Re-installing 2nd and 3rd Row Seats?

I want to do some camping in my 2013 4Runner SR5 I recently bought used. It has third row seating.

I plan to remove the 2nd and 3rd row seats. The design on these 4runners with 3rd row seating is bad for sleeping, and the only way I see to make it comfortable is to remove 2nd and 3rd row. I might keep the 40% seat on the 2nd row.

But if I want to sell the vehicle in the future, how hard is it to reinstall the seats without damaging anything? I'm not very handy. Incorrect re-installation could also compromise safety.

Has anyone re-installed 2nd and 3rd row seats they previously removed?

 

I’ve taken out and reinstalled my 2nd row a few times already, don’t know about 3rd row as I don’t have that.

 

Fairly easy to do?
Although the 2nd row is different if you don't have a 3rd row. My 2nd row doesn't have the seat bottoms that fold forward; it's a totally different design.

 

I thought the 3rd row 4Runners' seats folded flat, unlike the 2nd row only version, where the 2nd row backs folded are a bit higher than the cargo deck. Is that not the case?

 

It’s like 4 to 6 bolts, straight forward, I wouldn’t call myself mechanical.

 

No, they don't fold flat. There's a significant height difference between 2nd and 3rd row seats when everything's folded down. Each row has its own unique angle, and you lose a lot of head room because the 2nd row seats will only fold on top of themselves. Plus there's a gap between 2nd and 3rd row seats.

But to remove the seats creates a whole host of other problems like needing to add insulation and noise reduction and basically gutting the vehicle which could impact resale. Plus when you remove the 3rd row seats, you're left with the exposed metal of the base of the vehicle basically. If you sleep full time in a car you get condensation issues. Maybe I'd be rusting it out from the inside??

I'm planning to live out of the vehicle full time so it needs to be comfortable enough to sleep every night.

It's explained well here:

 

Welcome. I'm fixing to delete my 3rd row. It's only 6 bolts. The only damage will come from taking them in and out. If you scratch them, etc.

 

Thanks. What do you plan to do with the cargo area you'll have after deleting 3rd row?
If you could update us after you delete how you like it, I'd appreciate it. Also wondering how noisy it is on the road after removal.

 

I "plan" on just making a platform like in the videos I've seen. I will put sound deadening down first.

I put quotes cuz reality and my plans don't always line up. Lol

Example :
https://youtu.be/J3BGbLeItbw?si=vRb8NHz932qm7JXJ

 

Just went out to look at the bolts on the 2nd row seat. Pried open the plastic casing covering the bolts and broke it within the first 30 seconds.

Yeah I bet if I try to do this I'll mess a lot of stuff up.

 

Now you know, lol. everybody ends up breaking clips here or there doing these kind of projects. But once you figure out the trick to getting things like this off, you’ll break less stuff.

The biggest problem that might get in the way of returning it back to stock is that you simply forget how things go together two or three years later when you want to put them back in. If I were to do it, I’d take lots of pictures, tape all hardware, covers, clips, etc. to the things that they belong to so you don’t lose them. I would also write notes to go along with the pictures, So that you know what the picture was even referencing to begin with.

Videos can be great references if you can find a relevant one. However, I would not count on them to help you put everything back together in the future because you never know if they’ll same videos will be up when you need them.

 

I'm guessing the reasons questions like this come up are because the third row was needed at one time, and no longer is...otherwise, why buy a 4R with a third row...?

 

Good info here;

 

My case, the deal was just better. I used it once when test driving the truck. I'm sure in some cases it has a purpose, maybe for a family of smurfs?

 

Can someone tell me what kind of drill I would need? Like a 1/2 inch drill, or is a 3/8 in drill good enough? I don't know what to buy to unbolt the bolts on the seats. I'm not a dude and this is intimidating. Plus the people at Lowe's weren't much help.

I have a socket set and the 14mm socket fits on the bolts. Does that mean a 13 mm drill won't be big enough?

I bought a 13mm (1/2 inch) Craftsman drill and spent all weekend watching videos on how to use it. I got the socket on the drill with a bit, and went to un-bolt the bolts, and the socket and bit just fell off the bolt. Tried lots of different settings and speeds, made sure it was tight as could be on the drill, and it kept just falling off.

 

https://youtu.be/aADIBHXAJJU

 

Thanks. Yeah the guy at Lowe's had me buy an adapter set but none of them actually fit on the 14 mm socket. The guy in the vid says the adapters fit up to 1/2 inch which is only 13 mm, not 14 mm.

So I ended up using a little adapter that came with the socket set. Some different youtube DIY guy was using a similar one on his drill so it seemed like it should work. But it all just kept falling off the damn drill.

 

So you used a drill? The next hardware trip I took, the guy tried to remove the bolts in my car with the drill I bought (with correct socket adapter) and he couldn't get them to budge, either. He said I'd need an impact wrench.

And turns out at least one youtuber removing the bolts on 3rd row used an impact wrench, too.

So I'm surprised a drill is working for some people.

 

For stuff like that I just use an old-fashioned manual socket wrench. An impact wrench would be an alternative, but it's overkill for that kind of job and it risks damage on re-installation if you haven't hand-started everything. A regular drill with a socket adapter is going to work for some things, but less than you'd think.

 

Why does it risk damage on re-installation if I don't hand-start everything?
Thanks

 

An impact wrench has enough power to badly cross-thread the fasteners before you know it's happening. If you hand-start the fasteners, at least you know they're threaded right. Also, an impact wrench should be used only with impact sockets, which are less likely to shatter into little projectiles.

If you do go for an impact wrench, I suggest getting one with enough torque to handle lug nuts, or you'll end up having to get another one later on.

 

OK thanks. I don't know if I could physically do it myself with a manual socket wrench due to injury.

Might have to take it to a mechanic to remove the seats for me but I assume they'd just use an impact wrench and risk damaging.

Maybe I should post a job on craigslist or something for someone who who can do a quick project with a manual wrench if I can't manage it.

 

Impact wrench for removal has much less risk of damage than installation. I would at least try a manual wrench yourself first.

 

Do you have a breaker bar? It's a long handled socket wrench that doesn't ratchet. It provides a lot of torque due to the long handle.

 

no but I should get one.

 

Based on the limited experience and strength you’re saying you have, this will not be easy or risk free. It’s a substantial amount of disassembly that requires a basic knowledge on how to use hand tools. Drills are best used for drilling, not hardware assembly/disassembly. Power impact wrenches are for saving time or dealing with bolts that are tightened very tight, and you can mess things up very quickly by making simple mistakes (like thinkin you’re loosening, but it’s set to tighten-an impact wrench could destroy threads in a second with a mistake like that). You won’t save any time and you’ll wreck stuff if you don’t know what you’re doing with the tools you buy. So don’t use powerful tools for this.

This is a job for hand tools (ratchets and sockets). Longer ratchets or breaker bars give more leverage to make up for lack of strength. That said, what you want to do qualifies as wrenching, and wrenching requires you to use your whole body to get into positions that give you good mechanical advantage and alignment over fasteners you are removing or installing. Seats have weight and are awkward to maneuver in confined spaces. This requires moving carefully and sufficient strength. You’ll also need to deal with an unfinished interior you’ll need to live with, or address in some way by building something to cover things up.

I’m not saying not to do this. In fact, if you’re going to be living out of the vehicle, you should learn to do this kind of stuff and learn to use tools with the strength you have. Get comfortable with how basic mechanical things in general are designed and assembled, and learn enough to recognize what can be damaged during assembly/disassembly and how to avoid it. Start by using a ratchet and socket set to take apart a junk bike or other junk you don’t care about. Get a physical sense of how bolts/screws/nuts feel when being tightened and loosened. And how the tools operates and feels when you’re doing it right.

When you start working on your car, keep in mind nobody does this naturally unless they’ve learned by doing it for years. Even a practiced hand needs time to think about how a job should be done, what tools are going to be needed, and enough time to actually do the job patiently and intelligently. I can change out my brakes in 15 minutes, but only after 3 or 4 hours of careful prep work lol. Rushing work is a recipe for disaster, because a rushed job always takes twice as long.

Disassembly of things is on the easy side of things, but if you aren’t familiar with tools needed or how to use them effectively, there will be much gnashing of teeth when you make expensive or time consuming mistakes. That’s part of learning new skills and can’t all be avoided but it’s always best to try to avoid mistakes that will be hard to fix. So keep asking for advice, but know that you’ll need to spend actual time with your hands on tools to learn.

 

This is all solid advice, thank you. I've definitely been trying to put my hands on the correct tools, and I now realize that drills aren't right for this job, but was misled by people telling me to use a drill with socket adapter.

Ok I'll get a ratchet and socket set. Any chance you could send me a link of what to look for at Home Depot? Because I know the hardware store guys will likely tell me something off again and I'd like to avoid buying the wrong thing. I do have a socket set but the wrench is tiny.

 

They sell metric ratchet and socket sets. Often its better to get various small kits that have all the sizes and/or tools, instead of the huge “hail mary” kit which you will realize will exclude commonly needed sizes (on purpose).

This one might be a good start. The 3/8in ratchet seems like it might be decent. You need to check that it doesnt exclude 10mm, 12mm, or 14mm. Or else you’ll be going back to the store the first time you work on any toyota.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...hanics-Tool-Set-32-Piece-48-22-9508/305144366

A set of metric wrenches like these is helpful. You can find them at a ton of price points and variety. Some of them even have a ratcheting end, which is super sweet, but expensive.




Also, a 1/4 inch ratchet for small hardware and a 1/2 ratchet for leverage over bigger bolts/nuts is good. Ratchets are more expensive. Get good ones because cheap ones suck often due to bad ergonomics, or bad design. I got me one of these recently and it’s much nicer than the craptastic craftsman I had for way too long. For good ratchets, I prefer to feel them at the store than buying online.



Because you said strength is an issue, also get a reducer adapter so you can use a 1/2 in ratchet on 3/8 sockets.

 

@Westward Bound - you might want to post on one of the regional forums based on where you live. You might find a 4R owner in your area willing to help you out. Nothing like another set of hands/eyes.

 

Like I said, resist huge kits!!!! They skip sizes on purpose, and often include ratchets that suck! The boxes don’t actually help with how you ultimately organize things, so don’t let that lead your decisions.

Since you are traveling, I recommend various tool rolls and bags to help you organize the tools you may need on the road. These are mine rolled up and open, and the tote I carry them in with other odds and ends I use on the 4runner