Quick reality check: is there ANY way to remove/replace the bottom of a 123 seat WITHOUT unbolting the entire seat? In other words, can I do it with the tracks in place?

I don't see how, but some time ago I could swear I read a reference to this in another post but nothing is coming up with the search terms I'm using.

Thanks

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Harry Houdini might handle it.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

...isn't it only like 4 bolts...?

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1989 300E 144K

Charmalu will have the definitive answer on this, but in the meantime here's my recollection:

There are four bolts the hold the whole seat to the floor pan. A fifth bolt holds part of the restraint system to the tranny tunnel.

I think that there are actually six bolts that secure the seat bottom to the tracks: 3 each side, with one at each end and one in the middle. You have to slide the tracks back and forth to line up with access holes. You'd have to have a pretty compelling reason to not take the seat out if you wanted to leave the tracks in place; you might be able to line things up with a mirror, and access the bolts with just the right extension, but it would be a nightmare.

Is your problem that one of the floor pan bolts is stripping out the Tinnerman nut that secures it to the tab that comes up from the pan?

Kurt

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- '79 240D - engine swap complete! Engine broken in! 28-31 mpg! Lovin' the ride!
- '86 190D (W201-126) - 2.5 NA engine, 5 speed, cloth interior, manual climate controls, 33-34 mpg (sold to forum member).

Yes the seat it's self is. There is also the arm for the seat belt that bolts into the hump in the center of the car. So technically it's 5 bolts.

No there isn't. You have to unbolt the tracks from the seat bottom, which I don't think you'll never get to with the seat in the car. If you could it would be a huge PITA. You'll save time and a lot of cursing just taking the seat out. It only take a few minutes, and will be a much easier job with it out.

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NAIL HEAD BANG

One bolt on each seat (donor car and recipient).

I didn't expect this as both cars are pretty much rot free. But I had discounted that both had had water leaks that rusted those areas just enough....

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

There are several threads concerning spinning captive nuts on the underside of these seat rails - there was a solution too - if I stumble across it I'll post it for you. In the mean time keep searching I'm quite sure it is out there!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Well I tried a search using "floor pan bolt" and got some threads. Most people seem to use a dremel or similar to just cut it out then either jerry-rig a new arrangement or buy a new clip/nut assembly.

Thanks for the input... just ordered two new and two extra for my spares box from the dealer.

I will try to brace the nut in place to let me try to extract the bolt but given the ambient temps here now I'm not sure how long my patience will hold up tomorrow.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

All I can find is this one:-

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=142632

Here they killed the nut with a dremel... could work I suppose

Not the thread I remember.

I guess if you have an arc welder you could try to tack the captive nut in place - but I wouldn't fancy trying it - seems like a good way of getting arc eye if you don't have an automatic shading visor...


I've been searching on google using the following string:-

captive seat nut site:peachparts.com

This is way better than using the in built search function which in my opinion is total rubbish.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Yeah I saw that one. There is another thread where someone mentions trying to grab/lock the nut in place with a very small set of needle-nose vice grips, but there was no follow-up so I'm not holding my breath.

I might be able to jam a thin flat-blade screwdriver in there with the same result....

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

I'm not sure how much space there is between the rail and the captive nut but wedging it like you suggest seems a logical starting point - good luck. Post back if it works (or not)...

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Extend the seat all the way up and carefully grind the head off with an angle grinder or dremel.

Get the seat out of there and assess the rust damage. On my '85, this consisted of replacing the floor pan, which I hope you dont have to do.

A threaded nut insert thingie (technical term) can be purchased from the dealer for not much, so dont bother trying to save it or weld it back to life.

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

I drilled the head off the bolt on one in one of my cars a few weeks ago. I was super frustrated trying to wedge something underneath to hold it in place and it turned out to be so much easier just to drill it out.

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1985 Euro 300TD Turbo

Minor update: It might be possible to brace the captive nut enough to loosen the bolt, but unless you have an eclectic selection of implements with which to do so, accompanied by the patience of the Buddha , forget it.

Drilling-out is the only viable course of action. The replacement clips are under $5 each at the dealer. I ordered some extra for my tackle box....

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

it can be done. i've removed a w201 electric seat by putting a sawzall blade where the seat meets the track and cutting them all off. took an hour but I got the seat (sport leather seat)

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