We got it out just fine, just like our other two, pool-noodled it, and went to reinstall. All are 300D W123s -- 2 '84s and an '85. The '85 and one '84 went back in just like they came out, no problem. The other '84, however....

Took forever for DH to line up bolt holes on the left rail, but finally got those in. Now the right bolt holes won't even think about lining up. Front-to-back line-up we can manage with some shoving, but the side-to-side problem has us stumped. It's as though the seat is now too close to the center hump, and can't move the extra eighth of an inch towards center that it needs to so the holes in the floor and the rail line up.

This is the same seat that just came out of this same space just a few hours ago, and all four bolts were in their holes! What happened? What am I missing? We can't even figure a way to get enough leverage on the seat to force/shove/stretch that rail just that last little bit over so we can start the bolts. And DH had such a time getting the bolts in the left rail I hate the idea of making him take it off to start over.

Give me some ideas, guys -- I've gotta drive this car tomorrow and the rest of the week!

Sunny

__________________
Anthracite 1980 300D -- 64k original miles with a new engine, on the road again!
Silver 300D -- second owner, Sunny's old baby, Ilse, 210 miles,
Having to thin the herd….
Silver 1983 300SD -- second owner, 325k miles
Gold 1981 300D -- well-traveled, solid little car
Beige 1984 300D -- 292k miles, grease machine, parting out
Seafoam green 1981 300SD -- 250k, windshield frame damage
too many assorted w123 & w126 cars, parts cars, and extras

are the left side bolts tight or loose? if tight loosten them til the others are started.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Thanks, Tom, we've tried that. We almost took the two on the left out completely, but it had taken so long to get them in we couldn't risk the time -- loosing the light. (Gotta get that garage built!)

We've managed to get three in -- the right rear finally caught -- but the front right just wasn't going to work, no matter what we did. We pulled the clip off and re-squared the nut in the "holder", but that still wasn't enough to get us there.

So we shoved and pushed and grunted and cussed enough to drop a longer, smaller bolt through the holes, and tightened the other bolts. I've got to go see a friend who owns a body shop tomorrow in Dallas, so I'll ask him if he's got any tricks to solve the problem. When I see what he does, if there IS a trick, I'll post it, although it appears that we're the first at least to post the problem. Maybe we just need a really fat guy to sit in the seat and splay the frame a bit with his weight.....!

I'll let you know.

__________________
Anthracite 1980 300D -- 64k original miles with a new engine, on the road again!
Silver 300D -- second owner, Sunny's old baby, Ilse, 210 miles,
Having to thin the herd….
Silver 1983 300SD -- second owner, 325k miles
Gold 1981 300D -- well-traveled, solid little car
Beige 1984 300D -- 292k miles, grease machine, parting out
Seafoam green 1981 300SD -- 250k, windshield frame damage
too many assorted w123 & w126 cars, parts cars, and extras

sure you havent swapped seats ???
ie left is right and right is left ???

maybe you can get some blocks of wood and wedge them in against the track to push it over while gettng the bolt in.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Switching seats would've been kinda hard, since we never took the passenger seat out, not to mention the armrest, seat adjustment lever, and all the other "clues"...

I'm thinking a variation on the wood block idea -- what needs doing is to push the right rail closer to the center hump than it is. Perhaps a strong spreader clamp between the two rails would get us there.

I've driven a few highway and town miles this morning, and it feels pretty stable. NO, I'm not thinking of leaving it this way, I just feel safer than I though I would. I'm guessing that the shear force on the bolt we dropped in the bolt hole must be pretty major to make the seat feel as stable as it does.

__________________
Anthracite 1980 300D -- 64k original miles with a new engine, on the road again!
Silver 300D -- second owner, Sunny's old baby, Ilse, 210 miles,
Having to thin the herd….
Silver 1983 300SD -- second owner, 325k miles
Gold 1981 300D -- well-traveled, solid little car
Beige 1984 300D -- 292k miles, grease machine, parting out
Seafoam green 1981 300SD -- 250k, windshield frame damage
too many assorted w123 & w126 cars, parts cars, and extras