I am trying to switch around some components to make one car out of 2
('86 & "85). One car has great mechanicals - one car has beautiful
interior. Same color.
Among the trim challenges: Armrest is badly worn thru on driver
bucket seat - construction looks the same as middle seat armrest on
the other car.
How to remove the armrest?
Does anyone know how these were assembled? (and therefore
dis-assembled). Armrest pivots on a pin attached to a plate that
screws into side of seat back. The 3 plate screws are near impossible
to reach, which leads me to think that armrest ass'y might have been
press fit onto pivot pin after plate was attached to seat. I
unzippered the covering but found no way to separate armrest from
pivot pin. Covering does not slip off; pivot pin is in the way. Any
ideas apreciated.
I know this qualifies as minutia, especially for cars this old, but I
am hoping someone out there has some experience on interior trim for
these models.
My guess is that this same design was used for a few years after '86.
Thanks, gang....
Bob
BeeP - 28 Oct 2004 00:26 GMT
Eventually I figured it out.
Armrests on many of the 80s/early 90s minivans were assembled using a
hardened star washer on the pivot pin behind a "C" retainer ring. Then
the armrest was pressed on. The star washer jams into a round cavity
in the plastic frame of the armrest. Careful prying with a really
large flathead screwdriver removed the armrest. Straightening the
star washer with pliers then allowed another similar armrest to be
re-assembled to the pin. This allowed me to replace a ripped driver
armrest with one in better shape.
FYI for those interior restoration types out there....
Bob
Voyager/Caravan
> I am trying to switch around some components to make one car out of 2
> ('86 & "85). One car has great mechanicals - one car has beautiful
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> Thanks, gang....
> Bob