I wanted an armrest for my drivers seat, it seemed the only option would be junkyard seat(s) but they seem to get plucked pretty fast. Well, I was uncovering the rear passenger seats that came out of my van and noticed the center seat had an armrest and it was correct for the drivers side so this is what followed.
The cool thing is that rear passenger seats are easy to find, I see people on Craigslist trying to get rid of them and they're still in the J/Y vans. So if you can find a seat in the right color you're all set.
You're going to need a right angle grinder with a grinding wheel and a cut-off wheel. Also need a welder or a friend with a welder. If you have the tools this project should just take few hours.
If you find a seat with the armrest you need all it will take is a hacksaw to get what you need. The armrest attaches to a bracket that's welded to the tubing of the seat frame. Use the hacksaw to cut through the seat frame above and below the bracket. You could take a utility knife and cut the upholstery out of the way so you can see what you're doing. Pull the clip that holds the armrest and remove the armrest. Take the clip and put it in a safe place or it will get lost.
Here's the bracket where it was welded to the seat frame. I've already cut it loose here. The sparks from my grinder started all the seat foam smoldering, so cut the seat frame first. Then you can use a cutting wheel on an angle grinder to cut the welds and remove the bracket from the piece of tubing.
Remove the backrest from your drivers seat. There are velcro tabs at the bottom corners and a closure strip under the bottom of the seat back. Release them and pull the upholstery up enough to get to the four 13mm bolts holding the backrest.
Pull the steel frame out of the seat back. It's nested down into the foam so you'll have to stick your hand in there and coax it free, then it will just slide out.
Here's the seat frame separated from the backrest.
Loosely bolt the steel frame back in place to get the location of the armrest bracket. Use a stick from the armrest on the drivers door to the passenger door. This will give you the proper height for attaching the bracket to the seat frame. Make some reference marks on the frame.
You'll probably need to do some clean-up grinding on the bracket to get it to fit the seat frame. I attached it temporarily with tape then tack welded it top and bottom. Take it back to the van to check the fit. If you're happy with it weld it up. Use a rat tail file or some emery and clean up the bushing the armrest goes into, I had some weld spatter in there.
Put the frame back into the backrest. Make absolutely sure the frame is completely nested back into the foam. Feel around in there and keep moving the foam around until its in place. Take a pair of scissors and cut away the foam so it comes up flush with the bracket. Do not cut the upholstery yet!
The clip can go in place now. Close it up with pliers for a snug fit. Put some grease on a q-tip and swab it inside the bushing and on the clip.
Re-install the seat back, get all the upholstery pulled in place and reattached. Finally, cut the upholstery for the armrest, one hole for the mounting pin and one for the stop pin. Clean up the mounting pin on the armrest and put some grease on it. Carefully insert the armrest while rotating it until the clip locks it in.
Go for a drive and enjoy your new armrest!
The cool thing is that rear passenger seats are easy to find, I see people on Craigslist trying to get rid of them and they're still in the J/Y vans. So if you can find a seat in the right color you're all set.
You're going to need a right angle grinder with a grinding wheel and a cut-off wheel. Also need a welder or a friend with a welder. If you have the tools this project should just take few hours.
If you find a seat with the armrest you need all it will take is a hacksaw to get what you need. The armrest attaches to a bracket that's welded to the tubing of the seat frame. Use the hacksaw to cut through the seat frame above and below the bracket. You could take a utility knife and cut the upholstery out of the way so you can see what you're doing. Pull the clip that holds the armrest and remove the armrest. Take the clip and put it in a safe place or it will get lost.
Here's the bracket where it was welded to the seat frame. I've already cut it loose here. The sparks from my grinder started all the seat foam smoldering, so cut the seat frame first. Then you can use a cutting wheel on an angle grinder to cut the welds and remove the bracket from the piece of tubing.
Remove the backrest from your drivers seat. There are velcro tabs at the bottom corners and a closure strip under the bottom of the seat back. Release them and pull the upholstery up enough to get to the four 13mm bolts holding the backrest.
Pull the steel frame out of the seat back. It's nested down into the foam so you'll have to stick your hand in there and coax it free, then it will just slide out.
Here's the seat frame separated from the backrest.
Loosely bolt the steel frame back in place to get the location of the armrest bracket. Use a stick from the armrest on the drivers door to the passenger door. This will give you the proper height for attaching the bracket to the seat frame. Make some reference marks on the frame.
You'll probably need to do some clean-up grinding on the bracket to get it to fit the seat frame. I attached it temporarily with tape then tack welded it top and bottom. Take it back to the van to check the fit. If you're happy with it weld it up. Use a rat tail file or some emery and clean up the bushing the armrest goes into, I had some weld spatter in there.
Put the frame back into the backrest. Make absolutely sure the frame is completely nested back into the foam. Feel around in there and keep moving the foam around until its in place. Take a pair of scissors and cut away the foam so it comes up flush with the bracket. Do not cut the upholstery yet!
The clip can go in place now. Close it up with pliers for a snug fit. Put some grease on a q-tip and swab it inside the bushing and on the clip.
Re-install the seat back, get all the upholstery pulled in place and reattached. Finally, cut the upholstery for the armrest, one hole for the mounting pin and one for the stop pin. Clean up the mounting pin on the armrest and put some grease on it. Carefully insert the armrest while rotating it until the clip locks it in.
Go for a drive and enjoy your new armrest!