rear head rest 300D
 

A couple of years ago someone showed how he installed rear head rests in a 300D. I was thinking of doing that but can't find the thread. Does anyone remember this.

I had thought about this one myself and I remember a thread about it as well. I then thought about the rear visibilty they would impair and the fact I rarely have rear seat passengers made me decide to forget the whole thing.

There is a 280e euro model near one of my customers. Its been parked for quite some time. It has the rear head rests. Maybe this was only for the euro 123 models.

I had rear seat headrests in my Euro 81 300D parts car. Now the rear and the front seats are in my 78 300D. Have not noticed any real problem seeing behind me.

I put the rear headrests in the wagon a couple of years ago. You can buy a kit for the recievers from Mercedes. At least you could in 93 when I did this. The reciever kit looks the same in the front and middle seats in the wagon. I don't see why it would be different in the rear seat in the sedan.
Consider what lietuviai posted. It does block visibility. Our SDL had the non folding rear headrests and you had to be very aware of the lack of rear window visibility. Our 99 E300 had the auto folding rear headrests and we really liked that. But after retracting them you had to have the rear passengers extend them.
A lot of european cars had the rear headrests for whiplash protection so it is possible.
As far as I can remember about the job.
Remove the rear seat
The kit is pop riveted into place. The holes are already there.
Cut holes in the upper section fro the headrest and install the trim. This was the hardest part. You want them tight or they can come out. This happened to me.
Re-assemble the seat. and install the headrests.

Finding the headrests is the biggest problem. You may find some for sale and then have to have them covered in your color.

I can't find the reciept for the reciever kit. I would have posted the part number. I can't find it.

Dave

I saw a 123model 300D with rear head rests in Austin last week. That's what got me thinking about it again. From what I remember it did'nt look too hard.

1987 300TD Rear Seat Headrests stuck photos
 

:confused:Inadvertantly I inserted into the reciever holes a head rest straddling the two outer head rest recievers. I cannot pull it out using the release buttons. I thought I'd try inserting one head rest support into one of the end reciever holes thinking this might release it, however does not release from the end reciever hole either! Incredible. Anyone know how to release a stuck head rest?

Does the back panel of the cushion come off like it does on the front seats?
With the front seats, to remove the back panel, remove the 2 screws, and the panel slides down to reveal the button to release the head rest rod.

The rear seat must be the same type set up. not familiar with a wagon rear seat.

Charlie

1987 300TD Wagon Rear seat headrests still stuck
 

That's an idea. Any screws must be hidden very well as they are not visible....ok, I looked very close to see any hiddend screws and cannot locate any. I can't believe Mercedes engineering would allow headrests to be installed like this and not able to be removed. I tried again to remove them in different ways to no avial. I'm sure someone else has had this happen. My wife is laughing at this and is not impressed with Mercedes engineering. Thanks Charlie for the idea.

When you figure it out, let us know the out come. most things on these cars
are pretty simple.

The CWC (cheap wagon club) bunch ought to chime in with a few answers.

Charlie

Charlie, My wife Kimery and I were able to remove one headreast stuck with one post on the right side of the left rear seat back in the 87 300TD Wagon. This head rest, with one post stuck, we were able with great upward force remove this one post which was stuck in the seat back.
The head rest stuck stradling left and right head rest recievers we were not able to get sufficient leverage to pull it out. Kimery and I pryed with a 2X6 length of pine under the headrest center and lifted together with as much might as we dared to no avail. I envisioned the headreast releasing and punching a bubble through the roof of the wagon.
Looking down the unnoccupied reciever holes, appears the latches do not entirely retract out of the side of the reciever leaving just enough edge to catch the end of the post. I believe this is normal, however with the headrest straddling a left and right post recievers its just enough to catch the end of the post taper at a slightly different angle. I think a sharp tap underneath this head rest would enable it to release. I'm still thinking this through until someone else responds with an experienced solution. I'll need to look into the "CWC" Cheap Wagon Club? Don't know anything about this club.

This is the cheap Wagon Club I was refering to:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=230466

Maybe contact JIMMYL, he has taken these things apart from one end to the other. he might give you some ideas.

It`s a long thread and has some good info in it. I know it is mostly the W123 wagon mostly, but the seats should be the same set up.

The headrests should come off w/o too much trouble so the seats can fold flat to increase the cargo area. It`s always the little things that getcha.

Charlie

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=168430

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=271374

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1307723-cargo-cover-net-3.html

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1510126-w124-wagon-cargo-cover-installation.html

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1430321-cargo-cover-net-e320-wagon.html

You might have to disassemble the rear seat from behind. Might have useful info above when I looked up info on installing the cargo cover/net assemblies few years ago.