My Gen 2.5 sleep platform

[mr_ed]

I've been meaning to make a sleep platform in the Montero for a while now, and with camping opportunities coming up over the holidays (as well as Pacific Northwet weather), I decided to go ahead and make it. Many props to Sabre's Gen 3 platform for the inspiration!

I started to make it high enough to retain my middle row seats, but that placed it so high there was no room to sit up, even for my wife. Since we don't have kids yet, I decided to lose the backseats and make it low enough to have headroom similar to a tent. When folded, I can install the seats, but if we want to use it for sleeping, the backseats have to be removed. Compromises...

All the material is "repurposed," all the lumber I scrounged from pallets and wooden shipping boxes. I used to own a KLR, and still have monumental respect for said bike, so I have that cheap bone haha.

The beginnings:

It's anchored using pieces of aluminum angle that pick up tie down mount bolts

Showing the height relative to the wheel wells. This is low enough to provide decent headroom, but high enough that the wheel wells aren't too obtrusive.

The rear-most panel. This will be hinged tonnue (sp??) cover style with storage under.

Here's the next panel forward installed. This folds back to allow the middle row seats to fit

With seat installed. Eyeball engineered it and lucked out!

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[mr_ed]

Another view

The plan is to use some high density foam adhered to the plywood, with carpet over that. This, combined with the interference from the wheel wells, meant the door hinges I was using would create a pinch-point and not allow the folding portion to lie flat while folded. I wanted it to be flat so it could be a cargo corral when not in sleep mode, so custom hinges were in order.

Now it's flat while folded

It has folding legs for use when in sleep mode

That's pretty much where I'm at right now. I'm finalizing the forward-most panel (seen leaning against the front seats in some of the pics), and I have to install the foam and carpet. Then we'll knock out a few camping trips to test it before I pull it out and paint it. Something I really like is that it's SUPER solid, but the whole shebang comes out with 4 bolts.

I'm also going to install some over-centered gas-assist struts on the tip-up rear section.

Will update with finishing pics.

Cheers!

Ed


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[plh]

Looks solid!

 

[montero98ls]

Nice! I'm doing a similar layout but for drawers.

 

[mr_ed]

I thought about drawers but simplicity (i.e. my laziness ) won out haha.


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[Sabre]

Wow, cool...and custom hinges!