Added XJ armrest pad.

jepstr67 · Aug 20, 2008

I was at the junk yard last week and I picked up an arm rest from an XJ CHerokee. It has 2 bumps along the bottom that are just wider than the Patriot Arm rest. I used one screw through the center to hold it on. The screw comes through the top layer of the patriot arm rest in the finger hole for the Ipod thing.

I'm not saying this is the solution. Or that it is even a good solution. It is an easy solution. So have a look.

It makes the arm rest a little taller and a little longer which is perfect for me. It my not be for people who are taller or shorter or if you have a CVT and don't need to have the seat way up to use the clutch. Anyway, it works well for me. I need to find a way to add something the same height to the doors now.

jack.allwardt · Aug 20, 2008

Excellent idea! Now, to find one in MY local "pick 'n' pull" junk yard...

jepstr67 · Aug 20, 2008

In my searching, I see the some Dodge Dakotas have a center console basically the same shape as the Patriot. I might grab one of those and chop it up and see what I can do with it. 2 obstacles. The T handle for the 4x4 and the parking brake. If the 4x4 handle is just a momentary switch I might just replace it with a different one that is smaller up on the dash. That wussy T handle isn't fooling me into thinking it is some kind of activation lever. It is just an electrical switch. But that parking brake. Moving that will be a little more work. With the Manual transmission I use it all of the time.

jeep_creeper · Aug 21, 2008

That's a great find, think I'll look in to that. All I need to do now is something for the driver side arm rest. The passenger side I could care less about. That center console idea beats my bean bag hands down.

jepstr67 · Aug 26, 2008

Here is a picture from the back.

The back of the pad is now the front, or vice versa.

stingerbtry · Aug 26, 2008

I've been thinking about taking some super cool nasa space aged memory foam, some grey vinyl and a stapler to mine. Good job on yours.

neilcrichton · Aug 26, 2008

Great job, jepstr67. Looks very professional.

jeep_creeper said:
That's a great find, think I'll look in to that. All I need to do now is something for the driver side arm rest. The passenger side I could care less about. That center console idea beats my bean bag hands down.

Here's a repost of my solution for the driver's door.

NickandCaryn · Aug 27, 2008

Wow not to offend but I don't like the looks of that nor do I think that would be comfortable at all. I don't think the arm rests are that bad all though I do wish there was more vinyl in the interior all that plastic makes me ill.

jepstr67 · Aug 27, 2008

neilcrichton said:
Great job, jepstr67. Looks very professional.

Here's a repost of my solution for the driver's door.

Isn't that a little tall? Does it feel right?
I have the manual windows and there is a hump at the front of the armrest where the crank is. It is about 1-1/2" high. I'm planning to add a pad that same height where the elbow is.

neilcrichton · Aug 27, 2008

jepstr67 said:
Isn't that a little tall? Does it feel right?
I have the manual windows and there is a hump at the front of the armrest where the crank is. It is about 1-1/2" high. I'm planning to add a pad that same height where the elbow is.

It's 3 1/2 inches higher than the original. Feels just right for me. The original was too low, and too hard.

CopperJeep · Aug 27, 2008

NickandCaryn said:
Wow not to offend but I don't like the looks of that nor do I think that would be comfortable at all. I don't think the arm rests are that bad all though I do wish there was more vinyl in the interior all that plastic makes me ill.

I Agree...To me that looks really cheap and obvious that a junkyard part was slapped onto your center console....kinda ruins that whole new car look don't you think??...

jepstr67 · Aug 27, 2008

Like I said in the first post,

"I'm not saying this is the solution. Or that it is even a good solution. It is an easy solution."

I do have plans to make something better. I'm just not sure what yet.

NickandCaryn · Aug 27, 2008

What if you cut away the inside of the new rest enough to get the stock rest in side of it? Like a slip on cover of sorts. I see that the depth is not there but the with looks like there should be enough room.

jepstr67 · Aug 27, 2008

NickandCaryn said:
What if you cut away the inside of the new rest enough to get the stock rest in side of it? Like a slip on cover of sorts. I see that the depth is not there but the with looks like there should be enough room.

I agree it needs some visual rework. I thought i could add a gray plastic skirt around the bottom, angling in to the original rest.

The bigger problem is that it is exactly as wide as the space between the seats. So it touches on both sides. When I'm done, I want to have a non-sliding soft(er) pad, on top of a storage compartment.

I see this fix as temporary. It works for now.

roland365 · Aug 27, 2008

i wouldnt have damaged the armrest for that....good luck w/better alternative

jepstr67 · Aug 28, 2008

I had it just sitting there for about 2 weeks before I decided to fix it in place. The level of comfort was so much improved that the small screw hole, well hidden in the finger lift indentation of the Ipod holder, was well worth it. I won't be taking it off until I am ready to replace the console with an entirely new one of my own design.

Added XJ armrest pad.

jepstr67

jack.allwardt

jepstr67

jeep_creeper

jepstr67

stingerbtry

neilcrichton

NickandCaryn

jepstr67

neilcrichton

CopperJeep

jepstr67

NickandCaryn

jepstr67

roland365

jepstr67

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