Console/middle seat for 1991 ranger 60/40 bench

[westerman_lucas]

Since buying my 91 Ranger I’ve been a little annoyed with the cupholder situation, especially with the manual it’s just annoying not having cup holders. I was doing some research and I saw that the 98 rangers come with a console that has a cupholder in them. Does anyone know if it’s a direct bolt on?

Here’s a pic of the console I am talking about.

 

[Brain75]

I haven't tried it, but I am pretty sure it is NOT. The 2nd gen like yours and mine has a bolt buried way down in the armrest that goes into the driver side frame. The pic above has a shoulder bolt sticking out and if that is the case it would be captured by something on the driver or passenger seat (depending if it is a 60/40 or a 40/60).
I looked in the junkyard for a solution myself even considering what you are looking at and was about to buy a little center seat / seat belt console from china when I ran across a pair of almost perfect explorer seats out of an eddie bauer. I grabbed those seats and a short center console out of a 94 ranger (with buckets).

I was looking at things like this:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807284665994.html

I couldn't find the ones that used to be available at place like oreilly/advanced/autozone back in the 90's that were taller and you literally buckled em in like a center passenger and they just rode around in the center seat all the time (leaving the stock armrest up in the bench) for anything less than a ridiculous price.

Clutter Catcher Bench Seat Console

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That said, I claim it would not be a bolt in solution. If you can do some fab, I bet you could make that center arm-rest work, especially if you have a 2nd gen donor you could splice the 2 frames together and then use the foam and cover from the 3rd/4th gen. (just be sure to get a 60/40 with the bolt on the driver side not a 40/60 with the bolt on the passenger)

 

[Brain75]

I just threw away my original 60/40 seats literally last night, and can tell you the 2nd gen ranger center armrest the frame is entirely encased in foam - so getting the frame out would be destructive.

 

[westerman_lucas]

Thanks a ton for the input Brian. I’ll look into your suggestions. My main concern was that I wanted something that I could still fold up and down for a third passenger, and have the luxury of at least one cupholder. I suppose if I used one of the ones that slide on that you suggested I may still be able to fold the seat up.

 

[Brain75]

give me a minute to find the other suggestion I had - since you said you want it "removable" and still want the 3rd passenger option I have something I also considered, but when I got the eddie's seats I deleted it out of my wish list, 1 min.

 

[Brain75]

Something like this:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807201546658.html

My idea was you jamb the blade down inbetween the seat (butt) sections of the 60/40. It would be smaller than all the others and maybe even fit behind the seat when not in use.
It's not really designed for that, they intend for you to put it between the bucket seat bottom and center console to add additional storage - they call it a "gap filler"
search for "cupholder gap filler" on amazon and you will get the exact same identical products (from china) with 1/30th the wait time for shipping/customs but higher price.

 

[Brain75]

They even make those gap filler things with a USB port or 12v cig lighter port in em, so if adding a charging port is important you could spend the extra few bucks and yet still have it small enough to toss behind the seat.

I was a hair trigger from buying one like this with the USB ports before I found the bucket seats.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806347767462.html

 

[westerman_lucas]

That actually looks like a great solution even if it was just temporary. Thanks a ton!

 

[scotts90ranger]

They're annoying but work but in the mid '90's the shift boot frame thing has two cup holders in it one on each side and in my '97 it's enough to get by and hold drinks, anything bigger than a 20oz gets up into the dash but probably wouldn't be as bad on the '89-94 dash... Since it's 4 screws and pulling the shift knob off it's really the simplest option for cup holders...