Considering building a drawer system the same height as the rear fenders with modular sections to make it a sleeping platform when the back seats are removed. I was wondering how comfortable it actually is and if there's enough room to move around etc?

I do have a full size RTT and I am considering building the drawer portion either way for more efficient packing/storage, but I was wondering if the sleeping platform is worth it for solo trips to make things quicker when not needing a full size tent?

I see some threads of people building and showing them, but no actual reviews I can find of comfort or having enough headroom.

Opinions/reviews would be appreciated. Thanks!

I have the Yoho system from Canada and it’s is freakin’ awesome. Four wooden beams designed to cantilever over the wheel wells. Put a four inch latex mattress on it and it’s queen size heaven. Super easy to set up, amazingly comfortable and they just introduced a drawer system to match. It’s got a foot of clearance under the bed and I just use Rubbermaid containers for storage. Best part is all your gear can be stowed under the bed and you can roll every window down and don’t have to worry about anything blowing out.

YOHO 4Runner Bed Sleeping Platform for 5th Gen. 4Runners For Overlanding Camping Off-Road Adventures - YouTube




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is a smart idea but not sure how strong those plastic fender trims really are, and its quite a bit higher than I was thinking of building. It looks like that setup has very little room to move around and sitting up is impossible.

Thanks for sharing that though. I appreciate the input

I had similar thoughts. After looking at a number of pre-built options I decided building my own would be cheaper/faster. I went with a two drawer box that fits behind the rear seats, with an extension that goes over the right side. I also went with removing the seat back and bottom on the right side to allow for more storage. The deck is at the height of the wheel wells, I have a 4" air mattress and there is plenty of room to move around although not enough to sit up (I'm 6'-2"). I'm new to this form and not to sure on how to get around....But, feel free to DM if you have questions!

Attached Images

     

I like what you did. How did you connect the extension to the drawers when it is used?

I did a similar one but only as tall as the stone inside so I have more headroom. My extension is in three parts so I can fold either seat if I have need.

Thanks!

Attached Images

 

IMO a drawer system sucks as a bed platform because you loos all the head height/clearance. I'm almost 6' and i don't want to feel like i am in a coffin. So instead I put in a slide out table and I am very happy i did.



In your case if you rarely/never sleep in the 4R the draws will be a nice addition and a no brainer.

I was hesitant to build a new sleeping platform but I was also sick of shuffling all of our gear around in order to set up our bed. My concern was losing too much headroom so I didn't go as high as some of the other builds I've seen. We've spent a few nights on the new platform and it's been great so far.

Check sig for photos of my drawer-less setup. I don't leave it in and use it modularly as needed. No drawers, so I can pull out bins or other stuff and move them around the campsite as needed. I tend to try to keep weight to a minimum and low CG so an RTT isn't attractive to me. I prefer sleeping in a tent on the ground, but I have spent a couple of nights on the platform. It's a hair over the wheel well height but not by much (close to even with the outside of the wheel well and slightly over the inside)... can always make it shorter with a little cutting. At 6' I can not sit up. I use a thin pad and a sleeping bag, so no 4" mattress in the car. If you don't have too much gear (aka you're solo), then leaving a half space for sleeping one of the rear seats intact would be optimal for access, sitting up, reading, etc, kind of like this guy: Camping in the Cold at Hole-in-the-Ground - And getting stuck in the Ochoco National Forest - YouTube

I mounted a cleat/ledger to the drawer box and have a few screws down from the top of the extension. So far it’s held…at some point I’ll need to figure out a better method as the screws will wear out the cleat over time. That section is a work in progress, as it’s kinda a “B” to take in and out. I figured best to leave as is and beat it up a little or break it before improving with a second attempt.

Thanks! this is pretty much exactly what I was thinking, but probably making an addon for both sides and removing the entire rear seat during those solo trips. the storage underneath+drawers seems like a huge benefit. I have Plano boxes, but I hate to leave things outside if i don;t need to.

Thanks! I like your setup. I was thinking a platform like that but with drawers and with both seat backs/bottoms removed for extra space. I do plan to do solo trips but since they would be multiple days it would be nice to have a decent amount of gear. I do have molle panels on both rear windows with bags where I store first aid kit, tools, tire patches, ratchet straps etc. In the drawers I was thinking of leaving my stove, propane, and cooking gear.

I actually have the same boxes as you. For me, the problem was that I don't like leaving the boxes out at night unattended especially if there are bears around. I haven't actually tried sleeping in the back with the boxes in it because I usually only go with the wife and use the RTT, but my upcoming trips will be offroading with a friend. I also usually have quite a bit of gear back there, but going solo won't have as much so maybe I will minimize and just tie the 2 boxes down like you did. Thanks for pic for ideas.

Well friend that bed platform depends on your height and your intentions with the vehicle.

If you are around 6 ft, you will need to take the second row of seats completely out to have a bed platform 72 to 76" long. When you fold the second row down the seats (which rotate forward), will cost you about 5 or 6 inches of room for a bed platform. If you are say 5' 9" then you could get away with having the bed platform only 67" with second row seats folded down. You can hinge the platform so that you can use piano hinges to fold it up and over in order to re fold the second row seats back in their position so it can be a modular multifunctional camper vehicle. This takes away from your drawer space of course having a multifunctional bed platform, but its the necessary evil to a folding bed platform.

One thing I've seen is that the worst part of making a camper 4runner is headspace. You want to sit up in bed when you get up in the morning. You need close to 30" from sitting on the mattress. This means with around 2" depression of the mattress, you'll need 26-29" of clearance or look at it this way. With the platform in place PLUS 4" for a mattress (6" mattress with a 2" depression), you'll need to have that room. Placing the platform at the top of fender wells destroys this. So you need to drop the top of the platform to 4" below the top of the fender wells. The mattress will stick over the fender wells 2". This hurts your drawer space, however you can cure this partially by having the bed platform being 27 " wide, and then a pull out drawer on the other 16 ". This is only comfortably feasible if its just you sleeping there and not you and your spouse.

Lot of things to consider.

Feel free to message me for particulars if your interested. I haven't done this yet but I have it designed in my head and can draw you a simple set up for it.

Agreed. I used to sleep in the back and own an inflatable mattress that fits perfectly, but the seat bottoms need to be removed for me to be comfortable. im 5'10" but by the time you have pillow under your head, its a bit too tight for comfort. The drawer system I was considering building would be 10" tall. I am sort of thinking about other routes now though like maybe just doing a leveling platform on the 60% side. I have a sub box in there when I am not using the cargo area and its exactly 10.5" high. I actually did a test today trying to sit on it and lie down on it to get a feel for the height and its just enough to not be able to sit up. I am thinking about maybe just removing both seat bottoms, and sleep on the 60% side while trying to find boxes that fit in space where the folded up seat bottoms would be behind the seats. I should be able to fit the gear I need in those+my 2 plano boxes+cooler and water tank. I will have to do more testing and thinking before committing to building something.

Any chance you have the dimensions and plans for this? I think your build is exactly what I'm looking for!