Your bed set up
- Thread starter h301ff
- Start date
j_nigrelli
Adventurer
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=827049
i searched 'sleep platform' and got the above. you may have to be a little more creative to focus on the one you want - but somewhere somehow somebody already dood it!
i searched 'sleep platform' and got the above. you may have to be a little more creative to focus on the one you want - but somewhere somehow somebody already dood it!
Switch
Observer
h301ff said:
I started with an ARE Z-series Cap.
Platform was not an option so I added a wrap around shelf for storage. Allows me to get stuff out of the way when sleeping.
I already had two Big Agnes sleeping pads for backpacking, they fit like a glove. Oh and the plywood platform is a great place to put clothes etc when sleeping in back. That is also where the laptop goes for watching movies:
Durarib mats in bed and on tailgate, attached with industrial Velcro stuck to tailgate. Also note the weather stripping in two locations to keep the dust out.
12V Cig Outlet in Bed with carpet to keep dust from comming up though the holes in the bottom of the cubby, great for charging cell phone, powering laptop to watch movies, or run electric blanket on really cold winter nights.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w113/parallelkiller/BedMods/powreoutlet.jpg
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HMR
Rendezvous Conspiracy
Whether or not you have a shell, you might want to consider a platform. The ledge built into the sides of the bed was specifically designed for a platform. I built this one in an afternoon and have used it for the past 30K+ miles:
We travel with 2 dogs so we need room for their beds, water, etc. The platform is waterproof and is easy to clean with a hose. Everything fits perfectly and does not move- we can drive washboard roads in Death Valley for a week and nothing will get out of place. Hidden from view underneath the deck are a table, shower/toilet enclosure, 8'x8' tarp, air compressor and our recovery/emergency gear. The Taco has become our dedicated camp rig so it stays loaded like this 24/7.
I've seen several different ideas for securing gear in the bed but I think good old fashioned ratchet straps work best. I made a few of these hooks that can be moved around depending on cargo. They work great:
Lots of possibilities!
We travel with 2 dogs so we need room for their beds, water, etc. The platform is waterproof and is easy to clean with a hose. Everything fits perfectly and does not move- we can drive washboard roads in Death Valley for a week and nothing will get out of place. Hidden from view underneath the deck are a table, shower/toilet enclosure, 8'x8' tarp, air compressor and our recovery/emergency gear. The Taco has become our dedicated camp rig so it stays loaded like this 24/7.
I've seen several different ideas for securing gear in the bed but I think good old fashioned ratchet straps work best. I made a few of these hooks that can be moved around depending on cargo. They work great:
Lots of possibilities!
Cackalak Han
Explorer
HMR said:
What did you make the platform out of? I have been looking for something that will lift my gear above the bed. Last trip, it rained and some of my gear got soaked from all of the water trapped in the bed. Thought about plywood, but it would get soaked and warped.
heeltoe989
Explorer
Not much to see.
dustboy
Explorer
here's another good thread:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21307
I have a high-rise shell so my platform didn't impact my headroom quite as much. Even though I'm 6' 3", I don't miss the height since I really only sleep in there. If the weather is bad, I have a Kelty shelter where I can sit and play the guitar.
The trade off for loss of height is well worth it. Underneath the platform everything stays organized, out of the sight of theives, and I have a permanent home for my water system, OBA, and (future) 2nd battery. Also my wife and I aren't wedged between the wheel wells, so we have more room to roll around (!). The tailgate becomes my kitchen, and cooking gear and water are easily at hand.
See my signature for link to picasa album
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21307
I have a high-rise shell so my platform didn't impact my headroom quite as much. Even though I'm 6' 3", I don't miss the height since I really only sleep in there. If the weather is bad, I have a Kelty shelter where I can sit and play the guitar.
The trade off for loss of height is well worth it. Underneath the platform everything stays organized, out of the sight of theives, and I have a permanent home for my water system, OBA, and (future) 2nd battery. Also my wife and I aren't wedged between the wheel wells, so we have more room to roll around (!). The tailgate becomes my kitchen, and cooking gear and water are easily at hand.
See my signature for link to picasa album
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HMR
Rendezvous Conspiracy
It's just plywood coated with waterproof paint. The top is covered with non-slip rubber that I bought at Home Depot and glued to the wood. Though the platform is waterproof the bottom of the bed will still get wet in the rain (unless you have a shell) because I don't think it would be possible to get a watertight seal between the platform and tailgate.Cackalak Han said:
Cackalak Han
Explorer
HMR said:
Ok, thanks. I wasn't going to store the gear under the platform, but above it. I have a tarp that I usually put over the gear, and as long as this platform keeps the gear above the sloshing water trapped in the bed, I should be good!
JIMBO
Expedition Leader
:clapsmile Checkout, truckbedz.com and look for frontier, I don't think they have the Xterra listed
I got mine, several years ago and they didn't have it then (xterra), but they might have now
I got mine from REI, but the internet and truckbedz.com would probably be cheaper, more options
They're very heavy duty and not subject to punctures
Good luck
:26_7_2: :safari-rig: :safari-rig: JIMBO
sami said:
I got mine, several years ago and they didn't have it then (xterra), but they might have now
I got mine from REI, but the internet and truckbedz.com would probably be cheaper, more options
They're very heavy duty and not subject to punctures
Good luck
:26_7_2: :safari-rig: :safari-rig: JIMBO
SAR_Squid79
Explorer
My bed is decked out with a Delta Low Profile Crossover Toolbox, which holds my tools and trail spares, Demello Bed Bar which holds my lights, CB antenna, Hi-Lift, and Shovel. I have 2 jerry cans mounted with the Expedition Exchange Expeditionware Jerry Can Holders. In the bed I have Mac's Custom Tie-Downs Versa-Ties to secure my gear.
...And now I have a rack with Cargo Basket:
Everything fits like a glove!
...And now I have a rack with Cargo Basket:
Everything fits like a glove!