Fullsize SUV interior setups

[Jimmy the Heater]

I'm wondering if the fridge and anything else in the front of the bed area is going to obstruct access from the front, and to the side doors. The rear barn doors on the Suburbans I've had ('93 and '95) don't open from the inside. I asked at the dealer about getting the hardware to open them from inside, they said it never was made.

Now that is puzzling, I could have sworn that they did open from the inside. Well I'm searching Craigslist now for a Box Suburban at a dealer so I can take some measurements and give them a look over. Will check the doors then, thanks for the heads up.

 

[bowstryder]

Jimmy,thru 91- on the barn doors you have to open the Pass side -via outside handle- first and then there is a small tab at the bottom of the drivers side door (inside the vehicle) that opens it. I have made things work in the past on many different hatch suv's as I just got my burb before this deployment I'll be making my own interior "escape" handle when I get home.

 

[Jimmy the Heater]

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification on that.

 

[Malamute]

Jimmy,thru 91- on the barn doors you have to open the Pass side -via outside handle- first and then there is a small tab at the bottom of the drivers side door (inside the vehicle) that opens it. I have made things work in the past on many different hatch suv's as I just got my burb before this deployment I'll be making my own interior "escape" handle when I get home.

Post up some pictures for us if you figure out a way to open it from the inside, I'd like to do mine.

Be safe.

 

[pappawheely]

You might want to measure the door opening. I built a storage box in place of my back seat and had to build it in the truck. The rear doors on a obs ford don't open very wide, not sure about the sub.

 

[Malamute]

You might want to measure the door opening. I built a storage box in place of my back seat and had to build it in the truck. The rear doors on a obs ford don't open very wide, not sure about the sub.

The two 90's Suburbans I've had, you can release the door stop catches to swing them farther open. I didn't know about it, but happened to notice the little labels by the stop catches, and where to push or pull them to disengage them to allow the doors to open all the way. I think you can break your tail lights if you're not careful when opening them wider, and it's easy to crunch your fingers if you don't pay attention when releasing the catches. It's come in handy several times though. They pop back into place when you close the doors.

 

[1leglance]

Ok looks like tomorrow I really need to get some pics of the inside of my 70 Burb..
I have it setup with 3 bucket seats that fold flat and the forth seat spot behind the passenger has my fridge. It is just a touch higher than the wheelwell hgt sleep platform which make a nice pillow support.
My wife and I sleep great in the Burb at wheelwell hgt with plenty of storage underneath. Between an effort to keep my kit simple and my desire to take everythig possible the Burb gives me the space I need.

For us the fold flat mini-van seats we put in the burb help create more room inside when we are in foul weather. The front 2 seats act like tables while I sit in the 3rd seat behind the driver and my wife lounges on the sleep platform reading.

One really important thing Nobin-Nick with his burb taught me was the importance of canvas or some sort of window covering when sleeping to hold in heat. It makes a HUGE difference.

 

[aardvarcus]

1leglance,
What model/year of mini van seats did you use? I was actually considering something similar to what you just described in a future build.

 

[SARguru]

I've owned an '88, '95, '99, 04' and now a 2010 suburban as well as a 96 Yukon. slept in all of them planned and unplanned nights.

As mentioned, if you have barn doors you can't open it from inside. The lift gate if you have power doors and a remote fob you can pop the glass portion. my '95 was a plain jane work special with no plastic trim in the cargo area, I removed a panel on the passenger barn door which gave me access to the guts of the lock mechanism and if i recall was able to open the door.

When middle seat are in and in position, there is a good 60 inches from tail gate to the back of the seats. there is a 4-6 inch height difference between the floor under the second row seats and the actual bed. with the middle row back rest down but the seat NOT folded forward, I have put a double air mattress in there without problem.

I would suggest sleeping with your head towards the front, so that you can crack a window and get air. Another bonus is getting a piece of window screen and covering your rear windows so you can get ventilation minus bugs. If you are removing the second row seats you can put this bug screen on the inside on a more permanent basis, but if you want to keep the seats in and fold them, you can simply put the screen on the vehicle using magnets strips.

I have limo tint from second row back, i had it installed at a shop and the laminate they use is heat reflective. we slept in the truck for 5 nights while in Moab in late May comfortably. I have also slept in there in december while in Lake Placid with outside temps below freezing, and kept the inside warm by starting the truck with the remote start every 2-3 hours. It is still pretty bright in there, so if you want to sleep in past sunrise, the window covering suggestion is important.

Nic
2010 surburban

 

[pappawheely]

The two 90's Suburbans I've had, you can release the door stop catches to swing them farther open. I didn't know about it, but happened to notice the little labels by the stop catches, and where to push or pull them to disengage them to allow the doors to open all the way. I think you can break your tail lights if you're not careful when opening them wider, and it's easy to crunch your fingers if you don't pay attention when releasing the catches. It's come in handy several times though. They pop back into place when you close the doors.

I was talking about the side doors. I noticed he had a cooking area by the side door. If the intent was to slide it out, the door opening might be too narrow. That's some good info on the rear doors, I never knew that.

 

[Malamute]

I was talking about the side doors. I noticed he had a cooking area by the side door. If the intent was to slide it out, the door opening might be too narrow. That's some good info on the rear doors, I never knew that.

OK, I gotcha.


I like some of the slide out or rear access cook/kitchen setups I've seen on a couple threads here. I'm thinking on them. A basic, easy to use kitchen would make travel and simple camps more comfortable. A small trailer with water, water heater, stove etc is also on my mind.

 

[Jimmy the Heater]

The ideas have certainly helped a ton, thank you! However my vehicle choice has changed. I got to drive a friends 4 Runner today and he let me crawl all over the interior taking measurements and it will work out just fine I think. Cramped, but doable for 2 people in the back, and we like each other so that won't be a problem :victory: Thanks again guys!

 

[1leglance]

1leglance,
What model/year of mini van seats did you use? I was actually considering something similar to what you just described in a future build.

Toyota I think...or Chrysler...
The Phoenix craigslist has them listed all the time for under $50 ea new...cloth and flat base are perfect to adapting to anything.

 

[Shocker]

Pics when you get them installed. I have seen the Chrysler mini van seats in some rigs and they seem to fit well in many platforms.

 

[TooTall'sTruck]

This is my 1997 GMC Yukon which is what I would recommend. But Toyota's are cool...but at 6'8" they are just cool, not cool enough!! I can sleep in the back of my truck very well, if it is just me I am sprawled out and sleep sideways-ish. I have spent the night with my mother in a parking garage in the back, with just two wool blankets...doable but not good sleep. I took this picture after working away from home in the truck with my 30# Jack Russel, and the gear...it is doable but just barely one sleeping bag wide with the larger 2nd row folded, if a more permanant sleep setting would be desired you could unbolt the second row and build a neat gally and gain 8" sleep space from the folding seats being gone.

I would absolutly not transport LPG inside your sleeping vehicle....it could happen and why would you risk it? Keep it on the bumper or on the roofrack, I have used a small 1# canister and always removed it for transport but one leaked once and I could really smell LPG in the camper for a long time after.

The listed cargo height for the GMT400 SUV's does not really feel that spacious, that is probably measured directly over the seats where industry measures it, I am not small but I would not be able to raise the platform more than a few inches which would negate anything but storing a table???