Had an old seat back lying around from an '84 300SD and thought why don't I make a post about how I fix the ever present sagging seat back netting. The main problem is the bungee cord that is along the top loses it's elasticity after 30 years. The netting itself I don't think has any elastic. It's just a woven cord like material.



These are the materials I used. A can of tarp ties I found at Home Depot for about $6, philips head screwdriver.



After removing the seat back from your car, you'll notice on the inside there are two philips screws with wide flat washers. Remove these screws and then VERY (30 year old plastic breaks easily) carefully slide the whole contraption away from the seat. There are little hooks that hook into the seat at various angles. Just carefully slide one side then the other and the bottom away from the seat back.



Remove the old stretched out bungee cord.



Remove the ball from the tarp tie. I just pushed the knot out of the ball and cut the knot off rather than trying to untie it.

Tie a knot on one end of the fresh bungee cord. Press the cord into the slot on the frame.

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K

Continuation of previous post......


Threading the fresh bungee cord through the netting. If you cut the cord unstretched just to the width of the frame, then once you tie the knot on the final end and press it into the slot of the frame, you'll have just enough stretch to make a taught fit but not too tight so you have most of the stretch available for when you pull on it for use.


Reattach the frame to the seat back carefully sliding the hooks back in place and replacing the two screws that hold the frame to the seat back.

Now you have nice fitting seat back netting that doesn't sag.



Good luck!

__________________
R Martin
Dallas, TX (Addison)

86 560SEL, 128K