Stocky Taco
New member
Several people have asked about our camping system in the back of the Tacoma, so here’s the details of what I’ve done so far.
The Gen 2 Tacomas have these wonderful cutout and ledge on the bed’s sidewalls to install an elevated deck very easily. They’re designed for a 1×6 support under a plywood deck, but I wanted something a little beefier, so I went with 2x8s and dato’ed the ends to make them fit.
![Deck 2.jpg Deck 2.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219012-84ea1602f6a4eec792470e846b4b3c2d.jpg)
Then it’s simply 3/4″ plywood covered with the cheapest outdoor carpet at Lowes.
![Deck 8.jpg Deck 8.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219017-ebd50ec148d37cc33d5cd50cfe298bb9.jpg)
Now the catch is the 5′ bed and me being 6’2″. This is where the “foot shelf” comes in. I built a separate 18″x48″ shelf that goes over the tailgate and connects to the sleeping deck to create a queen sized bed in a 5′ short bed pickup. In the morning the foot shelf easily moves out of the way to free up the tailgate for fixing breakfast, etc.
![Deck 11.jpg Deck 11.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219018-c8ad06d795c3758d9ee616abe1ad6024.jpg)
Of course this means your feet are out in the open, and in bad weather that can be a bad thing. For that we’ve gone with an EZ-Up awning that we setup over the tailgate to provide a sheltered living area for privacy and protection from the weather. The walls are quite versatile, allowing us to obtain just the right balance of protection and views.
![Deck 10.jpg Deck 10.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219009-2c42d4c23fd9bf168c35db63dafab546.jpg)
The Gen 2 Tacomas have these wonderful cutout and ledge on the bed’s sidewalls to install an elevated deck very easily. They’re designed for a 1×6 support under a plywood deck, but I wanted something a little beefier, so I went with 2x8s and dato’ed the ends to make them fit.
![Deck 1.jpg Deck 1.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219011-001485ff80e2af40419ee87a2d6ea56a.jpg)
![Deck 2.jpg Deck 2.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219012-84ea1602f6a4eec792470e846b4b3c2d.jpg)
Then it’s simply 3/4″ plywood covered with the cheapest outdoor carpet at Lowes.
![Deck 4.jpg Deck 4.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219013-e88ab82b4d1203b87079919959a256cc.jpg)
![Deck 5.jpg Deck 5.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219014-597200baa2061f092b8617c6963ea3d3.jpg)
![Deck 6.jpg Deck 6.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219015-fbe20aba0c524122101cc5d31a6c82fc.jpg)
![Deck 8.jpg Deck 8.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219017-ebd50ec148d37cc33d5cd50cfe298bb9.jpg)
Now the catch is the 5′ bed and me being 6’2″. This is where the “foot shelf” comes in. I built a separate 18″x48″ shelf that goes over the tailgate and connects to the sleeping deck to create a queen sized bed in a 5′ short bed pickup. In the morning the foot shelf easily moves out of the way to free up the tailgate for fixing breakfast, etc.
![Deck 9.jpg Deck 9.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219010-d3df6f4db8537e7a8de4f1da78ffe79c.jpg)
![Deck 11.jpg Deck 11.jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/219/219018-c8ad06d795c3758d9ee616abe1ad6024.jpg)
Of course this means your feet are out in the open, and in bad weather that can be a bad thing. For that we’ve gone with an EZ-Up awning that we setup over the tailgate to provide a sheltered living area for privacy and protection from the weather. The walls are quite versatile, allowing us to obtain just the right balance of protection and views.