Ford Ranger Rear Seat Delete

Fords Limitting Configuration Options

We have done a full rear seat delete on our Ford Ranger Wildtrack 2024 Dual Cab vehicle.

When we bought our Ford Ranger, we struggled with the limited customization options Ford offered. Specifically, we found the lack of flexibility frustrating.

We needed a vehicle capable of towing a 2.5-tonne trailer, both off-road and on steep gravel roads. Naturally, we opted for the most powerful engine—the 3.0L V6. When it comes to towing, you can never have too much power.

We also preferred the Extra Cab configuration, which features a small rear seat instead of a full-sized back row. This setup increases cargo space in the truck bed, making it more practical for our needs.

However, we soon discovered a major limitation: the 3.0L V6 engine is only available with the Double Cab configuration. Ford had decided for us that the Extra Cab wouldn’t come with the larger engine—why, we don’t know.

In the end, we chose power over space, accepting that our canopy would be smaller and limiting our transport capacity.

The Rear Seat Delete Concept

With the Double Cab, we gained a spacious and comfortable rear seat—but we didn’t actually need it. We’re only two people. So, we looked into what other travelers had done and came across the idea of a rear seat delete.

This concept involves completely removing the rear seat and repurposing the freed-up space for better storage solutions.

How We Plan to Use the Space

We decided to install an Engel MD45F-CD-P fridge/freezer behind the passenger seat. This ensures we have a fridge when traveling without our trailer and provides extra freezer capacity, as the trailer’s freezer is quite small.

Behind the driver’s seat, we’re building a custom shelf for additional storage.

Between the shelf and the fridge, we’re installing a 12V auxiliary electrical system. This setup includes a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery to power the fridge, charge our devices, and supply lighting to the canopy. The battery will be charged via a DC-DC charger while driving, with the option to connect solar panels.

Building It

Removing the Rear Seat

Step one: remove the rear seat. Surprisingly, this was easy—just four large screws, and the seat lifted right out.

     

The side seatbelts were partially removed and tucked behind the C-pillar trim. Again, the buckles could be unplugged and taken out.

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But then, when we started the car, the dashboard lit up with warnings about the seatbelts. The system detected missing buckles and disabled the airbags. Unfortunately, it didn’t specify whether this affected just the rear airbags or all of them.

After hours of research, we found a way to disable the seatbelt alarm—but this only muted the warning if someone was sitting without a seatbelt. It didn’t solve the airbag issue.

Some forums suggested using Forscan, but we were not keen on modifying a brand-new car’s software.

Reaching out to my Ford dealer (who then asked another Ford dealer) led to only one recommendation: keep the buckles plugged in. So, we cut off the buckles from the belts and plugged them back in, hiding them behind the back panel we planned to install.

Constructing the Base Board and Back Panel

To create a level surface, we built a base board on which everything else would be mounted. Additionally, we needed a back panel to cover the exposed rear wall, making the setup both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound for securing the shelf.

We first used large cardboard templates to ensure precise cuts and screw placements before ordering the wood.

     

We chose birch plywood. Thanks to my friend Patrick – who is building a large expedition vehicle and has every woodworking tool imaginable – we shaped the base board perfectly.

The back panel was mounted to the base board using an aluminum L-bracket. We also secured it to the truck’s rear wall with threaded bolts that screwed into rubber buffers, utilizing the M8 screw holes left after removing the rear seat components.

The Fridge

We built a simple aluminum L-bracket frame to hold the fridge securely. Two tie-down straps and a third direct-to-car strap ensure that the 20kg fridge won’t become a dangerous projectile in case of hard braking.

The Shelf

We initially considered drawers, but the rear doors were too small to accommodate practical-sized ones. Instead, we opted for an open-shelf design.

For the structure, we used Bosch aluminum profiles, and for the shelf surfaces, birch plywood. This setup provides flexible storage—enough room for two large backpacks on one level, several Euro boxes on the other, and an additional Euro box on top for all our chargers, which will be plugged directly into the electrical system.

The Electric System

I’ll write a separate article detailing our 12V battery system, but in short, we have the following installed:

• 12V 100Ah Slim Polar LiFePO4 battery from BullTron
• Victron Orion XS 12-12 50A DC/DC battery charger
• Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 solar charger to connect a portable solar panel
• Tigerexped TEXU200 central distribution unit although holding all the fuses     
• Victron SmartShunt 500 A to measure power consumption (the battery although has a BMS providing exact measurements as well, this is just for redundancy)

Most of the electrical components are mounted to the back panel of the shelf.

The Final Touches

Once everything was assembled and tested, I took it all apart again! Why? Because in a vehicle, condensation is an issue, and unsealed wood can deteriorate over time.

Once satisfied with the layout, we took all the wooden components to Riedweg AG, a Zurich-based company specializing in vehicle bodywork and coatings. They applied a Rhino Liner protective coating—an extremely durable finish that shields the wood from moisture and wear.

The result? A professional-looking, rugged, and highly functional setup:

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What do you think? Looks pretty professional, doesn’t it?