Arm rest on front bench seat

[NorwegianFord]

'91 XLT. Anyone know how the arm rest should be attached to the drivers seat? The fabric is the only thing that's keeping the arm rest in place right now... There is nothing loose inside the arm rest, and I wanted to check if someone knows more about how it should be fastened before I try something more with the drivers seat... Anyone know?

 

[NorwegianFord]

Anyone know?

 

[djsk8r33]

mine is completely differnt. i have my armrest attached to the center console... did you change yours?

 

[marragtop]

I've never seen a setup like what you have pictured. Does it look like the center console has been removed?

 

[NorwegianFord]

There has never been a center console in this car.. It may be unusual but I have seen it in other Explorers.. The front seats are almost like a "bench seat 2+1". The driver seat is the longer part and the armrest is supposed to be fastened to the right side of the seat. Something is missing and/or has been broken inside the armrest, the problem is that I dont know what or where, and I don't know where to buy it.. To find out more on my own means cutting up the fabric of the seat and I don't want to do that..

 

[DeRocha]

Maybe its a UK specific setup..

 

[djsk8r33]

its like a 40/20/40 seat hahaha

 

[jackieman402]

My 1994 Ranger XLT has this setup, but i don't know how it's attached.

 

[burgundy1994xlt]

Arm rest

Hello all. First post from me and since my armrest appears to be the same setup I thought i'd chime in.

Its a hinge pin that goes through the inside of the box then on through the side of the seatback. I could take pics of mine but I don't think I can post them with my basic membership level on here. Mine is the manual 60/40 split bench seats. True this arm rest setup isn't very common though i've seen a few like it.

This might help: http://www.explorerforum.com/Singleton/web/pages/armrest.html
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Need to change my username since I found my correct color code and it isn't "burgundy", it is Electric currant red on a bone stock 94' xlt. I love my truck.

 

[NorwegianFord]

Thank you, burgundy1994xlt, but I think that link is about the models with the center console? Or? I might be wrong..
Is your arm rest ok? I know it's a detail on the car but it's so annoying when it won't stay in place..

And, no, it's not a UK set up.. It came (used) directly from Florida to Norway..

 

[burgundy1994xlt]

Mine works fine but it does sag a little. I just haven't gotten to fixing it yet. You are right about that link, it is the console type. I did stick my camera in mine and took a picture of the end of the bolt and its a star head. Least now I know what I need to remove mine when I do get to it. I'm sure a search of this site will yield results for you though. Good luck.

 

[Bill O'Rights]

mine is completely differnt. i have my armrest attached to the center console... did you change yours?

To me...it looks like it came out of a Ranger.

 

[NorwegianFord]

To me...it looks like it came out of a Ranger.

It sure did not! Come on! There has to be more members with this front seat in their Explorers!

 

[Joe Dirt]

I also had that same seat in my '93 Ranger- different fabric, but mine had a lid on top.

 

[GRainMOnkey]

our 93 has the two captains chairs up front then our 91 has the bench its rather nice i think all though i miss my cup holder

 

[5footoverhead]

Your best bet would be to take the frabric off and then go from there.I would just start taking it appart.

 

[burgundy1994xlt]

I took my center arm rest apart yesterday ('94 ex xlt). Didn't fix the sag much but it doesn't rattle anymore after reassembly and extra torque to the bolt. No pics because my camera isn't with me this week.

My arm rest swivels up and down to accomodate a third passenger and it has a lid that pops open from a side push button with cassette/junk/coin storage inside. No console in this truck, just the 60/40 manual seats with the center arm rest.

There is a bolt through the inside of the box with a three pointed washer under it, took the bolt out with an allen wrench (worked great in a starhead, don't know the size) then there is a 3 or 4 inch rectangular flat metal piece under that which is keyed to a pin coming out of the seat back.

Hope that helped you.

Scott

 

[jij0226]

i have that same problem. its not a big deal or anything it just bothers me sometimes to see my arm rest in that condition.

 

[JMBRaven83]

I have a '97 XL with that type of front seat. My parents bought it brand new like that. I am starting to have the same problem with the arm rest starting to sag, but I haven't done much about it at this point. I have yet to see another 2nd gen like it!

 

[huntman58]

I have the same set up in my 93. It is attached with a torx bolt (same size I think as the door strikers) from inside the arm rest box. It screws into the driver’s seat back. Between the arm rest and seat back there is also a small plate with a pin in it that is the part that keeps it from going to far back or forward. It may be covered by the upholstery mine was in the open.

To remove.
remove torx bolt all the way gently slip the armrest off the seat back the small plat with the pin may want to hang up on the upholstery but just work it out or do as I did and make a small cut to help remove it (the cut will be covered by the arm rest when put back at all times. there is only one bolt that holds it to the seat back any thing other is just a snag so work it free. installing it is just the reverse with the minor step if you want to add a small dot of lube (I used anti seaz) on both sides f the small plate with the pin just to make it move a bit smothers .

It is easy to do once you find that torx bolt. By the way the torx bolt head also has a crime plastic ring on it to help center it and to hold the armrest tight. If that ring breaks or is missing the arm rest will sag. I found that using two fender washers ground down on the OD to fit inside the arm rest also worked just as well, it fixed my armrest sag and tightened the whole thing up better. The lid is only a plastic one covered with some foam and upholstery so be careful they break easy I know and finding a replacement well forget it its like finding a arm rest like ours in a junk yard on in a million!