Topic: make a new seat

[James360]

I want to take a piece of aluminum form it the width of the frame rails
for a new seat with the cushion only about two inches thick, what kind
of fairly solid stuff can i use, where would i get it at.

 

[Frankenkit]

I'll page Dr. Bucky Katt- he found some kind of matting that was a great blend of soft and supportive...

[super pasty white guy]

I used thick neoprene closed cell foam. 
http://www.foambymail.com/neoprene.html

Bucky's option is cheaper though.

spwg

[bucky katt]

i used heavy closed cell foam padding used under carpets. it's made up of ground and chopped up recycled foam, it's an inch thick and has more than enough padding, even for a major league fatass like me.  another alternative is going to a sporting goods store and getting a cheap sleeping mat. those are made out of nice, thick closed cell foam too and you get a 6 foot 6 inch long sheet for around 20 dollars so if you screw up the first time theres plenty more to try again. heres my seat (with crappy looking covering which is being re-done) any questions just message me. those are the cheapest ways to go, if you want to go whole hog and spend some mooney on a pad (worth it but expensive, you go to a tack shop (saddlery and horse supplies) and get a Cashel foam pad, the most common ones being used between an english saddle and saddle blanket (used on thoroughbreds a bunch) like this one here from Dover saddlery (theyre abut the cheapest on this stuff because theyre so high volume) in fact i had one of these pads last me 16 years so theyre REAL durable too.  http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-19110&ids=775613923  enjoy and let me know what you decide to use

[The_Crippler]

I used thick neoprene closed cell foam. 
http://www.foambymail.com/neoprene.html

Bucky's option is cheaper though.

spwg

That's the site I'd been looking at for when I make my seat.

[James360]

Ok thanks guys almost to many options to decide on. This 75 360 I have
I lengthened the swing arm 3 inches really just using it as a trail bike slash hill climber (48 tooth sprocket now) The factory seat sucks in looks.
Never made a seat before my plan is to go to the metal yard get some of there scrap aluminum form it the width of the frame rails , use some form of dense foam stretch some vinyl over it, not sure how i'm going to hold the vinyl to the bottom of the aluminum, how should I do that ?

the seat does not have to be perfect for a dirt bike but to me anything would beat the bulky factory seat. later on another yr or so im going to put it back on the street then the seat is going to have to get fancy
for sure.

[Alan F.]

... not sure how i'm going to hold the vinyl to the bottom of the aluminum, how should I do that ?

Strips of sticky-backed velcro.  If the sticky stuff fails...and it will, you can pop rivet thru the seat pan into a flat washer every couple inches to hold it, and you can stitch it to the seat cover.

[The_Crippler]

Strips of sticky-backed velcro.  If the sticky stuff fails...and it will, you can pop rivet thru the seat pan into a flat washer every couple inches to hold it, and you can stitch it to the seat cover.

+1 on the pop rivets.  They're cheap and really easy to do.  You can usually find the rivet tool at a place like Harbor Freight for around $10-15.

[bucky katt]

3M industrial spray adhesive. i think that stuff is strong enough to glue an elephant to a wall

[The_Crippler]

Experiment, cite sources and pictures of result, please.

[Alan F.]

Another idea is to use snaps, you can get kits at most outdoor equipment stores and craft stores have them too.

Something like this: http://www.grommetmart.com/index.cfm/product/544_76/ring-snaps-setter-kit-15mm-58-24-ligne.cfm

[James360]

The original seat pan uses sharp metal spikes that poke through the vinyl and glue.

I have a pop rivet gun.

I have no clue how to put any pictures on a computer i'm a computer
idiot.

I have a 2003 ford T-bird for sale on craigs list with 14,100 miles. I had to get someone else to put it and pictures on craigs list for me.

[Alan F.]

this may help