I have a Kubota ZD-221 and am a maintenance freak. The seat is hinged in front and is very heavy. Additionally, the position you must be in in order to tilt it is very awkward. I designed and built a very simple but elegant lift assist system using a gas lift strut, a custom bracket, and SS hardware. It only requires 3 holes to be drilled and takes about 20 minutes to install. My kit works on all 200 series mowers both gas and diesel and I am now designing one for the Kubota 300 series. If you have any interest, feel free to contact me.