So I did a quick search and saw how to remove these cup holders but I was havign some problems with mine. Felt like loose springs or some broken parts so I figured I make a how to. All directions will be given as if the cup holder was still in the truck (Ie. left, right, up down)
1. Do a search to remove the cupholders then take a torx wrench to remove the two screws in the bottom. Mine basically fell apart before I had time to take pictures so here is all the pieces and the tools I used.

2. I was pleased to see no broken pieces so I figure I had loose springs. Since it was all loose I washed all the plastic pieces with water and wiped them dry. I dont know the technical terms so here it goes. I'll call the piece with the ashtray, the ASHTRAY. Then the flappy things WINGS. The base part of the cup holder is the PLATFORM. Then there is the CASING and the PLATE.
There are three springs. Take the platform and look at the rear left side. the tab that snaps into the plate is a little wider and longer because the large spring goes here and it snaps the platform onto the plate like this... (Note: the spring is too strong and you will not be able to keep it in place until we put the Ashtray piece on. at least mine wasnt strong enough)

In this picture the metal piece is oriented wrong but looks right. I took a picture before I knew it was wrong. The cut out should fit between the plastic tabs.

3. In that picture note the position of the little black angled metal pieces. You are now ready to insert the two smaller springs on to the plate. They are side specific so look at each. Note how the springs hook fits into the slot on the plate and the other side will stick straight up.

4. If you look at the wings, on the bottom side you will notice a large hole and a small hole. The wire part of the spring sticking up fits in the little hole while the axis on the plate fits in the large hole. It should look like this. (Note. the plate isnt on in this picture b/c trial and error)


In this picture, notice the tabs on back of the wings fit in behind the metal pieces.

5. Now your ready to attach the ashtray piece ontop of the plate. Be care ful now as this is where you need the large spring to fit in the hole in the ashtray piece. Other wise it will push the pieces apart and everything may fall out. Hold them togather with one hand while you screw the screws back into the bottom.

6. Now you can slide it back into the casing and into the truck. Dont forget to put some grease in the runners on the side. But you can do that with it in the truck. I also cleaned around the pin in the truck that is on the under side of the climate controls and checked the spring at the back to make sure they werent warped or stuck.

Some more notes. The plate never really left my hand. If you set it down, it can get out of whack pretty easy and youd have to start over.

It doesnt take long to do this and the only reason I did this was because like I said, it was acting up. Hope this helps some body.

 

Since you had one of these out.... mine is acting up too. You are suppposed to push in on it in order to get it to open. But to open mine I pulled out the little platic cubby hole below it and pull it open that way. I couldn't get it out. I was going to lube the track but I was thinking the springs that open it are beyond serviceable. Can you give me some clues?

 

OK, If its like mine was. You know to open it you push in and it releases. I am assuming this is what your meaning is stuck, you push in and it doesnt release. I had to push in then take a knife and pry it open. Ok the large black piece at the top of the first picture has a shape form into it like a "J". In the dash is a pin that moves side to side. So when closed the pin rests in the "Hook" part of the J shape. You push in and the shape moves the pin to the other side and travels up the back of the "J" and releases. There is also a spring in the back of the dash that pushes the holders out.

So if I were you, I'd remove the assembly from the dash. Then check the movement possibly clean/lube the pin. I also bent the arms of the spring so it would push out a little harder (Youll understand better when you get it out) Might as well clean the assembly while you have it out and slide it back into place.

 

I followed some directions on-line that I found and started hearing some cracking and aborted the operation at that time. I have the factory carbon fiber trim and cupholder cover and I know its not replaceable so I am scared to crack or break it.

 

The slot below the cup holder just pulls out. No worries there. The CHA has two "catches" on top. Just take a skinny screwdriver and hold one catch down, then the other side. The assembly will then just slide out.

 

I left the 04' style flat spring in the cupholder "accessory tray" intact and installed the shiny spring as well (got out of cupholder that I bough at the wrecking yard). I did have to remove the flat spring to install the large coiled spring that comes in the 06-07 era F-150's --- then I weaved in the flat spring just below the new spring that I put in. I tried it with only the new shiny coil type spring and the tray didn't come out when I pushed it in (this is why I was working on it in the first place).... that is why I decided to use both springs.

 

Good write up, I know this is old but is their a way just to remove the front of that cover say like if you wanted to paint it, chrome it, dip it, it looks like a clip holds it on the bottom which I can pry loose but the top looks like some kind of slide joint and I cant get it apart without something going snap???
Again just trying to remove the very front cover on this, it would be the only thing you see when this is pushed in, the front!