Making a new seat.
- Thread starter jimbo
- Start date
I think the expanded metal is a little over kill. I'll see if I can find the thread where I made one.
Before you start on the fiberglass, use aluminum tape over the blue tape you have on there, and wax it. Makes it a lot easier to separate.
Before you start on the fiberglass, use aluminum tape over the blue tape you have on there, and wax it. Makes it a lot easier to separate.
Ok, I couldn't find the thread, but I found the pictures. Under this, I use some cardboard to form around the battery and wiring.
what?
Active Member
have your chiropractor on speed dial. i couldn't imagine riding my pit without the spring seat. then again the NJ roads take a beating and are loaded with potholes after every winter.
all kidding aside. if you are going with the wire as your base i'd make sure you have a good buffer between that and the top terminals of the battery. i seem to recall that the mounting plate (which is rigid) on mine is pretty close to the top of the battery. any flex in that drop seat and you might short the battery and/or ancillary wiring. and if you are going this route because you want to be stretched out a little consider the forward extensions. i did the 2.5", i think, and it stretched me out pretty good. at 6"3" it extends the legs out a bit and you don't have to do any brake line mods. see pic
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Jersey Big Mike
100K mile club
NJ has potholes all year long -- they never fix any off them -- they just move them so you don't know where they are...
One of the reasons when I lived in NJ I spent more time riding in PA.
So Bill what Exit?
what?
Active Member
Hah! that's a trick question? Parkway or Turnpike? Just south of the Driscoll Bridge.
jimbo
Member
This was my first Pitbull. I bought the drop seat and really liked the lower seat. The ride is not that bad maybe because I run a dozer for a living so I’m used to a rough ride. I couldn’t see spending another $300 on a seat so I figured I’d build one. The plan is to cover the metal with fiberglass. I thought about going the route Mr. Wright suggested but I figured since it was a rigid and I weigh 260 I needed more support. Also I have a piece of rubber over my battery to keep anything of it.
what?
Active Member
I've used materials like the ones below for building home gym equipment for a few benches i made. they take some abuse, sweat, lots of weight etc. The padding is pretty dense and the fabric stretches and has never ripped on me. A trick i read about and used, is to use an electric knife to shape the foam. Like the kind you would carve up a roast with. Take your time and shave small slivers off. Just don't tell the wife. LOL.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I80SFAQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HGM1QE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I80SFAQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HGM1QE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
jimbo
Member
I’m gonna take it to a local shop to get covered. I’m not sure I want to try that part myself.
Big Daddy 72
Custom Street Rod Interiors & Design
Might wanna check and see what the local shop is gonna charge you to cover it before you put all that work in it.
$300.00 for a new seat may not be a bad choice. I can build all my own from scratch including the cover and I would purchase the new seat.
To do it right you are in for a lot of work and if you haven't done any foam work before the seat cover is only gonna look as good as the foam work. They are gonna have to make patterns off of the foam work you provide.
I would def talk to the shop and get an estimate.
$300.00 for a new seat may not be a bad choice. I can build all my own from scratch including the cover and I would purchase the new seat.
To do it right you are in for a lot of work and if you haven't done any foam work before the seat cover is only gonna look as good as the foam work. They are gonna have to make patterns off of the foam work you provide.
I would def talk to the shop and get an estimate.
PacoPetty
Well-Known Member
You are a smart man!
Brent Herridge
Active Member
Wow. I'm blown away. That does look great. I'm about a week away from my finished product, so I'll post then. It has been quite the saga.......and I spent WAY more than $300.
Looks great.
Looks great.
jimbo
Member
Thank you.Great work James…...seat looks good
jimbo
Member
Thank you!
jimbo
Member
I only have $225 in mine but I dropped off my sissy bar pad yesterday to get recovered so the price will go up a little. If you are having someone else put the cover on I would suggest taking your bike to them after they put the foam on before they wrap it so you can make sure it is shaped like you want it. This is what I did and the guy had to trim and add foam to get it to what I wanted.
Looks awesome.
I always hated working pans that had metal in them... hopefully you have it fitted absolutely perfectly. If you don't glass both sides of it, totally encasing it, then grind the fiberglass to fit , the mesh may chafe through the felt, from vibration and flex, and get into you frame, tank, or fender.