Cuilleree's Build Thread

[cuilleree]

My first mod!

Part One - Cargo area storage bin/flat sleeping set up

We got Ruby just over four months ago; she was a rental car before we bought her. The goal was to buy something that could become a sleepable adventuremobile, so the first mod was to improve the sleepability of the cargo area.

Thanks to antman for the step by step tips on his build thread. This is basically my own version of that build, but I ended up making a few changes. (I'm new to the forums and can't figure out how to tag/mention him by username!)

The first order of business was to strip down the cargo area to the metal. The forward piece just behind the back seats that holds down the carpet is very easy to remove, and the aft piece pops out with some effort. Then the carpet and polystyrene come right out.

Forward piece

Aft piece

This is a good time to point out the white piece in the bottom right. Those white plugs are what snap the aft plastic piece into the body, and if you remove the piece correctly, they all stay attached to the piece. If you do something weird like I did, one of them detaches from the plastic piece and stays in the body. You can't just pop the plastic piece back over the white plug to replace it; you have to remove the plug from the body with pliers and pop it back into the plastic piece (at least that's what I had to do).

Next order of business: Building a frame to support the new cargo area floor.

This just involved a lot of measuring and cutting. The top of the 1x4" sitting naturally where you see below is flush with the back seats folded down; with a piece of plywood over the top, it would be just slightly too high, so we cut notches in each corner so it would sit about 1/2 inch lower. The side pieces of the frame would rest along the railings, so they had to be narrowed. Thankfully I have a friend with a saw.

For the center support piece, we had to cut a notch out of the bottom of it where it goes over a lump in the body of the truck. The notch is easier to see in later pics (Part Two).

Next we measured and cut the plywood. We cut it so that its edges extend over the frame; I wanted to minimize the amount of space between the new floor of the cargo area and the wheelwells, back seats, and tailgate. This involved a bunch of measuring, putting the seats up and down and re-measuring, putting the tailgate up and down and re-measuring, and finally cutting. But hey, it was a good cut.

My helpers. At this stage of the project, I did all the measuring and directing, and my helpers did the manly using of the power tools. Not many photos from the plywood phase since it was dark, but we added a piano hinge to the forward area. It was easy to shorten to the right length with a hacksaw.

The next day we secured the cargo area floor to the frame, which just means screwing the forward section of it to the frame.

My friend Andy measuring from the edge to know where to sink the center screws.

Yay! I finally get to use power tools!

Once that was done, we added a swivel stick to hold up the lid. Andy had a couple of adhesive rubber dots that we put on the end of the stick to keep it from sliding down the underside of the lid (but the weight of the lid would easily keep the stick in place if the end were flat against the lid).

And that's pretty much it! At this point I knew I still wanted to add carpet to the metal floor of the truck and to paint the frame, but the storage bin was functional.

I was worried about the frame needing to be anchored, but it turns out that it fits so perfectly that it doesn't budge at all. If I had a rollover accident, things would get interesting, but the L-brackets I attached to the body just behind the seats went unused. I left them there because I was too lazy to take them out.

Part Two will be about painting!

 

[cuilleree]

Part Two - Painting and Carpeting the Cargo Area Storage Bin

Several weeks after finishing the sleeping platform/storage bin, I finally got around to painting it yesterday and putting in some carpet today.

Since I planned to cover the lid with utility carpet, I wasn't sure I would paint it, but I noticed that the naked plywood reflects quite a lot of light and makes rearview visibility more difficult. Plus a coat of truck bed paint would probably help with water resistance in case there were ever a spill back there while camping.

My local Lowe's only had spray paint truck bed paint:

I was reminded while setting up to get started that most of the work of painting is in the preparation. At least I didn't have to mask a zillion edges like when painting a room.

Me getting started (the bin is upside down, obviously, with paper on the inside; we wanted to keep the underside of the lid unpainted so we could write on it and put stickers on it from our travels) (Pro tip: wear gloves when spraypainting)

The underside done. In this pic you can see the notches I had to cut out of the center support and also the notches from the corners so the frame sits at the right height.

I masked the hinge before painting the lid.

This is how far you can go on one can of paint. Looks like it narrowly survived a fire or something!

Can #2 got the job done. Here she is drying.

I got some cheap carpet at Home Depot to go on the floor of the truck to dampen noise a tiny bit but mostly to keep items from rolling around in the bin. Because the floor of the truck isn't completely flat, I did a rough measure of the width and length and cut the carpet. I marked it on the "wrong" side with a sharpie and cut right on my driveway. I laid it in and made adjustments from there.

I wasn't sure at first if I would lay the carpet over the rails along the side of the cargo area or not. If yes, the frame of the bin would sit on top of the carpet. Either way, I could fit everything and then put the bin back in to see if I needed to tuck the carpet under the rails (spoiler alert: the carpet sits on top of the rails, and the bin on top of that).

Along the forward edge I had to cut around various things:

This is the side of the truck right behind the back seats; the plastic molding tapers down and you can no longer tuck the carpet under it in the open space. I just cut off a little corner.

The fitted carpet:

As mentioned in Part One, I didn't end up using those brackets to anchor the bin in place because it fit so well that it stays put without a problem. But I also didn't bother removing the brackets!

Here's the finished product:

(Yeah, I wish I'd thought to paint the top edges of the frame...)

From the rear door:

Some day I'll get around to putting some carpet on the lid, but for the time being I just took the piece of scrap left over and threw it on top.

Here it is with some gear stowed (that laptop bag is my first aid kit)

The next project will probably be stocking up with emergency gear/BOB items, many of which I hope I can get to fit in this shallow space.

But first: A camping trip to test out my new sleeping platform!

 

[cuilleree]

Mini Build: Window Coverings

I'm slowly working on window coverings for privacy and temperature control while camping. The rear side windows were easy; I just traced their outline on newspaper, cut out my templates, and used those templates to trace the shape on Reflectix and cut them out.

I made sure to leave a margin just in case, which was good because when I took them out to pop them into the windows, that margin allowed me to cut them perfectly--so perfectly that I didn't need to attach Velcro to get them to stay in place; they fit snug into the molding.

The rear window (rear windshield) was a little harder because it's not flat, so tracing a template on newspaper was an exercise in approximation. I cut the Reflectix but had to do a lot of trimming to get it to fit just right. But the final product is worth it; the sleeping area is nice and dark and private.

Next up: screens for the door windows!

 

[Pastorcat]

Like that! Good idea.

 

[Liquidmantis]

Nice! How are you finding sleeping in the 'Runner? I'm still ironing out my "trekking" setup and debating about sleeping inside versus a small instant pop-up tent for solo trips. Sleeping inside is obviously the most efficient setup but I'm wondering about temperature control and juggling air circulation/bugs/window screens.

 

[cuilleree]

Sadly, I've only slept in it a total of about eight nights, but it's been great! In the summer ditch camping in the desert I didn't have to worry about bugs or condensation--I just left the windows open. But camping with my husband and 65-pound dog in the spring near Tahoe... it was cold, and we woke up with condensation on all surfaces. For mountain/buggy camping, I'd like to have magnetic screens that go on the outside of the door over the windows so I can leave them cracked and spare us the wet surfaces while still keeping "the enemies" out.

You just made me realize that I never posted pics of my mattress build. I'll do that soon!

 

[PK930]

I like it!

I have a friend who made window screens for his Xterra so he could roll the windows down while camping. He just used magnetic tape.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

I'm copying the window coverings.

 

[cuilleree]

I'm copying the window coverings.

Do it. It's super easy and makes a big difference in the temperature in the truck. And not being beamed to death by the sun at first light was a nice bonus. It was the first camping trip I can remember where we slept in!

 

[cuilleree]

I like it!

I have a friend who made window screens for his Xterra so he could roll the windows down while camping. He just used magnetic tape.

Is this your friend and his/her Xterra?? This is the screen design I plan to use. I have all the ingredients--just need to set aside some time to work on it. I think it's a great design.

The only thing I'm trying to figure out is how to still have privacy while the windows are down. Suggestions are welcome.

 

[cuilleree]

Custom Mattress Build

A bit late on this, as I made it almost a year ago, but after I finished the storage bin the cargo area, I needed a custom mattress for the best in luxury car camping. I bought a foam futon mattress from Ikea for under $100 (the Beddinge Lovas, 4.75" thick) and began my project...

Step One: Measure and sketch the desired mattress area.

We sleep with our heads forward and our feet aft, which allows us to have a wider mattress area at our shoulders. So the final shape of the mattress would be a big blocky T instead of a rectangle.

Step Two: Remove the foam from the cover (yay zippers).

Once I had my measurements, I measured the dimensions of the two pieces of foam (remember it was a futon mattress) and figured out how to cut four large pieces to put together to make the custom shape.

Step Three: Mark the foam for cutting.

This is easy to do with a Sharpie, though the foam eats up the tip a bit. Make sure to use a long straight edge and mark BOTH sides to keep your cuts at right angles to the surface of the foam. Also mark the ends of the foam, not just the surfaces.

This is after some cutting, but you can clearly see the marked foam, both on the surface and the end for straighter cutting.

Step Four: Cut.

The internet is a wonderful place, because it taught me that I can cut foam with an electric turkey carver. Unfortunately, I don't have one (though some people recommended buying one if you have any foam project of significant size). I used the poor man's turkey carver/foam cutter: a big serrated bread knife.

The key to cutting your foam is not to saw back and forth, but rather to pull the knife through in one direction at a time. I did this at an angle and then changed the angle when I had made good progress in that direction. This will leave a bit of a "frayed" edge on your cut side, but as long as you're cutting along your marked lines, it won't affect the pieces being flush when you're done.

It helps to stand up the foam piece hanging over the edge of another foam piece so the cut opens up as you move down, which decreases friction and makes it easier to cut.

Also make sure to look at BOTH sides of the foam to make sure you're cutting square to the surface of the foam. If my experience is any indication, you'll get better at the cutting as you go along. I felt like Michelangelo carving the David by the end.

Step Five: Make sure the easy parts fit.

I took out the two rectangular pieces to make sure they fit. You can see in the photo that the piece on the right is cut outside of the marked line. That's because after measuring multiple times, I discovered that the cargo area is a slight trapezoid and not a rectangle, and I wanted the mattress to cover as much area as possible. I probably only gained myself half an inch, but :thumb3:.

For reference, the mattress was going on top of this storage bin:

Step Six: Re-measure, mark foam, and cut the "shoulder" pieces.

No pics of this, but here's the finished product and how the pieces fit together:

I didn't push them together very well to make them flush, but they are. In my next post, I'll describe the dumb project I undertook to sew a cover for the cargo area pieces, which keeps them together as one piece.

Final Thoughts

This actually didn't take that long and wasn't hard at all. The hardest part was measuring and figuring out how to turn the two large foam pieces into four smaller pieces that would fit together. Also, this foam feels pretty firm at first, but it softens up the more you put weight on it, so my first trip out on this mattress was a little... hard. GET IT? It was still comfortable, but just not as comfy as I'm used to. My husband was impressed, especially with the roominess around the shoulders, so there's that.

 

[PK930]

Is this your friend and his/her Xterra?? This is the screen design I plan to use. I have all the ingredients--just need to set aside some time to work on it. I think it's a great design.

The only thing I'm trying to figure out is how to still have privacy while the windows are down. Suggestions are welcome.

Close, it was actually Brett but I think they got the ideas from one another.

As for privacy, how about the black privacy netting some people use on their fences? It should still allow air to pass through yet you have to right on top of t to see in.

 

[cuilleree]

As for privacy, how about the black privacy netting some people use on their fences? It should still allow air to pass through yet you have to right on top of t to see in.

Yeah, I'm thinking along those lines. Like a curtain, and something dark. The challenge is figuring out how to rig it up so it's easily stowable/deployable. I've done some poking around on the forums about this and have found surprisingly few ideas. I guess people don't cover their windows...?

 

[Ryan1975]

Yeah, I'm thinking along those lines. Like a curtain, and something dark. The challenge is figuring out how to rig it up so it's easily stowable/deployable. I've done some poking around on the forums about this and have found surprisingly few ideas. I guess people don't cover their windows...?

I've cut out screens for my rear windows. Hadn't even considered the coverings but think it's a great idea. I was thinking that I'd get vent visors and crack my windows down under the vent visor and that would be enough.

One other thought if it's just the two of you and dog, remove the rear seat bottoms. It's literally one minute of work / 4 bolts. That will give you over 6' of space and additional stowage space.

 

[cuilleree]

One other thought if it's just the two of you and dog, remove the rear seat bottoms. It's literally one minute of work / 4 bolts. That will give you over 6' of space and additional stowage space.

I hadn't looked into that, but it sounds like a good idea. I'm assuming they're easy to reinstall? I'm sure those extra inches would make a big difference.

 

[NuclearN8]

I hadn't looked into that, but it sounds like a good idea. I'm assuming they're easy to reinstall? I'm sure those extra inches would make a big difference.

there was a member in the 4th gen forum (not sure if the 5th gen uses the same 2nd row mounting configuration) that did a quick release 2nd row mod to his seats with pull pins. the seat bottom flip bracket stayed in place so a tool wasn't needed, but pulled the pin and rear seat bottoms were off.
I'll try to find it but if you look at the 5th gen setup and then look for pull pins i'm sure you could figure it out if you're interested in it

 

[Ryan1975]

I hadn't looked into that, but it sounds like a good idea. I'm assuming they're easy to reinstall? I'm sure those extra inches would make a big difference.

Yup...it's literally 1 minute of work to remove and/or install. The seat bottoms are fairly light so doesn't require a lot of brawn.

 

[cuilleree]

Yup...it's literally 1 minute of work to remove and/or install. The seat bottoms are fairly light so doesn't require a lot of brawn.

Thanks for this suggestion. I just did a road trip without the seat bottoms and it was GREAT! So much more head space when sleeping. You were right about how easy it was and how light the seats are. Appreciate the tip.

 

[cuilleree]

Best/Easiest build ever: SCREENS!

After almost dying of heat stroke on a hot, humid, mosquito-filled night in Idaho last month with the windows up (I'm not proud to admit that we bailed at 1am and drove to a Motel 6), I finally made screens for the windows so we could sleep with them open in buggy conditions without getting eaten alive.

I was originally going to do this design, but I didn't have much time and was feeling lazy, so I went even simpler.

Step One: Use newspaper to make a stencil of your window. I only did the front seat windows this time, so I only made one stencil and turned it over for the other window.

Step Two: Tape the stencil to the screen. I used black fiberglass screen.

Step Three: Cut around the stencil. Cut right through the tape. I made sure to leave a half inch margin just in case.

Step Four: Attach the screens to the outside of your windows using super strong magnets. Make sure to get it smooth so there are no gaps. Magnetic tape would be awesome for this, but if you're lazy and/or in a time crunch, this worked just as well.

Step Five: Enjoy a night of bug-free, fresh air sleeping in your truck. Seriously, it was the best return on a project that I've ever gotten. Sooooo worth it.

As for storage, I took an old laminated poster, taped it into a sturdy roll, and I wrap the screens around it. Then I roll another laminated poster over the top and secure with rubber bands. It's very sturdy, so it won't get crushed, but it's also small enough to stick somewhere out of the way when camping. I keep the magnets on my Console Vault.

 

[Rattlesnake44]

Great build so far! And thanks for some pretty nifty ideas. The platform/storage box will be my next mod for sure.