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My bad... I answered about the wrong vehicle... I've changed the console in my F250, but not modified anything in the RXh yet.
Sorry for the confusion (I momentarily lost track of where I was and thought I was responding in my Ford Truck forum).
Now that I am clear about where I am, you're right... the console lid opening is inadequate, for sure, but I can get mine up almost 90°. Perhaps you have something stuck in the rear hinge area preventing it from coming all the way up.
You have to first slide it back (by grabbing it at the front edge and squeezing the lever/handle while pushing back) so the seat heater controls are exposed, then it will lift up 90 degrees.
I too hope I am not confusing this with my other car, a Lexus HS250h....
Last edited by Clutchless; Feb 7, 2018 at 12:43 PM.
I stand corrected. Your picture is actually more along the lines of reality in our RXh., I distinctly recall having to maneuver the inner console container by tilting it forwards (towards the engine) in order to remove it so I could get access to the plug ports underneath for my USB cables. I also distinctly recall thinking numerous times that the opening is inadequate. Gaining a 90° opening would be outstanding, but even a 65°-75° opening would be a substantial improvement.
I was able to modify the center console lid to open to about 90 degrees.
It wasn't too hard!
Here is the basic technique:
The plastic trim on the horizontal face of the console is held on with clips and you can just pull up to release it.
The same is true for the back panel that houses the rear seat vents, it pulls off.
The console lid has these plastic pizza slice plastic pieces with stops so they can only open so far.
You need to cut the stops off (and some other bits) to allow the cover to open more.
It will only open so far because it ends up bottoming out on the rear vents.
The whole thing can be done in 30 mins.
Tools: dreamed with cutting wheel or reciprocating saw (like a spatula) tools Step 1: pull up on this trim piece Step 2: pull up on this trim piece Step 3: pull off back Step 4: remove trim piece from step 2 and then cut off this tab Step 5: cut off the parts colored in red This is what it looks like as you are starting to free the black pizza slice so the door can rotate with out being stopped the part that looks like a latter needs to be shaved off Step 6: shave off latter bit, also cut off the shaded regions colored in red on either side chopped down Replace all the trim and you are done
Any thoughts about how the open lid would stand a hit by the elbow of the driver/passenger. Some thing will be stressed and I am wondering what? Hinges are all plastic.
Any thoughts about how the open lid would stand a hit by the elbow of the driver/passenger. Some thing will be stressed and I am wondering what? Hinges are all plastic.
Salim
I think it will be fine. There is a pretty beefy pivot point that has not been tampered with.
That may well pave the way to simply replace some of our "older style" console trim parts with newer styled parts from a 2013+ year models! Trouble is that it could be a costly exercise to just get the parts in and see if they are swappable, but I dare say that someone with extra cash and extra time to invest in the effort could sort this out easily enough. I would love to tackle this as a project for myself and the group, but I'm traveling more than normal with my job right now and have a few big projects in the works at home when I'm not on the road, so I just cannot even think of digging into this until later in the summer or fall.
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Anyone modify Center Console Lid to Open more?
