arcuhtek

Yes, this is ANOTHER article about how to remove the backrest from the rear wall of the 2004-2008 F150 (Super Cab or SuperCrew).

I am about to begin a full blown audio system instillation and need to gain access to my rear wall in order to mount my amplifiers.

You may ask why...why another one? For a couple of reasons:

1. Because this backrest is (seemingly) a real PAIN IN THE AXX.
2. Because I downloaded and printed three different articles during my initial attempt to remove my backrest and NONE of them were very clear. Dont get me wrong, their information was accurate, but each of them was either more difficult than necessary or not articulate enough for my taste.

First of all let me say this is its frankly VERY easy to remove the backrest. Oh sure, it is not as easy as a factory folding seat (that we all wish we had) but its not as bacd as it seems. Trust me, I know because I spent almost 90 minutes following the other install articles and got NO where other than getting the two bolts off the seatbelt tower. I never got the backrest to budge even a fraction of an inch.

So I gave up and went to my computer. I did find an article by Mitchell Repair systems that seemed to have information in it that is directly from Ford. After reading this, suddenly the light bulb went off and I went back outside and attempted the removal. In thirty seconds the seat was off!!

From start to finish, this backrest removal can be done in 5-10 minutes. If not, you are doing something wrong. And, despite some REALLY strenuous effort the first time, the second time, it took no effort at all.

Without further adeu....here is my attempt at a more articulate and clear method of removing the backrest.

F150-SEAT-REMOVAL.jpg?t=1232255578

josh99ta

I don't know how anyone has arms small enough and/or fingers long enough to bend them around the corner and get the tab by hand. I tried for an hour and got very frustrated. Then I found a write-up on F150online about using a screwdriver and had the seat out in less than 5 minutes without loosing any (more) skin off my fingers. This is by FAR the easiest way to remove the backseat back.

arcuhtek

To further paraphrase this entire backrest removal:

1. Just remove the top of the seat belt tower. It is very obvious what you have to do once you are looking at it.

2. Stick a screw driver beside one of the two latches (see photo) and aim toward the roof. Push forward. Your screw driver will slide in the access hole (it may take you a couple of tries). Once you feel the screw driver stop, push hard. At the same time take your free arm and push the seat down (not very much effort is required) Keep pushing the screw driver,....yo will feel a liitle movement. When you feel the movement, quickly grab the bottom of the seat and lift up. One side is done!

Repeat.

After wasting 90 minutes when it really only took 5 mins....I was somewhere between embarrassed and angry. So I wrote this artilce to save YOU time.

Good luck!

arcuhtek

The article you are referring to (using the screw driver) is one of the three articles I used today too. However, I found it slightly confusing in knowing where to start with the latches. The article was good, but I wanted to make a few things more clear. I hope anyone who uses this version would agree.

The "easy" version article that many people know about and often refer to was hard as hell. I have small forearms and was able to get my arm behind the seat, but for 90 minutes I could NOT get the seat to budget. I was flat exhausted with strain. I am really not kidding. I ALMOST gave up.

Using the screwdriver method was RIDICULOUSLY easy.

wxmcpo

When I removed my rear seat it was very difficult until I found that after removing the screws that hold the seat in place, push down on the seat and it basically unlatches itself. I was able to wrap my fingers around and pop the seat right off after I pushed down.

arcuhtek

I did not find that to be the case at all. I remove the two screws on the tower and the plastic case/covering. Then both I and my best friend (who is a 350 former linebacker and marine, pushed down on the seat and it did not even budge whatsoever.

I was able to reach around and grab the plastic release clips (or so I thought). Turns out, its a two pieces clip and I was only grabbing the rear portion of the clip. That portion (see red portion of clip in my install article) was very flexible. So, thinking I was doing it right (and not being able to see what was going on back there) I got frustrated. I continued to try to do this for about an hour. Then I found the article on the screwdriver method. SIMPLE!

I bet you money if you take your truck to the dealership, they wont be reaching around the seat.

My motivation to write this article was simply to be more clear about how it can be done. The other articles work too, but I found them less than easy to understand.

wxmcpo

That's really surprising since I had little trouble pushing it down all by myself. Wonder if there was something different between our 2 trucks that made it simplistic for me and impossible for you. Truly appreciate you putting up the article and your method though because if anything has been proven by this thread is there is more than one way to skin a cat.

arcuhtek

I had read other articles on how to do this too. No one was more surprised than I was that the backrest was not budging. I posted this article on three forums. I have had good feedback from at least one person who has already used this method and thanked me.

THat is more than enough for it to be worth it!

luckythirteen13

i have big arms and i did it. hurt like hell and you have to be a contortionist but its possible. the screw driver method is much easier, and less painful

arcuhtek

Funny you should say that....

My friend that is a Marine, has HUGE arms, etc. He could not get his hand behind the seat beyond his wrist. No chance he could remove the seat in his own F150 using that method! Thank goodness there is more than one way to do it!