After 20+ years on the road nearly every S10, Blazer, and the other trucks on the platform suffer from broken door armrests. It is rare that you get in and close the door on one of these and have the door panel stay in place. The original armrest frame is made from plastic and is not reinforced where it is bolted to the door.
With my Door Armrest Repair Kit I've put all those problems behind creating a fix that is stronger than factory and will last the lifetime of the truck or more. I will talk through the install process below or jump into the video to follow along as I install one of the kits I designed and put the life back into a very nice set of door panels.
Tools & Materials
- #2 Phillips Screwdriver
- 7mm Socket
- Trim Stick
- Small Flat Head Screwdriver, Pick, Scraper, or Exacto Knife
- Epoxy or Plastic Adhesive
- Disposable mixing stick like a popsicle stick or similar
Step 1: Remove Door Panel
Using the Phillips Driver remove the screw behind the door handle holding the door handle trim in place. Remove the trim piece - may require twisting and maneuvering around the door handle.
Underneath the armrest, in the two holes by the hand grip, there are a pair of 7mm head bolts. Use the 7mm socket and a ratchet/driver to remove them. All that remains to hold the door on are the Christmas Tree style clips on the backside. I like to get a plastic trim stick under the bottom edge of the door panel and start removing a few of the clips from the bottom allowing me to get my hands behind the panel. This gives me a good grip on the panel. Once the clips are loose the panel will slide up off the top of the door sheet metal.
Step 2: Remove Armrest
Flip the panel over to access the backside. The armrest is held on by 4 plastic screws. Use the 7mm socket, again, to remove these and release the armrest.
Step 3: Examine the Mounts and clear away Foam
With the armrest off the door panel it is time to decide if additional adhesive is wanted or required to make the repair. In many cases it won't be necessary, but can add substantial structure to the mounting flanges. If using adhesive I recommend a formula specifically for plastic and metal, but I personally use Fusor 152 for plastic repair on my parts and projects.
Using a razor or small screwdriver remove the foam that is in the way of the bracket. This isn't as important if not using adhesive, but helps the brackets sit flat in the armrest.
Step 4: Bracket Install without Adhesive
Slide the bracket into place clamping over the mounting flange. Some of the tabs may need to be bent out to fit the bracket in all the way, but can be flattened out once the bracket is in place. The mounting bolt will tighten up any extra deflection when the armrest is installed.
Step 5: Bracket Install with Adhesive
Apply the adhesive to the area where the bracket will sit, filling in any cracks to better hold the original structure together.
Install the bracket in the same manner as Step 4, above and press into the adhesive
Smooth out any excess that is pushed out and add more, as needed, around the edges to fully retain the bracket in place. Avoid getting adhesive on the bolting and mounting surfaces, but perfection is not needed if some gets here.
Step 6: Reinstall Door Panel to Truck
Installation is the reverse of the removal.
Replace or install any missing Christmas Tree clips.
Starting at the top slide the felt window sweep over the inner sheet metal. Sliding the back in first allows the front to be pulled inward to get the top mounting clip around the inner door and into its home. After the top clip is in place and the door seated down on the window channel the rest should be lined up. Press firmly against the panel to secure the clips while checking if they are aligned with the mounting holes. Tapping with a palm or fist should be enough to seat the clips.
Use the 7mm socket and a ratchet/driver to install the armrest bolts. These will go through the freshly repaired mounts and can be tightened down snugly. If you're measuring the factory specifies 17 lb·in for these fasteners.
Twist the door handle bezel back into place and install the #2 Phillips screw. The factory specifies 17 lb·in here as well.
Step 7: Try Out the Solid Results
Sit down and enjoy how firmly you can now close your door.
Please reach out with any questions and look around at the other parts I sell to keep your S10 and many other vehicles on the road.