NM-Frontier Drawer/Bed Build

[NM-Frontier]

After lots of research here on Expo this is the version 2.0 for my 05 KC Frontier.

The original was 3" taller and had a split down the middle for carrying bikes. This set up was good for bringing the bikes along but not so good at bringing every thing else also.The head room was also tighter then I thought it would be after spending many nights in it last year. A redesign was needed.

So I now have a Yakima roof set up for bikes and now plenty of room for gear under the canopy.

The deck is 3/4" Birch, the frame is 1/2 pine and 1/2 plywood is used for the drawer bottoms as well as other parts of the frame.
Piano hinge was used for all the doors.
3/8" Spring Nuts were used to bolt to the Utilitrack(Thanks Roadtripcrazed!)

The whole unit is bolted to the Utilitrack and can be totaly removed by two people

Doors on the side fold up to allow water and fuel jerry cans, 2 on each side.

The Cans slide in an are held in place between the platform and the bedside. You must have 2 cans to keep them from bouncing around though.

Tie downs are built in to the deck for the cooler and Actionpacker or other gear that needs to be tied down

With cooler

I also made points that work with the side Utiilitrack

 

[NM-Frontier]

Drawer Details

Both drawers slide on plywood bottoms and can be completely removed to ease in taking out the whole platform and for cleaning after trips.

The right drawer has a spot to hold the stove and 4 fuel bottles.

Detail of stove and fuel holder.

There is also a font storage compartment.

I have only been on one trip with the new set up and so far so good. It is great to tie every thing down to the deck, keeps things organized. The only drawback is that every thing must be removed at camp to sleep, but it is worth having to move fuel cans every day to keep them low and not on a roof rack.
Enjoy and let me know what you all think!

 

[Deleted member 9101]

Looks good man, I like the fuel can storage. Just make sure you don't spill any....lol

 

[roadtripcrazed]

Excellent work!

How are you supporting the side 'wings' when your fuel cans are not there? I tried to hinge mine which are supported by the ridge on the side of the box, but they wouldn't quite clear the utilitrack. That why I ended up making one large panel and adding access hatches. Both systems work but I am curious how yours is built.

-=D

 

[roadtripcrazed]

Also - how well do the drawers slide? I load mine up super heavy at times so I insisted on building rollers, but there are many who have gone without. Curious to know your experiences.

-=D

 

[NM-Frontier]

Thanks, your build was a lot of inspiration for mine.

-The doors are supported by some 1x2 along the edge. There is probable 1" or so between the box and the utilitrack so clearance was not an issue.

-The drawers slide ok. With a full load one slides better then the other due to tighter clearance on one side. I also think the stain/sealer kind of sticks a bit. I may try to find some hard plastic sliders for them.

 

[NM-Frontier]

This pic kinda shows them on the edge perpendicular to the hinge. Let me know if you need a more detailed shot.

 

[wjeeper]

I really like how you attached the drawer/ bed to the utili-track! Makes me wish I had done something similar with the aircraft track I have in my Jeep so I could take it out and put the back seat in. Good looking set up you have!

 

[roadtripcrazed]

Thank you for the clarifications.

I see now how you supported the side panels. You built your platform a little shorter than mine. Mine ended up being flush with the bump-out in the box just below the utilitrack. By coming up that high and relying on that ridge for support, I lost the clearance to hinge the panels. My only work-around at that point was to remove the utilitrack or to make a solid panel with access hatches. The hatches won!

I'm glad my build inspired you - I can definitely see some resemblance there!
-=D

 

[NM-Frontier]

I wanted to make it narrow enough that I could slide it out, its a tight fit but with one other person it is pretty easy to take out and put in.

The support for the hinges isn't the strongest but that area doesn't see a lot of weight.