I checked Peyton300TD's post on recovering seats but it doesn't go into detail on how I should proceed with this task. For that matter, the mbsource handbook on front seat restoration glosses over the same task.

I see hog rings retaining bars that run along the forward and side seams of the seat bottom cover. I can either remove the hog rings or undo the barbs at the end of the bars so I can pull out the bars. Any thoughts on what I should do?

There's a tear in the upper front panel of my passenger seat. I thought I could remove the leather, put a sticky patch on the back side and use Leatherique crack filler on the showing side. I'm not going for concours points, just trying to get rid of an eyesore on a 268K car that otherwise looks half its age. Unfortunately there is padding and backing material sewn to the back of the leather. I'll probably have to get this done professionally. I'm also thinking of making an incision in the leather backing (foam and burlap?) so I can sneak a patch in place.

But back to the point, how do I get the leather off the horsehair pad leaving the best chance of getting it back together properly?

BTW, I got the seat bottom cover off without removing the seatback. It looks like I can get it back in place just as easily (famous last words). In case you're wondering, the mbsource handbook has no info on removing the plastic hinge trim or dealing with an electric reclining mechanism.

Is replacement horsehair pad from worlduph and gshh(?) made by Continental like the OEM pads?

Thanks,
Sixto
95 S420
86 300SDL

I have replaced seat covers in the past, though on a Miata not a Mercedes. In that case I cut the hog rings off to make the old covers as easy as possible to remove.

Rather than use hog rings to install the new covers I used cable ties. Wherever two panels join at a seam there will be a "lip" on the underside of the cover, where the surplus from the seam is. Punch a hole through this with an awl then slip the cable tie through the hole and around the bar. With cable ties you can loosely attach the cover to the bars, get everything to fit to your liking, then cinch them down progressively as you work creases out of the cover, finally snugging them down and trimming the "tail" when you are happy with the fit. I found this to be much, much easier than wrestling with hog ring pliers.

Kevin

__________________
'85 300SD

You can buy hog rings and a crimper cheap at the building supply store. Find them with the chain link fence parts.

BTW when you post a topic like this if you link to the best thread or two that you found you may save someone else the time of digging through a mountain of search results. Posting a name like you did (Peyton300TD) is a big help also, thanks for the reference.

If you do a leather restore I would like to hear how you do.

I have made similar repairs to vinyl seats, I used 3M 5200 adhesive to stick a piece of vinyl where you mention a sticky pad. A word of caution on using 5200, don't put it anywhere that it may ever have to be removed. I have heard of people using it for gasket sealer and having to junk the engine next time it had to be disassembled. I understand there are variations of the 5200, the original had very long drying time, 36 hours or more, but worth it. 5200 is flexible when set, it gives but it won't let go.

Sixto,

I simply opened the hog rings, carefully removed and reused them on reassembly. One just has to take care when reclosing the rings, a little practice and it becomes second nature. The wire rods the run the perimeter of the leather seating surface is similar in diameter to a coat hanger, with a loop at each end. Generally once I get the wire out I try to straighten somewhat before feeding it back through the channel.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Thanks for the advice.

How about tacking the burlap flap to the horsehair pad? Will any tacking gun work or do I need a device that will splay the tines like the factory job? I suppose an upholstery shop will have the right tool.

Mike, any progress on the 240? Is it closer to your place now?

Thanks,
Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

For tacking down the fabric I just used my regular staple gun, putting in as many staples as were there before. It has held together just fine.

Haven't had a chance to post any updates on the 240.

As some know I will be undergoing surgery on my shoulder, which will leave me one winged for a couple months. With that in mind I had started wondering what I would do with the 240. Last week whunter called me asking if I was willing to sell, seems another forum member here had a friend in need of a "slow" ride for one of his kids, weighing my soon to be one-winged status against what I know needs to be done I promptly sold the car for what I had in it, nothing more. We met up at the car on Friday and got it trailered and the extra engine loaded. Wifey is a little ticked, but I simply explained to her, I know my limitations, especially with one arm.

But all is not lost on the project front. Wifey called me about a week ago and advised she found me an "Elinore" for $300. It is in the driveway right now, under a cover so as not to alert the HOA. She swears up and down it is a '69 Elinore, just like in the movie "Gone in 60 seconds"...we'll see on my next trip home.

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

'69? The 1974 movie featured a '73 Mach 1, the 2000 movie featured a '67 GT500. But hey, I'll take a '69!

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Hog rings on Benz upholstery? Not on any of my cars, just some circular wire clips (very similar to hog rings) that hold the horsehair to the spring set.

Usually the cover is held onto the seat by inserting a tack strip like material into the slot along the seat edge with the springs under tension.

Padding can be re-clipped with needle nosed pliers or simply sewn back on with cotton cord as described in the manuals.

You can repair tears in the leather, Leatherique and other make kits for this, I believe. I don't know how well they work, and I'd not bother if you have any significant deterioration of the leather other than being dry and "cardboardy" -- if it tears and makes dust, it's only gonna rip next to the repair.

Get some Leatherique or similar restorer, too, and soften it back up or it will continue to crack and tear in other places, too.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Hey,
I was in a reputable leather repair shop today to get some price's on repairing my drivers front seat and arm rest.
First he told me he can repair them both for around $750.

Then he went and looked around his shop and found some extra vinyl from another mercedes repair that he had done. It was an exact match. He said he can restore it with that for about $400.

Then he did something I found very interesting. He had a book that listed the original seat leather. the cost for both front seats was about $1,350. + labor.
The vinyl equivalent was listed at around $800 + labor.

I was just looking at a website www.colorsplus.com.
They have DIY leather restoration kits for about $150.

I think I may try the $150 way. If I decide to actually do this I'll post some before and after pictures.

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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Sixto, what was the final solution? I'm dealing with a front seat repair problem myself... here's a link:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=2361393#post2361393

__________________
Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

I took the seat cover apart as much as I could. I released the pad from the cover but left the padding and burlap liner stitched to the cover. An upholstery shop replaced the front trapezoidal panel and somehow reattached the padding and burlap. I didn't bother attaching the cover to the pad with the skewer rods. I set the pad on the spring then set the cover over the pad and spring using the hem around the base. I don't see how the cover can shift relative to the pad. You can ask Matt/sjsid(?) how it's holding.

Sixto
87 300D

How did not using the skewer rods work out? I don't have a clue how to install clips and rods.

__________________
1984 MB 300SD Turbo

Again, the upholstery felt no less secured to the spring base without the rods between the leather and pad.

The clips are just bent pieces of stiff wire. Work them with pliers.

Sixto
87 300D