Removal of 3rd seat row

Not handy but there are some in my build thread.

https://www.explorerst.org/index.ph...tory-location-and-rest-of-stereo-upgrade.3540

It flips up from the rear with some gas struts so it stays up. The upper level is available for storage. I use Velcro straps screwed to the floor to hold my goodies from sliding around. It has a pretty simple keyed lock in the back center but it is covered with carpet so you can’t see it. Could easily be broken in to especially with power tools but I’m going for the stealth look.

Almost anything can be broken into .. if they don't aee anything they usually just keep ongoing to the next one! I so want to do this!!!!!!

Spare was removed in this. I removed it the 1st day I got it.

yea not muich storage underneath the top floor with the spare in.. I removed the 3rd row and am building a new floor thats hinged son there is some storage under it . ....PLUS I need room for the sub! lol...

Yeah, I have no interest in adding a sub.

Here's what worked for my 2024 Explorer to:
-avoid purchasing an interceptor cross member \ 3rd row brace
-avoid the dreaded airbag & rear belt monitor fault lights

1) Unscrew all the seatbelt receivers from the seats WITHOUT un-plugging any of the wires from any of them. The wire has a lot of clips under the seat which will require patience to delicately remove each clip and the receiver can be pulled completely out of the seat intact. Then can just pull the whole seat out, leaving the intact wire\receiver on the floor. The wiring looks very fragile, so just take your time, testing after each removal by turning on the car, check for warning lights to confirm didn't damage one of the wires.

2) Remove the cushions from the 3rd row seat cross bar and just reinstall the same cross bar. I cannot think of any reasons that removing the seat cushion from the bar would lower the safety of the cross bar but would definitely like input from anyone if I'm overlooking something.

Updated pics.

I pulled the 2nd row seat belt receivers\wiring underneath the carpet to store them safely underneath the two front seats.

Thanks Franz and others here for your inputs! This seems to be one of the only threads on removing these seats.

Yea I have NO idea why I had that idea !!! I took everything out of the st, seats, plastic all of it ,the sound proofing for days!!Then remove door skins,{ breaking one $125} then a genius idea to run new wires after reading 3 experts saying there is no need to do that and you would never hear the diff !!! Nightmare, Stuff got stuck , stuff cracked on and on ! The speakers didnt fit where the factory ones were,was able to get a plate and make the door woofers work. Put ther tweeters up on the door as high as ya can in that little triangle part by the window! Plenty of room for that ,NOT !!! On to the mids , checking where they will fit and wont hit anything else. So finally found a spot and drilled a hole through both door skins !!Speakers good, now run wires,,,Trying to run inside the rubber with the other 100 nwires is imposible , for me anyway , easy enough , il'
l drill my own hole and run my own rubber chase, Yea good luck , 3 days of breaking bits and throwing drills and just snapping and looking for more shit to break !! So it wasnt only 2 holes it was 2 holes per front door !!!.Ugg so day 4 underr the dash drivers side with my head about to pop cause my head is jammed under the dash and like a devine intervention I turn my head and see a rubber grommit !!! NO WAY !!! yes way. So drilled through the rubber grommit and it shot through so fast I couldnt stop it from runnking forward into the stock rubber chase for their wires, Out came some red / white plastic wire covering!! Well great I hit a wire in the chase.I guess ill see what I broke down the road... Ran the wires pretty easily then ..Actually looked almost professional !!! I left the rear stock speakers that are in there . too many people told me they didnt even hook them up ! Then decieded to put my rack in where the stock sub/amp was and find a spot for the sub...Main lesson 1 Do not keep pushing shit off and not even dealing with it cause when its time to do it u completely F'ed urself...So I took out the 3rd bench , I unhooked the wireharness and plugged it in and no more warnings.... Then I built a deck box , whatever you want to call it and it has alot of storage for tools and that crap and 2 small storage spots behind the 2 row seats and in the middle is the sub right between the 2 bucket seats back there.. But DON'T and I mean DON'T deciede you are going to change the speakers and put in a few amps and a new sub and all that !!! I didnt listen to u
Unbroken and a few others what a mistake...... Now how in the wqorld do you tune this thing ???? UGGG .... Im warning you ...dont do it !