Hi. I recently went to the junk yard in the hopes of finding a new center console lid that wasn't broken like mine was, but pretty much every one of them there had the exact same breaks, so I figured I'd just try to repair it.

This is technically after it was done, but it's a good representation of what the top looked like. 20 years of arm sweat.

I went around the edge with a utility knife, and pulled off the top hannibal lector style. This is what you see under that. The foam pad just lifts off.

The top, with the foam pad removed.

To remove the inner part, you have to peel back the carpeting in the four corners. A phillips head screwdriver will be needed.


Here's the inner part, and my fat thumbs. That is where the inner part was cracked.

You can see the daylight (or shop light) coming through the crack in the upper portion. Every one of the ones I found at the junk yard had this damage.

You'll need a short handled phillips screwdriver to remove the 3 screws holding the top to the hinge.

You can also remove the inner lining of the main body if you want to, 4 screws under the carpeting.

I got a piece of brown vinyl from Joann Fabrics. I started by using elmers spray adhesive on the back of the vinyl and the top of the foam, and laying it on.

Then I got busy and forgot to take pictures. Sorry.
So here's what I did.
I removed the remnants from the inner lining using plyers to rip the fabric from the staples. The staples were pulled out as well..
I liberally used epoxy at the cracks, and used blue painters tape to tape everything together while it cured.
Once that was cured, I put the top plastic part of the lid on the underside of the cushion. I made a heavy bead of gorilla glue on the plastic and wrapped the vinyl around it.
Reattach it to the hinge, and then screw on the inner plastic part to pinch everything back together while it dries. I also used epoxy to seal that one crack there too.

Here's the new lid installed.

I'm probably going to use black epoxy to reinforce the crack at the upper lid, as it still seems flimsy, it's kind of a terrible design.

I hope this helps a bit.

 

Follow up. I was working in the truck today swapping out the dash bulbs. While working I happened to lean my elbow on the arm rest and “crack!”

While it still looks nice the top is flimsy again. In the future a bit I’ll probably figure out a way to reinforce it, maybe just by filling the entire top with a heavy layer of epoxy or something.

 

I’ve got the same issue on my 02 Ranger. The design is a bit different but cracked well in the area an elbow and arm hits.

I've been toying with the idea of doing a fiberglass patch. It certainly looks like the area has enough space to build it up with the fiberglass cloth and would probably take a layer or two. I haven’t pulled off the fabric yet but wonder if a piece of metal would fit in their as well.

Any thoughts?