8 Easiest Ways to Raise a Snowmobile Seat [Video]


If you are tall, the seat on your sled may be too low for you. This is a common issue for tall riders, especially with tiny vintage sleds! For your convenience, we at PowerSportsGuide have compiled the 8 easiest ways to raise a snowmobile seat:

  1. Use a seat pad.
  2. Install a seat wedge.
  3. Raise the original seat with a bracket.
  4. Install a snowmobile seat riser kit.
  5. Invest in an OEM comfort seat.
  6. Consider an aftermarket seat.
  7. Borrow a seat from another powersport vehicle.
  8. Build your own DIY seat from scratch.

If you want to find out more about these tricks, this post is for you.

Without further ado, let’s drill into the details!

8 Easiest Ways to Raise a Snowmobile Seat

1. Use a Seat Pad

There’s no question that the easiest way to raise a snowmobile seat is to install a seat pad. These pads are actually throwable seat cushions that are commonly used for raising and softening motorcycle seats.

These pads are easy to install as they can be simply strapped on top of the seat. They come in many shapes and sizes and are filled with air, water, gel, or foam depending on the model.

Since special snowmobile seat pads are quite rare on the market, you should consider investing in a motorcycle seat pad.

They are cheap and quick to install, which is why they are so popular among motorcycle riders.

On the other hand, keep in mind that these pads are prone to sliding on the saddle, so they probably won’t stay in place for the long run. Gel is prone to becoming stiff in the cold and water-filled pads are also not recommended for obvious reasons.

However, foam pads can work as a temporary solution. Just make sure you attach it as tightly as possible.

Are you looking for something permanent and more stylish? Keep reading!

2. Snowmobile Seat Wedge

When it comes to raising a snowmobile seat, aftermarket seat wedges are often overlooked. These products are large plastic wedges that can be installed under stock seats.

They are designed to primarily raise the rear of the seat, but you can notice a slight change on the front as well.

The main idea behind a snowmobile seat wedge is to adjust the angle of the seat, which can give you a more natural riding position. It can also result in less fatigue on longer rides.

As an addition, many of them offer a little storage below the seat.

Drawbacks?

First, these wedges are often model-specific, so they may not be available for your sled.

What’s more, some riders find this improved seat angle uncomfortable. This is because the steeper seat causes you to keep sliding forward towards the tank the whole time.

3. DIY Snowmobile Seat Riser

DIY snowmobile seat risers work in the same way as aftermarket wedges, but they are often flat or just feature a slight slope to the front.

If you want to raise the seat on your sled, you can build a homemade snowmobile seat riser from plastic, wood, or even metal.

The easiest way is to simply install a thicker UMHW plastic board under the seat. But if you are looking for something higher, you can even weld on a complete frame from metal or wood.

Thanks to their simplicity, these custom risers cost virtually nothing. If you like building this could be a great weekend project for you!

The other main advantage of these DIY snowmobile seat risers is that they work with the original seat. You don’t have to reupholster or modify your stock seat, only install the frame under it.

On the other hand, keep in mind these risers typically work well on vintage sleds in which the seat is directly bolted onto the tunnel.

Newer models typically feature a more complex body, so installing a homemade seat riser would be harder to accomplish.

And let’s face it, a wooden bracket like this would look really weird on a brand new sled!

4. Snowmobile Seat Riser Kit

One of the best ways to raise a snowmobile seat is to invest in a Snowmobile Seat Riser Kit.

Simply put, these kits typically contain a piece of extra foam and a new seat cover.

Installing the kit is very easy. You have to take the seat cover off, insert the additional foam onto the top of the seat, and as the final step install the new seat cover.

As a result, you can expect a nice hump on top of your seat, which offers a higher seating position.

Some kits contain the complete foam, meaning that you have to replace the entire foam on the seat.

The best snowmobile seat riser kits and covers are made by PowerMadd, Kimpex, and SaddleMen.

These kits are quite popular, but also have their own cons.

First, they can raise the seat on your sled about 2-3 inches depending on the design of the foam addition. Besides, they are definitely not cheap and often sled specific.

Therefore, if you are looking for a customized seat riser, you should consider rebuilding your seat based on your needs. All you need to do is to carve out the designed shape from a piece of foam and stick it onto the original foam.

Finally, you will need a new seat cover as the original won’t likely fit on your new saddle.

The main advantage of this solution is that you can raise the seat as high as you want!

5. OEM Snowmobile Comfort Seats

If you are looking for something really stylish and comfortable, you should take a look at the OEM comfort seats.

These saddles are designed for your sled, which ensures a perfect fit.

They are typically bulkier than their stock counterparts, so besides the extra comfort they may offer a slightly higher seating position.

What’s more, some of these saddles are heated and/or offer space for a passenger.

6. Aftermarket Snowmobile Seats

But if you are looking for something really stylish and comfortable, then aftermarket snowmobile seats are for you.

They are well-padded, extremely comfortable, and come in many sizes and shapes. The hidden advantage of these seats is that you can typically store a bag under them.

These seats are very expensive, but many riders claim that they worth the money!

Some of the most well-known aftermarket snowmobile seat manufacturers are Skinz, Boss, and Kimpex.

7. Other Seat Replacement Ideas

If you find OEM or aftermarket seats too expensive, or they just don’t fit on your sled, don’t worry.

You still have many other options!

It may seem like a crazy idea, but some owners replace their seats with a jet ski or motorcycle seat. Why not?

The seats of powersport vehicles are designed for the same purpose, so they can be interchangeable within certain limits.

What’s more, if you can’t find a suitable seat for your sled, you can even use the stock seat of a newer sled.

You may want to check eBay or Craigslist for used seats, as many owners part out their sleds.

8. DIY Snowmobile Seat

Last but not least, don’t forget that you can even build a custom seat from scratch. It makes sense if your existing seat is damaged or in just really bad condition.

If you have the required materials, it may cost you nothing (except your time of course).

However, you will definitely need some skills and tools as well.

If you want to dive into the details, here’s a great video on how to build a DIY snowmobile seat:

Advantages of Raising a Snowmobile Seat

If you are a tall rider, the benefits of raising your seat are clear. But there are many lesser-known advantages of raising the seat on your sled, which are as follows:

  • It provides better visibility.
  • You can get a small extra storage space under the seat (depending on the design of the new seat).
  • The new saddle can give your sled a custom look, especially with a new cover.
  • You can stand up easier from the saddle if you want to absorb the bumps.
  • A higher seat offers a more natural riding position.
  • You can expect less fatigue in your back and knees.
  • If you raise the handlebar, raising the seat on your sled is a must!

Conclusion

A low seating position on a snowmobile can be an issue especially if you are a tall rider. This is a common problem on vintage sleds, which typically feature very low seats.

And riding in an uncomfortable position is never a good idea as it can lead to knee and back pain!

This is where aftermarket modifications come into play.

There are many great ideas on how to increase the seat height on a snowmobile, but the most popular ones are arguably as follows:

  1. Seat pads
  2. Seat wedges
  3. DIY snowmobile seat risers (frame/board under the seat)
  4. Snowmobile seat riser cushions
  5. OEM comfort seats
  6. Aftermarket seats
  7. Replace the seat with a motorcycle or jet ski seat
  8. DIY custom snowmobile seats

And as a final word, if you find your seat too low, your last option is to invest in a bigger sled.

However, this is arguably the most expensive way to get a higher seating position!

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