Post by pathwayus69 on Dec 27, 2018 15:08:24 GMT -5
Post by: Alwayssideways's
Ok, I am going to write this how to. Lately I have really been wanting an armrest. I however have a problem paying $75-$175 for one. Also finding one in a junk yard is very difficult and if you were to find one , it will most likely not be the right interior color.
So here is my attempt to get a DC colored arm rest from a focus ( much easier to obtain) into my car. At first glance the arm rest might not look like it will work because of the way they are mounted in the focus. But will a little work it will fit in the z and not look half bad.
I even tested it out in the junk yard. Here are some of the prelim pics. Please excuse the tan interior. Like I said, I did this in a junk yard and only needed a phillips head screw driver and the hardware I kept from the focus(2 phillips head screws)
So here I go .
I found this armrest in a focus. I am unsure of the year. But they all seem to have the same arm rest. Mine was DC so it would match my interior without paint.
On the back of the armrest (towards the rear seat ) there is a small square trim panel that hides the screws holding the arm rest to the console. Remove the 2 screws and pull off the arm rest. I would save the screws since they are black and will help match the interior later.
I then went home and removed the rear center console and put it on a work bench. I took the arm rest and put the angled bracket over the rear of the zx2 console above the rear cup holder and figured out how much of the bracket needed to be trimmed.
In the picture above you can see the tabs hang down into the cup holder area. This extra metal also keeps the bracket from sitting flush on the console. So I trimmed it down a little as seen in the pic below
I then centered the armrest on the console and installed the 2 screws I kept from the junkyard.
I did this as a marking point. I took the screws back out and put the bracket in the vice and slightly bend the bracket to mirror the bend in the console. I found that it will be very difficult to totally 100 percent match the contour of the console so just some slight bending is needed.
Time to separate the armrest from the bracket. Remove the 2 circular trim pieces on the sides. These are held in by 2 spring clips
After removing both sides you will see a retaining clip on one side and plastic pan head on the other. I used a small pick to gently pry up the retaining clip. Dont break this because you will need it.
a pic of the retaining clip
Once you have the clip off , you will want to get a screw driver or a punch and elevate the armrest and bracket off the bench and use the punch to push the pin through the armrest and bracket. Once again. Use a punch on the side the retaining clip was on. ** after thought, The bracket has a square punch in it where the pin goes through. The pin is also squared. Make sure that the bracket lines up with the armrest so that the pin will go through and not get hung up.
Gently separate the armrest and bracket. Put the arm rest aside for a little while. Now once again I mounted the bracket on the console again and used a piece of crayon on the underside of the bracket inside the square cubby to trace the opening. You will be doing this to make that cubby more accessible. I used a dremel cut off wheel and also a die grinder
This is why
It took 2 tries to get it 100 percent right . but here is what I was left with
Once the cubby hole was finished I then re mounted the bracket and found the best place to instal 2 more screws. I used a punch and predrilled the bracket, but did not pre drill the console. But here is where I installed the screws for the top .
I deburred the bracket with a dremel and sanding disc and a file. Since I would be putting my hand in this area I dont want to get cut. . I then painted the bracket black so that it hides the cuts I made.
Painted bracket remounted
Put the armrest back on and install the square pin. Attach the retaining clip. and re install the arm rest.
Enjoy and get that gansta lean.
Here are finished pics of mine
So here is my attempt to get a DC colored arm rest from a focus ( much easier to obtain) into my car. At first glance the arm rest might not look like it will work because of the way they are mounted in the focus. But will a little work it will fit in the z and not look half bad.
I even tested it out in the junk yard. Here are some of the prelim pics. Please excuse the tan interior. Like I said, I did this in a junk yard and only needed a phillips head screw driver and the hardware I kept from the focus(2 phillips head screws)
So here I go .
I found this armrest in a focus. I am unsure of the year. But they all seem to have the same arm rest. Mine was DC so it would match my interior without paint.
On the back of the armrest (towards the rear seat ) there is a small square trim panel that hides the screws holding the arm rest to the console. Remove the 2 screws and pull off the arm rest. I would save the screws since they are black and will help match the interior later.
I then went home and removed the rear center console and put it on a work bench. I took the arm rest and put the angled bracket over the rear of the zx2 console above the rear cup holder and figured out how much of the bracket needed to be trimmed.
In the picture above you can see the tabs hang down into the cup holder area. This extra metal also keeps the bracket from sitting flush on the console. So I trimmed it down a little as seen in the pic below
I then centered the armrest on the console and installed the 2 screws I kept from the junkyard.
I did this as a marking point. I took the screws back out and put the bracket in the vice and slightly bend the bracket to mirror the bend in the console. I found that it will be very difficult to totally 100 percent match the contour of the console so just some slight bending is needed.
Time to separate the armrest from the bracket. Remove the 2 circular trim pieces on the sides. These are held in by 2 spring clips
After removing both sides you will see a retaining clip on one side and plastic pan head on the other. I used a small pick to gently pry up the retaining clip. Dont break this because you will need it.
a pic of the retaining clip
Once you have the clip off , you will want to get a screw driver or a punch and elevate the armrest and bracket off the bench and use the punch to push the pin through the armrest and bracket. Once again. Use a punch on the side the retaining clip was on. ** after thought, The bracket has a square punch in it where the pin goes through. The pin is also squared. Make sure that the bracket lines up with the armrest so that the pin will go through and not get hung up.
Gently separate the armrest and bracket. Put the arm rest aside for a little while. Now once again I mounted the bracket on the console again and used a piece of crayon on the underside of the bracket inside the square cubby to trace the opening. You will be doing this to make that cubby more accessible. I used a dremel cut off wheel and also a die grinder
This is why
It took 2 tries to get it 100 percent right . but here is what I was left with
Once the cubby hole was finished I then re mounted the bracket and found the best place to instal 2 more screws. I used a punch and predrilled the bracket, but did not pre drill the console. But here is where I installed the screws for the top .
I deburred the bracket with a dremel and sanding disc and a file. Since I would be putting my hand in this area I dont want to get cut. . I then painted the bracket black so that it hides the cuts I made.
Painted bracket remounted
Put the armrest back on and install the square pin. Attach the retaining clip. and re install the arm rest.
Enjoy and get that gansta lean.
Here are finished pics of mine
Sorry there wasn't any pictures on wayback to go with this.