SL/R129: Help with replacement of seatback leather - 129
03-20-2006, 09:01 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Michigan
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SL600 r230, SL600 r129,, SL500 r230, ML320, C280 Sport, 190e 2.3 16V (2)
Help with replacement of seatback leather - 129
Hi all
I bought a new leather seat back for my SL. I found a link showing how to take the seat apart (4 screws!), but I could not find how to remove the white plastic pieces attaching the cloth seat spine to the little metal bars in the horsehair cushion.
Can anybody provide guidance?
I bought a new leather seat back for my SL. I found a link showing how to take the seat apart (4 screws!), but I could not find how to remove the white plastic pieces attaching the cloth seat spine to the little metal bars in the horsehair cushion.
Can anybody provide guidance?
03-20-2006, 10:46 PM
#2
Originally Posted by waybomb
Hi all
I bought a new leather seat back for my SL. I found a link showing how to take the seat apart (4 screws!), but I could not find how to remove the white plastic pieces attaching the cloth seat spine to the little metal bars in the horsehair cushion.
Can anybody provide guidance?
I bought a new leather seat back for my SL. I found a link showing how to take the seat apart (4 screws!), but I could not find how to remove the white plastic pieces attaching the cloth seat spine to the little metal bars in the horsehair cushion.
Can anybody provide guidance?
all i know, is that it is very very hard to take on and off.
good luck! and remember, DONT MOVE THE SEAT WHEN IT IS OFF. it makes it much harder to put back on.
makr
09-14-2010, 04:07 PM
#5
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2005 S 500
Hi all
I bought a new leather seat back for my SL. I found a link showing how to take the seat apart (4 screws!), but I could not find how to remove the white plastic pieces attaching the cloth seat spine to the little metal bars in the horsehair cushion.
Can anybody provide guidance?
I bought a new leather seat back for my SL. I found a link showing how to take the seat apart (4 screws!), but I could not find how to remove the white plastic pieces attaching the cloth seat spine to the little metal bars in the horsehair cushion.
Can anybody provide guidance?
You Already Have The Hides ,, It Can't Cost That Much.
Besides You Will Break The Plastic Clips Holding The Seat To The Metal Frame, And They Have Them.
It's A No Brainer
Why Get Aggravated Have Fun
Harle03joe
09-15-2010, 02:32 AM
#6
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 215
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
96 SL500, 97 E420
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...%3AMEWAX%3AVRI
Tops too
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...%3AMEWAX%3AVRI
09-25-2010, 12:51 AM
#7
Things you need to know:
The plastic clips holding the seat back to the metal frame are easy. Just pry them off with a small screwdriver.
What's a huge pain are the 3 metal rods - which provide the pleats in the seats. They are in a cloth channel sewn into the bottom of the cover, and clip to another rod on the seat frame. Along the bottom there is a fiber channel that fits into grooves - use a pick or screwdriver to pry it out. This is how the entire bottom of the seat is held on along the edges as well. Getting them off is ridiculous, and you have to remove the horsehair / foam pad from the metal frame - it's just a friction fit there.
Then you have to feed the rods into the new seat skin, cut notches in the appropriate places, - hint - feed zip ties up the holes so you can mark the cover, then replace the white plastic clips and clip the rods down to the pad. Start in the middle, then do the two sides, then stretch the leather over the bolsters. On my car I had to add a bit of foam on the bolsters because 20 years of wear had kind of compacted it. It took me 8 hours or so to do the 4 seat cushions over two nights. The bottoms seem easier than the backs, but in reality they aren't - getting those fiber channels in there is a pain - Hint - start with the front corners and work backwards on the bottoms, if your corners dont perfectly line up, you want it to be on the back of the seat where it's tucked under, not where it's visible in the front.
I have a ton of pics etc, but I just got done tonight and haven't had time to post anything.
Take care,
George
Trending Topics
09-25-2010, 02:07 PM
#8
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2005 S 500
I just got done doing my car this evening.
Things you need to know:
The plastic clips holding the seat back to the metal frame are easy. Just pry them off with a small screwdriver.
What's a huge pain are the 3 metal rods - which provide the pleats in the seats. They are in a cloth channel sewn into the bottom of the cover, and clip to another rod on the seat frame. Along the bottom there is a fiber channel that fits into grooves - use a pick or screwdriver to pry it out. This is how the entire bottom of the seat is held on along the edges as well. Getting them off is ridiculous, and you have to remove the horsehair / foam pad from the metal frame - it's just a friction fit there.
Then you have to feed the rods into the new seat skin, cut notches in the appropriate places, - hint - feed zip ties up the holes so you can mark the cover, then replace the white plastic clips and clip the rods down to the pad. Start in the middle, then do the two sides, then stretch the leather over the bolsters. On my car I had to add a bit of foam on the bolsters because 20 years of wear had kind of compacted it. It took me 8 hours or so to do the 4 seat cushions over two nights. The bottoms seem easier than the backs, but in reality they aren't - getting those fiber channels in there is a pain - Hint - start with the front corners and work backwards on the bottoms, if your corners dont perfectly line up, you want it to be on the back of the seat where it's tucked under, not where it's visible in the front.
I have a ton of pics etc, but I just got done tonight and haven't had time to post anything.
Take care,
George
Things you need to know:
The plastic clips holding the seat back to the metal frame are easy. Just pry them off with a small screwdriver.
What's a huge pain are the 3 metal rods - which provide the pleats in the seats. They are in a cloth channel sewn into the bottom of the cover, and clip to another rod on the seat frame. Along the bottom there is a fiber channel that fits into grooves - use a pick or screwdriver to pry it out. This is how the entire bottom of the seat is held on along the edges as well. Getting them off is ridiculous, and you have to remove the horsehair / foam pad from the metal frame - it's just a friction fit there.
Then you have to feed the rods into the new seat skin, cut notches in the appropriate places, - hint - feed zip ties up the holes so you can mark the cover, then replace the white plastic clips and clip the rods down to the pad. Start in the middle, then do the two sides, then stretch the leather over the bolsters. On my car I had to add a bit of foam on the bolsters because 20 years of wear had kind of compacted it. It took me 8 hours or so to do the 4 seat cushions over two nights. The bottoms seem easier than the backs, but in reality they aren't - getting those fiber channels in there is a pain - Hint - start with the front corners and work backwards on the bottoms, if your corners dont perfectly line up, you want it to be on the back of the seat where it's tucked under, not where it's visible in the front.
I have a ton of pics etc, but I just got done tonight and haven't had time to post anything.
Take care,
George
And That Was A Very Good Wrte Up
Thank You
Harley03joe
09-25-2010, 10:46 PM
#9
09-26-2010, 02:05 AM
#10
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2005 S 500
09-26-2010, 07:29 PM
#11
I did a full writeup with pics etc on my blog, here is the link:
http://90r129.blogspot.com/2010/09/r...ing-500sl.html
Hope this helps,
George
09-27-2010, 12:53 AM
#12
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Florida
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2005 S 500
Joe I tried to post pics on this site, but it didn't let me - said I was missing the security certificate or something.
I did a full writeup with pics etc on my blog, here is the link:
http://90r129.blogspot.com/2010/09/r...ing-500sl.html
Hope this helps,
George
I did a full writeup with pics etc on my blog, here is the link:
http://90r129.blogspot.com/2010/09/r...ing-500sl.html
Hope this helps,
George
Thanks
Harley03joe
