85TD manual seats need attention and I was going to remove them. There are 2 adjustments both were locked up on both seats. One adjustment (handle in front) lets the seats slide forward. These weren't disengaging and the rails were crudded up. A shot of Croil fixed that problem.


The 2nd adjustment (Handle on side) lets the seat slide forward and up. It needs to move up to access the rear bolts that hold the seat to the floor. Nothing has gotten this slide moving. I'm sure that the toothed slide is disengaging on both sides.


Is there an easy way to disassemble or just remove the bottom cushion? Will that allow access to the slide rails so that I can get the remaining frame. I don't want to damage anything because I'm not sure what parts will be needed when I find a replacement seat.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. Probably up for sale in the fall 2020 still have it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Waiting on shop to do minor but more than I can do rust.

A couple of years ago my driver's seat (1981 300sd) stopped working and would not move forward or backward. I was able with the aid of some swivel sockets and extensions to remove the seat. Would guess that you could do the same. The front bolts were easy but the two back bolts were a bear.

I can get a 10mm crows foot on the back bolts but don't have enough room to turn the bolt. The front/aft rail moves freely but the up/down does not.

I remember a vid of a guy pulling the seat cover in the yard by sitting on the seat and loosening the cardboard rim from the groove on the bottom of the seat. I can't remember whether there was any better access to the bolts but he only wanted the cover.

Floorboard has significant rust. The lady I bought it from said they had trouble with the sunroof leaking and paid for multiple seal installs. The front seal is aftermarket and thicker than the OE seal I have in the box. They also used tape to try sealing the roof. Apparently the mechanic didn't know about cleaning the drains.

Anyway, seats, floor pan replace or patch, C-pillar paint where the drain exits, trans adjust/vacuum repair, fluids change, AC repair and I'll drive this thing for years.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. Probably up for sale in the fall 2020 still have it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Waiting on shop to do minor but more than I can do rust.

If I remember correctly the bottom seat cushion on W123 cars is held to the seat frame with Phillips head screws. Have you tried to use a combination wrench on the rear bolts? More time consuming, but it might work.

I found some information.

Here's Kent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH4X3IBAu-Q
Dieselguy has some too.

I'll try working on it more later.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. Probably up for sale in the fall 2020 still have it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Waiting on shop to do minor but more than I can do rust.

With seat out, flip it over and remove the spring and handle holding the ratcheting mechanism. Once you are not fighting the handle and toothed mechanism, I have always been able to get the holes lined up to remove all the phillips screws with a hammer hitting the slides either front or rear to line things up.
Once its apart, i have found few that won't free up with penetrant and a lot of movement. It sometimes takes some hammer work on the floor to get them moving initially.

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1985 300 TD 448K
1984 300 TD 278K

1983 240D euro 240k
1994 f-250 idi turbo 330K
1986 f-350 IDI
1987 F-350 IDI

1985 JD 1050 4wd
1965 IH 3660

I might suggest making it a two person job. The tracks on my 85TD were all gummed up with spilled pop, etc. My brother pushed from the back while I pulled from the front. I think he finally ended up using his feet to help move it. We were able to expose the bolts that way.