Being sick of my saggy seats, but not wanting to disassemble the whole seat to replace the spring box I decided to give welding a shot. Pulled the seat, set it on its back and stuck a wet towel behind some of the springs to protect the padding from flying sparks. Then I hit the broken spots with my 110V wire feed welder. It sits like a new seat now. Hopefully the repair will hold up.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I hate to be the one to toss cold water on the vailiant attempt, but, the springs are heat treated and tempered wire and welding them destroys both the hardness and the temper. You end up with a brittle connection between the two hardened wires that cannot withstand the highly stressful and cyclic demands of a spring.

But, I wish you all the luck in the world with it.

Has anybody tried epoxying a steel tube around those broken connections? epoxy is insanely strong, and wont heat the spring material.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

I tried using epoxy putty with a steel tube around the broken sections of spring. The putty did not hold up. Any other bonding material suggestions?

John

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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
2002 F250 powerstroke with Plantdrive WVO conversion
1983 300SD 190K miles ,sold
2006 E320 CDI

Somebody (Diesel Giant??) had a repair on here which involved using small tubes cut to be as long as possible for the area. I forget how they were held in place.

How about crimping with giant channel-locks? How about stiff cutting fuel hose to match the left-over spaces, and hose clamping in place? The hose would keep the tube from slipping around.

Unfortunately knowing what I do about metallurgy, I have to agree with Brian on this, it'll seem great and work for a short while, eventually the flexible spring steel and the hardened weld area/softened steel around the weld will become divorced of their differences.

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Chris
64 190D R.I.P.
80 240D W/617 engine -for sale
82 240D -for sale

Somebody fixed broken springs by cutting and sliding old injector lines over the broken pieces.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Diesel Giant has a short instruction sequence on his web site on using an old section of injector line cut out and slipped over both ends of the spring break. It was a while ago that I looked at it but I thinkd the whole thing was held in place with tie wire.

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Sedecrem

82 300SD 290k(needs engine swap)
79 240D 354k with new heart transplant w/220k
82 240D w/auto tranny soon to be manual 4 speed

I know...that's why I said that. If it does give out I will break down and swap in my new springs, but I figured I would try a quick fix first.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine