I found myself wanting to raise the rear seat bottoms on my 2013 “gen1” Edge Limited to access the under seat area for cleaning, storage and the ability to use the entire rear seat floor area to carry cargo. Forums that I visited indicate that the seat bottoms are (not easily) removable in gen 2 Edges but not removable at all in the gen 1 platform.
Follow along as I show how I modified the seat brackets to enable the bottoms to be lifted. The Mod requires very little in the way of tools and supplies. The only real expense for me was the purchase of (4) cotterless pins (which I found on Amazon) for the bottom seat brackets.
Difficulty level 4/10.
Tools / Supplies needed:
Ratchet with 10mm and 18mm socket
Angle grinder or equivalent
Drill with 7/16 bit
4- 7/16” cotterless pins 1.7” reach
Beginning
Remove the plastic trim pieces covering the seat brackets on the floor of the vehicle. Next use a 18mm socket to remove the 2 bolts and 2 nuts attaching the seat brackets to the floor.
Raise the seat bottoms up and remove the 2 - 10mm bolts that attach the “H”under seat bracket to the seat bottom.
This is the “H” bracket after removal. You will now use an angle grinder to grind down one side of the pin that connects the bottom bracket to the “H” bracket.
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Look at the pin closely; one side will be flat and one side is tapered. You will grind off the TAPERED END, not the FLAT END. (You will see why in a minute).
Here is a better view of the bottom foot attachment to the “H” bracket showing the tapered end.
After grinding down the tapered ends, tap the pin out of the bracket. Be careful not to damage or loose the plastic washer inserts on the bracket. They are located on the “H” bracket and stay in place to reduce rattling and keep the hinge point tight.
Here is a view of the pin after grinding and removal. Note the difference in the flat and tapered end. The tapered end is smaller. That’s why it must be the end ground down.
Next, take your drill with the 7/16 bit and increase the diameter of the hole in the bottom foot brackets that the smaller end of the pin went through. The hole in the other side of the bracket is fine and is left alone. Here is a pic of a foot bracket drilled and placed back in the vehicle.
Re-attach the “H” brackets to the seat bottoms with the 10mm bolts that were removed earlier. Next, replace the foot brackets on the floor and re-attach with the 18mm bolts and nuts that you removed earlier. Do not re-install the plastic foot trim as it can not be used with the cotterless pins.
Lower the seat bottom down and line up the holes in the foot and “H” bracket. (Hopefully you have not lost the plastic inserts); insert the cotterless pins.
BAM! You now have rear seats that raise and tilt!
