Martinjmpr
New member
Crossposted from ExPo: Adventure and Overland Travel Enthusiasts to ensure maximum distribution. 
One thing I dislike about the 3rd gen 4runner is the one piece lift gate. Now it's true, the liftgate has some advantages over the drop-gate of the 1st and 2nd gens (for example your lift gate is still usable even if the rear window won't roll down) but I miss having a tailgate for cooking or just as a way to make the cargo compartment a bit longer.
Also, I hate the fact that any loose gear tends to roll towards the liftgate and when you open the gate, it falls on the ground.
So, I got to thinking about it and came up with this set up. Of course, it could work with other SUVs besides the 4runner, as long as it has the same general setup.
Now keep in mind a couple of things:
1. This is not designed for sitting on or bearing weight.
2. It's made up (mostly) from stuff I already had in the garage, like 5/8" plywood. You could make a more "rugged" setup with more/heavier materials, but I used what I had.
3. Total cost was maybe $20 - $30 worth of parts.
The most difficult part was figuring how to mount the base to the truck. I finally decided to use the screws that hold the tailgate trim piece (not sure what it's called) to the body. I used wood screws, which seem to work OK but sheet metal screws would probably be better. For a stronger setup you might want to actually bolt something through the body of the truck although I wouldn't want to go that far.
Here's the screws I took out to mount the base piece:
The upper support is a furring strip that fits into the slot formerly occupied by the cargo cover. Since my 4runner's cargo cover was lost, I figured I'd put the still-existing slots to use. Support is by way of a couple of pieces of 550 cord (parachute cord.)
In the "stowed" position it looks like this. As you can see, not only is it out of the way but it will protect things from falling out of the back.
This is what it looks like from the inside with the lift gate closed. As you can see, the support bar keeps the gate from falling forward. You can also see the continuous (piano) hinge that I used to attach the gate to the base.
This is the highly sophisticated "lock" system that keeps the panel from dropping down when I open the liftgate. Two wood screws and a rubber band.
So far it seems to be solid, and best of all, I can easily remove it by taking out the screws on the base and removing the support bar. My upcoming Death Valley trip will be the test.
Should be a good platform for cooking:
Anyone who wants specifications (such as they are) can email or PM me. I didn't really have 'plans' I just stared off with measurements I wanted (45" wide by 20" high) and went from there. Took me the better part of the afternoon but I'm pleased with the results.
One thing I dislike about the 3rd gen 4runner is the one piece lift gate. Now it's true, the liftgate has some advantages over the drop-gate of the 1st and 2nd gens (for example your lift gate is still usable even if the rear window won't roll down) but I miss having a tailgate for cooking or just as a way to make the cargo compartment a bit longer.
Also, I hate the fact that any loose gear tends to roll towards the liftgate and when you open the gate, it falls on the ground.
So, I got to thinking about it and came up with this set up. Of course, it could work with other SUVs besides the 4runner, as long as it has the same general setup.
Now keep in mind a couple of things:
1. This is not designed for sitting on or bearing weight.
2. It's made up (mostly) from stuff I already had in the garage, like 5/8" plywood. You could make a more "rugged" setup with more/heavier materials, but I used what I had.
3. Total cost was maybe $20 - $30 worth of parts.
The most difficult part was figuring how to mount the base to the truck. I finally decided to use the screws that hold the tailgate trim piece (not sure what it's called) to the body. I used wood screws, which seem to work OK but sheet metal screws would probably be better. For a stronger setup you might want to actually bolt something through the body of the truck although I wouldn't want to go that far.
Here's the screws I took out to mount the base piece:
The upper support is a furring strip that fits into the slot formerly occupied by the cargo cover. Since my 4runner's cargo cover was lost, I figured I'd put the still-existing slots to use. Support is by way of a couple of pieces of 550 cord (parachute cord.)
In the "stowed" position it looks like this. As you can see, not only is it out of the way but it will protect things from falling out of the back.
This is what it looks like from the inside with the lift gate closed. As you can see, the support bar keeps the gate from falling forward. You can also see the continuous (piano) hinge that I used to attach the gate to the base.
This is the highly sophisticated "lock" system that keeps the panel from dropping down when I open the liftgate. Two wood screws and a rubber band.
So far it seems to be solid, and best of all, I can easily remove it by taking out the screws on the base and removing the support bar. My upcoming Death Valley trip will be the test.
Should be a good platform for cooking:
Anyone who wants specifications (such as they are) can email or PM me. I didn't really have 'plans' I just stared off with measurements I wanted (45" wide by 20" high) and went from there. Took me the better part of the afternoon but I'm pleased with the results.
