Replacing the Driver's Seat

[chessie4905]

Sure helps when you hit one of those potholes.

[windtrader]

Another question:  For our purposes (not driving all day, every day,) is the "air ride" that big of a deal?  I can get a power adjustable seat with all the adjustable lumbar support, etc. without using the air.  It seem that moving to an "air ride" seat boosts the price a good bit.

Personally, I don't get all the hoopla over the driver seat. The bus I have came with a standard issue seat but it is not comfortable for me. Maybe it is not positioned for my liking but in general, I find the bus rides like a dream, floating on an air suspension.


Maybe the old trucks had suspensions that did not absorb the road as well but at least I don't drive anywhere near 10 hours a day in my bus. I try to limit each leg to 3 hours unless really needing to get somewhere on a timeline.



On my list is to swap the driver seat for a seat from a passenger car that will suit my comfort needs better. Probably going to grab a clean one from the local pick and pull when the next sale runs for $25 to give it a try.

[Coach_and_Crown_Guy]

I drove a "J" on Looooong multi-week tours for a year or two and I flat didn't like the air seat at all.
The biggest thing was how high it would rise to get the travel needed to absorb road shocks. If it
didn't rise high enough it would violently slam me down and bottom out with a huge shock to my
back, Real Nasty. This is one of the really hard parts to overcome in any air-ride seat design, the
sudden stop at the bottom when it runs out of travel. This is on ALL air-seats and I deal with it
all the time on every bus I drive equipped with them. It's tricky to get them adjusted right for the
various road conditions.

I found myself feeling like I was almost standing up and my legs were extended so much only my toes could reach the pedals. The wheel was in my lap, and every time the seat moved, even a little, my foot would move the throttle and affect the smoothness of the ride I pride myself on giving. It
even affected things when I was braking. this was totally unacceptable to me.

I ended up just lowering the seat all the way so it rested on the shelf it was mounted to, on the "J".
I lucked out that the seat position worked out perfectly for my legs and arm positions so I felt very
comfortable driving that way. From then on my pedal and steering wheel geometry never varied and
I was always in total control as the bus suspension absorbed the shocks just fine. I never again
suffered the rude spinal shock of the seat slamming down so hard and it was extremely comfortable
for me as I drove usually for about 8-10 hours a day. I have a real love hate relationship with air-ride seats in general. I love them when they work well, and I hate them when they hurt me more than I would be without one. Go figure.

[buswarrior]

No need for an air seat.

I ride them "on the floor" for the most part.

And air ride seat requires some leg use, similar to riding a horse, if it goes up, you use your legs to prevent the going down and hitting the bottom.

Pain in the a$$, one way or the other.

I miss a good old pedestal seat.

Power seats from luxury cars were a popular re-fit for busnuts in days gone by.

Built in seat/shoulder belts from a gm suv product from a few years back was said to work?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[dtcerrato]

The only air seat I've ever ridden is the one on the morning after eating baked beans nite before!  Automatic warmer too!

[Jim Blackwood]

I had an air ride seat in our Coachmen RV but that was a bread truck so I don't expect it is at all the same.
Jim

[RJ]

Kevin -

My MCI had the optional hi-back National pedestal seat, and, once you got it adjusted properly, was extremely comfortable to drive for hours - as long as you took a break every 3-4 hours, just to get up and walk around a bit.

My Prevost has an Isringhausen low-back air-ride seat that, altho the backrest is comfortable, I miss the shoulder support of the hi-back National.

I don't know what model this Isi seat is, but I discovered that there's a "hidden" lever on the LR that after you sit down and the seat adjusts itself to your weight, if you pull the lever forward, it "locks" out the air ride, so it becomes more like the pedestal seats. After owning the coach almost three years now, I have mixed feelings. Sometimes I like the air ride, other times I prefer it locked out. The air ride is nice on the super slab, but locked out is better around town and on the little blue highways.

I agree with Buswarrior about possibly getting a seat from Sam Caylor, but you know the odds buying used. Sam's number, btw, is 785-878-3405.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[lostagain]

In my 5C, I replaced the seat with a Sears Seating Legacy II air seat I got from a trucker. Like new, leather, infinitely adjustable, heat, massage, etc. Love it. But I am used to air seats from driving trucks. You don't need an air seat in an air ride bus, but it sure is nice... for me anyway. A good quality seat can be adjusted so it doesn't bottom out, and is not all the way up either.

[windtrader]

I think the proper positioning is most important. Seems like other comments suggest the same. The seat has adjustments but is not adjustable to get it where it feels comfortable. Maybe, I'll do some adjusting of the slider and pedestal supports to get it closer first

[luvrbus]

The way the newer stuff is made with power adjustable seat,throttle,brakes pedals ,steering wheel and mirrors  it is hard not to get comfortable, my RV gets to comfortable for me with the cruise control on   

[RJ]

I think the proper positioning is most important.

Don -

Ergonomically, the proper seating position for a coach should be a vertical line from your ear, thru your shoulder to your pelvis. Your thighs should be at a right angle to your shoulder to pelvis vertical line. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your calves at a 90º angle to your thighs. You should be close enough to the dash that your right foot shouldn't be more than a 30º angle or so away from vertical when on the throttle or brake.

When situated this way, it offers the best back support and is the least fatiguing while driving.

(-- left over from my days as a driver trainer --)

FWIW & HTH. . .

[chessie4905]

Cliff, put it on cruise and go back and take a nap. Seat comfort is great but having to drive into late afternoon sun for hours sucks.

[dtcerrato]

Don -

Ergonomically, the proper seating position for a coach should be a vertical line from your ear, thru your shoulder to your pelvis. Your thighs should be at a right angle to your shoulder to pelvis vertical line. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your calves at a 90º angle to your thighs. You should be close enough to the dash that your right foot shouldn't be more than a 30º angle or so away from vertical when on the throttle or brake.

When situated this way, it offers the best back support and is the least fatiguing while driving.

(-- left over from my days as a driver trainer --)

FWIW & HTH. . .

RJ my posture is so screwed up if I tried to orientated myself as you described I'd probably fracture something! Lol

[richard5933]

Don -

Ergonomically, the proper seating position for a coach should be a vertical line from your ear, thru your shoulder to your pelvis. Your thighs should be at a right angle to your shoulder to pelvis vertical line. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your calves at a 90º angle to your thighs. You should be close enough to the dash that your right foot shouldn't be more than a 30º angle or so away from vertical when on the throttle or brake.

When situated this way, it offers the best back support and is the least fatiguing while driving.

(-- left over from my days as a driver trainer --)

FWIW & HTH. . .

I wish they had shorter (5' 2") drivers in mind when designing the OEM seats if this is the recommended posture. Sounds like a reasonable way to sit, but for me to do that I'd be holding the steering wheel at shoulder height and not seeing much of the road.

My accommodations have been a block on the throttle and a carpeted lift block for putting under my left foot when it's not clutching.

[chessie4905]

those recommended positions go out the window when old.