Sagging drivers seat on 84 300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Cannon · #1 01-20-2003, 05:31 PM

Any help on changing, replacing or fixing the sagging seat on my daily driver? It's killing my back. Are there any used ones for sale out there? 308,770 miles. Thanks for the help.

engatwork · #2 01-20-2003, 06:57 PM

Go ahead and splurge on a new seat spring. Around $150 last time I looked. Your back will appreciate it. They are pretty straight forward to change out.

#3 01-20-2003, 07:51 PM

I have redone a number of those seats.. You can get the replacement pad for the bottom and back.. Not to much money.. Often the frame and a couple springs will be broken and need some welding and replacing some springs from an another old seat.. or replace the whole spring system on the bottom.. The back part may well also be broken but its usaly the frame and not the springs so can usaly be welded and reinforsed so it will not happen again.. New covers are easy to come by.. The last ones I did I redid the springs, new pads back and bottom., New covers on the front seats, head rest and arm rest.. About 800 bucks to do it like new..

Ken

amptique · #4 01-20-2003, 08:44 PM

Do you know a source for detailed instructions on installing new covers?

Bill

300SDog · #5 01-20-2003, 08:55 PM

At the neighboring "vintage forum" somebody has just posted excellent pictures of recent seat rebuild.... explaining the process of seat reconstruction.

Fredmburgess · #6 01-20-2003, 09:19 PM

If you want to go cheap try getting a passenger seat from a salvage yard. You can swap the bottom half of the seats. Passenger side typically is empty most of the time so may still be good even on a high mileage car. I paid $50.00 for the whole seat.

By the way, I've got complete dark brown MBtex seat cover (top and bottom) and matching head rest. Was right front seat in a 1980 240D. Very good condition. $15.00 plus shipping - not doing me any good here!

fred

Cannon · #7 01-20-2003, 10:05 PM

I'll try the neighborhood junkyard tomorrow. My interior color is light brown. The idea of switching the bottom of the passenger seat intrigues me. I'll keep you posted. Thanks.

GregS · #8 01-20-2003, 10:39 PM

If the car means anything to you, spend the money and get a new seat spring frame; you won't regret it. Anything you get in a junkyard will be beat, and the new frame you get is updated, which has more springs to give you more support. The frames you get out of a junkyard will not have the updated frame and will flop around as badly as the seat you have now.

frame - around $155
seat cushion - around $90

Greg
'84 300D, 173k

lorenztl · #9 01-21-2003, 12:19 AM

I added padding to the lower back of my seat in my 300D. The inside is accessable by sliding the back cover down after removing a screw at the bottom. Check out this site; www.bergsmamotorwerks.com.
These folks list all kinds of guides for the doityourselfer including a Seat restoration Manual.

#10 01-21-2003, 12:34 AM

There is always the tennis ball fix, which is only the cost of the tennis balls. This will also make the seats much firmer.

ajb · #11 01-21-2003, 05:43 AM

How many tennis balls do you need & where do you actually place them?

Sagging in PEI,

Aivars

Fredmburgess · #12 01-21-2003, 10:12 AM

Don't be too quick to discount the salvage yard seat route. As long as you get the passenger seat, chances are very good that it will be fine. The car I pulled a seat from was a 1980 240D with 220k on it. Pretty simple to test...just sit in it and compare to your own or to the driver's seat. All depends on your budget and overall condition of the car.