Bucket Seat Removal-1982 Mercedes Benz Turbo Diesel 300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tal04c · #1 02-15-2010, 10:09 AM

I have recently bought this vehicle and love it! I am doing some very basic repairs to the vehicle including re-upholstering the drivers side shotgun seat.

Where the passenger seat is clear and easy to access the bolts for removal, the bolts for the drivers side are very difficult to get at, does anyone have a suggestion for or knowledge of what I could do to remove this seat?

Thanks ahead of time, I really do love this vehicle and hope to become more involved with this fabulous forum in the coming months while I get to know this vehicle better. Its only other real pressing issues are that the front right brake caliber is stuck and the central air system is broke.

Thanks,
Thomas

PS-Feel free to email me also at tal04c at gmail dot com

Peace

kerry · #2 02-15-2010, 10:30 AM

Bolts are readily accessible. Most people have trouble because they can't access the back bolts because the seat is not in the fully forward and fully up position. Use the under seat lever and the side lever to accomplish fully forward/up. Sometimes it requires someone pushing from behind to get the fully up position.

Stevo · #3 02-15-2010, 03:57 PM

That one had me stumped when I got my first 240

,"its under there, I know it is, but how do ya get to it"

NoSparkNeeded · #4 02-15-2010, 05:25 PM

This one got me as well when I was trying to clean up the mess of my hood spring pocket leak. My drivers side carpets were soaked. I, like you, just couldn't see the rear seat bolts. I RTFM and still couldn't see it. The previous poster is correct. I had to spray a little Tri-flow lube on the seat tracks. Then I could move the slide ALL the way forward, AND all the way UP. There are two handles to pull and adjust. Before lubing they weren't going far enough to expose the rear bolts. One other thing is the slider guide thing on the inside of the seat that gets hung, be aware of that as well. Funny how sometimes simple things are the hardest.

daw_two · #5 02-15-2010, 07:32 PM

The seat "elevation" handle is on the door side of the seat --- often non functioning. The forward\rear motion is controlled by the handle at the front inside corner of the seat. This information applies to both driver and passenger seats.

Some forum member got their wife to sit in the seat and pull up on the handle while they pushed with their feet to get the ELEVATION to change on the stuck driver's seat. There's a post somewhere.

MS Fowler · #6 02-15-2010, 07:35 PM

Just like the old "Prego" commercials, " Its in there."

fruitmeister420 · #7 02-15-2010, 07:44 PM

One thing I ran into after removing the seat to "noodle" it, was that the bolt holes didn't all line up when I was replacing the seat. After many attempts I realized that the adjustments had changed while I was working on it. I used a punch to align the holes while moving the levers and everything popped into place. Just something to watch out for.

babyjames · #8 02-16-2010, 12:34 AM

If you remove the rear bolts first, the tracks will remain "in phase", provided you don't monkey with either of the adjusters while the bolts are out.

Jay.

tal04c · #9 02-16-2010, 10:43 AM

Kerry- After reading your post I realized that I was not lifting the side lever as well as the front lever. I immediately went out to where it was and immediately was able to gain access to the bolts that were alluding me. Thank you so much!

To All- What is the best practice for re-installation? I as well saw that the holes didn't want to line up properly. I would rather not force it if possible.

NoSparksNeeded- The leak that you described sounds exactly like what I have going on. My carpets, on just the drivers side, are completely soaked and it looks like it is coming in through the firewall. Any suggestions on how to fix this leak?

You guys are all great and it really has already inspired me to know that my interests are shared by such magnificent people. Thanks for the support, it is really appreciated! Too, thanks for the smiles.

NoSparkNeeded · #10 02-16-2010, 08:53 PM

Probably should look up the thread, but basically I learned a new trick
to get the hood springs out, look that up. It's also is a boon during valve adjustment :>). Then I chipped out the loose rust around the holes, inside and out. Brushed on POR-15 around the holes.
Soaked some fibreglass cloth in POR-15 and put a piece on the bottom
of the spring pocket over the hole and smoothed it out well, with a long handled artist's 1/2 inch fitch
brush. Dried it overnight. Then I mixed up some "AllMetal" aluminum matrix
filler and smoothed it over. Let set overnight. Then sprayed it with 3M undercoating. Survived the latest storm,yippee! The leak was soaking the
driver's side AND the passenger foot well through the conduits. I would bet
almost ALL W123 floor rot is caused by this.

NoSparkNeeded · #11 02-16-2010, 09:08 PM

Had to credit this guy as he was absolutely correct about the leak and the hood springs. Look up his posts. Hey CR credit where DUE.