World Upholstery & Trim

HOW TO REPLACE SEAT UPHOLSTERY ON 1955-89 MERCEDES-BENZ CARS 

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The following information is supplied as a customer service guide only. World Upholstery and Trim recommends professional installation of all our products. No guarantee or warrantee with regard to results of installations made by this guide is made or implied

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Do not begin this job until you know you have sufficient time to finish. It is wise to allow a full weekend for recovering your seats.

2. Work in a well-lighted, well-ventilated, neat area where you will not be interrupted. A work-bench and a stool are the only furnishings you’ll need.

3. Set out all the tools in a space where you can reach them and also keep track of them.

You’ll may need.......

1.      Phillips Screwdriver 2.       Slotted Screwdriver 3.       Single-edged razor blade  4.      Hammer 5.      Tube or can of contact cement  6.      Curved needle and waxed hand sewing thread (older seats) 7.      Scissors 8.      Two or three coffee cans for storing parts 9.      Hog ring pliers and hog rings (some seats) 10.   Metric sockets 11.   End-wrench and Allen wrench sets  12.  Inexpensive 1-inch paint brush for spreading glue

You may need.... Cushion Horsehair Pad   Backrest Horsehair Pad

1. Using metric sockets and end wrenches remove seats from car. Mercedes seats are generally held in by (4)10mm. hex head bolts located inside the tracks. Slide the seat forward to get at the rear bolts, backward to get at the front bolts. If the bolts will not turn they may be seized in their threaded receptacles in the floor boards. Soak thoroughly with Liquid Wrench or WD-40. If this fails to loosen seized bolts, you may need to apply heat. Beware of the extreme fire hazard.

2. After you have removed the seats from the car, place one seat aside where you can look at it for reference. Remove the side hardware from the other seat noting the spacers and other attachments. You will need a large Phillips screwdriver to remove the chrome- plated screws on early seats, later seats require metric wrenches.

3. Set backrest aside and begin work on cushion. Turn cushion up-side-down and compress springs. You may need to place cushion up-side-down on floor and kneel on underside. Gently pry leather and cardboard out of the channel running around the perimeter of the cushion. Turn cushion right-side-up and pull skirting upward so as to expose springs. It may be necessary to cut some of the hand stitching at the rear corners. Use a fresh single-edged razor blade.

4 Once springs are exposed and skirting is pulled up over the top of the cushion, you will see how the top of the cover is affixed to the cushion. There will be white muslin material (listing) sewn to the cover and somehow attached to the upper outside edge of the cushion (Rubberized Horsehair Pad). It will be hand sewn, glued or hog-ringed. Carefully unfasten the listing and further remove cover. The pleated insert of the cover may also be attached to cushion pad. Note method of attachment and un-do. Remove old cover but do not discard. Retain loose stuffing.

5. Turn new Cushion cover inside-out. (Make sure you have the correct side since some cars have right and left cushions and others are identical.) Place cover squarely on cushion and attach pleated insert of cover in the same manner old cover was attached. Some early models have a series of ties about 8 inches back from the front edge. You will need to attach and thread these through the seat at this point. Use a straight sail maker’s needle.

6. When center section of cover is attached, pull listing around over the sides of the rubberized horsehair pad, Attach in same manner old cover was attached—glue, hand sew or hog-rings. Make sure piping on outer edge is straight. Use cotton stuffing to fill in any wrinkled or loose areas.

7. Turn Cushion up-side-down and compress springs while pulling skirt of cover up toward the channel. Beginning with the rear edge of cushion, force cardboard inward and flip into channel. If cardboard is loose, it maybe necessary to squeeze the channel using a clamp or vice grips. If there are wrinkles around the lower edge, it may be necessary to reposition the cardboard by cutting the stitching and stapling it back in place. Hand sew rear corners if necessary.

8. With a fresh razor blade, carefully cut holes for hardware and put Cushion aside.

10. Place weight on back of backrest so as to compress springs. Pry leather and cardboard out of retaining channels. Older cars may have edges nailed down. Later cars may have edges glued down. Remove in appropriate manner.

11. Pull side bolsters around to front of backrest. Look for listings as on cushion. Un-attach listings and remove cover by lifting from bottom of cover and pulling up over top of Backrest. Remove old cover, if applicable, remove headrest grommets but do not discard the cover. Retain loose stuffing.

13. Insert top cardboard (1“) in Channel on the upper back of the Backrest.

14. Reach inside sides of cover and pull listing so as to straighten vertical piping along the two outer edges of the Backrest. Affix listing to sides of Backrest in same manner factory used: hog-rings, glue or hand sew. Use stuffing from old covers to fill in loose areas.

15. If seat has cardboard along sides, compress springs and snap into channel. Otherwise glue side boxing to framework in rear of Backrest. You may need to hand sew at the bottom corners.

16. Re-install back panel and cut holes for hardware. Re-assemble seat and set aside. Follow same procedures on the other seat.