Hi guys, I'm almost finished with my center console swap but I'm running into an issue that I haven't seen posted on these forums yet. The issue I'm having is that my truck had the factory center console installed when I purchased it. I removed that console and am putting in the narrow 98 Expy console because I have buckets with armrests. It appears to fit perfectly with one exception. The bolts that line up to my floor brackets are existing bolts that are factory installed through my floor panel and you mount the floor brackets to these bolts with a nut. The expy consoles dont use these studs with a nut, they use an actual bolt that screws into the floor. These studs have a star head and appear to be removable. I'd prefer to unscrew them and put in the standard bolts because the studs stick up to high and hinder installation of the expy console brackets. When I attempt to unscrew the studs, it seems like I'm going to tear my floorboard or bend the studs long before they are going to cooperate and come out (they seem to have welded themselves into the floorboard at this point). The question I'm looking to get answered is what would you suggest I do to solve this issue? I can think of 3 options thus far: 1) Put some muscle into it and pray I don't damage anything. 2) Cut the brackets so the bolt heights don't matter. 3) Cut the bolts with a dremmel to the appropriate height for clearance.

Has anyone run into this issue before? Any cautions against my ideas? Any better ideas? (for the record, I'm not a big fan of dremmelling the studs, I hate having free metal particals running wild on my floorboard. That's just begging for future rust issues - especially in Seattle).

Here's some photos of what I'm talking about...

 

the front shouldnt matter if its studs or not, there's alot more room up front. The rear you'd have to trim.

Do you have the correct reverse torx socket that fits those? Id try and bust them loose if it was me. Maybe soak some PBblaster, or penetrating lubricant down the studs and see if that helps

 

thx for the tip. I do have the reverse torx socket for it. I'll look into pbblaster

 

I used some penetrating lube and was able to get one of them out. The other one feels like it's welded in. I gave it everything I had and only ended up with bruises on my hand. Any other ideas? I might try icing it next.


... that's what she said.

 

So... moving on to plan B. I just gave it everything I had and then some... unfortunately I literally tore the bolt in half... didn't know that was possible. On the plus side though; I no longer question the durability of Harbor Freight socket sets.

Here's the top of the bolt that ripped off: it's about 4 mm thick. I guess I'll be dremmelling this one off... bummer

 

Well folks, I got it done. 2 am for the win. Gotta love the dremmel. Here she is... (I moved my armrests up so you could check out the lovely tan leather top! I have a new one on order, so that will be installed when it arrives. This one is cracked, otherwise I'd just reupholster it. I'll post some photos later if anyone cares. This console was tan and nasty when I got her from a local junkyard ($75). Some TLC and a few rounds of dueling with the rattle cans and she turned out pretty nice.

 

It's an amazing mod, you'll love it, Probably just touch the sides up with Medium Grey to match the doors and see if you can get the lid to match as well.

 

this is so weird i did the same swap and besides switching the brackets mine was straight swap and bolt down.

 

I used the Duplicolor "Medium Grey" for vinyl/fabric on the sides of the console. Did Ford make two greys for these trucks? My interior is a pretty dark grey.