Goose Gear Stealth Sleep and Storage installation

[JohnGalt]

Demolition….

I've just completed my sixth week since ordering the Goose Gear Stealth Sleep and Storage package, and was itching to move forward. So....I pulled the rear seats today. Goal was to have the truck ready for install once I receive the kit and figure out a few things.... like how to best deal with seat belts and associated errors if I remove them, soundproofing or not, satisfying my curiosity about what's all under there, etc...

Overall, pulling the seats was pretty straightforward. It took me about 90 minutes including grabbing tools, reinstalling seat belt brackets and cleanup.

I thought I'd document this in the event that anyone else wants to reduce the number of people they may have to share the cabin with. I'll post other learnings and the installation summary here once I receive and install the kit.

Tools required:
1/2" drive ratchet (you'll need the leverage to loosen the 18mm nuts)
1/2" 6" extension (makes removing 18mms and T55 seatbelt bolts a little easier)
18mm deep well socket (for nuts at rear seat and center seat belt brackets)
13mm standard socket (for nuts and bolt on at front of seat)
18mm wrench (preferably ratcheting to remove on nut on the 2/3rds seat)
T55 bit (to remove seat belt brackets on outboard seat belts)
A small pry tool (to remove a locking washer)
push pin pry tool (to remove two push pins securing the cover over the dual seat bracket)

I removed the 1/3 seat first. I'm not sure if this is better than removing 2/3rd seat first. My theory was it would be easier to learn on the smaller lighter seat. I think I was right in this decision, the 2/3 seat was a little trickier to remove. I have MGV interior, not sure if there any Leather seat specific nuances.

I started by pulling the folding cover behind the seats. This removed easily by pulling firmly at each end to release the clips. This exposes the 18 nuts securing the rear of the seats.

Removed both 18mm nuts on the 1/3 seat. There is loctite on these, it takes a bit of leverage to remove all 18mm nuts.

Removed floor mats.

Pulled the covers over the brackets securing the front of the seat. These come out by lifting the back of the cover and then pulling forward. This exposes the 13mm nuts.

Removed both 13mm nuts

Now the seat will fold up or the seat back down. This allows easier access to the dual seat buckles hardware that is mounted on top of the seat brackets for both 1/3 and 2/3 seat.

Remove the bracket cover using the Push pin pry tool on the two push pins securing the cover then lift the cover out.

Remove the bolts cover by pulling straight up.

Remove the two 18mm nuts and pull the dual set buckle assembly out.

Remove the T55 bolt securing the seatbelt shoulder strap to the floor.

Remove the seat. Don't worry about any wiring harness, nothing connects from the seat assembly to the vehicle. The 1/3 seat weighs about 35 lbs and folds up nicely, so it was easy to pull off the bolts and slip out the door.

the steps are very similar for the 2/3 seat, except.

the single seatbelt buckle bracket nut has a lock washer that is securely fastened to the bolt after removing the nut. I used a small screwdriver to pry it loose and unscrewed it after that.

The 2/3 seat rear brackets had some spring tension that I had to deal with. In retrospect it may have been better to remove the rear 18mm nuts last.

The 2/3 seat is at least 50 percent bigger, it weighs 54 pounds and the aforementioned brackets make removing it and extracting it harder. I did it solo, but helping hands would hav3 made that easier.

I’m still figuring out what, if anything, I can remove related to the belts without getting constant seat belt errors. With seats out, but all seatbelt hardware installed and harnesses connected there are no errors (to be expected). I’ll post an update if I figure a better solution (less hardware, with no errors).

With hinged cover and rear 18mm nuts removed

Here is the dual seat buckle in place with cover and 18mm nuts removed

The 1/3 seat removed

Cover for front bracket

Front bracket. You can see where it clips in on the sides then has to slide forward to clear the front metal tab

One of the shoulder belt T55 bracket bolts after removing the cover

You can see the lock washer that has to be pried open before spinning off

All the 2/3 seat covers and hardware. Not shown is the T55 bolt which was reinstalled.

The center dual buckle bracket covers and hardware. You can see the front of one push pin and the tip of the other on the cover here

1/3 seat hardware and cover. Not shown is the T55 bolt which was reinstalled.

Here’s what’s under the seats on MGV interior. Not I replaced the bull buckle in the wrong place in this picture! It should be on the forward bolts.

 

[RomeR]

Very nice and thank you. I am doing the 40% delete just for my RedArc electronics. However I am not doing the rear platform as I am going American Adventure Labs MASS. So I will need to construct a support backing for the goose seat delete.

 

[JohnGalt]

Installation is now finally complete! It’s been a very mixed experience with Goose Gear…..

Pros:
1. The quality of the materials, fit, hardware and finishes is top notch (mostly). Looks great. This was my most critical pro/con consideration by far.
2. Customer Service is easily contactable, supportive and willing to address issues
3. Not sure any other manufacturer has a better or more complete system for flat bed with storage
4. Installation was actually pretty easy in retrospect. I was able to remove seats and install modules solo. Definitely get parts installed in the extrusion using roll in T Nuts on modules before installing. I did it mostly after as my modules were arriving willy nilly, it was doable but would have been much easier to orient the module consistent with gravity!

Cons:
1. Long lead time complicated by crazy shipping and missing parts. Ordered on April 18 direct from GG and got my first (there were many) delivery on July 7 (Shipped July 3). Last package (see below) arrived July 26.
2. Order fulfillment was a disaster! What should have come entirely on one pallet came in 4 parts on 3 separate days with signature required. FedEx failed to deliver as promised on 2 other days, requiring me to wait around the house for a total of 5 separate days!
3. Shipped without hardware for both Seat Deletes. When this hardware arrived it was missing one critical t-bolt that’s not easily sourced
4. Subsequent shipments of hardware (2 more packages, no signature required thank god!) included hardware I didn’t need or were incomplete.
5. The hardware for the drawer system arrived thrown in the bottom of the drawer, but they had a package labeled “Hardware Enclosed” laying in the drawer. It only had a GG sticker and a an empty zip lock bag labeled “ Drawer Hardware”. I was missing two bolts…..until after partial installation I thought to search up behind the drawer slides. Hardware found!
6. All this is complicated by the fact that GG provides no instructions and no packing list for hardware included. No idea what I was supposed to have or not.
7. GG pointed me to a video some guy did on YouTube which was okay, but left out a lot of key information. They also said use their Lexus GX550 instructions. That helped a little, but was significantly different from Bronco besides being sort of similar.
8. The drivers side drawer face hit the Tailgate latch bolt and would not close/open. GG graciously offered to send a new notched face. After receiving yet another package, they included 3 notched drawer faces, all of which cleared the bolt, but were too wide to fit into the cabinet! Another fail.
9. While customer service was friendly and supportive it took multiple calls, emails and texts to work through delivery issues, missing hardware, extra hardware that I had no idea where to install, but was afraid to ignore, and fit issues. They did send me a T shirt, a cutting board and a lanyard for my trouble.
10. Cost. Not cheap at all. Which I made peace with knowing I could not build something nearly as nice. And if I did it would take a lot of time, which I value. Unfortunately, I paid high quality price AND paid high cost in time spent waiting for chaotic deliveries and resolving GG’s issues.
11. Rattles. All the hatches result in a lot of rattling over rough surfaces. Plan to spend some time adjusting hardware stops and applying 1/16”-1/2” adhesive backed rubber to all the corners. Wasn’t hard, didn’t take much time, but needs to be done.
12. Sturdiness of Seat Deletes over longer term. The seat deletes are basically a top with 3 side panels. Back and bottom are open. The side panels connect to the mounted extrusion along the top, the top bolts to the drawer in the rear. There is nothing holding the three side panels in the corners except downward pressure of the mounting strap. Given how stuff will be piled in the delete cargo area, the pressure from that junk will tend to push the panels (especially the front) outward. I’ll be installing simple L brackets in the front corners. Cheap, not hard, but something GG should pre drill and include hardware for. Like the Lexus version.

BOTTOM LINE: Would I recommend it to others? If you got money, got time to wait around, willing to do a few mods, and want a really nice sleep and storage system for your 4 door. This is seems to be pretty good, especially given there is really no decent alternative. IMO

 

[JohnGalt]

Now on a more positive note…. Some pictures and observations….

Full view.. Top deck follows contours of rear cargo area well. Gaps are even, not too big, but not close enough to rub and make noise. Deck is very flat but require a little shimming to make it perfect. Good enough without shims.

Nice and flat!

Seats all the way back in comfortable driving position. They’ll recline further. Plenty of room to access 110v and USB ports at rear of center console.

Seat deletes have side cargo hatch. 2 on drivers top and one on passenger top. There is about a 4” wide full height tunnel between the two for cable routing

My drawer contacted the tailgate latch bolt. GG sent me a notched face, but it was too wide to sit between the extrusion. Ugh. I notched the original, painted it and it works fine. Can’t adjust the cargo plate or drawer box as they use dedicated bolt holes to mount.

Just enough room

Drawers are big and full length

 

[JohnGalt]

More….

There is an access panel for the jack that is held in by 4 screws, 2 of which are under the drawer system. You can pull the drawers to pull the screws or just leave the two back screws out, like I did.

GG cut a hatch in my drawer system by mistake. The offered to remake it the top or let me take the top with hatch. After careful consideration, I took the hatch. The cons were I don’t need a hatch to access a drawer and the latch hardware sticks up ruining a perfectly flat back deck. The Pro was that I could access the cubby in the cargo floor without removing the drawer and doing a contortion exercise to get stuff out of it. You can see the hatch that covers the cargo cubby, where I’ll keep spare parts and only in the case of emergency items. I also specked the hatch on the right side with large drawer for access since I’m right handed.

Peering in the rear drivers top hatch

Tools parts and supplies in front of drivers hatch

With plenty of room to spare. These deletes are cavernous!

View from passenger top hatch

Passenger side hatch view, blurry but you can see the strap that holds down the front end of the delete. I hope I never rollover, I’ve got questions as to the holding strength, especially with all the gear upside down.

Passenger seat all the way forward, I’m usually driving solo, leaves loads more room for storage in front of the delete if desired

This is max recline with seat all the way back. Not international business class lay flat seat, but not bad.

 

[JohnGalt]

One more… after putting 1/16x1/2” adhesive backed rubber on all the hatches to remove wiggle room and deaden any sound, I’ve started on a top cover. I’m using 1/4” yoga mat cut in three pieces (cabinet, drivers delete and passenger delete) to stop any rattles from cargo on top, create a non slip surface and level out the deck from bumps caused by hatch latch hardware. I’m putting in cutouts for the hardware that results in a smooth lay down for the mat. I’m cutting into three pieces to make it easier to pull a top hatch when there’s cargo on top.

Only the rear piece is in place here. Cut out in lower left.

 

[Bschurr]

Great write up and cool product (finally). But, I definitely wouldn’t have the patience for all that shenanigans especially for a tshirt, cutting board & lanyard - you are a good guy @JohnGalt

 

[JohnGalt]

Great write up and cool product (finally). But, I definitely wouldn’t have the patience for all that shenanigans especially for a tshirt, cutting board & lanyard - you are a good guy @JohnGalt

I’m a little grumpy to say the least…. But happy with the end result