console armrest

[CRISPY5]

I've hear a lot of complaints about the Protege center console arm rest not really being much use as an arm rest since it sits too far back... Has anyone come up with a solution for this?? Since I got mine, I see what they mean. I had a 2000 ES, but it was not a big deal since it was an automatic and I could rest my hand on the shifter when in drive... but now that I have a 2003 P5 with a stick, I have no place to rest my arm/hand when crusin, especially when in 5th...

I'm planning on making a custom console armrest for my P5. It will be a two inch spacer under the oridinal armrest/lid with common drawer slides which can let it slide forward about 8 inches from it's original location.

The lid will still lift up for access to the storage area, and still look nearly stock when in the retracted position... "I hope..."

If anyone is interested, I will post some pics when finished so you can see how it turned out...

 

[Moeed]

I got to see some pics of this. It would be nice to have a longer arm rest.

 

[Mxyzptlk]

Never had a problem here. But I dont sit all up on the steering wheel either.

 

[Kansei]

Never had a problem here. But I dont sit all up on the steering wheel either.

I'll have to go for a ride and check, but yeah I haven't had any problems reaching the arm rest while cruising, but maybe that was with city cruises in 4th or something...

 

[BiGx5MurF]

I've hear a lot of complaints about the Protege center console arm rest not really being much use as an arm rest since it sits too far back... Has anyone come up with a solution for this?? Since I got mine, I see what they mean. I had a 2000 ES, but it was not a big deal since it was an automatic and I could rest my hand on the shifter when in drive... but now that I have a 2003 P5 with a stick, I have no place to rest my arm/hand when crusin, especially when in 5th...

I'm planning on making a custom console armrest for my P5. It will be a two inch spacer under the oridinal armrest/lid with common drawer slides which can let it slide forward about 8 inches from it's original location.

The lid will still lift up for access to the storage area, and still look nearly stock when in the retracted position... "I hope..."

If anyone is interested, I will post some pics when finished so you can see how it turned out...

You, along with a lot of other people have been taught by hollywood to drive with one hand on the wheel, and one on the shifter. Don't mean to be offensive or anything, but turn on the speed channel and watch some rally car drivers, or any race drivers in fact. They drive with both hands on the wheel. They take their right hand off the wheel to shift, then it goes right back to the wheel. Since these guys drive for a living, I don't see why we shouldn't try their technique.

 

[Katya4me]

I'd be interested in seeing the pics when you have it finished.

Katya

 

[PeaB0dy]

I drive with one hand on the wheel, it's comfortable that way for me..

The arm rest is pretty good..

I leave one hand on the shifter, more fun, I don't see how there is always a need to have both hands on the wheel, driving is never as intense as the ralleys...

 

[Togan]

oh yeah im definitely interested, i'll be waiting for some pics

 

[ZoomFive]

I've hear a lot of complaints about the Protege center console arm rest not really being much use as an arm rest since it sits too far back... Has anyone come up with a solution for this?? Since I got mine, I see what they mean. I had a 2000 ES, but it was not a big deal since it was an automatic and I could rest my hand on the shifter when in drive... but now that I have a 2003 P5 with a stick, I have no place to rest my arm/hand when crusin, especially when in 5th...

I'm planning on making a custom console armrest for my P5. It will be a two inch spacer under the oridinal armrest/lid with common drawer slides which can let it slide forward about 8 inches from it's original location.

The lid will still lift up for access to the storage area, and still look nearly stock when in the retracted position... "I hope..."

If anyone is interested, I will post some pics when finished so you can see how it turned out...

You're reading my mind. If it were a touch higher and more forward, it would be great.

I would be interested in anything you come up with.

- ZoomFive

 

[loccusst]

Drivers Ed actually teaches us to drive with our hands at ten o'clock and two o'clock. You should have both hands on the wheel, especialy on busy road ways. I hope that if you race you have both hands on the wheel except for when you shift. I would say that I drive about 50% of the time with both hands on the wheel, but then again 50% of the time I am surrounded by idiots who don't know how to drive.

 

[webster]

You are going to run into some difficulties if you want the armrest to both slide AND still be able to tilt up for access to the storage bin beneath.

I have a 1997 BMW 528 with a sliding armrest that doesn't tilt (Standard in US). In Europe you can get them with a sliding/tilting armrest with storage bin. I was about to do the conversion until I realized the cost of the parts.

In order to make it slide/tilt, you are going to first have to fabricate a base that can tilt using the factory hinge. Then you are going to have to fabricate some sort of sliding mechanism (preferably with detents at full forward/backward) which can be attached to both the base and the armrest.

 

[SilvrProtege5NJ]

I have had my car for a year now and it is the only thing that bothers me about the car. I have done alot of research on the topic but have never found a good enough solution for me to risk destroying it. I cant wait to see how it comes out!!

 

[Kansei]

You guys could always swap out the arm rest from a 2002+ Nissan altima.. it is small and far back, then you push a button on the front of it and it pops up and comes forward. If I get the chance I'll go out in the driveway and take a pic of it.

 

[CRISPY5]

Hello again everyone... Yes we all have our differing opinions about how we should and should not drive... one hand or two... ect... anyway..

I have already purchased some generic drawer slides from Lowes for only five bucks.. these will be mounted to a hand built frame made from some left over angle iron sitting around in my garage and painted to match the interior. The contruction will be rather simple, it is the design which will be creative!!

I'm currently in the middle of a frame off restoration (literally) of a 1959 Morris Minor which I'm mounting on to a shortened S-10 Blazer frame... (see attached pics.. if they work..) So I have all the necessary tools and skills to make a simple sliding armrest... Oh and yes it will still flip up... Actually since it will be an inch or so taller, this will increase the storage capacity of the center console a bit...

I should be starting on it this weekend, and when completed I will post a new thread with all the pics and stuff.... I don't plan on making more and selling them, unless the offer is mucho generous... but I would be more than happy to send anyone a set of drawings and measurements, ect. if they want to make their own....

 

[ZoomFive]

You guys could always swap out the arm rest from a 2002+ Nissan altima.. it is small and far back, then you push a button on the front of it and it pops up and comes forward. If I get the chance I'll go out in the driveway and take a pic of it.

(peep) I would be interested in seeing this.

- ZoomFive

 

[Replica]

You, along with a lot of other people have been taught by hollywood to drive with one hand on the wheel, and one on the shifter. Don't mean to be offensive or anything, but turn on the speed channel and watch some rally car drivers, or any race drivers in fact. They drive with both hands on the wheel. They take their right hand off the wheel to shift, then it goes right back to the wheel. Since these guys drive for a living, I don't see why we shouldn't try their technique.

Still letting a TV tell you want to do.(jerkit)

 

[ZoomFive]

Still letting a TV tell you want to do.(jerkit)

OUCH!

 

[CRISPY5]

Hello again everyone...

Well, I think I may have changed my mind on my console armrest.... and here is why...

Just for fun, I took my JC Whintey bought "universal" center console armrest I was using in my old '94 sentra which had nothing of an armrest originally.... Removed the floor supports (legs of the console), removed the P5 armrest lid, made a spacer (where the P5 hinge was), modified a new hinge and attached it to my p5 console.... It was sooooo much better than the stock armrest that I have decided not to make a sliding armrest using the stock pad/lid...

The JC Whitney console/armrest had it's own storage compartment and lid which is padded much better than the stock Protege armrest... It is black (or gray) vinyl with a leather grain so it is not too bad looking either...


It all worked fairly well, but the height was just a bit too tall...(I could live with it if I were not a perfectionist!!) The original is about 1.5 inches tall and using this one makes it 6 inches tall.... But it is about 3 to 4 inches further forward.... No shifting problems or parking break problems and it also gives you an extra storage compartment...

A pic of the JCW console is attached and it goes for $40 bucks in gray or black and looks really nice if a bit square...

Right now I have dissassembled the JC Whitney console and I am in the process of making a new shorter bottom for it... The end result will be an armrest of 4 inches in height instead of 6, and eleven inches long. I think this will be perfect.

I am making the bottom box myself and recycling the original vinyl and padding from the original armrest from JCW to cover it. It will be a bit more shallow, but I only use it for sunglasses and such anyway...

When I'm done in a week or two (and if I can get my freakin digi camera back from my ex) I will send some pics of it so y'all can see if it is up to the extreemly picky standards of this forum... Sorry, but some of those who participate here are that just a tad bit anal!! or is it just me??

SMART-ASS EXAMPLE:

"If you idiots paid attention in drivers ed, you would notice that the teacher had had his hands at two o'clock and ten o'clock plus he had really bad breath.. So to be a good driver you must hold the wheel correctly, with both hands and ultimately eat your grandpa's old moldy socks for lunch or you just don't know how to drive properly..."

Too each his own right??? If you get thrillls from putting others down, don't reply to my threads or I will make fun of your analizm... period...

That goes for those who don't think a P5 is fast enough.... Go buy a Viper and become a member to their forum and leave me the hell alone!!!

OK, sorry, my one man rant is over....

I love my new P5 and over time I will endeavor to make it more perfect than it was when it was born, but I will never, ever, say a bad word about it!!!

If I thought it wasn't good enough for me I wouldn't have bought the thing in the first place...

Later people....

 

[Douggie]

You, along with a lot of other people have been taught by hollywood to drive with one hand on the wheel, and one on the shifter. Don't mean to be offensive or anything, but turn on the speed channel and watch some rally car drivers, or any race drivers in fact. They drive with both hands on the wheel. They take their right hand off the wheel to shift, then it goes right back to the wheel. Since these guys drive for a living, I don't see why we shouldn't try their technique.

Yeah, IF I was driving at 200mph, I would definitely use both hands.