Seat rebuilding: horsehair pad or foam pad - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Johnson Chan · #1 05-30-2008, 02:08 AM

So do you guys prefer the horsehair pad or the foam pad?

It seems like the foam pad is the newer/superceeded part and more comfortable, so why do you guys still order the horsehair pad from gahh, etc. then?

bgkast · #2 05-30-2008, 02:42 AM

I prefer horsehair. I pieced together a set of good horsehair seat pads from several junk cars.

Brian Carlton · #3 05-30-2008, 08:51 AM

I use the new foam pad from Gahh. I add an additional 1" of memory foam on top of the new foam pad.............comfort in an SD...........PRICELESS.

derburger · #4 05-30-2008, 12:14 PM

My 300cd was owned by one little old lady, then two large guy P.O's. My driver's seat has taken the punishment of 28 years of weight. This summer I plan to fix the broken and leaning springs in the base, and I'll probably get a new GAHH pad, and use 1' of memory foam as it sounds like a good idea. My passenger's seat is original and much more comfortable because it actually has padding left. I haven't seen a coupe in the junkyard yet to scavenge seat parts from.

Do the new GAHH seat pads have the "ridges" that the MB seat pads have, or are they flat? Just wondering if it'll look weird with no up and down ridges?
I'm trying to describe the "ridges" in the seat pic below, not my seat but it's from some grease car. (it looks nasty)

TMAllison · #5 05-30-2008, 12:33 PM

The baffles are filled with approximately 1 1/2" x 1/2" felt strips that "used" to be sewed into a cloth liner. You will find that liner is history when you take it apart.

derburger · #6 05-30-2008, 12:39 PM

Those baffles already are history in my driver's seat

. Think I could "re-create" the baffles with strips of foam, somehow glued to a 1' foam pad, on top of a new seat pad from MB?

Chad300tdt · #7 05-30-2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derburger

Those baffles already are history in my driver's seat

. Think I could "re-create" the baffles with strips of foam, somehow glued to a 1' foam pad, on top of a new seat pad from MB?

You need to have the strips attached to the seat cover or it will be loose and not look right. Here is a thread of what I did to repair my seat covers:
Rear Seat Repair

Mismost · #8 05-30-2008, 05:53 PM

I don't think horse was good idea even 25 years ago! I did the pool noodle fix on the springs with short vertical pieces on the front corner springs. Topped that with cut to fit pieces of scrap carpet zip-tied to the springs, to keep my foam from being shredded. Topped that with foam rubber cut to fit and new seat bottom cushions.

Looks nice, firm but plush

bgkast · #9 05-30-2008, 06:20 PM

All of the seats I have seen that use hand-cut foam insted of pads look like overstuffed chairs. I think there has been some changes to the horsehair, the new stuff is green and seems to hold up much better. It's not really made from horse hair BTW.

Johnson Chan · #10 05-31-2008, 07:36 AM

I went ahead and used the foam pad and I bought 4 of those genuine mercedes coil spring supports.

Those genuine coil spring supporters are NOT pool noodles. They are much more stronger. Its more like a high density rubber than foam. If you had one in your hand and tried to compress it, you can clearly tell its not a pool noodle.