5th Gen T4R - Storage Drawers / Sleeping Platform Ideas?

[RaceAddict]

I've seen a million and one ideas out there, but I'm hoping the people here can contribute some concrete ideas/suggestions. Ultimately a ready-made storage solution and RTT would be my choice, but I have the budget for neither at the moment. The wife has absolutely zero interest in camping, so the sleeping area will only need to be one person wide, but I will likely build it full width for simplicity (and for the dog).

There are places I want to go and things I want to see, but I don't feel like waiting until I have the "World's Most Complete Overland Build" assembled and ready to go. I'm years away from being anything more than a weekend warrior, but I don't want to waste any more time "thinking" instead of "doing". Putting together a basic, usable platform will mean next Spring I'll be out on trails instead of looking at RTTs online.

I'll try to break things down as best I can with a description of wants/needs/don't wants.

• The truck is daily driven, and work stuff goes in and out of the back often.
• My dog (95 lb.) is with me a lot so the height of the platform needs to be kept in check to maintain headroom for the day-to-day rides (approx. height of wheel wells at most?)
• Realistically this will be used for gear storage/organization primarily, and sleeping only occasionally - 1-3 nights (weekends and long weekends at most).
• Originally I'd considered an asymmetrical idea with one side lower (and a shallower drawer) fitted for the cooler, but this seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth for "day to day" use...
• Insides of drawers coated with bed liner, but with some sort of drain-plug on the bottom so melting snow can drain (when the drawer is pulled out only). Top side carpeted to look somewhat original.

The biggest hurdle I can think of is what system to use extend the storage box up to the rear of the front seats for those weekends when I'll actually be sleeping in the truck. I'm thinking a platform somehow connected to the box with the legs measured to appropriate height to keep it all level. This wouldn't have to be stored in the truck... I can keep it in the garage when not used.

 

[weekend_]

I'm not entirely sure what your looking for. If you want to sleep in the 4runner you can build a simple platform on one side, leaving the other side stock level for your dog. You could incorporate some drawers/sliders into it for storage and leave it in permanently, or take it out. Did you remove the back seat? Something like this but obviously not in the bed of a truck.

It might help if you show some examples of set ups you've seen and what works/ doesn't work about them.

edit: I guess I'm not allowed to post pictures yet.

 

[RaceAddict]

I'm not entirely sure what your looking for.

That's kinda' my point. I have the list of needs/wants, but I'm hoping people here with more experience can point me in the direction of some good ideas, plans, etc. I'm certain plenty of people have done this exact same kind of project before me, so I'd rather hear what works, what doesn't, what the best ideas are.

 

[wild1]

I can relate to your situation. I have a F-350 with a service body, Alaskan camper and all the toys for days, weeks or months on the road. The down side is its big, heavy and thirsty. Our daily driver is a 2015 4-runner Trail and its much cheaper to operate and a lot more suited to the light and fast approach for short trips under a week. After doing some measuring I realized that the back of the 4-runner is about the same size as the upper berth in the Alaskan. We have spent hundreds of night in the camper so I knew it would be perfect for a bed platform. After agonizing over all sorts of expensive and complicated build ideas I put together what I am using in less then an hour in my sons driveway and it has worked a charm. To make this work the best you need to spend 5 minutes to remove the seat backs in the rear. This is just 4 bolts and is super easy, if you just leave them home you will save lots of space and it allows you to get the platform down low enough to get adequate headroom. I made the bed platform from a piece of 5'x5' 1/2 inch birch plywood. I had the lumber yard trim 9 inches off one side. In retrospect just using a 48 inch sheet would work fine and be easier to get in to the back. I cut a second piece of plywood the same width as the platform and 16 inches deep. I attached it with a couple of hinges so it would fold back when not in use. With it folded forward it makes the platform 6'4" long. This requires moving the seats forward to get the full length.I framed the edges of the plywood with 1x4 pine to stiffen it up a bit. To support the platform I used brackets that are made for attaching table legs. They sell legs that screw into these brackets and you can cut them for any height. You will need 6, 2 at the back of the 5 foot section, 2 at the front and 2 at the front of the section that folds forward.I have used drawers before but I thought they lacked flexibility, were heavy and expensive. I made the platform high enough to clear a 13"inch high Plano storage box. These are 30" deep and three fit between the wheel wells.I use one for a kitchen and the other two for clothes and gear. This still leave a bunch of room under the front part of the platform for storage. The nice thing about the Plano boxes is they are inexpensive enough that you can have several different load outs ready to go. I used our dream time pads to make a full size bed that is 55 inches wide by 77 inches long. I made screens for the windows from fiberglass screen door material and attach them with round ceramic magnets. This setup has proven to be perfect for what we wanted to accomplish and the cost was minimal. I have been really happy at how comfortable and efficient it is.










ream

 

[BTCSXJ]

I've seen a million and one ideas out there, but I'm hoping the people here can contribute some concrete ideas/suggestions. Ultimately a ready-made storage solution and RTT would be my choice, but I have the budget for neither at the moment. The wife has absolutely zero interest in camping, so the sleeping area will only need to be one person wide, but I will likely build it full width for simplicity (and for the dog).

There are places I want to go and things I want to see, but I don't feel like waiting until I have the "World's Most Complete Overland Build" assembled and ready to go. I'm years away from being anything more than a weekend warrior, but I don't want to waste any more time "thinking" instead of "doing". Putting together a basic, usable platform will mean next Spring I'll be out on trails instead of looking at RTTs online.

I'll try to break things down as best I can with a description of wants/needs/don't wants.

• The truck is daily driven, and work stuff goes in and out of the back often.
• My dog (95 lb.) is with me a lot so the height of the platform needs to be kept in check to maintain headroom for the day-to-day rides (approx. height of wheel wells at most?)
• Realistically this will be used for gear storage/organization primarily, and sleeping only occasionally - 1-3 nights (weekends and long weekends at most).
• Originally I'd considered an asymmetrical idea with one side lower (and a shallower drawer) fitted for the cooler, but this seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth for "day to day" use...
• Insides of drawers coated with bed liner, but with some sort of drain-plug on the bottom so melting snow can drain (when the drawer is pulled out only). Top side carpeted to look somewhat original.

The biggest hurdle I can think of is what system to use extend the storage box up to the rear of the front seats for those weekends when I'll actually be sleeping in the truck. I'm thinking a platform somehow connected to the box with the legs measured to appropriate height to keep it all level. This wouldn't have to be stored in the truck... I can keep it in the garage when not used.

I built my own setup for a 10-day trip to Colorado, it was great. Made the drawer system frame from 1" square tubing which allowed me to have one large drawer that gave me more options for organization. Built a sleeping platform extension that ran to the back of the passenger seat and gave me plenty of headroom to sleep comfortably (i'm 5'10").

If I could do it again, I would consider making the drawer only half the width of the rear, but much taller for the same total capacity. This would put the cooler up higher, but still reachable. Advantage would be lowering the sleeping platform height. The current height is too tall for me to be able to sit up comfortably and put my pants on in the morning.