I noticed that my 78 300D seemed to not have support in the typical spot near the passenger's left side of the seat. I decided to loosen up the seat and try something to repair the seat and noticed that two of the wire spring were broken at a 90 degree bend.

To fix the break at the bend which seems to be a common spot, I would need to find a 90 sleeve to fit over the bend. I went to Home Depot and found 90 degree brass compression fitting with a 1/4 inch outside diameter.

One of the one of the compression fittings fit over the broken area snug with no modification too the broken area. The second required that I cut about 2mm because the angle was slightly off, note only a cut off tool will work. My Snap-On cutters would not even cut the spring.

Tighten up the compression fittings and you just repaired the seat for under $20 dollars, I did not remove the seat from the car just unbolted it and the seat-belt arm and rested it backwards in the passenger compartment. Interestingly enough this car has heated front seats. Took about 2 hours including the trip too the store to get the part.

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Ha ha! I would not have thought of that. Very clever. You don't feel the compression fitting through the pad?

Sincerely,

Packman

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83 240D - 4 speed manual - Manilla Beige
189K miles, Tachometer mod, cool wooden shift knob from PeachParts, CocoMats, Original factory paint, manual windows, manual sunroof. Starting to add AudioWrap to this car too!

No you do not feel anything out if the ordinary. Just gained back factory support.

Nice fix, thanks for sharing that!

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Good trick with the compression fitting. I've used 1/4" stainless steel tubing in the past. It had a bore that would slip over the spring. Forgot wall thickness. I used a good tubing bender to do a right angle. I used bolt cutters to crimp it on. To cut the spring a Dremel with a cut off wheel worked well.

My springs still felt a wee be soft. I used pool noodles and that helped for a year of commuting but eventually they squash down.

My best fix has been new springs from this German guy on eBay. I found them under w126 seat springs. You have to decrimp and crimp the springs back into the sheet metal pan and it is a bit tedious with a screwdriver and hammer, but it came out great. The springs just get tired.

I'll do my passenger side one day when I have time. It takes me a couple hours just to get the seats in and out and unclip he hog rings.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

Mine just broke...this...is...awesome!

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1982 300TDT
1991 190D
2022 Metris

IF you have some extra Injector hard line sitting around you can drill the inner hole out a little, bend it in to the correct shape if you need to, slip the two ends of the broken spring into it and use JB weld to hold it all together. Works great!

JB Weld and a bent nickle crimped... Cost five cents.

I had some broken springs too. No, I don't date fat women. I'll blame the p.o. I slipped 1/4" copper tubing, filled w/ epoxy over both wires. I also rebuilt my seat bottoms (see post), wrapping nylon rope for support, then carpet protector and a little padding fill. Now they are almost too stiff.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans