Are There Any Front Seat Replacements for W123 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 07-14-2003, 12:24 PM

Hey folks,

I am wondering if any one has any success upgrading the seats on the W123. I got an 84 300d. I love my car but my back hurts in about 30 minutes driving this thing.

Does ricarro or some other manufacturer make easy to install replacements. I would like a seat that would provide some support. Also may be some one can tell me if these seats were ever comfortable when new. I may elect to respring them but I supect that even that would not leave all that comfortable of a seat. Are leather seats any better? I have he tex mex seats I guess. They are vinyl.

As always I appreciate all of the help from everyone.

Thanks

bob

rickg · #2 07-14-2003, 01:14 PM

Don't know about Recarros, but try http://www.corbeau.com/
If you go to their list of "mounting brackets" they do list MB 300D.

The Warden · #3 07-14-2003, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Bob
Are leather seats any better?

I personally don't think so, but my leather's worn-out. Maybe if I did a deep-cleaning and found a way to patch up the rips, it wouldn't be too bad...but I'd rather just get new seat covers.

These seats are rebuildable, and it is possible to replace the springs and the cushions...I've heard that it makes the seat much more comfortable. Might be worth a shot before going through replacement.

Just some thoughts...good luck!

R Leo · #4 07-14-2003, 02:56 PM

A friend of mine claims that MBZ seats are about as comfortable as a piece of plywood on top of some springs. And he's probably right.

IMHO, stock MBZ seats in the W123s will never be anywhere near as comfortable as say, the seats in a Maxima or even some pieces of Detriot iron. They definitely take some getting used to....

For example, the driver's seat in my '83 TD is shot; its sagging to one side and at least 50% the springs are broken. Surprisingly, it's not bad to sit in...even for long periods of time (I once drove Marlene 1200+ miles in a day without painkillers or sedation). But, to me, the TD's motion is also much smoother than the sedan or, maybe I'm just used to it now.

OTOH, the seats in SWMBO's '84 300D are in almost perfect condition. They are relatively comfortable for short trips but if I hit the road for an hour in it, I guarantee my butt will be numb. The only thing that seems to help is to move the seat all the way forward on it's 'lifting' rails and then adjust the fore and aft position. That way, all of my thigh is supported and my tushy isn't quite so 'point-loaded'.

And, strangely enough, the back seat in the 300D is one of the most comfortable seats I've ever been in.

For sometime this fall, the project is to rebuild the TDs seats by installing replacement pads and new leather covers....maybe I'll even 'spring' (pun intended) for a new seat base. But, while I have them apart, I'm going to try and build up some lumbar support in the back and add in some high density foam padding on top of that horsehair. Hopefully, it will alleviate some of that 'board on a spring' aspect that has such a numbing effect on my derriere.

Wes Bender · #5 07-14-2003, 06:49 PM

R Leo says it right when he says it is a relative thing. We're all built a little differently and, while one might find them comfortable, someone else is miserable.

As far as leather versus MBTex, I have one of each and other than surface softness, they're comparable. If yours are sagging, you might consider a rebuild with repairs to the springs and new pads.

Second thought: I used to get a tired back on long trips until I thought to remove my wallet from my left rear pocket. (No, it wasn't lumpy from being full of money.....)

Cheers,
Wes

psfred · #6 07-14-2003, 07:25 PM

The original seats in the 300D are fairly firm -- bonded horsehair pad with some thin foam under the TEX. Not to everyones liking, and you must fiddle around with the back cushion to get comfortable. Lack of bottom cushion tilt can be a problem, but you can fix that within limits with some spacers. Helps to keep the seat a bit higher as you have discovered.

One thing I have never found to be true, though, is lack of back support. Check the padding -- if it crunches or has soft spots in it (or circular hard spots), the padding is shot and needs to be replaced. If you've had water leakage, the dampness can deteriorate the padding badly.

The leather seats had cotton padding in the pleats on the 280 -- I've replaced it with 1" polyurethane foam in my homemade covers. Much better seating, since the foam spreads the pressure around a bit. Seats are "damper" since the channels squash flat under my ample sitting portion, but better for longer trips.

The cotton in the 280 was hard as all get out, completely flattened in the 30 years of use.

If the pads seem OK but the seats are still too hard, you can get sheepskin covers. This will soften the seats a bit without major work.

Removing the wallet helps A LOT!

Peter

lrg · #7 07-14-2003, 08:55 PM

My 123 used to give me a backache if I was in it for more than an hour. It was due to broken springs that caused the seat to tilt to the side. I wasn't aware of it but it caused me to twist my back a bit, enough that on long drives it would start to make my back sore. I replaced the seat bottom springs and horsehair pad and now it is fine. It made a huge difference. If your seat was once OK but now bothers you be sure to check the springs in the bottom pad.

R Leo · #8 07-14-2003, 10:57 PM

I was going to put this in...

I did a lot of research on replacing the stock MBZ seats in my TD and only came up with the Corbeau aftermarket seats, none of which I would be able to live with (too much like race car seats) and I can't imagine me (much less SWMBO) climbing over those bolsters to get in and out of the car.

R Leo