Updated Arm Rest with opening Console

[kerrye]

I used the basic bracket (not the extensions) and attached it to the console with 1/4" Ford/Nissan plastic screw rivets. I also used a heat gun to warm the bracket and bend each side inwards so it more closely matched the width of the original console. By the way, the armrest is only $40 now on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XH ... UTF8&psc=1

[Don]

While we're on the hunt for the snap rivets for the center console, does anyone know where to get more of the snap rivets for the door panels? I inadvertently broke two or three of them while trying to pop the rear driver side door back on. The panel, so far, stays on fine with one remaining rivet and the three screws. However, I'd like to have some of the plastic rivets on hand in case I notice the panel starting to get loose.

Following the advice here, I used a punch to push the center pin in to release the rivet - That did the trick, but it also broke one leg of the rivet off on three of them, so they weren't reusable

The solution for snap rivets is . . . . NAPA! - I went there with one of my broken rivets and the counter guy went in the back and came out with a book. I guess you could call it a book, as it had many pages and on each page there were probably 50 different snap rivets clear coated to the page for use on car interiors. The actual rivets, not pictures of them, and the book had 12 or 15 pages - It was literally a foot tall when he laid it on the counter to open it

There are many different types and sizes and our cars use the most useless of the bunch, if you're judging by how reusable they are. Two of the better types use a more logical way to spread the pins than the little impossible to remove pins like ours have. One type uses a little push cap which you can easily pry open and reuse as many times as needed. The type I bought uses a matching black nylon screw which you screw down flush to lock the rivet in place. Unscrew it 8 or 10 turns and you can use the screw to pull the rivet out of the hole. You can put it in and take it out dozens of times without fear of breaking anything and it's quick and easy to do

I didn't spend a lot if time going through the book looking for the best match. The ones I bought have a little longer shank on them than needed, so they don't lock down tight like they would if the shank was a bit shorter . . . . but they work fine. The ones I got are NAPA #665-2399 and they were about $5 for a pack of seven

My NAPA store seemed to have most of the things in the book in stock - We looked at 4 or 5 different ones that didn't seem quite right and never ran across anything he didn't have in stock

Hope this helps someone down the line - Try NAPA if you're looking for oddball parts like these. I went to AutoZone and Advance Auto parts first and didn't find anything even close

Don

[kerrye]

I got mine at Oreilly's. I used the screw in type plastic rivets for the armrest but they had a lot of different styles, most of them with the brand name of the car they were used on, on the box. They were in the aisle with all the funky body tools ad parts hanging in blister packs. I was surprised at the variety of ones available.

[Don]

I used only the basic bracket too. I spent some time with my belt sander and sanded away enough on both the front and the rear of the bracket to make it match the profile of the console. This also made it sit about 1/2 inch lower, which was another plus, at least for me. I attached the bracket to the console using the supplied bolts and wingnuts, with three flat washers between the bracket and the console and then tightened the heck out of the mounting hardware. Now I'm shopping for cup holders to mount on the back, similar to what Robb has done, except I'd like to mount a pair of them if possible

Don