Anyone have a camping/sleeping setup inside of the 4Runner?

Every time we go camping I take the back seats completely out - seat back and seat bottoms. Takes me an hour, max. I carefully place all the parts in a tough plastic bag so they don't get lost. I put all of my heavy gear down in the forward foot well. Water bottles, come-along winch, air compressor and recovery gear.

If it's just me I might sleep inside the truck. I'm 6'-1" and I never have any trouble stretching out. At night I move the heavy stuff around to clear one side of the car. I put a few soft bags down in the foot well and enough soft stuff in the rise where the seat bottoms go to level everything out. I have a foam pad and a self inflating Thermarest pad. More blankets below me if needed. I use a down bag if it's cool. I open a couple of windows an inch and sleep tight.

If we both go I pitch a tent.:hug:

I've slept on just a ground tarp with enough tarp to wrap over me if it gets windy or it rains. I never seem to be bothered by the coyotes, desert rats or scorpions that run around the desert at night. :wink2:

Here in So Cal it doesn't get that cold so I can camp in a good tent or the car with the windows open a bit. In the desert it gets too windy for a RTT. I use a good 3 or 4-season tent and tie it down 8 to 10 ways against the wind.

I’m 6’3”, thanks for the seat removal tip!
 
(Part23) (4K) 2017 4Runner TRD PRO Cement. Sleep & Toilet Setup. Must See!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GWCtMTPo6Qc" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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I have a Limited and the back seats slide forward and back. Does anyone know if they fold up so that the back part of the seats fold flat? I can't figure it out if it does.
 
I have a Limited and the back seats slide forward and back. Does anyone know if they fold up so that the back part of the seats fold flat? I can't figure it out if it does.

Do you have 3rd row seats? I'm thinking you do. I do to and that set up does not fold flat. There's a bump between the cargo area and the folded 2nd row and the 2nd row has a bit of an angle to it.
 
Do you have 3rd row seats? I'm thinking you do. I do to and that set up does not fold flat. There's a bump between the cargo area and the folded 2nd row and the 2nd row has a bit of an angle to it.

Sorry, I failed to mention I do have the 3rd row seat option.
 
Anyone use a fold out table as a leveling platform? Seems about the right size/thickness.

I have a Lifetime foldable 4' table that, when folded in half is 3.1" thick. The ideal leveling platform is 2.5". I use a lightweight cot on top so the height difference doesn't really make much of a difference to me. If you have the right sleeping pad, it might be ok as well.
Most of the other folding camp tables that I have seen are about 2" thick. Throw a blanket on top of that and you should be golden.
 
Situational for me.
Alone, cold weather: Just a one person air mattress in the back.
Alone, hot weather: Small ground tent.
Moving everyday: RTT.
Staying put: Big ground tent.
 
Lots of great ideas in this thread.

These are the two most interesting designs I've run across in the forums here:

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2914800-post30.html

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2454694-post600.html

I'm going to start working on something similar next month. I think the one thing I've not figured out yet is the best way to attach to the vehicle so that the structure doesn't shift around.

I just finished mine this weekend. Here's how I attached it; can shoot you measurements if you decide to go this route:

Cargo area "flat plate" mod bolt holes
 
881ad1b9ddf1eb6b29af5b0b08d17b24.jpg


I built a storage/leveling platform. There are several posts here to take inspirations from. Mine is based on the one [MENTION=124409]dieck[/MENTION] built and customized for my needs.
I don’t advise using a roll on Berliner. It smells.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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TRDORP with sliding rear cargo tray

Remove the 2nd row seat bottom to increase the length of the back (I'm only 5' 9", but even at that, you need the extra length)

Put a plastic bin in the rear footwell that is roughly the same height as the back of the vehicle -- to fill the gap so that you're supported on that end

Queen-size 3-inch memory foam mattress folded in half lengthwise ($100 at Costco) -- making a 6-inch mattress that fills about half of the back (side-to-side); put a sleeping bag and pillow on top of that

This leaves you less storage in the back, of course. But I managed a 3-week trip last fall this way and had enough space. It was perfect, just pull up somewhere to park for the night, climb in back, and sleep.

I did work out some ropes in the back to hang towels as curtains to block moonlight. Next time I'll work out something a bit more sophisticated to block moonlight on all four sides.

I do have fabric screens for the rear windows, but my trip was in fall when it was cool--so no need to crack the windows.
 
here's the set up i built for my trip to utah in november, 2 slide out drawers, a slide out "tail gate" to cook on and a hidden compartment that is under the bed i put all my expensive gear in. Was able to fit a Queen size 4" memory foam bed topper. slept great

[MENTION=164977]tahoe.nick[/MENTION] -- that looks great. where is the hidden compartment and is it easy to access (but not easy if you don't know how to use it??)

I'd love to hide computers and camera gear not immediately in use...
 
Slept in the back on a twin air mattress with a few sleeping bags and I was comfy.

Been meaning to build a little sleeping platform to level out the hump when the seats are folded down but I didn't even notice with the air mattress blown up. Maybe it was all the whiskey :beer:

40109264353_20a7e5e9f2_b.jpg
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I just finished mine this weekend. Here's how I attached it; can shoot you measurements if you decide to go this route:

Cargo area "flat plate" mod bolt holes

Please do - I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to attach to the vehicle. Thanks!

Also, right behind the rear seats, there is a piece of plastic that angles down that covers the back of the seats and creates a small ramp down to the actual back of the car. Did you have to remove that, or does your platform just sit on top of it?
 
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Please do - I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to attach to the vehicle. Thanks!

Also, right behind the rear seats, there is a piece of plastic that angles down that covers the back of the seats and creates a small ramp down to the actual back of the car. Did you have to remove that, or does your platform just sit on top of it?

Here is a stripped down sketch showing the bolt locations I used and overall size of the plate. Keep in mind, I have no KDSS/XREAS/3rd row or factory cargo plate.

I ended up keeping that ramped piece in place. In the pictures on the post I linked to, you can see where mine starts and stops. There isn't room to go any wider. If you shift it toward the front any more, the rear seats won't fully recline. If you shift it toward the back, it is getting close to the lift gate, and then you start to create a gap between the plate and the rear seats. The thickness (height) of the whole unit will depend on whether or not you remove the carpet/foam underlayment. Good luck!
 

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Here is a stripped down sketch showing the bolt locations I used and overall size of the plate. Keep in mind, I have no KDSS/XREAS/3rd row or factory cargo plate.

I ended up keeping that ramped piece in place. In the pictures on the post I linked to, you can see where mine starts and stops. There isn't room to go any wider. If you shift it toward the front any more, the rear seats won't fully recline. If you shift it toward the back, it is getting close to the lift gate, and then you start to create a gap between the plate and the rear seats. The thickness (height) of the whole unit will depend on whether or not you remove the carpet/foam underlayment. Good luck!

Thanks - that is great.

I'm still trying to figure out if there's a way to not disturb the carpet. I wonder if anyone has tried to use the 4 stock tie-down points with the D ring removed.

It looks easy enough to expose the mount for those just by removing a bit of trim and a screw:

237692d1486321768-5th-gen-sliding-cargo-tray-install-pics-steps-103-jpg


237691d1486321760-5th-gen-sliding-cargo-tray-install-pics-steps-102-jpg


I guess the question is if those are sufficient to hold wood + whatever is on the wood in place on a bumpy road.

PS Thanks to [MENTION=112865]alpinecowboy[/MENTION] ... I borrowed those images from one of his mod posts.
 

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