Fitting a Milsco seat from KDR

[wheeledhorseman 573]

Long story short, I needed the low back seat fitted to the D last year as a stop gap measure to put on the Ranger project so the hunt for a seat at a reasonable price began. I obtained an excellent condition Michigan Seat Co seat from a WH being parted but when it arrived I just knew it had to go onto the C-120 to replace one with a few tears in it which in turn has moved on to the 316. A kind of round robin overal improvement of the herd system.

 

I'd also been considering a Milsco seat from KDR. Based on the price, these are new but slight seconds, production overuns, or obsolete factory stock I guess and no guarantee is given re the fixing holes beyond the fact that there are at least four, generally either M8 or 3/8 UNC. At the price you get what you get and I discovered that trying to find out more about the fixings by email goes unanswered which I can understand as the seats will have been made to various manufacturers requirements invariably designed to mount to a frame these days.

 

Shall I, shan't I? ...... In the end I decided to take the plunge as there was a sale on so what did I get for my £46.54 with free delivery?

 

 

The answer was a very nice seat, a bit different to the old school style of the 70s - 90s but a very well made seat with plastic shell - no rust problems!.

 

 

Mine had six mountings, the top pair in the photo happened to be the correct spacing for WH but sadly the other four didn't line up. The captive nut threads by sight obviously weren't M8 but 3/8 UNC bolts seemed a tight fit for a new thread but they did go in with a bit of oil without visibly damaging the threads.

 

KDR describe the seats as made in the UK though a bit of Tinternet research didn't confirm Milsco manufacturing anywhere other than the US - another reason I hesitated on the purchase. Anyway, all was anwered on the moulding which confirms MILSCO Coventry, Great Britain - Milwalkee, WI USA.

 

KDR state ' You will be required to use your DIY knowledge when it comes to fitment.' and there's no rocket science in what follows but I thought I'd include my simple adaption.

 

 

I cut two lengths of flat bar. The hole towards the back of the seat alow a long bolt to pass through the seat spring and into the captive nut. The holes towards the front line up with wider spaced mountings and two holes were drilled in the flat bar and tapped for the forward holes in the springs.

 

 

I debated whether or not to use a wider flat bar before cutting the pieces and with the benefit of hindsight it would have been a better engineered solution to have used wider bar but what I used will do.

 

The result then was from this....

 

 

To this .....

 

 

and I now have a low back Michigan Seat for the Ranger A-800.

 

I don't think the  Milsco seat looks too out of place on the D-200, after all the deluxe factory seat even had arm rests! It's a very comfortable seat and I think very good value for money but it does look different to original spec so perhaps not for the purist when it comes to slmaller horses and showing, a different matter perhaps if your horse(s) work for a living.

 

I thought I'd share this in case anyone else was wondering about the Milsco seats from KDR in the UK.

 

Andy

 

 

 

[leeave96 487]

That looks pretty good!

[Stormin 9,975]

The seat Martin Hirst got for the C-81 I bought off him is a Milsco. Nice seat.

[Anglo Traction 759]

 I had also considered that Seat for my C-120 Andy, but like yourself, was uncertain of the lack of info on Bolt/thread pattern. I held out for a Euro original pattern Seat and did ok in the end.
I'm glad it worked out to be a 'Wise Buy' with simple adaption and it does look comfortable/ok on the 'D'.
Of course it does mean you now have to drive the 'D' around for a few hours now just to get used to it

[meadowfield 2,545]

yeah looks good, did a similar mod for Ewans KAB seat on the C-121.

[Charlie Smith 142]

Nice job, looks great