wonsuk_utmb

Just wanted to share. I had custom seats made based on the kicherer design. No carbon, because it really doesn't matter back there for me. I know people have strongly advised against it, but I really wanted this option because I have a young child at home that I want to be able to cart around from time to time. Michael Angelos in Houston, TX did the work for me. Sorry for the crappy iphone pictures it was taken at night

JDB

Your modification looks very professional and well done.

However, I would be very cautious about the total amount of weight that you carry in the area behind the front seats. The factory specifies a maximum load of 50 kg (110 lbs) for the trunk.

When calculating the additional load, don't forget to consider the total weight gain from all of the additional upholstery and safety belts that have been added in addition to the weight of the passengers and their safety seats.

WTDoom

wise words from jdb . kicherer reinforce the rear section completely .
this ( and the mounting of legal seat belts ) is what got the tuv approval .
out of interest what did you do to the front seats to enable access to the rear ?

wonsuk_utmb

The seat belts were from a w209 clk coupe and fit in at all hardwAre points to the frame. No mods to the front seats were done. Access by folding seat forward and all the way to the front. Can you elaborate on the reinforcements on the actual seat?

wonsuk_utmb

Does the rear seat actually qualify as the trunk? I know it's close enough but it's in front of the rear axle and I guess it's difficult to gauge how much extra weight that buys me. Upholstry and seat belt don't really add up to that much weight as the carpet was also pulled prior to the install.

Speedriven1

Looks great - post better pics?

WTDoom

great job with the belts . ( i forget the us seats are different to our buckets ).

as for the reinforcements my understanding is that the rear " humps " ( behind the front seats ) are only designed to hold 50 kg .
kicherer had to reinforce this area to make it safe to carry people rather than light luggage .
that was the only way they could get tuv approval .

wonsuk_utmb

Thanks, I might get the shop I had the work done to reinforce the seats some more with fiberglass cloth.

WTDoom

you are welcome , keep us posted

jrcart

Looks like nice quality craftsmenship. What do mean by "folding the seat forward"? I don't recall my stock front seats having any feature that allows them to fold forward.

Traffic53

very nice dude. i was just about to start another thread asking for fresh ideas on how fit some seating in the rear.

i'm sure there is an easy answer, but i haven't heard yet how and why the rear seating area of the black series is so much different than the stock CLK rear seating area. why do you suppose they limit the weight back there? do you folks really think the BS is weaker here than a regular CLK chassis? i'm betting that the safety of occupants in the rear of the BS is identical to that of other CLKs. it's not a different chassis. they are the same. curious to hear what folks think would be the worst case scenario for rear seat occupants in a BS.

SMP

I think he refers to the powered recline feature of the US seats. ROW seats are of a one piece construction and don't offer any kind of movement except forward and backward and maybe height adjustment.

SMP

The sheet metal under the storage area in the BS is the same as the rest of the CLK's. Once the shelf is removed, nothing needs to be reinforced to allow more weight to be carried in the back seats. What Mercedes is referring to in regards to load limits, whether it's cargo in the trunk or occupants in the rear seats, has to do with the redesigned rear axel specifically for the Black Series.

dynomite05

All W209's have the folding seats feature. For it to work, your seat has to be pushed back all the way, then try and fold the seat forward.


OP, great job on those seats!

WTDoom

as well as the load limits , the actual cover ( over the battery etc ) behind the rear seats cannot take much weight . it is not load bearing .

Klinh

Not all excepted for the W209 Clk63 "BS" because there's no back seat and the head rest is not electronic adjustable to lower down when the seat fold forward like in the regular Clk seat.

dynomite05

What, do you seek out my posts to correct me? Time to get a life brother. I don't understand your English.

wonsuk_utmb

My stock seats like the ones in the c63 allow me to recline the seat forward about 20-30 degrees.

Klinh

Man I'm a small guy and can barely get to my back seat with just 20-30 degrees tilt forward. The tilt forward and folding feature on the regular Clk seat really open up the entry to the back seat.

jrcart

Ya, I was scratching my head trying to figure out what he was talking about, my stock seats never had the feature which he was talking about.

_AMG_

Looks clean.

ThisFlyGuy

very nicely done, but i think any adult would still not want to sit back there. kids on the other hand could tolerate the cramped space.

wonsuk_utmb

Agree completely, I can tolerate sitting there only for a little while.

wonsuk_utmb

Just got the car from having the buckets reinforced with two sheets of fiberglass and now they are strong. Here are some better pics.

GHAZAN

Very clean, which shop did the work?