Removing rear seatbelts, interior panels and headliner (2016 LWB Wagon)

[ten25]

Does anyone know how or can point me in the right direction to remove the rear seat seatbelts, interior panels and headliner? Can't seem to find any videos or topics on it when Googling ?

[ten25]

Well, I found the answer on how to remove the rear panels. Just take off the jack cover / fuse box cover depending which side you're on, get a good grip (gloves are probably a good idea, pretty sure it's fiberglass under there), and give it a few good yanks. The seat belts have bolts under the rear panel and attached to the sealing (under a plastic cover which you need to lift upwards). You might break some of the plastic tabs doing this but I think I only broke 1 or 2 between the sides ... I think it should go back on if I ever decide to put it back. There is also a wire going to the 12v outlet on the passenger side that unplugs easily and you need to unplug it to finish the job.

 

Still haven't done the headliner.

Edited December 8, 2020 by ten25

[ten25]

So I found a thread on here that guided me in the right direction. https://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/7731-2014-tc-headliner-removal/

I basically skipped the front headliner removal. Removed the 4 fasteners above the driver/passenger seats, then removed the fastener on the passenger side which is under the front headliner but keeps the rear still attached to the ceiling. Then I disconnected the power cable that you expose above the passenger seat which according to the above post gives power to the rear passenger area. From there, I took off the little airbag notch things on both sides, and removed the 2 fasteners in the middle of the van, and the fasteners at the very rear of the van. I basically used brute force to get this stuff out because the trim tools I have couldn't get me enough leverage to remove the fasteners properly. Basically I wrapped my hands up in my sweatshirt put both my arms in and pulled down until the fasteners popped out (except in the middle, where I basically had to snap the fasteners with some needle nose pliers).

 

That exposed the next thing I need to do ... remove the rear air bags.

[Double Nickels]

10-8

[jrm223]

Why are you removing the rear air bags? There's a good chance that doing so will disable your entire air bag system, just like removing the passenger seat will do. People with Gen1 vans figured out resistors to simulate the passenger seat being in place, but I tried them on my Gen2 2015 and it didn't work, lol - I haven't gotten around to ohming the connectors for my pax seat to figure out what resistors a Gen2 needs. But, I think you may open yourself to more problems than any advantage you may gain from their removal. You can test it by just unplugging them and starting the van, I bet the air bag/SRS light will stay permanently lit-up, indicating a problem. Maybe they can be reprogrammed/disabled via Forscan, first? I have a cargo van myself, so never had to worry about rear air bags.

[ten25]

1 hour ago, jrm223 said:

Why are you removing the rear air bags? There's a good chance that doing so will disable your entire air bag system, just like removing the passenger seat will do. People with Gen1 vans figured out resistors to simulate the passenger seat being in place, but I tried them on my Gen2 2015 and it didn't work, lol - I haven't gotten around to ohming the connectors for my pax seat to figure out what resistors a Gen2 needs. But, I think you may open yourself to more problems than any advantage you may gain from their removal. You can test it by just unplugging them and starting the van, I bet the air bag/SRS light will stay permanently lit-up, indicating a problem. Maybe they can be reprogrammed/disabled via Forscan, first? I have a cargo van myself, so never had to worry about rear air bags.

Yikes, good to know. I'm trying to convert it to a campervan and they take up space plus if I do a wood ceiling could turn wood in to projectiles in a crash.

 

Need to figure out a solution... 

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Edit: Looking more closely it appears the airbag runs along the driver and passenger seat also... not just the rear of the vehicle. So looks like it's staying in no matter what. At least that is less work for me ?

Edited December 14, 2020 by ten25

[jrm223]

When they do blow, they go straight downwards, so I'd say leave like 3-4" alongside them clear of wood. Maybe you could do a canvas or other fabric cover with some tabs of Velcro every few inches to hold them into place? That way the airbags, if ever needed, could still deploy but you don't have to see them all the time. 

[ten25]

27 minutes ago, jrm223 said:

When they do blow, they go straight downwards, so I'd say leave like 3-4" alongside them clear of wood. Maybe you could do a canvas or other fabric cover with some tabs of Velcro every few inches to hold them into place? That way the airbags, if ever needed, could still deploy but you don't have to see them all the time. 

 

This is the video I watched that gave me the idea to remove them ... rewatched it and noticed he mentioned replacing the old ones with some custom ones to cover the driver/passenger area. Might go that route if I can find a way to get some custom airbags installed.

 

 

[Fifty150]

There has to be a way to do it.  If once upon a time, passenger wagons were shipped to the US, then stripped of the interior for sale as cargo vans, then it could be done.

[G B L]

16 hours ago, Fifty150 said:

here has to be a way to do it.  If once upon a time, passenger wagons were shipped to the US, then stripped of the interior for sale as cargo vans, then it could be done.

One way to do it would be to find a cargo van with windows  that never had any of the Airbag equipment at all.

[Fifty150]

If I were to attempt a build out, I would start with a cargo van.  

[ten25]

On 12/16/2020 at 2:31 PM, Fifty150 said:

If I were to attempt a build out, I would start with a cargo van.  

 

But I had to have the windows! ? I don't know yet if I'll hate them or love them long term but the fact it's a wagon definitely is making the build out more difficult. I am planning on making some sort of easy sliding shutters (if they can be made without taking up a ton of space) but in the end I might just cheap out and do something like magnetic window covers.

Edited December 18, 2020 by ten25

[jrm223]

Some cargo vans do have rear & side windows, although it's too late for all that now, lol. For that matter, adding RV-type windows would have been less hassle overall than trying to remove all the wagon-specific safety stuff, particularly the air bags. As a camper conversion, you'll likely kick yourself for having glass all around, that's going to be your biggest problem with being too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer. Reflectix will be your best bet for insulating window covers, maybe sew it inside some fabric if you want them to look "aesthetically pleasing".

[Fifty150]

You could always get tint.  Go with whatever the darkest tint is.  I have tint, and it works good enough for me.  In this state, front window and windshield tint isn't allowed.  I'm only guessing that when you go camping, you'll figure something out.  Park under trees, make a canopy with a tarp, leave windows down and doors open, install a roof vent.  I doubt that you will drive XXX miles from home, just to sit inside of a hot van all day.  Cold nights in the van won't be any worse than being cold in a tent.  

[jrm223]

They make 72-75% ceramic tint, nearly clear. The ceramic blocks UV heat from coming through the windows, and is supposed to reduce interior temperatures about 40°F, as I recall. It's so light that you'll easily get away with having it, even in states that don't allow front tint. And then use darker ceramic on all the back windows.

[Fifty150]

I see that a "clear window tint" product is available from LLumar.  I entered my zip code to see their dealer network, and the 1st listing is my friend's shop.  It's surely something to consider.  

[Bean]

I went with the 2015 passenger van for the power 2nd row windows for temperature control, and visibility for my delivery job, but would also love to know whether anyone has yet figured out how to remove some but not all of the rear seats and airbags without disabling those for the remaining seats.

 

Found this conversion of gen2 from wagon to "van:"

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by Bean