Rati Armster2 armrest, installed

[Pointmutation]

FT86 Armster 2 armrest made by Rati. Black/black. Euro company, but I sourced the part from Japan. I been wanting an armrest for a while, my previous cars have had armrests, so 20+ years of driving with an armrest makes me crave an armrest in this car too, especially when just chill and cruising and not enthusiastically shifting.

I looked at various armrest options and it was between this and the OEM armrest that covers the whole console opening. I didn’t like the look of the ones that just sit in the cup holder. I decided on the Armster 2 for the closable storage and increased storage capacity and the ability to still throw something into an open storage area. The Armster 1 was too curvy looking and I didn’t think it matched the 86 interior. The Armster S looked fine but I wanted that extra back pocket storage space.

Unboxing… Nice looking box.




Checking out the goods… The armrest part is the generic part, the separate base that goes between the armrest and the car is the car specific part. So, looks lik you can get the Armster 2 armrest for another car for cheaper if you want to fabricate your own mounting solution. I’m too busy to do that and my time wasn’t worth the minor savings to do so, so I just bought the Armster2 with the FT86 specific mount.





Test fit. 3 Mounting locations. All the way back of the center console opening, all the way forward, and in the middle. I went with all the way back to still allow me storage space in front of it. And the top pad can be slid forward a little less than a couple inches if I want too.



Only 4 holes needed for this install. Drilled through the rubber padding since I still wanted the rubber in the front area of the console opening.




Installed. Looks good. The angle can be adjusted a few clicks for various heights. I only use it either in the bottom-most position or on the first height click.



Armrest hinges back and out of the way.



Opened armrest compartment. Nice storage space here now. Pen holder up top and small coin holder on the sides. Felt lined insides (or something like it).




Couple more shots of how the armrest fits with the rest of the car...




Overall impressions of the Armster2 armrest = awesome. Very much worth it. I can chill when I want to, or I can raise the armrest out of the way for more critical/enthusiastic shifting (like during touge drives). Feels pretty solid when I press on it to shift my weight or when I accidentally knock it. Would definitely purchase again if I had another 86. 👍🏼👍🏼

[RickyBobby]

I thought about getting this one, aka DAMD armrest, but you loose the cup holders. Not a deal breaker though if you don't use them.
Or you can do this:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=67

Install looks super easy, and if you decide later on to install a different arm rest the holes would be hidden by the cup holders.

A Polish vendor is selling Armster 2 arm rests on eBay for $99. (or best offer) + $35. shipping but I don't see one tailor made for the FR-S or BRZ. You could contact the vendor and ask if available or if one of the others will fit. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...+rest&_sacat=0

[RichardsFRS]

Had one similar to that on another car. It hedered my shifting. I love those seats though

[churchx]

I have much lower 'oem'ish armrest (PZ435-10340-00) and it seems just the right height for shifting gears (+looks, well .. oem ). Seeing this being much higher then it, i'm suspicious of often hitting elbow with this or not too comfortable reach to gear lever/handbrake. Empty space around it also look a bit like hack/afterthought, not as if this had been designed specific for our cars.

[RichardsFRS]

That's the one I want. Just use the ebrake now. Used to use the shifter till I saw a video showing why that's bad

[Crazypinoy9]

Originally Posted by Pointmutation

FT86 Armster 2 armrest made by Rati. Black/black.

Overall impressions of the Armster2 armrest = awesome. Very much worth it. I can chill when I want to, or I can raise the armrest out of the way for more critical/enthusiastic shifting (like during touge drives). Feels pretty solid when I press on it to shift my weight or when I accidentally knock it. Would definitely purchase again if I had another 86. ��������

I want this! Just gotta find it somewhere here in North America...

Side note: Which reverse lockout are you using? Is it Raceseng also? I just ordered the same shift knob but wanna get a matching lockout.

Thanks!

[Pointmutation]

I'm thinking of cutting my cupholder too for the rare occasion that I have a drink in the car, but I pretty much have a no drinks in the car except bottled water rule. Lol.

I couldn't find any euro sources with the FRS/BRZ/GT86 adapter which is why I went with the Japanese source which had the correct adapter for our cars. I was debating contacting the euro sources if they had it like you mentioned but I never ordered anything directly from Europe/UK before and I found it on the Japan sites anyways. Got it for USD $150-ish + shipping. Much cheaper than the DAMD branded version and this one being all black, which matches my interior better than the DAMD black/silver version since my BRZ is the premium version with almost all interior already blackened by default already .

Originally Posted by RickyBobby

I thought about getting this one, aka DAMD armrest, but you loose the cup holders. Not a deal breaker though if you don't use them.
Or you can do this:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=67

Install looks super easy, and if you decide later on to install a different arm rest the holes would be hidden by the cup holders.

A Polish vendor is selling Armster 2 arm rests on eBay for $99. (or best offer) + $35. shipping but I don't see one tailor made for the FR-S or BRZ. You could contact the vendor and ask if available or if one of the others will fit. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...+rest&_sacat=0

[Pointmutation]

Thanks, love the seats too. It took me a couple days to get used to the armrest position and not whack it when going for the shifter. Only had the car less than a few months before install so not much of a habit to unlearn especially since my previous cars had armrests. I do swing the armrest back and move it out of the way for enthusiastic driving when I need to shift fast/critically though.

Originally Posted by RichardsFRS

Had one similar to that on another car. It hedered my shifting. I love those seats though

[Pointmutation]

Was debating that armrest too. Took me a couple days to get used to not whacking this armrest when going for the shifter. But usually my elbow is resting on the armrest so whacking it doesn't really factor into shifting unless my elbow was off the armrest and I needed to shift, like mid turn. Handbrake access is no problem at all. I don't think the armrest was designed specifically for our car. The top part is generic and meant to fit a bunch of cars with different bottom adapters. In person the armrest looks like a good match though. I feel like any bigger/wider might have been a problem though.

Originally Posted by churchx

I have much lower 'oem'ish armrest (PZ435-10340-00) and it seems just the right height for shifting gears (+looks, well .. oem ). Seeing this being much higher then it, i'm suspicious of often hitting elbow with this or not too comfortable reach to gear lever/handbrake. Empty space around it also look a bit like hack/afterthought, not as if this had been designed specific for our cars.

[Pointmutation]

I actually have my elbow resting on the armrest and hand on the ebrake still at times. Although the armrest does make me tempted to rest on the shifter more just because of its position making it easier to do so. Lol.

Originally Posted by RichardsFRS

That's the one I want. Just use the ebrake now. Used to use the shifter till I saw a video showing why that's bad

[Pointmutation]

For NA places try looking for it under the DAMD brand name. Different color scheme though.

Yeah, that's the Raceseng R-lock w/ the Ashiko knob. It's pretty awesome. Love it. And it just goes so well with the shift knob. Was worried about the logo on the R-lock being too obvious, but when actually in the car and looking down at the shifter/r-lock, because of the angle you look down at it in person, it's barely noticeable.

Originally Posted by Crazypinoy9

I want this! Just gotta find it somewhere here in North America...

Side note: Which reverse lockout are you using? Is it Raceseng also? I just ordered the same shift knob but wanna get a matching lockout.

Thanks!

[alex345]

Love those seat covers which are they? and do yo have the part number for the armrest? thanks!

[Pointmutation]

These are the DAMD 86 Vantage leather seat covers in black with red stitching. The part number looks to be 10068-ARM2. Just look up Armster2 for FRS or BRZ and you should have no problem finding it.

Originally Posted by alex345

Love those seat covers which are they? and do yo have the part number for the armrest? thanks!

[alex345]

Originally Posted by Pointmutation

These are the DAMD 86 Vantage leather seat covers in black with red stitching. The part number looks to be 10068-ARM2. Just look up Armster2 for FRS or BRZ and you should have no problem finding it.

I think its not available in the states