How to make a headrest straight?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 502
Likes: 145
From: Tampa Bay, FL
2014 E350 Wagon, 2009 SL550 no ABC
How to make a headrest straight?
Hi, the headrests of the modern cars (or at least the luxury cars starting about 10 years ago) are very uncomfortably bent forward. I realize that's a good position for crush test dummies and for all the young people with rounded backs, goose necks and heads sticking about a foot ahead of the torso due to smart phone addictions. But it does not work for us in the older generation with straight backs, who enjoy seating straight.
Has anyone figured out a way to correct it? For a while I've been driving my S600 with a simple correction of removing the top seat tubes which hold the headrest. It allows for the headrest to sufficiently move back, but it's wobbly and looks ugly without the plastic finishing around the mounting holes. I've disassembled the headrest and tried to bent the two metal tubes which go into the seat, putting one end in a vice but it's quite stiff and does not bend. Before I put a few feet extension tube for more torque and break something, has anyone figures out a simpler and cleaner way? Does anyone else see it as a problem?
(To preempt all the "don't touch it, it's for your safety, dummy!" messages, it's not for MY safety as constant bending the head forward makes me uncomfortable and more prone to causing accidents :-)
Thanks!!!
Has anyone figured out a way to correct it? For a while I've been driving my S600 with a simple correction of removing the top seat tubes which hold the headrest. It allows for the headrest to sufficiently move back, but it's wobbly and looks ugly without the plastic finishing around the mounting holes. I've disassembled the headrest and tried to bent the two metal tubes which go into the seat, putting one end in a vice but it's quite stiff and does not bend. Before I put a few feet extension tube for more torque and break something, has anyone figures out a simpler and cleaner way? Does anyone else see it as a problem?
(To preempt all the "don't touch it, it's for your safety, dummy!" messages, it's not for MY safety as constant bending the head forward makes me uncomfortable and more prone to causing accidents :-)
Thanks!!!
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 624
Likes: 213
From: My house
SL55AMG, GL450, SLK, S550, Maserati Coupe
I agree, I like the headrests from the W124s and the W140s better,
they tilted and you could get it just right and have it support your head
while you drive, like it was a "HeadRest" or something.
Wish they hadn't changed them.
they tilted and you could get it just right and have it support your head
while you drive, like it was a "HeadRest" or something.
Wish they hadn't changed them.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 502
Likes: 145
From: Tampa Bay, FL
2014 E350 Wagon, 2009 SL550 no ABC
Thanks. BTW, I've fixed mine now. The trick was to put the metal support tubes (one at a time) in a slightly larger hole drilled in a thick, unmovable steel (1/4 or 1/2 inch thick), put about 3ft long steel pipe onto the tube and bend it into shape. It was not even necessary to disassemble the headrest. Just headrest removal, bending both tubes out (as closely to the headrest as possible without putting any pressure on the headrest itself), and putting the headrest back in.
Now the seating position is almost as comfortable as in the W124 and W140 :-). It just needs a bit more firmness in the seat itself, but that will be another project...
Now the seating position is almost as comfortable as in the W124 and W140 :-). It just needs a bit more firmness in the seat itself, but that will be another project...
Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 122
Likes: 41
2007 CL600
I hope you realise you're not necessarily supposed to rest your head against the headrest. Headrest is supposed to be a shortened form of head restraint. It's purpose is to prevent your head from moving too far back in a collision.
Last edited by pillowshot; May 31, 2020 at 06:41 AM.
Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 91
Likes: 13
W221 S500 2010
You are not necessarily supposed to have massage in you seat either, but...
