making W123 front seat firmer - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

hangit · #1 03-30-2007, 09:34 AM

I wasn't happy with how soft the bottom seat springs are, so I went to my local farm supply store and purchased an inner tube (4" inside diameter). After applying duct tape to the sharp metal edges under the seat, I place the uninflated inner tube between the seat bottom and the metal plate. Then I inflated the tube to my liking. Much better!

John

TX76513 · #2 03-30-2007, 09:45 AM

..and there is actually an OEM part to firm up your seats - MB calls them seat booster pads.

GRIESL · #3 03-30-2007, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangit

I wasn't happy with how soft the bottom seat springs are, so I went to my local farm supply store and purchased an inner tube (4" inside diameter). After applying duct tape to the sharp metal edges under the seat, I place the uninflated inner tube between the seat bottom and the metal plate. Then I inflated the tube to my liking. Much better!

John

That is awesome! Was it hard to install? It's like custom pnuematic lumbar support!

rg2098 · #4 03-30-2007, 09:49 AM

Wow, I never knew those existed. Any chance you have the P/N?

hangit · #5 03-30-2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRIESL

That is awesome! Was it hard to install? It's like custom pnuematic lumbar support!

Not hard at all. Skinned my knuckles a little applying the duct tape which will hopefully prevent the sharp edges from slicing into the inner tube. I attached my bicycle air pump to the tube before placing the tube under the seat. $4.00 well spent!

John

hangit · #6 03-30-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

..and there is actually an OEM part to firm up your seats - MB calls them seat booster pads.

These look like solid rubber tubes. On another thread someone had mentioned using styrofoam pool noodles as bolsters. Probably cheaper than these.

John

GRIESL · #7 03-30-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangit

These look like solid rubber tubes. On another thread someone had mentioned using styrofoam pool noodles as bolsters. Probably cheaper than these.

John

Someone made the point, though, that the pool noodles are 'open cell' foam, which will degrade quickly and make a mess under the seat to boot. I would expect the MB part is closed cell foam. But the inner tube sounds like pure genius!

TX76513 · #8 03-30-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg2098

Wow, I never knew those existed. Any chance you have the P/N?

vstech · #9 03-30-2007, 10:38 AM

they sure look like open cell foam to me.
I can get 4 foot sections of closed foam insulation, called armorflex from my HVAC supplier, I would think 1" nominal 3/4id would work well.
John

hitwtom · #10 03-30-2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg2098

Wow, I never knew those existed. Any chance you have the P/N?

Look no further than the top of the page!
http://http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=183654

pj67coll · #11 03-30-2007, 11:34 AM

Are those Mercedes things supposed to go at each front corner of the seat? Because the replacement drivers seat I recently installed had coil springs at the front corners that were not on the original.

- Peter.

TX76513 · #12 03-30-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Are those Mercedes things supposed to go at each front corner of the seat? Because the replacement drivers seat I recently installed had coil springs at the front corners that were not on the original.

- Peter.

Here is the diagram
A Forum Member is selling these on Ebay - and I have bought from him super guy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCEDES-W123-300D-123-W126-300SD-126-Seat-Booster-Pads_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33701QQitemZ150106394367QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

guage · #13 03-30-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangit

I wasn't happy with how soft the bottom seat springs are, so I went to my local farm supply store and purchased an inner tube (4" inside diameter). After applying duct tape to the sharp metal edges under the seat, I place the uninflated inner tube between the seat bottom and the metal plate. Then I inflated the tube to my liking. Much better!

John

Saves on the hemrrhoids/piles too

pj67coll · #14 03-30-2007, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

Here is the diagram
A Forum Member is selling these on Ebay - and I have bought from him super guy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCEDES-W123-300D-123-W126-300SD-126-Seat-Booster-Pads_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33701QQitemZ150106394367QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Ah. I see. My original seats had no coil springs in them at all. I guess the upgrade wasn't sufficient of an upgrade after all so they had to use pool noodles.

- Peter.

85 DSEL · #15 03-30-2007, 01:29 PM

That is an act of genius!

What I did (certainly not as clever) was cut some 4" - 6" x ~12" strips of heavy corrigated cardboard and slid them between the seat bottom padding and the lateral springs. I added just enought to 'lift' the badly depressed area of the seat and it actually feels much better.