History of the Isata 5 Arm Rests?

[BLT4SPD]

Trying to retrieve info from my brain (usually doesn’t work out so well) about the Dodge Ram/Isata 5 Arms rests. If I recall, the first year-ish (2017 model year) didn’t have any arm rests in the cab and Dynamax/Brian took some verbal abuse for that. So, they were added for the 2018+ model year Isata 5s. My question is, where did they come from? I have looked at hundreds of pictures of 2017-2019 Rams in all varieties of trims and cab configurations and I cannot find an arm rest that looks like the ones that are in the Isata 5. Did Dynamax manufacture them and then modify the existing ram seats to accept them?

[Rrzasa]

I had the information from Brian Clemens and I shipped both my seats to a place in Elkhart and they added the armrests for me a couple of years ago. Brian can tell who who did the work. I don’t have the info anymore.

[bclemens]

Premier Seating is who does them now. They have to weld the arm-rest onto the frame. It is not an easy process, so we stepped out to try and keep the cost low. There is a post with the instructions...I'll have to track that down. But you have to send the seat in, they do the work and return.

[BLT4SPD]

Originally Posted by Rrzasa

I had the information from Brian Clemens and I shipped both my seats to a place in Elkhart and they added the armrests for me a couple of years ago. Brian can tell who who did the work. I don’t have the info anymore.

Originally Posted by bclemens

Premier Seating is who does them now. They have to weld the arm-rest onto the frame. It is not an easy process, so we stepped out to try and keep the cost low. There is a post with the instructions...I'll have to track that down. But you have to send the seat in, they do the work and return.

Thanks to both of you for the responses.

I'm actually asking because I think we want to have our cab seats recovered. Yes it's nice that they match the other seating surfaces throughout the coach, BUT we've taken to blocking off the cab when we are camping for better heating/cooling management of the living area. So, when we are actually in the cab (driving), the brown just looks a tad out of place in the all black and grey interior.

Katzkin leather replacement covers is the obvious and easy choice. I have seen some in person and they are pretty darn nice. Of course that means that they are going to know nothing about our aftermarket armrests and I'm going to have to find a custom option just for the arm rests.......or I could find some black leather seats from a Ram 2500/3500 and drop those in.....but then I wouldn't have the arm rest at all. That leads me to either A) contact Premier Seating and see if they make me some armrest covers in black or B) send my newly found 2500/3500 seats to them for armrest modification AND black covers.

Anyway, thanks again.

[bclemens]

I've actually thought about going to a gray or black on the Dodge seats since they don't rotate into the living area.

[caseymyers]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I've actually thought about going to a gray or black on the Dodge seats since they don't rotate into the living area.

Just add the leather option on the Laramie upgrade you'll offer and then the two options will be Arm rests (no Laramie option and less cost to customer) or loaded Laramie, (no Arm rests) customers choice.

[bclemens]

1. they still don't offer the laramie on the cab chassis.
2. That would mean I have to stock every chassis with/without laramie. So right now I stock 4x2, 4x4, 4x4 Canadian. So I double my chassis juggling. 4x2 Laramie, 4x2 non, 4x4 Laramie, 4x4 non, 4x4 Canadian Laramie, 4x4 Canadian non. And then I will of course get someone that wants the Laramie WITH arm rests and will not settle until they get it.

Also, for what Dodge wants to charge for "just" leather seats, its about 3 times what I can recover the seats for myself. Tough pill to swallow.

[caseymyers]

Originally Posted by bclemens

1. they still don't offer the laramie on the cab chassis.
2. That would mean I have to stock every chassis with/without laramie. So right now I stock 4x2, 4x4, 4x4 Canadian. So I double my chassis juggling. 4x2 Laramie, 4x2 non, 4x4 Laramie, 4x4 non, 4x4 Canadian Laramie, 4x4 Canadian non. And then I will of course get someone that wants the Laramie WITH arm rests and will not settle until they get it.

Also, for what Dodge wants to charge for "just" leather seats, its about 3 times what I can recover the seats for myself. Tough pill to swallow.

You are right of course and that's why you get the big bucks! I've seen the leather recovering kits and they are not that expensive, a lot less than the factory option. I didn't know you had a RAM Canadian version.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by caseymyers

You are right of course and that's why you get the big bucks! I've seen the leather recovering kits and they are not that expensive, a lot less than the factory option. I didn't know you had a RAM Canadian version.

Might be short lived...I hate trying to balance chassis. I just want to buy a lot and build a lot...not try to sort out where the chassis came from. I'll give Ford credit for that. They build "North American" chassis. Go anyway. Mercedes and Ram, not so much.

[dannko]

I wish the drivers seat had a left arm rest. Nowhere to put that nuisance when driving. If you go to a leather shop they can do the armrest vs the kits which of course won't have it. Yes on the black or grey. I would like to see a black and grey interior with greyish floors and black cabinets. Modern.

[BLT4SPD]

Sorry, I'm back on this kick again....

So, does Premier Seating ONLY add the armrest structure to the seat frame and then send the seat back to Dynamax for upholstery. OR does Premier seating do EVERYTHING including padding and upholstery?

[bclemens]

Premier does it all.

[BLT4SPD]

Originally Posted by bclemens

Premier does it all.

Thanks Brain.

[caseymyers]

That's a good handle for BC, 'Brain'.

[SusieR]

Shining Beacon of Light, demi-god Brain! [emoji3]