Dash Cover Replacement - W126 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bodyart27 · #1 07-22-2003, 11:39 AM

Is this a ridiculously PITA project (aka dissasmeble everything)?

Anyone tried it?

Seems like the things that really crap out on the interior on these cars are:

* Sunvisors (split and crack)
* Front seats (sagging driver's seat frame, pad, leather and the webbing that is on the back of the front seats loses their elasticity)
* Dash Cover (cracks in corners)

Stevo · #2 07-22-2003, 12:53 PM

After I looked at the cracks for a while the dash cover seemed like a good idea. its not "perfect" and you have to futz with it to get it to lay down right but definitely worth it IMO when you consider the options, looking at cracks or changing out the dash.

The visors you can replace via e Bay or the wrecking yard and the seats will cost you a couple hunderd to do it right but your butt will thank you

jcantor · #3 07-22-2003, 01:12 PM

I'll second Steve's comment on the seats. I paid $250 to have the driver's seat rebuilt and some leather that had come loose around the edges tacked down. Since then, I've been able to cut my visits to the chiropractor in half so it has saved me some money in the long run.

The other thing that seems to come apart on the inside of these cars is the fabric on the pillars around the shoulder belt anchor.

jlc

skaa · #4 07-22-2003, 01:32 PM

bodyart27,
I just replaced mine yesterday, with a cover from Performance Parts. It took about 2 hours to fine tune the cover with an Exacto knife around the AC vents and the pillar edges and with a few dime sized spots of silicone acrylic, it slipped on perfectly. I then had to weight it down 8 hours (overnight) with phone books and some bags of wrenches. I just took a look this morning and it looks great! It is certainly worth the price/effort to give it an OEM look. I stared at my cracked dash for almost 9 years, and now I wonder why I waited so long, since it was so easy to cover.
SteveKaa
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1982 300SD 318k miles

240-diesel · #5 07-22-2003, 02:37 PM

Go for the dash cover , I got mine from performance too. Very easy Install, Even the blue color matched nice , I also waited for a long time because I was unsure of how it looked in the 123 . If I saw one I would have bought it fast.

bodyart27 · #6 07-22-2003, 09:26 PM

hmmmm not sure if Iwant to go that route....

jbaj007 · #7 07-22-2003, 10:53 PM

I replaced my dash with one from a garage queen that had met an untimely end on a Sunday ice cream run and had been relegated to the wrecker's yard. Because I had to replace some ACC vacuum pods anyway, I looked at the job as neccessary anyway. About four or five months later, I saw a friend's car who had just installed a Coverlay. If I hadn't had the vacuum pod issue, I would do it the Coverlay way on a driver. His looked very good and didn't take a whole weekend (for a first time dash installer....me).

H-townbenzoboy · #8 07-23-2003, 12:35 AM

I looked at the dash cover overlays in "Performance Products" mag., and it only listed the available colors as black and blue. Well, my dash is a rare color, dark green, and I would have one hard time finding one unless they make dark green . Do they?
-Joe

jbaj007 · #9 07-23-2003, 01:40 AM

check here:http://www.coverlaymfg.com/E_Store/Dash_Covers/Foreign/Mercedes/

And then there is the wrecking yards' secret to having your part, in stock, in any color (whether they really do or not) :http://vinylpro.safeshopper.com/29/cat29.htm?489

Wes Bender · #10 07-23-2003, 04:27 PM

The dash on one of my 300Ds isn't cracked and I don't know why. It is the one with the least miles (170,000) but is in the lesser condition. The other one is cracked, but the rest of the car is nearly perfect (at 260,000 miles). I have been thinking about installing a new dash too, but this thread is giving me second thoughts. I may do the Coverlay bit instead.

jbaj007 -

It looks like double jeopardy to take one out of a donor car, but the cost of a new one probably jusitifed that. Out of curiosity, how long do you figure it took you to take one old one out and install one? (As opposed to removing two and installing one.)

Thanks,

Wes

jbaj007 · #11 07-23-2003, 04:59 PM

I did not remove the one from the donor, so it was a weekend (not hurried, but...still a whole weekend) to remove my old one, check grounds, wires, vacuum hoses, replace all pods, and the install the "new" one. It really was pristine, and while it was a used one, it looked new and had all the escutcheons and wood. New from my dealer with all the "stuff" was in the $800+ range, as I remember. This one was (and still is) perfect and was only $185. If I hadn't had the "pod" issue, I would use Coverlay on a daily driver like mine, in hindsight. FWIW

CSchmidt · #12 07-23-2003, 11:21 PM

I found a new seat spring for about $40 from a junkyard. It took about 6 hours of playing and figuring how things came apart and went together - of course it was 95* that day. The 126 springs are famous for breaking on those square corners. Tennis balls or carpet matting are temporary fixes that can work ok.

The basic steps are:

1. Unbolt front and back seat to floor connections. You will have to move the seat front to back to do this.

2. Unplug seat from electrical connections, most pry straight up if you are careful. There were 3 or 4 with some tie wraps holding them in place.

3. You must move the seat rearward to dis-engage from the seatbelt bracket.

4. Might need some help to get the seat out without any damage to interior parts. In some cars it goes out of the rear door easier.

5. On my car there was a puzzling coverplate at the bottom to seatback hinge. After removal I discovered it had a circular hole with multiple tabs. Compressing a number of tabs enabled it to be removed. From that point on it was pretty easy.

6. The seatbottom cover disengages by compressing the springs then pulling the cover downward where it attaches to the seat bottom frame.

7. The one exception to the easy disassembly was lining up access to the bolt holes that attached the seat bottom (the aprt with the motors and gears) to the spring frame. I had to reconnect it to the electrical connections in the car and use the switch to move it forward / backward to align the attachment bolts through access holes. There may be an easier way.

8. Surprises... My headrest adjustment did not work. The broken seat spring had cut the wire for that motor. A splice fixed it. My back of the front seat up/down adjustment did not work. After playing with it there are 3 parts: a motor, a (hex?) cable, and then a drive mechanism to the gears that move the frame. My drive mechanism receiver is rounded and will no longer move by the turning of the cable inside. I have a new seat bottom motor section I bought from a member here and will install as time permits. Some items may be car specific, and some are interchageable. Check for your particular car. I asked for pictures of the items and electrical connectors before I bought them. Still no guarantee, but a help to confirm. Many people have had bad switches instead of seat motor issues. Another item to check before diving into seat internals.

Good luck!

Chuck