Should I remove my rear seat?

4 banger TJ

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
May 10, 2019
Messages
136
Location
Burnsville, MN
Ever since I’ve owned my TJ I’ve wanted to take the rear seats out. I won’t be hauling anyone around in the back anyways because there’s very little legroom. I also need more storage space. Is there anything I should know before I go through with this endeavor? Thanks as always.
 
Reinstall bolts to cover up the holes in the floor. Sell the seat with all the hardware. Should bring anywhere from $100-150

I removed my rear seat years ago and havent regretted it once.
 
If I didn't need mine, it wouldn't be in there. It's super easy to remove and put back in, so the only downside I can see is needing a place to store it.
 
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Ever since I’ve owned my TJ I’ve wanted to take the rear seats out. I won’t be hauling anyone around in the back anyways because there’s very little legroom. I also need more storage space. Is there anything I should know before I go through with this endeavor? Thanks as always.
I wouldn’t call it an endeavor, you could actually do it with your eyes closed. Just don’t lose the pin unless you want to spend $0.50 on a new one.
 
I take mine out and put it in all the time. Only time I ever take mine out is to go wheeling so I've got plenty of space to store tools.
 
It's also worth noting, the rear seat is exceptionally light compared to those of many other vehicles, so removing it and reinstalling it as needed isn't much of a burden.
 
I also had no use for the backseat and had it out almost as soon as I got the Jeep home. In its place I installed an inexpensive ATV box on a few pieces of strut to raise it off the floor. The extra lockable storage is fantastic. EDIT: The seat belts have since been removed.

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I took mine out of the Jeep within the first few weeks and haven’t put it back in since.
When you’re with friends, it gives you a good excuse to not have to drive anyone around ;)
 
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Ive removed them on my first wrangler. My current one has them tilted up just in case.
I intend to remove them entirely at some point in the future.
 
fyi - if you decide to "permanently" remove the rear seat, you may want to take a look at your auto insurance (which obviously varies on location, etc).
In my province, my Jeep qualified to be registered as a "truck" instead of a passenger vehicle, which initially saved me $400/yr.
It would now save me less than $100. (I currently have the seat back in)
 
fyi - if you decide to "permanently" remove the rear seat, you may want to take a look at your auto insurance (which obviously varies on location, etc).
In my province, my Jeep qualified to be registered as a "truck" instead of a passenger vehicle, which initially saved me $400/yr.
It would now save me less than $100. (I currently have the seat back in)

Really ??
Never thought of that.
So just not having a back seat reclassifies it as a truck?
What about trucks with backseats? Are they passenger cars and not trucks?
The Vette doesn't have a back seat but I don't think they'll let me register that as a truck.
Hell now I have myself confused. :cry:
 
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Seat, brackets, seat belt assemblies out shortly after I bought the Jeep. All back in once when my son wanted to take a friend along to a National Forrest but for the most part, its out. I used the seat bracket mounting points to secure a storage solution that gives me lockable storage with the top off.
 
Really ??
Never thought of that.
So just not having a back seat reclassifies it as a truck?
What about trucks with backseats? Are they passenger cars and not trucks?
The Vette doesn't have a back seat but I don't think they'll let me register that as a truck.
Hell now I have myself confused. :cry:
No - there are several requirements in order to be classified as a truck (in Manitoba).
Once the Jeep has the rear seat removed, it meets those requirements. (or at least it did several years ago when I, and several other people did it).
Built on a frame, above a certain weight (3000lbs?) and certain sized cargo bed were also requirements - ones your Vette would not meet.

My Jeep TJ Sport was the most expensive to register.
Both the above model Sahara and the below model SE were cheaper, so I won't pretend their reasoning is logical. (I believe that one was based purely on "stats", and since more ppl drove the Sport, it was either in accidents or stolen more often. But the lady doing the registration was adamant the Sport was the unsafest one of those 3.

Additional weirdness, I knew a guy that saved money on his minivan because it was classified as a motor home. Something about requiring 3 of: a bed, sink, refrigerator, or stove.

The Mazda RX-8 was also unusually cheaper to insure than comparable sports cars.
Why? Well, part of their reasoning in the size of the engine, which they measure in L (or cc). The rotary engine in an RX-8 is much smaller than a comparable engine of the same horsepower.
Also, the tiny "near suicide doors" classified the RX-8 as a coup and not a sports car.

Again though - I'm guessing this is very dependent on where you live. The government essentially controls our insurance here (not privatized), so don't expect logic to ever play a part in their decisions.
 
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Sorta kinda makes sense. Here they would probably give you a discount somehow but the premium increase incurred by getting the discount would far outweigh any gains you receive. Like my State Farm Ins. pay for glass coverage and yes they'll cover it. But it also automatically jumps your premium up because it's a claim. So in the end you end up paying for that piece of glass far over and above what you could have just paid for it straight out without using insurance and been done with it or use insurance and it'll haunt you a little at a time for years.
 
Really ??
Never thought of that.
So just not having a back seat reclassifies it as a truck?
What about trucks with backseats? Are they passenger cars and not trucks?
The Vette doesn't have a back seat but I don't think they'll let me register that as a truck.
Hell now I have myself confused. :cry:
Me too! I'm as confused as a fart in a fan factory!
 
Ever since I’ve owned my TJ I’ve wanted to take the rear seats out. I won’t be hauling anyone around in the back anyways because there’s very little legroom. I also need more storage space. Is there anything I should know before I go through with this endeavor? Thanks as always.
I've noticed that when I have my rear seat out that I hear more road noise.
 
I removed mine along with the seat belts and all the hardware. More room for the dogs. Nice clean look.
I also always found my dog in the car more than my friends. Put astroturf down so all her hair doesn’t cling to the carpet. Here’s a good one of her lol

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