armrest removal

[JEmm]

I know, search and you will find, but I didn't find anything. I don't need to remove the entire armrest (saw a diy for that on audiworld), just the top section where the padding/leather cover is. The leather is peeling off so I want to remove it to reattach/wrap in a different fabric. Anyone know how to do this? Btw, my car is a 2000. Thanks for the help!

[audienthusiest]

search like "armrest rebuild" for an a4 or something... i found something with a google search somewhere but i dont have the link... oh and be careful because the dealership i got my a4 from "fixed" the armrest... aaaaannnnd when i went to take it apart it broke... awsome.. goodluck!!!

[euroguru]

are you just talking about the lid part?

[kevin12]

search like "armrest rebuild" for an a4 or something... i found something with a google search somewhere but i dont have the link... oh and be careful because the dealership i got my a4 from "fixed" the armrest... aaaaannnnd when i went to take it apart it broke... awsome.. goodluck!!!

would like to see this diy tooo

[euroguru]

if its just the lid. the lid pops right off. all you have to do is the cut the 1980s phone cord. thats what i did to mine to cover it with fabric. really simple. there are two prong things that fit into the side of the inner arm rest. you just have to work them out of the holes. really simple. then just cut the phone cord. hope this helps.

[A4Rob]

if its just the lid. the lid pops right off. all you have to do is the cut the 1980s phone cord. thats what i did to mine to cover it with fabric. really simple. there are two prong things that fit into the side of the inner arm rest. you just have to work them out of the holes. really simple. then just cut the phone cord. hope this helps.

Don't forget to open the lid first.

[euroguru]

oh yeah. i knew i was forgetting something. thanks man :)

[JEmm]

if its just the lid. the lid pops right off. all you have to do is the cut the 1980s phone cord. thats what i did to mine to cover it with fabric. really simple. there are two prong things that fit into the side of the inner arm rest. you just have to work them out of the holes. really simple. then just cut the phone cord. hope this helps.

O ok. Thanks! I figured it was something stupid like that, just couldn't find anything that I thought would make it pop off. Thanks!

[euroguru]

no problem.


ps. nice avatar!!!

[goody6691]

i need a new lid too.

[euroguru]

yeah. mine broke also. i just hoped onto the classifields and bought a whole center console for around 100 bucks. then just took the lid of that one and stuck it on mine. its hard to find someone just selling the lid. but this way works also.

and i didnt care what the color was. because i covered it in plaid anyway :)

[JEmm]

yeah. mine broke also. i just hoped onto the classifields and bought a whole center console for around 100 bucks. then just took the lid of that one and stuck it on mine. its hard to find someone just selling the lid. but this way works also.

and i didnt care what the color was. because i covered it in plaid anyway :)

haha true. I figured out how to took it off (really easy btw). But I think the plastic is broken that holds the leather down is broken as well so I don't know what I'm going to end up doing. Anyone know how to take the leather wrap off the plastic part of the armrest? And can you put up a few pictures of your armrest? Thanks

[euroguru]

i just broke mine off. it was coming off anyway. but im sure thats not the way to do it. haha.

and i'll post some pictures. havent taken any yet. give me a sec.

[euroguru]

heres mine man. it was really easy. i just didnt take my time with it. there are a couple places where its kinda not flush against the area. and not tight and straight. as you can see from the picture. but overall im satisfied :)

and thats all the fabric store they had at that time. i'll probably find some more over time and switch them when i get bored. haha.

[JEmm]

O nice. Did you wrap it all the way around the black plastic section so it looks clean when its closed but you can see it when you open? or did you tuck it between the leather and the plastic? Trying to figure out how I'm going to do this haha.

[euroguru]

i just laid the fabric over the plastic piece then cut around the plastic piece. leaving some extra from me to tuck wrap on the under side. then i just used some tape to keep the fabric attached to the underneath of the plastic piece. made sure it was all under there. then just put it back on there. wasnt very hard at all.

hardest part was cutting the correct amount to tuck underneath. i had to do twice. first time i didnt cut enough and i couldnt tuck it. looked stupid. but some people use glue for the underneath too. but i though if i was going to change it glue would make the harder. but i can just rip the tape off. no problem.

[JEmm]

i just laid the fabric over the plastic piece then cut around the plastic piece. leaving some extra from me to tuck wrap on the under side. then i just used some tape to keep the fabric attached to the underneath of the plastic piece. made sure it was all under there. then just put it back on there. wasnt very hard at all.

hardest part was cutting the correct amount to tuck underneath. i had to do twice. first time i didnt cut enough and i couldnt tuck it. looked stupid. but some people use glue for the underneath too. but i though if i was going to change it glue would make the harder. but i can just rip the tape off. no problem.

O ok. I'm probably going to try and do something like that. Gotta figure out if I even can though because I think it's legit broken.

[euroguru]

were you talking about the gear shift area or the armrest? because i havent done the armrest. i dont know how exactly to do that.

[B5A4Kevin]

my armrest lid had the broken plastic on it as well. i just replaced it with a new lid. 80ish bucks iirc.

[JEmm]

were you talking about the gear shift area or the armrest? because i havent done the armrest. i dont know how exactly to do that.

No I did the shift surround already. I mean the arm rest.

[euroguru]

oh. i have no idea how to do that. mine has been broken since i got it. still in the process of getting a new one

[Burntaudi]

The plastic was broken on mine. Ended up getting a new one at the dealer.

[audiluxary]

were you talking about the gear shift area or the armrest? because i havent done the armrest. i dont know how exactly to do that.

Where you listening to anything in this thread or just talking?

[euroguru]

well we were talking about the shift area a couple posts back. hence the picture i posted and him asking me how i did it. i didnt know if he was still talking about the shift area or the armrest this time.


honest mistake. sorryyy.

[jaimeson]

The plastic was broken on mine. Ended up getting a new one at the dealer.

I'll bet you were walking bow legged after that

I have seen the whole piece on ebay for $100, may not be the exact color you want though.

I gotta replace my top lid as well. Gotta stop procrastinating on it.

[bengal]

I took my arm rest off, shortened it about 4" in height, re-installed. Now I can actually rest my arm comfortably with easy movement to the shifter.
Bengal

[jaimeson]

I took my arm rest off, shortened it about 4" in height, re-installed. Now I can actually rest my arm comfortably with easy movement to the shifter.
Bengal

You took the top console piece out or the whole thing? It seems if you just lift it all the way back it shouldn't be in the way at all if that's the case.

Maybe I am misunderstanding you though. Got a pic?

[bengal]

You took the top console piece out or the whole thing? It seems if you just lift it all the way back it shouldn't be in the way at all if that's the case.

Maybe I am misunderstanding you though. Got a pic?

I don't want the arm rest out of the way, if that was all I wanted I would just flip it back. I want to rest my arm on it as I drive and it is in the way, at its normal height, as I navigate thru the gears.
I have had A6's in the past and the arm rest height did not bother me so much as they were automatics, but with a stick shift the height is just ridiculos, so I dropped it about 4".
I shall send a pic if I can figure out how. (I am better at fabricating then computers). HA!