Author Topic: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?  (Read 5380 times)

Rodolfo

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seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« on: June 10, 2013, 18:35:08 »
My dear pagoda friends,

The driver seat in my LHD car tended to be softer at the right side (door side). I thought it might have been the springs of the seat. I dismounted the. The seat springs looked quite good.
It seems that the left side of the driver’s seat is a bit stiffer because it is leaning on the middle console.

Now I think that maybe the seat cushions in the past are mounted wrong: I think that they mounted the seat of the right seat on the left seat and vice versa.

I am not sure of that. One side of the seat seems to be wider than the other: the seat cushion is not symmetric, I mean. Now the widest side is to the center of the car and so touching the middle console. I think maybe they should be mirrored: changing the cushions to the opposite seats, I mean.

I took two photos of the situation now.

Are they mounted wrong?

It is a 230 sl from 1966.

Thank you in advance.

Rudy

w113dude

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2013, 20:44:26 »
Rudy,

I don't see anything unusual other than regular ware, the driver side gets a lot more use specially the door side backrest as you get in and out of the car you tend to lean towards that side more to get out, I have the same issue with my 300CD, changing the inner padding of the backrest will take care of it.


Garry

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2013, 23:23:55 »
As an interim rather than a total rebuild, you could always do the noodle trick.  Do a search under 'seat noodles' and you will get the gist.  It makes the world of difference for tired seats

Garry
Garry Marks
Melbourne/ Kyneton, Brisbane. Australia
1969 MB 280SL 5 speed RHD SOLD.
1965 MB 230SL Auto RHD Lt Blue 334G, Top 350H, Tourist Delivery.
1972 MB 280CE Auto RHD 906G
2005 MB A200
2006 MB B200
2019 Izuzu DMax 4x4 Slide-on camper.
2022 Volvo XC40 Electric
2024 Volvo EX30 Electric

manz376

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2013, 19:27:57 »
I think they are mounted incorrectly, the wider part of the seat base should be nearer the door.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

georgem

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2013, 20:20:54 »
I agree with manz - swap them over - another test might be the seat slide lever - on mine it is inboard next to the transmission. I also seem to remember a discussion re this a year or so ago.
George McDonald
Brisbane
230 Sl
1973 VW Kombi Single Cab Ute
2022 Volvo XC 40 Pure (100% electric)

Alf

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2013, 21:21:07 »
Just checked my car and your are definitely the wrong way round
Alf
'69 280SL. Silver (180 G) with black hardtop

Rodolfo

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2013, 20:45:12 »
I also think they are mounted reversed. Now my only concern is: all people who confirm drive RHD cars, I suppose (UK and Australia). Could someone a LHD confirm as well that the seat slide handles are inboard next to the tunnel?

If indeed the cushions are wrong placed, it will be some work: since the tilt levers are on the good side: door side. But the slide handle and cushion are apparently not.


66andBlue

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2013, 22:18:04 »
Seats in LHD cars also should have the slide handle inboard next to the tunnel. Although I must admit I have put mine on the outside  :o
... since it is a lot easier to reach them up front and move the seat. I cannot get any points subtracted for that since I don't show my car.  ;D
Yes, you will have to open up the seats and place the tilt lever at the same side where the seat cushion is wider.
Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

J. Huber

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2013, 01:27:15 »
It may very well be they are in backwards -- but what I notice is how the seats seem to really be encroaching upon the center console. This could be the reversed-seat issue but is it possible the seats themselves are wrong (over-sized in some way?) If you reverse them, you may have clearance issue on pocket side.

I looked at mine and they too might be transposed? Although I am not 100 percent sure about this. The slider-guides are both inside as they should be -- and one of my covers has equal width on both sides of the cushion. At my measuring point its 5.5 inches. However, the other seat has a slightly wider cushion band 6 inches on one side, 5.25 on the other... Wide side on tunnel side but I have good clearance on both sides...

These are replacement seat covers from Miller's purchased about 10 years apart from each other.

Confused yet?

Sorry no pictures yet...
« Last Edit: June 13, 2013, 01:35:32 by J. Huber »
James
63 230SL

J. Huber

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2013, 01:34:29 »
And...I just thought of something. I recall hearing that the early cars had a different seat shape than later ones (something we must specify when buying new covers.) Maybe yours being a 66 and mine a 63, the seats are patently different. Then it makes sense that your style with the curvy side need to be swapped around -- mine have a fairly straight edge on each side -- they may be wrong too but the transposition is not so dramatic...

So, having a nice conversation with myself here... thx J

Sure
J
James
63 230SL

Rodolfo

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Re: seats in 230sl : mounted mirrored?
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2013, 18:29:42 »
Today I excahanged the seats. They were indeed mounted mirrored . Was quickly done. Much beter now. I also included the "pool" thing.

Many thanks for the good advices

Rudy