easy fix for my deformed '73 armrests

[dudevato]

no pics but this turned out just like I hoped, 'Great!
I just bought this GMC and the interior was pretty neat but the arm rests had distorted over the years of heat and such.

These are the short padded pieces that are maybe 12 or 15 inches long.

The problem was: at the bottom of the vertical 'run of the Naugahyde' if you will, where the material tucks back in under the plastic door panel.

It had 'bowed out' towards the base of the seat - on both of them.

Here's what I did, 'pulled the pad off, 2 Philips head screws. I turned the arm rest up side down and put it in my bench vise.

I tightened the vise up a Bit more than what it took to make the part look 'correct'

I used a Harbor Freight heat gun (hair dryer might do it) to heat the offending area up.

I put my hand next to the arm rest to make sure I wasn't over doing it.

You want it, of course, much hotter than a summer day's temp but you don't want it to 'melt & bubble'

I'd say hot enough to burn your finger, should you touch the plastic and you might begin to smell the hot plastic.

Keep the gun moving and keep your hand close to the 'pad' You'll get the hang of it in 20 secs.

Then it's just a matter of letting the part cool down, don't rush this part, let it go to completely Room Temp and not just the Naugahyde but the foam underneath it and the metal that is embedded in the part.

If you didn't get it hot Enough or for Long Enough you'll find out when its cooled down, just try it again.

I've owned this truck not 2 weeks - is it too soon to say -I love my truck?

[Zach079xxx]

You're infected with the disease. It's natural

You'll find cool ways of fixing crap all the time lmao