Modify existing drawer/sleeping platform for two + fridge?

[V1GiLaNtE]

Ok brain trust. I currently have a drawer/sleeping platform system which allows me to sleep comfortably solo + my ARB in my 4th Gen 4Runner. Now that there is a special lady involved in the mix who wants to continue camping I'm racking my brain on how/if I can modify my current platform for two of us plus the ARB. I've looked at deleting the rear seats all together, but it doesn't really help with the floor depth if we were to try and add another extender over the ARB.

I'm 6'2 and she's 5'5 so we have some varying sleeping constraints. Any ideas on how to make this work or am I mostly out of space?

I do have/use an OZ-tent, but having camped solo for quite some time I really enjoy the setup/breakdown of sleeping in the 4Runner. The weather protection is a great bonus as well.

 

[alanymarce]

On our LC80 we took out one of the 2nd row seats and 3rd row seats and built a full width bed frame - however the ARB fridge height meant that there was an area at the back on one side which was a little higher - inconvenient but manageable (for a 10 month trip); on our current Montero we took out the 2nd and 3rd row seats, and we replaced the ARB with a lower profile Dometic and now the bed frame is the same height everywhere and it's fine (another 10 month trip). We're looking at a newer, even lower profile Dometic now which would allow a lower platform and more headspace.

If you want to retain the rear seats then this makes it more difficult. On the LC80 we kept one seat and arranged the bed frame to fold back so that we could carry a guide (for example) if necessary. We needed this once in 10 months so for the Montero decided to take out all of the seats except for the front row. We could leave the 2nd row seats in pace but, as you say, this takes up space we want to have available.

I'd look for a low-profile fridge.

 

[Series1Rangie]

Not sure how much storage or headroom you require, but I’d look at removing a drawer, and placing the fridge slide at the bottom level. raising the whole platform above the fridge. Extend the platform over both 2nd row seats removed, and adding storage accessible from the back doors under the platform.

Or move the fridge to behind the drivers side, accessible on a slide through the door and make the whole back a sleeping area. 5’5” might fit that way?

$.02


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[V1GiLaNtE]

Vehicle's primary use is a "daily" since I work from home all the time now. This is mostly for weekend trips for just the two of us. No kids. No doggos.

@Series1Rangie - that was one consideration. Definitely kills the headroom, but certainly manageable. I think I'd have to remove the stop which limits how far the door opens to fully access the fridge if it was behind the driver. I'll look into that.

 

[V1GiLaNtE]

On our LC80 we took out one of the 2nd row seats and 3rd row seats and built a full width bed frame - however the ARB fridge height meant that there was an area at the back on one side which was a little higher - inconvenient but manageable (for a 10 month trip); on our current Montero we took out the 2nd and 3rd row seats, and we replaced the ARB with a lower profile Dometic and now the bed frame is the same height everywhere and it's fine (another 10 month trip). We're looking at a newer, even lower profile Dometic now which would allow a lower platform and more headspace.

If you want to retain the rear seats then this makes it more difficult. On the LC80 we kept one seat and arranged the bed frame to fold back so that we could carry a guide (for example) if necessary. We needed this once in 10 months so for the Montero decided to take out all of the seats except for the front row. We could leave the 2nd row seats in pace but, as you say, this takes up space we want to have available.

I'd look for a low-profile fridge.

Any links to build for reference.

 

[alanymarce]

Any links to build for reference.

https://discoverthedreaming.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2020-03-12T13:27:00-07:00&max-results=7 shows you some photos of the Montero.

https://unochoenafrica.blogspot.com/2018/ has a few photos of the LC80.

I'll pm some more.

 

[dstefan]

Get a drawer fridge. I think Dometic makes one …