Why Tractor Seats Are Important

A job in agriculture means hard work and, to accomplish all your goals, you need reliable tools and machines. In this post, we’re going to focus on the indispensable tractor, more precisely, on tractor seats. Read on and see what makes tractor seats important, when they were first used, and when it’s time to change them.

Why Is a Tractor Seat Necessary? 

Tractors are not meant for short casual rides. Tasks that require a tractor might imply spending hours in a row behind the vehicle’s wheel. This is unavoidable because agricultural works require a lot of time and patience, and those who need to use a tractor definitely have to work on an extended surface which, again, requires time. 

In conclusion, tractor seats are necessary because otherwise, workers could not possibly use these vehicles for long hours while standing instead of sitting. When it comes to the type of seat a tractor should have, there are different features to take into account.

How Does a Good Tractor Seat Look Like?

Generally, we tend to believe that a good tractor comes with a good seat and that they both imply spending more on this vehicle, which is mostly true. Higher prices bring better quality. However, in some cases, the vehicle itself may work great in the long term while the tractor gets damaged within a few years and needs to be replaced.

Conversely, you might have found a tractor with an excellent seat that troubles you with mechanical issues after one year. These are aspects you might not be able to predict, but what you can focus on when purchasing a tractor, provided that getting one with a sturdy seat is a priority, are the following features:

Comfort 

First and foremost, your tractor seat should be able to provide you with a high level of comfort, given that you are about to spend a considerable amount of time sitting on it. There is no better way of testing this feature than actually getting inside the tractor and spending a few minutes on the seat.

Try to adjust it to see how easy it would be for you to drive the vehicle from different positions. Check out how easy it is to change the seat’s position and how well you can reach the handle or device that allows you to do so. In short, imagine yourself driving that tractor and ask yourself the question – do I feel comfortable in this seat?

To get the best out of your tractor seat in terms of comfort, you should look for a model that is very well-cushioned. You can verify this aspect by carefully touching the seat. A well-cushioned seat will help you feel at ease while driving your tractor on a bumpy road and reduce back problems, or the risk of developing them in the future.

Proper support for your back 

Especially if you have a sensitive back, you should concentrate for a few seconds on how well you feel that the seat supports your back. Not all seats might be suitable for you and a poorly designed one that doesn’t offer reliable support can worsen your spine problems and cause you more pain.

Resistance 

Check out the material that covers the seat. If it looks cheap or thin and you believe it will probably get worn out in a couple of years, you should continue searching. The same applies to the overall structure of the seat. Does it feel sturdy enough when you touch it? It should, as tractors need to be resistant due to the nature of the works they are involved in.

Adaptability to Weather Conditions 

Some tractors are covered but, if you live in an area with a warm climate or you mostly need to use your tractor during the summer month, you might want to opt for an open-air model, which is exactly what it sounds like – a tractor that has no top or side covers.

If this is your choice, there is an additional future you should take into account as you might need to drive the vehicle during rainy days too or you might simply not have a proper space to park it under a covered area.

The aspect that should worry you, in this case, is whether the seat is waterproof or not. Humidity can deteriorate your seat and force you to change it sooner than you might want to.

Dimensions

If you are not looking for a tractor, but only for a replacement for your old seat, you must be aware of the dimensions of the latter so that you don’t risk buying a seat that’s too large or too small and that can’t be used with your tractor.

Buying a tractor, or a tractor seat, is not like buying groceries – even if you need it urgently, you shouldn’t rush and risk making a poor decision that will cost you more money in the long term as either the tractor or the seat or both of them might require repairs.

When Should You Change Your Tractor Seat?

When you’re busy all day long focusing on your crops and plants, you might not even notice that your tractor seat might need to be fixed or replaced. Nonetheless, once you feel that this becomes necessary, you shouldn’t postpone this task as it may impede you from successfully carrying out your work. 

Defective seats can create a lot of discomfort. When you are using the tractor and your seat balances or doesn’t allow you to properly keep your back in a correct and comfortable position, you immediately feel like getting out of there as soon as possible. 

If you have to drive the tractor for long hours, an uncomfortable position is not only annoying, but it can also reduce your productivity as you will be eager to take breaks more frequently, which means wasted time. 

Additionally, a defective or old tractor seat that no longer works properly also poses health risks especially for people who already have spine problems and frequently suffer from back pain. Sitting for too long in an uncomfortable position that doesn’t allow you to keep your back straight may worsen these health issues.

Another common problem caused by a hard old tractor seat is that persistent sensation of sore bum that can linger for hours if you’ve been driving your tractor frequently and you didn’t even put a blanket on the seat to make it more comfortable.  

Finally, the biggest risk associated with defective tractor seats is that of accidents. If you are driving, but at the same time, you are constantly trying to adjust your seat or to find a position that allows you to be more comfortable, you might not pay enough attention to what lies in front of you. 

This can translate into severe accidents, even if you are alone on a country road or field, and more so if you are on a road with heavy traffic or in an area where other agricultural activities are carried out, which means you risk hurting other people. 

The bottom line is that different accidents or injuries may be caused by defective tractor seats. Once you get the first sign that your seat needs fixing, you shouldn’t waste any more time and try to provide the necessary repairs or replace it altogether. 

One of the common signals defective tractor seats send when they become worn out is a lack of stability. Just like a car seat that has been used for many years, an old tractor seat will simply not provide you the same feeling of security after prolonged use. It will look and feel less sturdy. 

Other defects may involve parts of the tractor seat and the mechanism that allows you to adjust it which may also get damaged in time. If your seat only allows you to lean too far back, this is also problematic because you might not have sufficient control over the wheel. 

If the tractor seat becomes shabby, after prolonged use, and it simply makes you not want to get behind that vehicle’s wheel anymore, this is the ultimate sign that you might want to replace it with a new one.

A good tractor seat plays a major role in how you feel while working and it definitely has an impact on your work’s result. If you don’t feel comfortable while driving your tractor, your efficiency and the simple joy of working in the field will decrease and you will need more time to get the job done.