
Thanks for watching. 😁👍
The mesh is ingenious! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! 🦅🇺🇸
I got lucky with my seat the Plasti Dip was a very good color match! Thank you for this video!
That's awesome! I've had a couple others say it matched pretty close as well. Thanks for watching. 🦅
Wow, thanks man, this actually worked, mine looked real bad, but i really didnt want to spend 90 bucks on a new seat. Looks great, hopefully it will hold
Wow man! Thanks! This is really easy
You're welcome. Thanks for watching. 👍
Thanks great idea that I’m going to use
Let me know how it turns out. 😁👍
Nice repair. I have two John Deere seats that are cracked. I will use your solution; however, for a final step I think I will paint the repair with John Deere Yellow paint. it should hide the mismatched yellow. This JD yellow & green paint is sold at Menards for $11/pint.
For a 2002 model that thing is still looking quite nice! Well other than the fact that it is one of those green things. I mean we all know that orange tractors are where it's at, but we can overlook the green part considering it's been so well maintained. You can tell that you are a man that likes to actually take care of and maintain your equipment properly. So many people nowadays consider everything, even multi thousand dollar tractors, to be short term disposable items. Yeah sure it's nice to get the newest fanciest thing every once in a while I guess. However I personally get a lot of pride and satisfaction from properly maintaining my various equipment and watching it continue to look and work great for the long run. It feels especially good when your 20 year old tractor looks and performs better than your neighbor or whoever's 2 year old tractor, lol! Awesome job good sir and um... Orange Tractor Pride!!! 🚜😁
I have a JD mower it is about 4 years old now. I am on my 3rd seat. The first one cracked and they replaced it. The next year it cracked again. This time the folks at JD looked and saw that the new seats were available. It seems they know about the problem and If it is within the years the thin ones were on they replace them no questions asked.
Good luck. They treated me right. The new seat is on over a year and no sign of cracks. Better material.
Thanks
Randy
That's excellent news. Thanks for sharing this info and thanks for watching. 🦅
My J D mower is 35 years old. It has the original seat but I doubt they'll give me a free replacement.
WOW, that is a CLEAN John Deere! Looks like something you would take to a tractor show :-)
+@bdc2007 Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
This is one of those "why didn't I think of that" ideas. I have three mowers, and two of them are going to get this repair as soon as it gets a bit warmer.
While I don't think that cracked seats can be completely avoided, I think one big reason for that happening is UV rays. When I got my last mower three years ago, I had my wife make me a seat covers. Not only are they pretty much always on the seats, but I also make habit of tipping the seats forward when not in use. That last seat still doesn't show any signs of wanting to crack. The other two mowers both started cracking before they were that old. Wish I'd used seat covers before.
All of my seats are black, so matching colours won't be much of an issue, but I wouldn't worry about it anyway. These mowers are used to do work on my acreage (mowing, tilling, harrowing, snow blowing, trailer towing, etc.), not to take to mower "Show and Shines".
Thanks for the posting.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. 😁👍
It looks good and a lot better than buying a new one. I like the version of sweet home Alabama that you had playing. Thanks for the video on the seat and repairing the hood.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching. 😁👍
Thank You !! I need to do this on my Husqvarna Seat. Gotta find some gray !! Better than shelling out $80 on a new seat that will do the same thing in a couple years !! Thanks again !!
@Art Hilliker, Thanks for watching. 🦅 Let us know how it turns out.
your tractor is so nice it deserves a new seat! I think thats a good repair for the old machines and as you mentioned much better than duct tape. good tip!
Thank you! I actually decided to order a new seat for this mower after I listed for sale but it sold before the seat arrived.
Thats a great tip! Thank you. I wonder though, usually by the time the seat starts cracking, the whole thing is brittle. I could see it just cracking somewhere else.
There is a point when you're better off replacing it with a new seat. In line with your comment, the repairs I've done on previous black seats, the repaired areas have lasted longer than other areas of the seat.
I tried spraying spar urethane on a seat. It'll stay if you clean it good from Armorall. That'll give it a little UV protection.
Great video, lots of good info, and most important is you're very articulate with no comedic attempt.
+@talltom1129 Thank you, I figure people looking for this type of video really just want the info. It aggravates me when I’m trying to fix something and it take 5-10 minutes to get to the point. Thanks for watching! Here’s a link to other videos I’ve posted that you may find useful. th-cam.com/play/PL5_ZXmQpcjpac4UV8OW8g-IWVCR8tqy79.html&si=RKfnQL-PAcZFy67a
@@baldeagle242 totally agree. Tell us what we want to know, save the jokes and hot air for your family
Great job. Looks like I've got one of my next projects.
Thanks for watching. 🦅
I have used the black electrical tape liquid tape I should say it works really good for different things Great idea thank you. Good video sir.👍😀😁😎
Thank you. 😁👍
Plastidip does sell a Clear version you could likely tint with John Deere Yellow powder coating powder to get a closer color match while keeping the price down.
Great video.
God bless.
Thank you, and thanks for watching. 👍
Thanks for all your videos. I’m starting a stx 38 restoration right after the new year. Any tips or tricks for the stx line ?
Best tip I can give is get started and have fun with it. I never think of stuff like this as work. It’s something I enjoy and I take each challenge as it comes.
Hey, another helpful video! Thanks!👍
Thanks for watching James. 🦅
Really liked that this was something new that no one else has covered.
My question is how do you clean up the plasti-dip from tools, etc.?
+Rebecca Gray, the brushes I use are just inexpensive chip brushes that you can purchase on Amazon for around $10 for 24 of them(link in video description). I dispose of them when I'm done. If you get some other tools, it will wipe off pretty quickly when it's still wet. If it's dry, I take it to my bench grinder with a wire wheel, and it will strip it right off. Hope this helps and good luck with your repair. 🦅🇺🇸
Thanks for the video. I've been looking for ways to save seats. I fix and flip mowers and a good seat is getting harder to come by. That JD is in awesome shape. I sold one last year I thought was nice , yours looks new
Thanks for watching. Let me know how it works out for you.
Great ideas on seat repair thx for sharing with us Waiting for more update
Thanks for watching. This mower was sold shortly after the video was made. I've not heard anything back from the buyer so hopefully, all is still good.
@@baldeagle242 that great 👍
I'm late to the party, but what about using a small syringe to get deep into the crack?
I’m sure that would help. Others have also suggested dipping the mesh before stuffing it down in the crack.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. 😁👍
i like the way u present info, u don't talk it to death thanks. my first time to see your video. u done good. i have subsribed and hit the bell will be back. u tube needs more like u
Thank you very much for the kind words. My goal is to get to the point and get it done. Thanks for watching and subscribing. 🦅
I believe this should be done to a seat before it starts to crack. Great idea👍🏻
I'm sure it could help to prolong its life. Thanks for watching.
It is sad that every mower seat cracks in the same place.
Awesome job on your video sir. My seat is cracked worse than yours at 100 hrs. I certainly will try your repair and thank you so very much for taking the time to make this video 👍😎
@@jmarent435 Thank you! I do have a newer seat repair video that shows a little more involved process but works well for more severally damaged seats and has proven to last much longer on seats I’ve repaired. How to Save Big on John Deere Seats: Avoid the $380 Dealer Price!
th-cam.com/video/hWEoQM65fto/w-d-xo.html
He cracks me up,showing his crack like that.
🤣👍
Thanks, brother! Just picked up a 2017 L100 with a severely cracked seat - my boss needs it for his elderly mother. This will keep it within budget 🤑
Appreciate the advice regarding the sanding. Didn't even think about doing that when I did mine last sept. and left two of the riders out exposed to the Michigan winter to see how performs since I recall watching a video a few years ago where someone repaired their JD seat and noted they just left theirs outside and held up good. Works even for hose repair where I used to repair the crankcase breather hose end that goes into the air intake on the 18.5HP 31HXXX engine that I originally first repaired using type 1 silicone though that didn't hold up well to the gasoline. Plastidip seems to do well exposed to gasoline or at least the fumes also. I'll try to make a video, since forgot, when I do the next repair and/or custom coating since have a can of the blue to make a Ford Blue seat from one of the seats. Last left off wanting to make a mold and wondering what resist works best to release from the mold, so to be able to make a raised Ford lettering on the back... though now thinking I can print the logo in vinyl and just Plastidip over since invested in a Cricut a few days back. Did post on FB however: facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4247637905297979 facebook.com/james.analytic/posts/4325255164202919 Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching.
Bought a JD seat for my small blacktop roller. Seat developed cracks within 2 months..I have to try this..THANKS for the idea
You're welcome. Thanks for watching. 🦅
There is a recall on the seats
This dude is so likeable, love the name 😆
Thanks for watching. 🦅
That is one good looking tractor.
Thank you! 😁👍
Great ingenuity for a functional repair. Even green or pink polka-dots on the yellow seat would be better than my seat getting wet.
That would also be super cute!
Great video could you just paint it John deere yellow after repair?
There have been a few people who have commented that you can but I’ve never tried it myself.
I wonder if you sanded the whole seat and spray paint jd yellow?
Great fix sure beats a wet ass .
I'll have to play around with something like this. Maybe vinyl dye?
Thank you. My brother has an old jd lawn tractor. Not certain his seat is cracked, but if it is, your vidio will help him not waste money.
Good stuff. I might try this!
Let us know how it turns out if you give it a try. Thanks for watching. 🦅
Another fine video form a great channel .
Thanks for watching. 🦅🇺🇸
Decent repair if you get it early! The tractor supply seats are vinyl impregnated fabric and don't crack like the OEM ones. If you want, most of your autobody supply places will mix vinyl spray paint in a spray can. prep it and spray it.
Thanks for the info good job ilike
Thank you.
Excellent Idea, appreciate the content!
Awesome, thanks for watching. 🦅
Fantastic, nice work, much appreciated
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 😁👍
Thanks Great repair.
Thank you, and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 😁👍
That's a good idea to seal those cracks. I think if it were me I would do what you did but then I would buy a JD seat cover. My JD sits outside and I do cover it but the cover of course isn't waterproof.
I remember the first JD mower I bought years ago. I bought it used and there was no back to the seat. Instead of buying a new seat I made one. I went to a craft store, bought a pillow insert and a couple of yards of yellow vinyl fabric. The color match was spot on. After sewing the fabric I then used Liquid Nails to adhere the seat to the plastic form on the mower. The mower was old and the hood was missing. The previous owner didn't take good care of the mower which was unfortunate but the mower ran well. I was desperate for a riding mower and had a lot of grass to cut so I bought it. I kept it covered and had it serviced a couple of times. When I decided to move out of state I sold the mower.