Seat Removal There seems to be a quick way to remove the bench seats but I can't seem to find the trick.

Assuming this is a 2001 Chevy Express... standing behind the bench seat you want to remove, you will find an L shaped retaining pin at the left side of each bench seat, down in the floor, toward the rear of the seat posts. There is one for each side and they are color coded, bright blue and yellow. Lift up each of the L shaped retaining pins till they are straight up, push it to the left and remove it. If you've never pulled the seats out, they will be a bit stubborn. Once the pins are removed, either pull the seat towards the back of the van or push it from the front.. whichever gets the seat to move. They fit tight for safety and to avoid rattles. Once the seat moves, usually all at once and quite loudly, lift the seat straight up out of the floor channels. Don't set the seat on your carpet, as they are very heavy and can punch a hole if you put any pressure on it (I did that to mine). Put the colored clips back in place so they don't get lost.

Remember to make sure those seats are firmly in place and correctly latched when you put them back in. Drop them in the slots, push them towards the front of the van firmly. You should not be able to lift them up at this point. Push the pins in hard, they will be tough to push through as they align the seat correctly. You might need to tap those pins in with something heavy to get them to fully seat. Push the pins down into the floor until they latch.