Door Arm Rest Removal
 

Does anyone know how to remove the Factory Arm rest pad on the doors? I have a 2012 GS 2LT and I bought some nice DSVETTEs pads, but I guess they are made for the cars without the factory pads. Bottom line is they aren't going to go over those hard factory pads, so my thought was to just remove the factory ones but I can't find anything on how to do it. I don't want to just go trying to rip them off!

Appreciate any input.

Steve

Door panel has to be removed and then you have to remove foam on backside of panel as they are screwed from underneath

Damn...what I was afraid of! I just may have to return the DSVettes arm rests. Not sure if its worth the trouble.

Steve

The door panels are very easy to remove. DS Vettes sent complete instructions on how to accomplish this with my arm rests. You only need remove 2 allen screws then pull the panel out and up which will release the 8 friction fasteners holding the panel to the door. There is then one electrical connector that is easily disengaged and the panel is free. Takes about 5 - 10 minutes each side. I am not very mechanically inclined and I easily accomplished installing my DSV armrests.

The hard part is loosening those reversed nuts holding the foam!

My arm rests showed up in a box with zero instructions. Since my 2012 GS has the factory "brick" armrests I thought these went over top of them, since I have seen those before. I like the shape of the factory units, but I like the quality of the DSVs better, thus I'm contemplating keeping them and going for this. Thanks to everyone for the input!

Steve

You can find PDF files on my website in the Tech Tips section. They are about half way down the page under Door Pull Installation. There is one for driver's and one for passenger's side.

Here you go:

http://www.theredlion.us/Tech%20tips2.htm

:rock: :cheers:

still , it only takes maybe 15 or 20 minutes

My arm rests fit over the OEM ones and are held with velcro. The door pulls are a different story and require the panels to be removed.Igot both from DSVETTES .

Clif

That's what I thought. The ones I received are for cars without armrests at all, and I thought I 'd seen the ones that go over the originals. Did you get yours straight from DSVETTES?

Ok. Let's try to simplify this discussion.

If you bought these:

http://www.dsvettes.com/store2008/home.php?cat=283

You need to remove the door panel. You can use the instructions I posted above.

If you bought these (DSVettes Padded Leather Door Arm Rest):

http://topflightrepro.com/corvette-i...products.shtml

You only need to Velcro them on top of your pull handle and you don't need to remove the door panel.

Um....no. I bought the DSVettes Padded Leather door rests thinking they would go over the existing arm rests. Mine has factory pads, and the ones they sent me were designed for cars without armrests pads. The DSVettes armrests I received are longer and different shapped than the factory pads and will not go over them. I e-mailed Top Flite, who contacted DSV and they confirmed they would not work on cars with the factory armrest pads. My choices are send them back, or remove the factory pad.

Correct. The DSV pads are designed to simulate what you all ready have. They are designed for cars that don't have pads. So yes, you can send them back. There is zero point in removing an OEM pad to put on an aftermarket pad designed for the same purpose.

the factory pad is a cheap plastic and the replacement is leather. I did a ZR1 not too long ago by unscrewing the old one and velcro taping down the leather ones. It might not seem like much but it does make a difference.

Removing doors is a snap. I have a step-by-step post with pics, <CLICK HERE> and go to #10 on the first page.

As to those pesky reversed nuts, the atchd photos show how I got them off (I couldn't get them to back out so just snapped off the plastic stem) then used a screw & washer to reattach. Good luck ...

:iagree: It's darn near impossible to get them back on. I reused the retaining clips as washers and a screw myself.

You sir are a genius ... and how about those Gamecocks!!! :rock:

i apprecate this thread, i was looking for some padded leather arm rests for my car and didnt know where to find them after checking several forum vendor sites. The Top Flight link has some nice ones there....

:iagree: Very handy! Thanks a lot for sharing these tech tips! :thumbs: