Anyone done door panels?

My '98 has been a pain in most of me over the years, backside to elbow. Catching up on rust and deferred maintenance, as well as installing zj seats, took care of my backside.
The skinny and unpadded arm rest still hurts on my elbow during a long drive.

So, who has built a better door panel for these?

I am thinking about 1/8 plywood, some sort of padding and leather or cordura nylon + a wider armrest and maybe a map and water bottle pocket. Nothing too fancy, just want a little more comfort since I'm keeping this pos... What have you all done to make the xj a little more upscale?

I haven't, but that's an excellent idea. I don't know why they thought it was a good idea to make them so narrow with a round corner so the corner ends up right in the middle of your elbow and you spend the whole time trying to decide whether to push your elbow into it or just give up entirely.

tilt the seat back further, swivel your body to the left and stick your left foot out the window, then take your sore elbow and hold it above your head.

ive used some thin 1/4" particle backer board type stuff from home deport for like 8$, in the past on my 2 old scouts, and my old willys, and my 86 4runner. When I still had em all. Picked up 1" thick foam padding at the arts and crafts store, along with some black marine vinyl, spray adhesive, and a staple gun, and it was easy. make it as nice or as half assed as you want.

I just prop my arm on the window seal. If my Jeep is in motion down the road the window is all the way down anyway.

FWIW the Limited/Country trimmed models have padded arm rests.



Also that being said. If you pulled the door panel off the arm rest is held onto the panel with plastic weld rivets. Would be real easy to remove it and cover it with some foam padding, leather, and reinstall it...