stioc
Expedition Leader
OK guys, this whole waiting for parts is driving me crazy so tonight after work I decided to tackle a new project 
The last time we went camping (first time with the Pathfinder) a few weeks ago I faced a difficult challenge...figuring out how to pack all our camping crap in the car! It was also our first time camping with the dog so this was all brand new to us. Here's what I ended up bringing (after removing the 'luxury' items):
1. One large plastic bin with stove, pot, frying pan, table cloth, plates, mugs, utensils, kid's folding chair and a Fiskar camping axe. This went in the back area to the left side (leaving the right side open for the doggy bed and the dog.
2. Three sleeping pads. These sat on top of the plastic bin and cinched down the who thing including the plastic bin so it won't shift...or at least I hoped it won't because of the way the tie-down hooks are configured in the Pathfinder.
3. Two folding chairs wedged horizontallly against the backs of the rear seats and the doggy barrier.
4. A mid-sized cooler, sat in the foot area of the back seat next to my kid's feet along with a 2.5gal water container.
5. 3 sleeping bags and pillows on the rear seat next to my kid's car-seat.
6. Tools and recovery stuff stayed home because I didn't have a way to secure it properly and we weren't going off-roading but that won't be the case most of the time.
This worked but I didn't like it and here's why; in the event of a crash/rollover I want to make sure whatever is in the car stays put. My biggest priority is the safety of my precious cargo in the kid seat- and to a slightly lesser extent us and the dog. We also couldn't bring the dog's crate due to not having room left in the back. But it turned out just fine as the dog slept in the back on his bed next to the big plastic big. There was perfect amount of space for him, almost exactly the size of his crate.
So tonight I built a storage platform. I didn't want it to be too high so as to allow ample headroom for the dog. I also wanted it to be fixed to the floor so it's solid and doesn't move. To bolt it down to the floor I removed the tie-down hooks from the floor and used the existing holes with longer bolts. The whole thing required a single 4x8 sheet of 1/2" plywood I paid $38 for at Home Depot.
I don't claim to be a woodworker I'm just a hack really but it came out Ok. I'm open to making a few minor adjustments and changes to it as needed in the future. Between this and the roof-rack I should have plenty of room to safely store stuff. BTW I see people moving the spare tire up top but I'm perfectly happy with it under the car (plenty of clearance). I'd rather keep heavier items down low and keep the center of gravity lower...especially on a lifted truck.
The last time we went camping (first time with the Pathfinder) a few weeks ago I faced a difficult challenge...figuring out how to pack all our camping crap in the car! It was also our first time camping with the dog so this was all brand new to us. Here's what I ended up bringing (after removing the 'luxury' items):1. One large plastic bin with stove, pot, frying pan, table cloth, plates, mugs, utensils, kid's folding chair and a Fiskar camping axe. This went in the back area to the left side (leaving the right side open for the doggy bed and the dog.
2. Three sleeping pads. These sat on top of the plastic bin and cinched down the who thing including the plastic bin so it won't shift...or at least I hoped it won't because of the way the tie-down hooks are configured in the Pathfinder.
3. Two folding chairs wedged horizontallly against the backs of the rear seats and the doggy barrier.
4. A mid-sized cooler, sat in the foot area of the back seat next to my kid's feet along with a 2.5gal water container.
5. 3 sleeping bags and pillows on the rear seat next to my kid's car-seat.
6. Tools and recovery stuff stayed home because I didn't have a way to secure it properly and we weren't going off-roading but that won't be the case most of the time.
This worked but I didn't like it and here's why; in the event of a crash/rollover I want to make sure whatever is in the car stays put. My biggest priority is the safety of my precious cargo in the kid seat- and to a slightly lesser extent us and the dog. We also couldn't bring the dog's crate due to not having room left in the back. But it turned out just fine as the dog slept in the back on his bed next to the big plastic big. There was perfect amount of space for him, almost exactly the size of his crate.
So tonight I built a storage platform. I didn't want it to be too high so as to allow ample headroom for the dog. I also wanted it to be fixed to the floor so it's solid and doesn't move. To bolt it down to the floor I removed the tie-down hooks from the floor and used the existing holes with longer bolts. The whole thing required a single 4x8 sheet of 1/2" plywood I paid $38 for at Home Depot.
I don't claim to be a woodworker I'm just a hack really but it came out Ok. I'm open to making a few minor adjustments and changes to it as needed in the future. Between this and the roof-rack I should have plenty of room to safely store stuff. BTW I see people moving the spare tire up top but I'm perfectly happy with it under the car (plenty of clearance). I'd rather keep heavier items down low and keep the center of gravity lower...especially on a lifted truck.
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