[god7illa]

So I grabbed an ebay.uk 2016 Focus console that came with the sliding armrest.
It's not the RS blue threaded version, it's all black, but for the price I didn't care.



Here is a rough guide - not my best instructional, pics are a bit rough, but it gets the point across.

Remove/Install is easy enough. No need to remove console - everything can be done with console fully in place in the car.

1. Remove rear console panel - two T20 torx screws under two flaps inside console cubby.


2. Pull rear panel back towards rear seat (use your hand gripped inside the small cubby on the rear panel). It will seem tight, but it will let go suddenly. There are 4 clips (2 centre, 2 bottom, in addition to the 2 screws you removed in step 1) holding the panel in place.


3. Using an appropriately sized tool, push the two armrest hinge pins in towards the centre of the hinge joint. Put them aside.


4. Remove the stock armrest. Note the slow-close gear on the passenger side of the hinge mechanism on the console. You will need to maneuver the replacement around this a bit.

5. Place the replacement Euro armrest assembly on the console in the same manner that the stock unit came off. Use a tool of choice to push the hinge pins back in place starting from the outer side towards in inner.

6. Enjoy the new sliding armrest. Lament for the loss of the blue stitching if you're using a non-RS Focus armrest.




Some notes:

1. Unfortunately the stock NA armrest and the Euro sliding armrest are sized differently. So re-using the RS blue-stitch cover on the euro armrest was not an option. I may try to source a 3rd party RS-like cover that fits the Euro armrest, but tbh not having the blue stitch in this small area is a pretty minor thing.

2. The sliding mechanism is well integrated into the Euro armrest. I do not see a feasible way to transplant the NA armrest pad onto the Euro armrest sliding mechanism.

3. The Euro armrest is longer, thicker, same width, and perhaps twice as heavy as the NA version. It is held closed by a magnet, not a latch. Unfortunately this magnet cannot be mounted in the N.A. console without some hacking away at the plastics. Personally I find the weight of the armrest enough such that I'm ok without any closed fastening mechanism. It's heavy enough to stay in place and not bounce around.





4. So really all you need is the armrest part to swap over from stationary to sliding armrest. No other parts required.

Other pics.













NA on top, Euro on bottom

 

[god7illa]

Yes, my car is filthy... hasn't had its post-Ottawa-winter spring cleaning yet. :-(

 

[Sty_Focuzed]

Great little write up. Where does everyone find the Euro consoles and arm rest? thanks

 

[cosmic charlie]

Great little write up. Where does everyone find the Euro consoles and arm rest? thanks

Europe.

 

[god7illa]

Great little write up. Where does everyone find the Euro consoles and arm rest? thanks

Periodically checking eBay UK. The bigger challenge is finding someone who will ship to North America - and for a sensible cost.

 

[thomwithah]

Actual RS Eurooean (UK) version is longer and perhaps slightly more skinny than the version in in my North American '18. It doesn't rub the seats in any position.

I had to move the slow close wheel from the right side to the left to accommodate the feature. That said, I'm going to see about sourcing a European one. It seems the European armrest is heavier, and the North American slow close gear wheel isn't sufficient in resistance.

Also, when I have the console apart, for the cup holder and other bits, I plan to see if the latch base portion might be swapped for the European magnetic version, or if it molded into the console itself. I can tell at the moment.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[god7illa]

Actual RS Eurooean (UK) version is longer and perhaps slightly more skinny than the version in in my North American '18. It doesn't rub the seats in any position.

I had to move the slow close wheel from the right side to the left to accommodate the feature. That said, I'm going to see about sourcing a European one. It seems the European armrest is heavier, and the North American slow close gear wheel isn't sufficient in resistance.

Also, when I have the console apart, for the cup holder and other bits, I plan to see if the latch base portion might be swapped for the European magnetic version, or if it molded into the console itself. I can tell at the moment.

I noted above that the magnet assembly can't be transplanted without hacking the console. The latch mech is molded on the NA. And the magnet insert slot is molded on the Euro. So as noted I left it "loose". The Euro armrest is heavy enough to sit without bouncing around imo.

To clarify my post, by "thicker", I mean more vertical thickness, not width - at least that's what I perceived in the Euro non-RS version I bought used.

Interesting that you had to move the slow close wheel to the other side. I seems the design must be slightly different in the Euro RS version compared to the Euro non-RS version. The non-RS version has the gearing teeth on both sides of the hinge so I did not have to move the gear. It may well be that they use a gear on both sides on the Euro version for the extra weight - but I don't open/close mine often enough to care. I was just after the slide. . I must say I do like having the armrest in fwd position when sitting in stop/go traffic.

 

[Barroux]

@god7illa thanks for the instructions took me just about 10 min to install mine yesterday following them! Bought a used ST center console from UK for 15gbp, with the black leather finish...no blue stitching but I didnt care...see below (got raped on shipping afterwards using myukmailbox courrier forwarding service though)!

Here's the end result with my redlinegoods armrest cover installed (bought that when I got the car to get rid of the rubbing noise between the seat and armrest). I really love the armrest when cruising on the highway in the fwd position! When shifting through gears alot I push it back, with the shortshifter its a little in the way and too high for comfortable repeated shifting! I reused the slow close wheel from the UK console (on driver side on mine), armrest closes slowly and absolutely no need for the magnet to hold it in the closed position! One tip to help moving the slow close gear I found is to remove the 2 screws holding the storage bin (under the armrest) by the back (see last pictures for screws location), which allows to rotate the bin aft edge down and lift the gear out of the storage bin molding.

View attachment 309112

 

[Barroux]

Forgot the picture of the slow close gear, this may help some of you who will do this in the future figure out how to get it out! I almost broke it before realizing it had a part going down that was fitted in the storage bin molding!

 

[szachu]

I had to move the slow close wheel from the right side to the left to accommodate the feature.

How You do this? Do You removed console? I buy Euro sliding armrest (non RS) but slow close wheel is on left side (in car on right side).

 

[FocusFan]

Hi everyone. The top Euro RS version of this armrest with blue stitching costs 190 EUR and I can offer it to you.

 

[FocusFan]

Armrest Focus MK3 RS

Original Focus MK3 RS european armrest top part. Version made of leather with blue stitching, adjustable in length.

www.european-parts.net

Here it is.

 

[Si2RS]

I know I'm late to the party, but thanks @god7illa for the write up. Finally came around to installing this tonight when I had the console out to install the Euro cupholder. Those hinges were a pretty big PITA to get out. And thanks @Barroux for the tip on how to remove the slow close gear to move it to other side. Doesn't work as it used to since the USDM armrest was lighter, but it's better than nothing!

 

[turbojr74]

I tried to compile all of the part numbers and information into one place with direct links to some info that could be missed unless you read every post. A lot of good stuff out there, just a little disjointed depending what you are trying to do. Maybe it'll help someone out >> Euro center console stck - part, removal and install