DIY: Shrader Performance Rear Seat Delete Kit & Rear Seat Removal

[PoorMansRacing]

Hey fellow 86 enthusiasts,

This is a two-part DIY guide: rear seat removal and the Shrader Performance rear seat delete kit installation. I’ve been seeing a decent number of requests for removing the rear seats, and I wanted to contribute to the discussion.

Rear seat and seatbelt assembly removal: 1.5 hours
Shrader Performance rear seat delete installation: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Tools Needed:
Socket wrench – 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm
Panel/trim removal tool

Weight Reduction: 23 lbs. (according to Shrader Performance)
Note: I will follow-up with specific weights for all pieces removed and installed.

Rear Seat Removal:

• Remove the rear seat cushions – they are held in place by a 10mm bolt directly below the front edge of the rear seat cushion.

• The seat cushions are held in place by a hidden bracket located behind the rear edge of the seat cushion. Push down towards the center of the rear edge to release the cushion.

• Remove the child seat mounting brackets held in place by two 12mm bolts. Set aside two of the four bolts, including the built-in washers; they will be used for installing the rear seat delete.

• Remove the trunk mat. Three black push clips hold the Styrofoam surrounding the spare tire and the rear seatback trim in place; pop them out.

• Fold the rear seatbacks down by pulling on the two black releases located in the trunk.

• With the seats folded down, remove the 12mm mounting bolt, located on each lower side of the seatbacks. The bolt is covered by the seatback trim.

• Remove the seatback trim from the metal frame by sliding it towards the driver side of the car. This will release the clip from the trim. Pull out the seatback. Note: push the rear of the seatback in order to release it from the mounting bracket.

• Pull out the rear edge of the door sill to release it from the clip. Pull away the rubber door gasket only where the side panel meets. Although not necessary, you may use a panel removal tool; it pops out easily.

• Remove the black plastic clip located near the seatback mounting bracket. Use a panel removal tool (I used a nail filer) to pop out the clip from its housing; remove it.

• Prior to removing the side panels, remove two additional black push clips connecting the side panel to the trunk trim.

• Remove the side panel by firming pulling it away from the metal structure. It is held in place by white clips; make sure these are intact for easy reinstallation. If any clips come off, remove them from the metal structure and replace them in the side panel.

• Remove three 12mm bolts supporting the seat mounting bracket. I reinstalled the bolts to seal the empty holes, but for weight-saving purposes, alternatives may be best.

• While the side panel is off, remove the seatbelt assembly, which is held in place by one 14mm bolt (connecting the belt to the metal structure) and one 17mm nut above the seatbelt assembly. Remove 14mm bolt mounting the seatbelt brace.

• Remove the four black push clips connecting the upper shelf trim to the plastic trim pieces. The plastic trim pieces will be temporarily removed to access the bolts connecting the upper seat hooks. Three white push clips are supporting each of the two black trim pieces; pull the pieces out. Note: remove the passenger-side trim piece first since it overlaps the driver-side piece.

• Remove the two 12mm bolts supporting the upper seat hooks. Before removing the seat hook, pull it towards the metal structure (a hidden white push clip is holding the hook on the side).

• Reinstall the black upper trim pieces (driver-side first). Make sure the passenger-side trim piece overlaps the driver-side piece. Be sure the upper shelf trim is flush; it may have been moved out of place when trying to reach the seat hook bolts. Do not reinstall the black push clips that connected the trim to the trim pieces (if installing a rear seat delete).

• Reinstall the side panels. Make sure to adjust the rubber door seals before snapping the door sill panel back into place.

Shrader Performance Rear Seat Delete Install:

• Cover the exposed metal frame at the lower lip of the rear seats with the included black ABS plastic covers and push clips.

• Install the center support brace first. It mounts to the top hole where the child seat mounting bracket was originally. Use two of the 12mm bolts, including washers, that were used to mount the child seat mounting bracket.

• Install the lower panels by sliding the rear, carpeted lip behind the lip of the support brace. Two lower panels are provided; one for each side. Push two of the supplied black push clips through the lower panel into the pre-drilled holes on the center support brace.

• Attach the rear back panel to the four holes that previously held the OEM plastic push clips. The rear back panel includes four fasteners; press these firmly into the holes.

And you’re done! Please feel free to ask me any questions.

[PoorMansRacing]

Reserved for weight calculations.

[vincent201089]

Can you still put things on it? The kit is just matts or its strong enough to support some weight

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by vincent201089

Can you still put things on it? The kit is just matts or its strong enough to support some weight

It is fairly solid plastic but it is plastic. You can put stuff on it but I'm not sure I trust it with real weight. I'm going to have 50 lbs of puppy on it for 2 hours tomorrow. I'll let you know how it does.

[Lonewolf]

Thank you for taking the time to do this!

[PoorMansRacing]

Originally Posted by vincent201089

Can you still put things on it?

I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a ton of weight on the kit. That's the biggest drawback to the RSD - the kit is very lightweight but it also bends easily. You are able to lift the panels up to store things underneath (where the seat cushions used to be). If storing items is an issue, the kit can easily be removed. Make sure all the wires are safely secured.

If you store items in your trunk, also note that after the rear seatback is removed, the styrofoam surrounding the spare tire is removed as well. Therefore, weight shouldn't be applied to the absolute rear of the trunk. You can remove the styrofoam from the seatback trim and reinstall it in the trunk to maintain the weight it can support. But I'll be gutting the trunk once the season starts, so I didn't do that.

[ML]

Originally Posted by BRZTimeTrials

I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a ton of weight on the kit. That's the biggest drawback to the RSD - the kit is very lightweight but it also bends easily. You are able to lift the panels up to store things underneath (where the seat cushions used to be). If storing items is an issue, the kit can easily be removed. Make sure all the wires are safely secured.

If you store items in your trunk, also note that after the rear seatback is removed, the styrofoam surrounding the spare tire is removed as well. Therefore, weight shouldn't be applied to the absolute rear of the trunk. You can remove the styrofoam from the seatback trim and reinstall it in the trunk to maintain the weight it can support. But I'll be gutting the trunk once the season starts, so I didn't do that.

Mine was installed by the man himself, and all the trunk Styrofoam was left in there

[frslee]

It's a good design, but I think it would've been better if they made with the mind of rear storage, like CR-Z. Flat is fine I guess, but any stuff you put back will slide.

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by ML

Mine was installed by the man himself, and all the trunk Styrofoam was left in there

I didn't remove mine either. The instructions say to take it out for easier access during installation but I didn't find it necessary. Maybe he misunderstood and didn't realize it should go back in?

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

It is fairly solid plastic but it is plastic. You can put stuff on it but I'm not sure I trust it with real weight. I'm going to have 50 lbs of puppy on it for 2 hours tomorrow. I'll let you know how it does.

I decided I didn't trust it as there were going to be two dogs totaling 130 pounds or so back there so I ended up putting a 2x4 under the leading edge to make sure it didn't collapse. Not a fair test, I know. Sorry guys. I'm going to look at it later and see if there is an easy way to get more confidence in the strength of the system without making it not worth buying to begin with.
I like the look of it: as far as I'm concerned, this is the way it should have been built to begin with except for the whole insurance thing.

[utekineir]

Nice writeup, thanks for doing it.

Strength was one of the things that seemed would be iffy about the plastic. Kind of a tradeoff on weight vs strength.

[xcelir8brz]

I like it. I'm thinking on the two panels that go where the rear seat were, to measure a piece of wood or metal and fortify it underneath for stability. This would also allow me to move my box and amp into the car and make real room/use of my trunk. Interested. Any picture from the rear of the car trunk view?

[that_guy]

Originally Posted by frslee

It's a good design, but I think it would've been better if they made with the mind of rear storage, like CR-Z. Flat is fine I guess, but any stuff you put back will slide.

Well said. We own a CR-Z as well and as useless as a 2-seater hybrid seems, it's pretty practical when you consider the rear seats in the FR-S will never hold more than a pair of gloves.

[TheBatman]

Awesome! Didn't even know this product existed. I'll be ordering soon I'm sure