If you've spent much time in your truck, you know that finding a spot for your gear is a constant struggle, which is exactly where a 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit comes in handy. These trucks, the GMT900 generation, are absolute workhorses, but let's be real—the storage space under that back bench is pretty much non-existent. You can barely fit a jumper cable back there, let alone anything substantial like a toolbox or a custom audio setup.
Lifting the rear seat isn't just about making the truck look cooler on the inside; it's about reclaiming space that the factory design basically ignored. Whether you're a contractor trying to keep your expensive tools out of sight or an audiophile looking to squeeze in a bigger sub box, a lift kit is one of those small modifications that makes a massive difference in how you actually use your truck every day.
What Does a Rear Seat Lift Kit Actually Do?
It's exactly what it sounds like. You're basically using spacers and longer bolts to bump that rear bench seat up by a few inches. Usually, these kits give you anywhere from two to three inches of additional clearance. It might not sound like much on paper, but in the cramped quarters of a truck cab, two inches is the difference between "this won't fit" and "this fits perfectly."
The 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit works by relocating the mounting points of the seat. Instead of the seat brackets sitting flush against the floor of the cab, they sit on top of heavy-duty spacers. Because the seat is raised, the void underneath expands significantly. You suddenly have a much taller "garage" under your seat for whatever you need to stash away.
The Big Reason: Subwoofers and Better Sound
If we're being honest, a huge chunk of people looking for a 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit are doing it for the bass. The factory space under the rear seat of a 2007 to 2013 Silverado is notoriously shallow. If you want to run anything bigger than a thin, low-profile 10-inch sub, you're going to run into clearance issues. The magnet hits the floor, or the surround hits the bottom of the seat.
By installing a lift kit, you can suddenly accommodate much deeper sub enclosures. It opens the door for beefier 12-inch subs or even multiple 10s with high-excursion drivers. Instead of settling for "okay" sound, you can actually build a system that hits the way you want it to. Plus, the extra height allows for better airflow around your amplifiers if you decide to mount them under there too, which keeps them from overheating during long drives.
Cleaning Up the Cab Clutter
Even if you aren't into car audio, the utility of a lift kit is hard to ignore. Most of us end up with a "floor pile" in the back seat—hard hats, ratchet straps, gloves, and maybe a rogue bottle of coolant. With a 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit, you can actually fit those plastic under-seat storage bins that Chevy probably should have included from the factory.
It's a great feeling to flip that seat up and see everything organized and tucked away instead of rolling around your floorboards every time you take a sharp turn. It keeps your interior looking cleaner and keeps your gear protected from sun damage or "sticky fingers" looking through the windows.
Is It Hard to Install?
One of the best things about this mod is that it's a total driveway project. You don't need a lift, you don't need a plasma cutter, and you definitely don't need a degree in mechanical engineering. If you have a decent socket set and about an hour of free time, you can get this done.
Most 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit packages come with four to six spacers and the necessary high-grade hardware. You essentially unbolt the seat, tip it back (or take it out if you want more room to work), place the spacers over the factory studs or bolt holes, and then bolt the seat back down on top of them.
The only tricky part is usually the weight of the seat. Those rear benches aren't exactly light, especially if you have a Crew Cab. Having a buddy hold the seat up while you slide the spacers in can save you a lot of literal backaches. Also, keep an eye on your seatbelt alignment. Most kits are designed to keep the belts functional and safe, but you always want to double-check that nothing is pinched or angled weirdly once you're finished.
Will It Affect Passenger Comfort?
This is the question everyone asks: "Is my head going to hit the ceiling?"
The short answer is: probably not, unless you're hauling around a pro basketball team. The 07-13 Silverado has a decent amount of headroom to begin with. Raising the seat two inches does bring your passengers closer to the roof, but for the average adult, it's barely noticeable. In fact, some passengers actually prefer it because it gives them a bit more legroom. Since the seat is higher, their knees aren't pushed up quite as high, which can be more comfortable on long road trips.
That said, if you frequently carry very tall passengers, you might want to stick to a 2-inch lift rather than a 3-inch one. It's a balance between how much storage you need and how much "hat room" you want to keep for the folks in the back.
Choosing the Right Kit
When you're shopping for a 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit, don't just go for the cheapest thing you find on a random auction site. This is a seat we're talking about—it needs to stay put in the event of an accident. Look for kits that use high-grade steel or solid aluminum spacers. Plastic or cheap composite spacers can crack over time due to the vibrations of the road or the weight of passengers.
You also want to make sure the hardware is Grade 8 or equivalent. The bolts that hold your seat down are a critical safety component. Most reputable kits will include everything you need, but it never hurts to double-check the specs.
What About the Extended Cab?
The 07-13 Silverado came in both Crew Cab (four full doors) and Extended Cab (suicide-style rear doors). Most 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit options are designed specifically for one or the other because the floor pans and seat brackets are different.
The Extended Cab models are even more cramped than the Crew Cabs, so a lift kit is arguably even more useful there. Just make sure you're buying the version that matches your specific cab style. Putting a Crew Cab kit in an Extended Cab usually won't work without a lot of frustrating modifications that you probably don't want to deal with.
Wrapping Things Up
At the end of the day, installing a 07-13 silverado rear seat lift kit is one of those "why didn't I do this sooner?" upgrades. It's relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and solves one of the biggest complaints people have about this generation of Chevy trucks.
Whether you're trying to build a killer sound system that thumps or you just want a place to hide your tow straps and tools, those extra couple of inches under the seat are pure gold. It makes the truck more functional, keeps the cab organized, and doesn't really sacrifice much in the way of comfort. If you're tired of your gear taking up your footwell space, it's definitely time to look into a lift kit. Your truck (and your passengers' feet) will thank you for it.