69 280SL Moving Driver's Seat

[Valvechatter]

Hello,
Having just become a new owner and Group member ( I am looking but have not acquired a workshop manual yet) I thought I would seek some advice, before I dove in and tried to fix this problem. The driver's seat wanders in the track at the lower left rear of the seat. The track itself is tight, but the seat shifts around in the track.

I have read the material in the technical manual about seat removal and I assume that I need to do just that, but I would hate to find out later that there was an easier way to get a proper fix.

This is a You Tube link to a very short video I made that demonstrates the problem. Help and advice sought.

http://youtu.be/_ZHiPjIwrHI

Thanks.
Lin

[Garry]

It looks like the track guide is loose on the seat.
It is very easy to remove the seat, only four bolts and it can be lifted out.  Whilst there if you want to firm up the seat with out a total rebuild, suggest you try pool noodle in there whilst the seat is out.

Garry

[Valvechatter]

Thanks Garry,
I ordered two pool noodles today! Will wait till they are delivered later in the week to pull out the seat to look at the track problem and insert the noodle.

Lin

[Valvechatter]

Hello All,
This morning I removed the driver's seat to determine why the seat was "wandering" on the track.
As you can see in this video, the rails are a very sloppy fit. However, other than the little metal roller cylinders with rubber rings around them, I don't immediately see what would be causing this problem. I am wondering if these little rollers are just worn and no longer hold the proper tolerance or if there is another issue? Anyone know how many of these rollers there are supposed to be in each track?

Again the track was fastened tightly to the floor pan so that is not the problem. The problem is within the rails.

http://tinyurl.com/krpna3s

If I cannot get any advice on fixing these rails, can someone give me the part number so that I can check with the Classic Center or one of the major parts vendors on acquiring new runners and/or track rails.
Thanks very much!

[Valvechatter]

I took both seats out and inspected the seat rails (sliding mechanism). As one might expect, the passenger seat sliders are almost as new. Nice tight fit. No sloppiness at all. Different story on the driver's seat. I guess I will be ordering new slider mechanisms for the driver's seat.

Also took advantage of the seats being out to install the pool noodles. What a difference the noodle makes, and so easy. I would hate to explain their presence to the uninformed, but they really do firm up the seat nicely and unobtrusively.

The UPS driver is used to delivering many car parts from numerous vendors at our address. He was puzzled by the pool noodles, since we do not have a pool.

Thanks to Garry and others who discovered and shared this suggestion!

Lin

[Garry]

Lin,

My Postmaster used to joke with me that the day he saw a steering wheel come through the post was the day that he knew the car must be near finished.  One day that steering wheel finally did arrive and shortly thereafter I had to drive the car down town to show him what all the parts coming through the post for some years had been going together to make up a Pagoda.

Garry

[pj]

Lin,
please share with us the details about getting new seat rails. I don't see this info in the tech manual.

[Valvechatter]

 Will do!
Lin

[Valvechatter]

Hi folks. Just reporting back. I found some good used seat rails. Cleaned them, greased them and installed to the bottom of the seat. Just got the seat back in to the car. Four bolts with lock washers. Boy, that inside front bolt is a pain to access, but little by little it can be tightened. Very pleased with the results. The seat works like new now. The problem was definitely worn seat rails.

Lin