More Cup Holders?

[bhicks]

I know this has kind of been answered in earlier posts but I want to be 100% sure I understood this correctly. Does the bottom of the storage tray sit level when the console is installed and without a bend? I have the 2.5 degree angled cup holder and the flat cup holder prototypes all done and I want to fully understand how this OEM console sits in the truck before I made my final decisions on the final design.

 

[kruisinkid]

This is the console i just got off ebay. Sitting it on the coffee table and looking at the left side where it bolts into the seat frame, is have to believe the bottom is supposed to be parallel with horizon and the top when unbent is supposed to slope upward towards the front. The only thing angled about your prototypes should be the top angle if you are trying to match the intended slope

 

[bhicks]

View attachment 1521441 This is the console i just got off ebay. Sitting it on the coffee table and looking at the left side where it bolts into the seat frame, is have to believe the bottom is supposed to be parallel with horizon and the top when unbent is supposed to slope upward towards the front. The only thing angled about your prototypes should be the top angle if you are trying to match the intended slope

I have the same console as well but don't have the 40 to install it in. Mine also sits level at the bottom of the storage tray when sitting on a level surface but I wasn't sure once installed if it would be sitting on a level surface.

 

[Living in the Past]

I know this has kind of been answered in earlier posts but I want to be 100% sure I understood this correctly. Does the bottom of the storage tray sit level when the console is installed and without a bend? I have the 2.5 degree angled cup holder and the flat cup holder prototypes all done and I want to fully understand how this OEM console sits in the truck before I made my final decisions on the final design.

Why would Toyota design a console that the bottom was sloped, so things would slide to the back? Both plastic consoles mount level. If you look at the latest picture it shows the front of the console 90 degrees angle from the bottom. The front seat frame it bolts to is a rectangle piece that is horizontal and vertical. The feet that mount to the floor are at 90 degrees. I have a loose seat frame that shows it. I also checked two and the bottom of the console is parallel to the passenger's floor. Because of the multiple levels of the floor Toyota's first attempt at a center console in a FJ40 wasn't the best and should have have some type of stiffer added. But guess it was better than being made of plastic since very few would have survived more then a few years with nothing supporting them in the middle. Even the plastic ones the area the four screws bolted it to the floor or heater break. But maybe that's was just here in the desert where plastic becomes brittle.

 

[bhicks]

Why would Toyota design a console that the bottom was sloped, so things would slide to the back? Both plastic consoles mount level. If you look at the latest picture it shows the front of the console 90 degrees angle from the bottom. The front seat frame it bolts to is a rectangle piece that is horizontal and vertical. The feet that mount to the floor are at 90 degrees. I have a loose seat frame that shows it. I also checked two and the bottom of the console is parallel to the passenger's floor. Because of the multiple levels of the floor Toyota's first attempt at a center console in a FJ40 wasn't the best and should have have some type of stiffer added. But guess it was better than being made of plastic since very few would have survived more then a few years with nothing supporting them in the middle. Even the plastic ones the area the four screws bolted it to the floor or heater break. But maybe that's was just here in the desert where plastic becomes brittle.

Ok. So IF the console isn't bent then the bottom WILL sit level. If it IS bent it can be bent as much as 5 degrees. Hopefully those statements are correct. I looked at the one I have here and realized it takes very little effort to bend it back straight. I applied maybe 15-20 lbs of effort to get it back to straight. I think I will just build these to sit level in a straight (undamaged) console. If it bothers the buyer that their cup holder doesn't sit level in their bent console then with little effort they can simply bend the console back to straight. If that doesn't make everyone happy then I am always open to them just returning it for a full refund. At least building it level gives everyone the option to straighten the console and have the cup holder sit perfect. If it's 2.5 degrees off level then the folks with a perfectly straight console have no option for a perfect fit. They would have to bend the console and I hate that option. Building it level also means I don't need any extra support and can use a lot less material, do a quicker print, less labor in prepping, and charge about 20-25% less for the product. I think I have my answer and will move forward. I will get pics of the final design posted in the next day or two.

 

[Geezer Cruzzer]

Ok. So IF the console isn't bent then the bottom WILL sit level. If it IS bent it can be bent as much as 5 degrees. Hopefully those statements are correct. I looked at the one I have here and realized it takes very little effort to bend it back straight. I applied maybe 15-20 lbs of effort to get it back to straight. I think I will just build these to sit level in a straight (undamaged) console. If it bothers the buyer that their cup holder doesn't sit level in their bent console then with little effort they can simply bend the console back to straight. If that doesn't make everyone happy then I am always open to them just returning it for a full refund. At least building it level gives everyone the option to straighten the console and have the cup holder sit perfect. If it's 2.5 degrees off level then the folks with a perfectly straight console have no option for a perfect fit. They would have to bend the console and I hate that option. Building it level also means I don't need any extra support and can use a lot less material, do a quicker print, less labor in prepping, and charge about 20-25% less for the product. I think I have my answer and will move forward. I will get pics of the final design posted in the next day or two.

The end user could also put a shim between the console and the underside of the cup holder to level it out. That is what I would do. It would be simple and easy. I would include that in your instructions.

 

[bhicks]

The end user could also put a shim between the console and the underside of the cup holder to level it out. That is what I would do. It would be simple and easy. I would include that in your instructions.

Good idea.

 

[fyton2v]

In my truck, the bottom sits level when you take out the bend, which is really easy to do. I'll post instructions below. Funny, I always thought the bend was stock.

Console bend removal instructions:
Pull upwards on console top until flat .

 

[bhicks]

The final version of the early stamped metal console cup holder was made during the night. I will get it prepped and finished today and will have pics of it tomorrow. That should conclude the r&d part of the entire 40 series cup holder line. At this point I have 4 different designs for the 3 center consoles offered on the 40 series from the late 70's up to the mid 80's.

 

[bhicks]

Here is the final version of the 70's era stamped metal console cup holder. There is one tiny little thing I need to change but visually and functionally it will not change. Just a print setting needs to be tweaked before I go into production. Hopefully these will go into production by Thursday as long as the next print turns out how I want based on the minor print change. I still might be able to stick to my plan of releasing all four 40 series cup holder design in the 1st week of September and possibly by the 1st. We will see. I need a few things to go smoothly in order to pull that off.

 

[bhicks]

Here's a few more pics. The final version is not level with the top but it is level with the bottom of the storage compartment and allows the drinks to sit level. You may need to straighten your console if it's severely bent to allow the drinks to sit level but that takes very little effort.

 

[iptman]

Why not fill the whole console space and then mold in a slot for the phone?

 

[Geezer Cruzzer]

Why not fill the whole console space and then mold in a slot for the phone?

I thought the exact same thing. Don't mean to rain on the parade, but it just doesn't look right. I would also think about making the top of the holder closer to flush with the top of the opening. I'll be interested in seeing the model for the 1982 FJ40. The opening much more shallow than the 70s console.

 

[bhicks]

Why not fill the whole console space and then mold in a slot for the phone?

Two big reasons for that. The slot is roughly 10" in length. Most of my machines have a 9" wide build platform. I do have two machines that have a larger platform but they are not very reliable machines and I try to avoid using them as much as possible. Also, if I box in the end with 3 walls around the empty 1" gap then a lot of cell phones on the market no longer fit in the slot. I had to remove the walls to make sure there was enough space to actually slide a phone down in there. The overall console slot is 3.5" wide with walls all around I would have about a 3.2" gap. My phone with thick case is 3.3" wide which would no longer fit. I wanted a space that was more universal and able to accept any phone (not tablet) on the market.

 

[bhicks]

I thought the exact same thing. Don't mean to rain on the parade, but it just doesn't look right. I would also think about making the top of the holder closer to flush with the top of the opening. I'll be interested in seeing the model for the 1982 FJ40. The opening much more shallow than the 70s console.

If I made the top of the cup holder flush with the opening you would have a 6" deep cup holder. Most cup holders in cars are 2.5"-3.5" deep. This cup holder is 3.3" deep which is definitely on the deep side of cup holders. At 6" deep, almost all large fast food cups and all versions of the Yeti would no longer sit down in the cup holder. LOTS of cups flair up about 3 up from the bottom like the large yeti. I did my best to make this as functional as possible with the space available and the size of my machines.

 

[Geezer Cruzzer]

Thanks for your responses. What is the diameter of the cup holders?

 

[bhicks]

Thanks for your responses. What is the diameter of the cup holders?

3.25" is the diameter of each hole. The average "Universal" cup holder is 3". Most cups are designed to go into a 3" hole. Unfortunately the Yeti's and other brand coffee thermos' are about 3.125" so they never fit correct. They WILL fit in these cup holders. 3.25" is also the absolute max diameter I can go. My max width is 3.5" which only gives me .125" wall thickness at the thinnest spot. I am not comfortable going thinner with ABS plastic. I have gone that thin many times with no issues. Any thinner and you risk issues with cracking and warping during the printing and down the road.

 

[bhicks]

Here's the Yeti sized 20oz. The 30oz. has the exact same bottom diameter and will flair out just above the cup holder. I made this cup holder to snuggly hold these awkwardly large drinks. It will still hold the usual fast food cut, waterbottle, soda can, etc. without issue.

 

[spotcruiser]

Maybe you could print a riser that would mate with it and bring it up a couple of inches. You might even make it somewhat of a hidden compartment. Just an idea.

 

[Geezer Cruzzer]

3.25" is the diameter of each hole. The average "Universal" cup holder is 3". Most cups are designed to go into a 3" hole. Unfortunately the Yeti's and other brand coffee thermos' are about 3.125" so they never fit correct. They WILL fit in these cup holders. 3.25" is also the absolute max diameter I can go. My max width is 3.5" which only gives me .125" wall thickness at the thinnest spot. I am not comfortable going thinner with ABS plastic. I have gone that thin many times with no issues. Any thinner and you risk issues with cracking and warping during the printing and down the road.

Good thinking! My F150 won't accommodate the Swig Savvy bottles we like.