LJ Rear Storage/Tie-Down Platform

[nwoods]

I'm under considerably financial constraint right now, so was unable to get an AT drawer setup, and Tuffy doesn't make a configuration that meets my needs, so I took out my jig saw and browsed the aisles at Home Depot and McFadden-Dale for a while looking for inspiration.

In vague terms, making it sound overly complicated, here are my criteria/goals that shaped the build of this project:

• I have stereo amps mounted under my rear seat currently. I need a platform that goes over these.
• The platform wants to be full length of the bed, but in two halves. The permanent half will be behind the rear seat, the front half will be installed as needed when the rear seat is removed. When installed, it will form one large flat floor, but it will be modular, to allow the rear seat to be in or out as needed (typically, the rear seat will be in to accommodate my kids)
• I considered mounting the rear seat permanently ontop of the platform, but I need the headroom, so that's out.
• Since the rear half will be permanent, a full width shallow drawer would be perfect. I'm thinking a 3" tall drawer, about 4" tall platform overall. (+/-)
• At some point, I intend to square out the sides like Steve Curren did. This too will be modular, with separate front and rear components to allow the rear seat to be used as needed.

My ultimate goal is to allow room for lots of bulky soft sided items that we tend to take with us on camping trips. Here is a photo of what I have taken in the Jeep, including 4 humans! This is why the tall AT or Tuffy drawers won't work for me.

So, with this criteria, I built this:
Link to more photos: http://nwoods.smugmug.com/gallery/7942917_VGLek#515498625_9Czwj

Platform supports mounted under seat rails using Simpson clip angles:

platform in raw wood:

Full length platform, prior to adding tie-downs:

Permanent rear platform installed, with rear seat in stock factory location & mounting height:

Sample load out. Note the tool roll underneath:

Future Improvements.
Last night I thought of some ways to improve this set-up.
1. I am going to remove the Slide-N-Lock system from the rear, and install one of the Tuffy tie-down tracks to give me a couple more inches of depth. I already have this on the front of the forward platform, and it works great.
2. I am going to add the Land Rover tie-downs that Graham used where my bolts go through the platform.
3. I think I will paint the clip angle supports black.
4. For a drawer, a low profile metal drawer like that Craftsman builds for their tool chests would be awesome. It may take some hunting, but this will give me maximum space utilization and a nice light and strong drawer.

 

[CRD Liberty Joe]

Looks very nice. Good work.:victory:

 

[nwoods]

I experimented a bit more this morning, and adding the Tuffy tie-down track to the very rear is going to work great. Because the rear seat is angled, I can fit the Slide-Lock system in the front, in the triangular "dead space" just behind the seat, and put the tie-down track bar in the very back, giving me nearly three more inches of depth, perfect for my cooler and ActionPackers.

I'm pretty happy with how all this turned out, as is my local hardware guy who now needs to restock his bolt supply

 

[computeruser]

Looks very good, both in terms of the design concept and the workmanship! What you have should be quite functional, especially with the tie-down system you've got going. The Tuffy tie down system is slick!

I once had a similar "false floor" setup (also because of amps bolted to the floor) in my YJ, though my decking system was made out of painted 2x3s and a bit of OSB. Have you had any problems with the amps getting wet? I did when I had carpet in the YJ, and ended up junking the carpet and shimming the amps up off the floor with thin rubber washers. Part of it was because of the usual Jeep water intrusion, and the other part was because I carried snowblowers in the back in the winter, but even when the Jeep had a week of sunny weather to fully dry out it was amazing how much moisture was still trapped in the carpet beneath the amp. If you've got the room, it might behoove you to remount the amps with a bit of air space beneath them, possibly shimming them up on a few strips of something like that plastic they use for cutting boards. Food for thought, anyway.

As an aside, it is amazing how much more room a LJ has when compared to a TJ. I'm about to start fabricating a new rear storage shelf for my TJ shortly, with the aim of being able to carry a small fridge and a week worth of gear for two people, and I am really wishing I had more floor space like y'all have!

 

[grahamfitter]

:victory: Very nice, Nathan!

Some questions...

1. Did you consider putting a third set of those support brackets in the middle to prevent sagging? (Although the tie-down bars must help with rigidity.)
   
2. Is there enough space to put the support brackets on the outside of the seat rails in a C-type configuration to maximize width under the shelf? (I suppose with custom brackets anything is possible but I'm also big fan of using whatever I can find in the hardware store!)
   

I'm thinking about building a similar shelf but at wheel well level next to my fridge so it will occupy half the load space but use the usually dead space over the wheel wells. I have to remove the rear seat in order to take the fridge so the shelf will probably be one piece and to go the whole length of the rear of the vehicle with a plastic drawer at the back and extra food/beer/wine/scotch in boxes at the front.

BTW, computeruser, in my TJ I can fit comfy camping gear, real food for a week for two, kayaking gear and a whitewater raft and still mostly see out the back window. I do have a shelf that sits on the tub of my TJ and mounts through the hard-top mounting holes which makes managing gear a bit easier. To be honest I don't know what I'm going to do with all the extra space I have in the LJ... :chef:

Cheers,
Graham

 

[nwoods]

:victory: Very nice, Nathan!

Some questions...

1. Did you consider putting a third set of those support brackets in the middle to prevent sagging? (Although the tie-down bars must help with rigidity.)
   
2. Is there enough space to put the support brackets on the outside of the seat rails in a C-type configuration to maximize width under the shelf? (I suppose with custom brackets anything is possible but I'm also big fan of using whatever I can find in the hardware store!)
   

1. Yes, I thought about it, but with the high quality plywood I used, I can kneel in the middle of the platform and it supports my 300 lbs of weight, so didn't consider it necessary. Also, I intend to put a drawer in the middle so I wanted that space free of bracketry. I have contemplated doing something to finish off the front end to close it off, thus making it stronger, but I figure on experimenting with it for a while and see what uses that space suggests over time.

2. I think so, but I didn't try. I was targeting the width in the configuration I have at 30" to accommodate a future drawer, and it keeps the spacing slightly closer for support of the platform weight distribution.

 

[BPage]

Thanks NWOODS

Hey just wanted to send a thank you to NWOODS for his post... I took your idea and built one for my LJ.
Raised my floor abit so I could hid my compressor and tool box under it for security, and in case I flip over (didn't want gear hitting me in the back of the head).
All parts purchased at Lowes (4x4 oak 1/2", concrete anchor plates, paint, and some fastners)

Anyways here are a few pics of mine.

:wings:
Haven't decided on paint or carpet?

Note. If someone knows a plastic or aluminum that I could replace the wood with, that is strong, cheap in price, and easy to cut with regular tools... I am all ears
besides that I think I am good.

 

[crawldit]

I really like what the two of you have done. It makes me want to rebuild mine so that it is lower like yours instead of on the top of the tub like I currently have it. At the time I was more concerned with having a cheap tire carrier and secure storage versus functional/organized storage. Nice builds.

 

[monele]

4. For a drawer, a low profile metal drawer like that Craftsman builds for their tool chests would be awesome. It may take some hunting, but this will give me maximum space utilization and a nice light and strong drawer.


Look through popular mechanics/science..the last few months there have been coupons for a rolling tool cart with drawer for $50 from harbor freight. I bought one for my shop (hey it was CHEAP) and I may buy a second one since they are so cheap and use the trays and drawer on separate projects.

 

[nwoods]

If you do, maybe I can buy a tray from you.

 

[nwoods]

Haven't decided on paint or carpet?

Note. If someone knows a plastic or aluminum that I could replace the wood with, that is strong, cheap in price, and easy to cut with regular tools... I am all ears
besides that I think I am good.

really nice Mr Page. I live in an arid climate without much concern of moisture or exposure, so plywood is fine for me. However in your climate, perhaps you could try something like a thin sheet of Corian?

 

[Root Moose]

Take some care to properly seal the plywood with sealer/varnish/paint/whatever and it will be fine for "eons". I've done plywood construction constantly exposed to the elements this way and have gotten over a decade of use out of the components. All it takes is a little care in the building.

Besides, being inside the vehicle I really wouldn't worry about it.

 

[BPage]

really nice Mr Page. I live in an arid climate without much concern of moisture or exposure, so plywood is fine for me. However in your climate, perhaps you could try something like a thin sheet of Corian?

Corian? like counter tops in homes?
I was looking or something alittle more expeditionary...or durable?
I didnt know if there was a ABS plastic or some reinforced aluminum plating that people know about?

 

[nwoods]

Corian? like counter tops in homes?
I was looking or something alittle more expeditionary...or durable?
I didnt know if there was a ABS plastic or some reinforced aluminum plating that people know about?

Yes, exactly. You can buy it in sheets of varying thickness. Some architects are even heat-molding it into contoured exterior building panels, like siding, but more in the Frank Gehry Disney Concert Hall motif. Cool stuff.

Anyway, Corian is incredibly durable, easily workable, and not very heavy

 

[tweenerlj]

Reviving an old thread. Did you ever end up adding a drawer to this?