Just finished doing this upgrade, i'd say it's fairly easy overall, around 3 out of 5 difficulty.

Do this at your own risk, I take no responsibility for you damaing your own vehicle or any other faults!
This is to be used as a rough guide to show whats involved, not a step by step guide of what YOU should be doing.


What you will need.
- Mk4 golf arm rest or similar with OEM brackets
- Brackets to hold arm rest / fitting kit

 

Arm rest and brackets should look somthing like this, mines leather...

 

Fitting kit and other brackets will look like this...

 

 

So to start off you want to remove the rear ash tray and remove the two torx screws, usually all torx 20 or 25.

 

Then you can remove the front ash tray and remove the other 3 torx screws.

 

Then unclip the gear selector gator and move to one side.

 

and unclip the surround not forgetting the light.

 

Then remove the small plastic section by the handbrake, they can be tricky but with some careful force they pop out.

 

If you lift the rear carefully the front part should unclip from the dashboard part, you might need to pull them apart but usually get enough room to remove the full centre console. Remember to unclip the cig lighter plug also.

Should be left with somthing like this...

 

Make sure the car is left in gear and the wheels chocked before removing the two bolts as it might slacken off yoru handbrake and result in the car rolling. so remove the two 13mm nuts like this

 

And put the fitting kit in place, i fitted it as a trial but found it easier to match up the OEM bracket and fit it while it was still off the car and fit them both together. The picture below is to just show you how the brackets go.

 

 

And fitted in place.

Its worth leaving a few of the easy accessible bolts slack for now as you might need to move the bracket before finally tightening.

 

 

I didnt have anything to cut the rear cup holder out to make room for the new brackets to ended up drilling it out

 

and out before giving it a little clean up.

 

and fitted back in place.

 

This is when its worth leaving a few bolts slack, mine sat in the middle and needed to be slightly more to the left.

 

So moved it over and gave them a tighten up through the gap with a spanner.

Then fitted the arm rest in place.

 

and folded up out the way.

 

I also put the part of the cup holder that got cut out inside the arm rest so ive still got a decent cup holder. its just wedged in place but tested it a few times now and its been fine! So just going to clean it up, possibly wrap it? and fix it in palce perminantly.

Good guide Hutchy
Clear pictures too.
I needed this about six months ago

JRJG

Good guide Hutchy

Clear pictures too.

I needed this about six months ago

JRJG

 

As strange as it sounds, its like its transformed the car

 

Its changed my seating position, driving its alot nicer now, even more with cruise control! 

its like sitting in a sofa one arm on the arm rest and other on the door, i can see how people fall asleep at the wheel!

Changing gear seems much nicer also, alot less effort

 

Downsides are it gets in the way of the handbrake, it doesnt stop it from working you just have to pull it differently unless you fold it up out the way before/after each journey.

Nice write up I need to whip mine back off as it's too far right so making the handbrake rub the centre console

As strange as it sounds, its like its transformed the car

 

Its changed my seating position, driving its alot nicer now, even more with cruise control! 

its like sitting in a sofa one arm on the arm rest and other on the door, i can see how people fall asleep at the wheel!

Changing gear seems much nicer also, alot less effort

 

Downsides are it gets in the way of the handbrake, it doesnt stop it from working you just have to pull it differently unless you fold it up out the way before/after each journey.

You'll get used to the handbrake I don't even notice the arm rest anymore since I've had it fitted for the best part of 6 months

As strange as it sounds, its like its transformed the car

 

Its changed my seating position, driving its alot nicer now, even more with cruise control! 

its like sitting in a sofa one arm on the arm rest and other on the door, i can see how people fall asleep at the wheel!

Changing gear seems much nicer also, alot less effort

 

Downsides are it gets in the way of the handbrake, it doesnt stop it from working you just have to pull it differently unless you fold it up out the way before/after each journey.

I know what you mean, it suddenly made my car feel like an arm chair too. I sometimes like to fold it up for a few days, then fold it back down and go 'ooh... that's comfortable'. My only issue is with the squeak on the two front seats. Being leather on leather doesn't help. I have solved it by placing a small spare cloth over the top and squeezed it down either side inbetween the seat and arm rest. Not ideal as I have no easy access to the cubby hole inside (not that I ever use it!) and not pretty, but at least it is near enough silent.

JRJG

I know what you mean, it suddenly made my car feel like an arm chair too. I sometimes like to fold it up for a few days, then fold it back down and go 'ooh... that's comfortable'. My only issue is with the squeak on the two front seats. Being leather on leather doesn't help. I have solved it by placing a small spare cloth over the top and squeezed it down either side inbetween the seat and arm rest. Not ideal as I have no easy access to the cubby hole inside (not that I ever use it!) and not pretty, but at least it is near enough silent.

JRJG

Could you use some adheisive Velcro "other hook and loop fasteners are available" and stick it to the sides of the arm rest? That's what I did to my seatbelt clips as they rattled agaisnt the centre console

I know what you mean, it suddenly made my car feel like an arm chair too. I sometimes like to fold it up for a few days, then fold it back down and go 'ooh... that's comfortable'. My only issue is with the squeak on the two front seats. Being leather on leather doesn't help. I have solved it by placing a small spare cloth over the top and squeezed it down either side inbetween the seat and arm rest. Not ideal as I have no easy access to the cubby hole inside (not that I ever use it!) and not pretty, but at least it is near enough silent.

JRJG

Is yours fixed properly?

Mine hasn't made a single noise yet, touch wood!

Nice guide!

Top work, Hutchy

That's exactly how I did mine, apart from I had to make the bracket! Whered u get that from?
Whilst I had the centre console out I also relocated the ciggy lighters n replacemed the stupidly placed one with a switch as I don't need my sat-nav permanently on!

Edited 25 May, 201610 yr by SkUG

 

 

 

That's exactly how I did mine, apart from I had to make the bracket! Whered u get that from?

Whilst I had the centre console out I also relocated the ciggy lighters n replacemed the stupidly placed one with a switch as I don't need my sat-nav permanently on!

 

 

I got mine from Seanw, he's commented a few comments up. very well made, couldnt fault them at all. 

I thought about doing simialr with the cig lighter, im going to move mine to the glove box (well, keep the original but put a 12V accessory plug in its place) and put a new one in the glove box.

As you know Hutchy, i've got the same arm rest and i bought the brackets off Sean as well. Going to fit it one night this week.

Sounds good, should be no problem

should be a doddle with this guide!

Is yours fixed properly?

Mine hasn't made a single noise yet, touch wood!

Yes it's solid. I'm not sure if it is the leather on leather squeaking or a plastic on plastic squeak. I will have to do some experimenting.

JRJG

Great guide! Did mine this morning, used a Stanley knife to cut the cup holder out, was easier than I thought it would be too.

Glad to here

Great guide Hutchy. Quick question, did you have to cut off anything from the bracket to get it to fit?? Mainly the two prongs as in the picture below.

Hey mate, Nope no cutting of anything was needed.

Cheers. Ended up drilling a couple of holes as my adaptor was solid apart from the bolt holes, so made them a little wider, drilled holes for the prongs in the picture above and got it all fitted. Haven't tried it out but your step-by-step guide was brilliant.

Thank you, glad it helped

Just fitted my armrest, what a difference it makes!! Massive thanks to Sean who couldn't have been more helpful and Hutchy for writing this guide. Made up!

The picture links are dead, ca you upload them again it would help a lot  ? cheers

Hi, have you obtained an armrest without fitting instructions then? If you don't get an answer soon, I will have a look in my bits and bobs to see if I kept my instructions, and copy them to you, if you wish. It won't be detailed photos, just the fiffing guide from Skoda, when purchased.

 

 

 

EDIT, Sorry, I may have given you a bum steer there, mine is a MK2 Fabia car and armrest. They may be similar but can't be sure!

Edited 4 July, 20196 yr by mrgf