Back Seat Fold Down Modification

[gcscott]

If you don't have the back-seat release (non reclining seats), the back seats can be modified to lay down with a simple cut to the seat back retainer clip. I did this mod on my 2013 Outdoorsman when I installed an amplifier behind the passenger back seat. First you have to remove the seat bolts, only do one seat at a time. You need a 3/8" socket and an 18 mm. socket. Lift the bottom seat all the way up and remove the front e torx bolts using a 3/8" socket and don't strip the edges, then using the 18 mm. socket remove the back bolts. The bolts will be very hard to remove at first and then will become easier. With the bolts removed, place the seat bottom at a 45-degree angle, lift the whole seat up until the back of the seat folds forward. Now with the back folded forward, reinstall the mounting bolts that you removed earlier. On the back of each seat is mounting clips that need to be cut. Measure the white clip 1-1/2" from the end and put a mark where you are going to make the cut. Use a hacksaw to cut the clips and don't cut off the entire clip, only 1-1/2". You will be cutting the clip which is made with metal and plastic and be careful that you don't cut the seat fiber backing. After you cut the clips, raze the seat back all the way to the rear upright position and hold in place. Place the bottom seat at a 45-degree angle, lower the seat to normal position and the seat back will lock in place. Now discard the cut off clip ends and do the other seat the same way and you are done. When you raze the seat bottom to a 45 degree position the back part of the seat will rise and will release from the mounting hooks on the back wall of the cab and will now fold down. Enjoy.

 

[Bigcountry]

Nice solution! I don’t know why they don’t fold to begin with.

 

[Patsy1099]

That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing.

 

[TruckDriver]

[...] When you raze the seat bottom to a 45 degree position the back part of the seat will rise and will release from the mounting hooks on the back wall of the cab and will now fold down. Enjoy.

That's a pretty good tutorial - I see what's happening - the white clip is designed to slide up and down, by cutting the lower end, the seat back will fold down when pushed up by the seat bottom

Question: With the seat bottom flipped up, have you noticed the seats flopping down when coming to a stop? Someone once mentioned their seat bottoms came down on their dog riding on the back seat floor and they were looking to ensure that didn't happen again. Also, I wonder what the utility is of having the seatback fold down? any storage opportunities back there?

 

[gcscott]

That's a pretty good tutorial - I see what's happening - the white clip is designed to slide up and down, by cutting the lower end, the seat back will fold down when pushed up by the seat bottom

Question: With the seat bottom flipped up, have you noticed the seats flopping down when coming to a stop? Someone once mentioned their seat bottoms came down on their dog riding on the back seat floor and they were looking to ensure that didn't happen again. Also, I wonder what the utility is of having the seatback fold down? any storage opportunities back there?

I don't drive with my backseat bottoms flipped up. The seat backs don't fold down when you break to stop with the seat bottom laid flat and with the hooks cut at 1-1/2". There is room to mount an amplifier, gun rack or what fits in 4-6" space. You need to cut or remove the cardboard sound deadener false wall behind the rear seat. The e-Torque battery is about the size of a briefcase and is located behind the driver-side rear seat back.

eTorque battery picture and seat bolt holes to rear wall 4-6 inches.

 

[TruckDriver]

There is room to mount an amplifier, gun rack or what fits in 4-6" space. You need to remove the cardboard false wall.

That's quite a bit of space - thanks again for the writeup and photos!

 

[RobertBasco29]

I know it’s an old post but does anyone know if this modification work on a quad cab truck? I’m installing an amp and sub behind the seat and want to make sure it’s easy to access without having to unbolt everything again! Thanks guys!

 

[pgarrett87]

If you don't have the back-seat release (non reclining seats), the back seats can be modified to lay down with a simple cut to the seat back retainer clip. I did this mod on my 2013 Outdoorsman when I installed an amplifier behind the passenger back seat. First you have to remove the seat bolts, only do one seat at a time. You need a 3/8" socket and an 18 mm. socket. Lift the bottom seat all the way up and remove the front e torx bolts using a 3/8" socket and don't strip the edges, then using the 18 mm. socket remove the back bolts. The bolts will be very hard to remove at first and then will become easier. With the bolts removed, place the seat bottom at a 45-degree angle, lift the whole seat up until the back of the seat folds forward. Now with the back folded forward, reinstall the mounting bolts that you removed earlier. On the back of each seat is mounting clips that need to be cut. Measure the white clip 1-1/2" from the end and put a mark where you are going to make the cut. Use a hacksaw to cut the clips and don't cut off the entire clip, only 1-1/2". You will be cutting the clip which is made with metal and plastic and be careful that you don't cut the seat fiber backing. After you cut the clips, raze the seat back all the way to the rear upright position and hold in place. Place the bottom seat at a 45-degree angle, lower the seat to normal position and the seat back will lock in place. Now discard the cut off clip ends and do the other seat the same way and you are done. When you raze the seat bottom to a 45 degree position the back part of the seat will rise and will release from the mounting hooks on the back wall of the cab and will now fold down. Enjoy.

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Did you measure the 1-1/2'' from the top of the clip?

 

[Rsorrell2]

Where did you get those RAM seat belt pads?

 

[Night Rebel]

Thanks for this

 

[Chippy]

This looks like a great place to fab up a mount and fit a rifle or shotgun! I will second thank you for posting

 

[Skywalkerhild]

Does anyone know the tread pattern of the E-Torque bolts that are in the front of the reclining sliders?

I am putting some seat spacers in so I can install a taller sub enclosure but cannot for the life of me find the bolt thread pattern. When I use a die to check it, the result is an M11x1.5 thread but nobody sells that size.

I need to get bolts that are longer is my issue.

I have put 4 amplifiers and a digital signal process behind the back seats after sound deadening the entire back wall and pillars.

 

[Ksiegel9]

This the same mod for a 2020?

 

[Skywalkerhild]

I believe this is the same for all Gen 5 rams. It is specific to the seat sliding mechanism though.

Update. I do know the thread patterns for all bolts on the rear seats.
The Rear bolt is a M12-1.75 and I got 60mm length bolts to accommodate the 3/4" spacer I installed.
The Front bolt (E12 torque hear) I replaced with a alan head socket bolt M10-1.5 x 50mm and worked perfect.

 

[Ksiegel9]

Does anyone know the tread pattern of the E-Torque bolts that are in the front of the reclining sliders?

I am putting some seat spacers in so I can install a taller sub enclosure but cannot for the life of me find the bolt thread pattern. When I use a die to check it, the result is an M11x1.5 thread but nobody sells that size.

I need to get bolts that are longer is my issue.

I have put 4 amplifiers and a digital signal process behind the back seats after sound deadening the entire back wall and pillars.

How did u deaden the sound? Like the result?

 

[Netsurfer2]

How did u deaden the sound? Like the result?

Would these work???

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[TDP154]

I have a 2020 quad cab Big Horn and there was a little more work involved to get the back seats to fold down. I removed both back seats entirely because I found that the brackets that are next to the doors did not swivel like the inner brackets—preventing this mod to work. There is a steel tube underneath the bracket preventing it from moving. Cut off the top part of the bracket where the giant etorx bolts are and the seat will be able to fold down. The steel/plastic clips also seemed a little different than were in the pictures on this thread, so I left a little extra on because 1 1/2” seemed too much. Then when I bolted the seat back in I used a sledge hammer to hit the hooks on the cab up or down to my desired tightness for the rear seat snapping in. Don’t make it too tight though or else you will be unbolting the seat again to fix it….. Overall very happy with it. I got a moving blanket to lay on the backs because the seat fabric is pretty thin and fragile.