Sleeping and drawer setups? (pic request)

[zuren]

I'm hoping to see some van-specific bed/storage solutions to give me some ideas for giving the WhiteBuffalo some updates. Since I built my van, I'm now married, with a 2 y/o, with a house. My RB50-lite setup that mostly worked before isn't working that well anymore.

Here is my current setup:

The Truck Vault under the rear half of the bed has worked well as a platform for the back half of the bed, but now I'm constantly running to the local building supply for house projects. The existing drawer setup creates 2 problems:

1. Long materials like lumber and pipes need to be laid across the sofa bed. I've avoided damaging the fabric so far by using using old blankets, movers pads, etc. but it isn't convenient and isn't foolproof.
2. If I'm buying long materials that require the sofa bed to be laid flat, I can't take my son with me (to give mom a break) since the car seat can't be mounted.

So I'm thinking about selling the Truck Vault and building something different to support the rear end of the bed. The Truck Vault frame and drawer are extremely heavy so this is not something I want to be putting in and taking out all of the time. It did not use the space efficiently either. My idea is a 1-2 drawer setup with a CargoGlide style platform that rolls out (probably on the left side). Or I could simply leave that slot open as a pass-through that would accept a couple storage totes. These totes could be easily taken in/out as needed. Having the pass-through under the bed/sofa would allow for frequent trips to the hardware and having a child's car seat mounted; mom gets a break, the boys go to look at tools....everyone wins!

I'm also trying to think of an updated sleeping solution. The bed is narrower than a full-size which is barely big enough for the wife and I (she is an "active" sleeper). The kitchen unit may have to be removed or re-engineered to make space for some type of sleeping platform or toddler cot going across the van. I've thought about creating a bed across the front seats but I'm not sure how I would get a sleeping toddler into said bed without breaking my back or how I would keep an awake toddler in that bed.

I think I'm definitely moving forward with selling the Truck Vault and building something different, I'm just looking for ideas to start thinking up a design.

Thanks!

 

[Ibgreen]

Can the 2yo fit in the drawer?:sombrero:

 

[Corneilius]

I would ditch the Sofa bed, add a quick release seat base for kiddo (Ford Chateaus had nice ones, some junkyards will have them). Then build out a "slat style" or dinette style bed in the rear so in "haul" mode you can fit 4x8s and 12' lumber. My layout isn't set up for 3 people but easily could be and still haul big stuff.

 

[Kyron]

Why not put the long stuff on the roof rack ?

 

[Retired Tanker]

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/9034-Post-up-your-drawer-storage-system

Might want to surf through this thread. It's been running for about 7 years and gets fresh posts a couple of times a week. Lots and lots of ideas in here.


And I missed the "Van Specific" part in the first read, so apologies...

 

[Raul]

I used a 2nd row from an SUV (Tahoe) and adapted the original legs of the Ford Bench. The seat fold forward and completes the sleeping platform. Room underneath to run long items. The only drawback of this set up is that the seat are a little bit too tall and your feet hang, if you do not have long legs, and the headroom when in bed position is limited. On the new van I am using the same seats but bolted directly with the original hardware.











New van. Work in progress, I may raise them 1". No room underneath, but they fold forward and base and rest fold again.

 

[zuren]

Why not put the long stuff on the roof rack ?

Great question. Most of the time, my stops at that lumber yard are on my way home from work. My parking situation at work is using a parking garage. The van fits with the rack off but just barely so most of the time, my van is without the rack.