560SL seat rebuild (a bit long)
 

The driver's seat on my '89 560SL has a bit of sag; the PO was very fit, but a big guy! The passenger's side is fine, and the frame sits straight, and the leather's OK. I'm expecting to replace the pad and might find a spring issue; I should be able to handle this DIY, but I'm a bit OC about knowing what I need to do before doing it. Two questions:

1) At 145K, I can't be sure the present pads are original; is the correct pad horsehair or foam?

2) A search turned this up as the best procedure description I could find, though it applies to the 114 coupe. Are there any differences for the 560SL, and if so what?

Thanks indeed for any insights, and thanks to Chuck Taylor for sharing the following:

Pasted post from ctaylor738-Senior Member follows:

I'm not familiar with other models, but on the 114 coupe, here is the procedure that I used. The only difficult part to explain is how the cover is held on. There is a half-inch channel that runs around the bottom of the seat frame, and a fiber edging on the sewn to the seat cover that tucks into it. I am going to do the passenger side this week, and I will post a couple of pictures.

-Remove four bolts holding seat rails to floor, disconnect vacuum or wiring connections under seat.

-Remove seat from car. Possible with one person, but easier with two. Set seat upright on bench. I used two sawhorses and piece of plywood.

-Using 6mm hex key socket, remove bolts and spacers holding seat back to seat bottom and separate. Good to have a helper for this.

-Turn seat bottom over. Press down against springs around edges. Beginning at rear of seat, remove "edging" holding seat covering from slot in metal frame.

-Turn seat bottom right side up. Pull edges of covering to top of seat and use pliers to remove clips holding lining of cover to seat cushion, and remove seat cover.

-Pull seat cushion off of spring/frame to front.
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-Install new pad by sliding to rear, getting top edge of frame into matching slots in pad.

-Fit seat covering over new pad, pulling lining down but leaving covering sides on top. Use pliers to fasten lining to pad with clips. Pull covering down over sides of cushion/frame.

-Turn seat upside down. Beginning in rear, compress springs and re-insert seat edging into slot in metal frame. Do each side, then front.

-Reattach seat back with helper.

-Reinstall seat in car with helper.
__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'86 300E 5 speed, '95 C220
'73 280C, '72 250C, '81 380SL
http://www.geocities.com/ctaylor738us/chuckscars.html?