107 seatback adjuster
 

A minor question, but I'm trying to figure out what hinge cover to order. My '89 560SL has the seatback adjusting wheel on the left side of *both* seats--i.e., the driver's is on the door side but the passenger's on the console side. I don't think I've got a replaced seat on either side, but would have expected the adjusters to be symmetric rather than identical. For you 560SL owners out there--where are yours?

TIA,
Craig

Mines a 72 and the same as yours. The adjuster on the drivers seat does not hold on mine, it will adjust ok but after a couple of miles it will back as far as it will go. We also had an 99 Aurora and really liked it.

Craig,
My 89 is set up just like yours, with the seat adjuster located on the left side of both seats. I'm trying to replace the hinge cover on the upper right side of both seats. I ordered 2 hinges but cannot get the darn things to go on. The seat hardware has both the retainer and clips in place, but I cannot get the hinge cover to go into the retainer holes. I have already cracked one of them by trying to use a rubber mallet to force them in. Did you get yours on? What is the trick to getting these hinge covers on?

Solarlady, the trick seems to be mostly dumb luck. I did crack one of the two I replaced, but it's minor enough that I elected to use it anyway. Mainly it's a matter of lining up the pins as carefully as you can with the sockets, and checking to make sure you're not hanging up as the edge of the cover meets the edge of the metal hinge plate at the upper end. It is indeed a rather fiddly job--good luck!

Thanks Craig, guess I'll just keep fiddling with them. At the ridiculous price of $20+ a crack though, one would think that MB would have an easy technique to getting these things on. Must be some secret to it that they dont want to share.

My 72 350 has symetrical adjusters! Perhaps it's an English thing.

My 86 560sl has the same set up -- I always thought it was done for the convenience of the driver -- so he/she could adjust the passenger seat if needed without getting out of the car.

I originally started the thread because I was puzzled that they *weren't* symmetric on the 560SL; they were on the other MB cars I've driven.

My 74 450SL has both the adjustors in the midline. I would have a hard time reaching the driver side adjustor if it was on the door side.

seat adjusters on 77 560sl
 

Both original seats haveback adjustment on inside ( console area). I have seen printed instructins for changing passenger side seats to drivers side with result of seat back angle on left of drivers side seat. Presmptio is that seats have been changed. Also try velcro for the chrome side panals Works for me and holds sell. Abe G

86 560 Sl both on left. Steve


www.ottosvenice.com

On my '73 350SLC they are both on the side towards the middle of the car. I don't know if it's a right-hand-drive versus left-hand-drive thing though. My right-hand-drive misses out on an armrest due to the central location of the hand operated parking brake (similar to the W201 190E). From memory, the left-hand-drive W107 got an armrest and foot operated parking brake (similar to W124 300E etc). Does the armrest require the left-hand seat to have its adjuster mounted on the left toward the outside?

Greg, a good question to which I don't know the answer. I do have the center armrest, which of course comes off the driver's seat--possibly the reaon I've got the driver's adjustment on the other side.

original drivers side (left) or swapped seats?
 

We have to assume that the majority of 107 450s (38os) in the 1970s were originalwith seat back ajustments for both seats in the center. Many passenger seats were switched from OTHER CARS to compensate for wear on driverside seats. There are printed insructions from some firms showing how to make this switch. This leaves the back adjustment on the left side of drivers seat. Hope this helps, Abe G

Just bought an 88 560SL, seat adjustors are both on the left hand side, which is different from my 74 450SL. The 88 is in the original configuration.