Safety Seat For Riding Mower

Safety Seat For Riding Mower FARM HOME Lawn Mowers (31h,38) 18-6-25 "I know most safety specialists would not recommend this idea, but I figure kids are going to ride along on riding mowers no matter what you do so I decided to make a seat that would keep them safe," says Jeff Lonsky, Rogers, Minn., about the "safety seat" he built for his 2-year-old son that attaches to his Deere 116 riding mower. Lonsky used a bicycle "kiddie seat" and mounted it on a heavy-walled 1 3/4-in. steel tube that slides into a receiver-type hitch under the seat. The kiddie seat bolts to a 3/ 4-in. thick plywood board that fastens to a steel plate that welds to the steel tubing. "It's the talk of the neighbors. It's built strong and works good," says Lonsky. "I made it last spring and used it all summer with no problems. My son loves it. He used to sit on the driveway and cry because he couldn't ride with me. It's a lot safer than letting him sit on my lap while I mow. He sits at about eye level to me. He's secured by a seat belt and by a safety harness that goes over his shoulders and between his legs. There's also a safety bar with hand grips in front of him to hold onto. I built it so that he's not out far enough to tip the mower over, yet he's not so close to me that I'm banging into him all the time. He weighs only about 30 lbs. ,and we have a fairly level lawn so the extra weight on the side of the tractor hasn't been a problem. I wouldn't do it if I had a hilly yard. The Deere 116 riding mower is hydraulic driven and has controls mounted near the rear fender so I can keep one hand near my son and one on the steering wheel at the same time. His feet are placed inside an enclosure so whenever I go near a tree they can't get caught. He also wears earmuffs for hearing protection." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jeff Lonsky, 14455 Starlite Dr., Rogers, Minn. 55374 (ph 612 428-8426).

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