Rear Double deck storage system

[Boort]

[MENTION=595447]wiz329[/MENTION]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I really like how you made the drawer a single unit and increased the height.

A couple follow-on questions:
(1) What is supporting the wings? Are there vertical supports somewhere? It looks like you have a front panel in your plans, but I didn't see one in the picture (https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3162774-post63.html) you posted (I'm guessing it was just temporarily moved at the time?)
(2) Was the increase 2" height of the drawer box to make the entire platform level when you insert the front panels resting on the front seats? How precise did this have to be?
(3) How did you translate the sketchup designs onto the cardboard template? A projector scaled 1:1 using a ruler on the projection PDF?

If you've got a cut list or any plans that incorporated the modifications you made and wouldn't mind sharing, I could definitely make good use of them. Love the look and functionality of what you put together.

Thank you.

1) What is supporting the wings? Are there vertical supports somewhere?
It looks like you have a front panel in your plans, but I didn't see one in the picture you posted (I'm guessing it was just temporarily moved at the time?)

The wings (parts that fill in the sides between the top of the box sides of the 4Runner) are fully supported by a 1"x1"x35" hardwood cleat attached to the side of the box. There is another standoff cut to fit the top curve of the Wheel well on the bottom of each wing keep it flat and level. The support cleats also serve as very nice handles when removing the unit.

You can see a couple of circles on the wings in the Sketchup renderings where I had intended to use Euro hinges like in the Original plans. But I decided that I did not want the wings attached. so Now I can just lift them up and get at what ever is stored inside.

Regarding the front panel, It's there, but I cut 2 big rectangular holes in it to lose about 2 lbs and give me more access when tightening screwing the screws for the drawer slides. The box is ~36" deep and there would have been no way to mount the slides after gluing up the box w/o the holes in the front panel. You can see the holes in this rendering and if you look closely in some of the pics of the sleeping platform.

(2) Was the increase 2" height of the drawer box to make the entire platform level when you insert the front panels resting on the front seats? How precise did this have to be?

Not considered in my planning. The 2" height increase was, along with many of the other changes to the plans, to ensure that my gear would fit in the drawers. I have a backpack that I've used for nearly 20 years. That I love and take with me all of the time. One drawer needed to be able to hold it fully loaded. The other drawer holds other camping and recovery gear.

The seat bottoms when folded up are about 1/2-3/4" higher than the top of the box. You don't need to be terribly precise. Just make sure that the seat bottoms are tilted further than 90*, so the down weight tries to push them towards the front of the car. You have a lot of adjustment regarding where you position the front seats, which bear against the folded rear seat bottoms. My sleeping platforms are actually about 2" too short! compared to my original plans. If you are taller than 6" I think you could make them up to 5-6" longer to give you more headroom. I think I get about 73-74" which is just enough for my 6' to fully lay down. Since I had enough room, I did not want to go and buy another sheet of plywood for that 2" so I just move the front seat back to position the rear seat bottom where it needs to be to support the weight.


(3) How did you translate the sketchup designs onto the cardboard template? A projector scaled 1:1 using a ruler on the projection PDF?

Nope, just printed full scale and taped the pages together. It can be a pain in the a$$ to get right due to how Sketchup prints. Here is a good video on the process that I used:
Full Scale 1:1 Printing from SketchUp | Multi-page output - YouTube

One thing that I did, that was not in the video was to draw a few squares that were across the places where sketchup was going to split the page. That way I could measure each square and ensure the tape up job was correct and I did not add any skew or taper between the pages. This is overkill for the wings but old habits die hard. I also cheated a bit since I still had the cardboard templates with those line measurements discussed earlier, that were used to create the Sketchup model. So I was able to pull them out and verify the curves in the plan were good. This is only really an issue if you were going to CNC the parts. Since my local makerspace closed up shop I no longer have access to a 4x8 cnc router :'( . If you are cutting by hand it's really a matter of cut outside the line then sand to fit. Since I carpeted the wings and box there is a ~1/8"- 1/4" of room for error before anything gets noticed.

I likely still have the sketchup model as it exists in the renders above. I've not updated it to how I actually built it. I'd be happy to share the SKP file but before I do, I'd like the Ok from Adam ( [MENTION=96727]bagelsjustbagels[/MENTION] ) since my design was based so heavily on his work and parts list.

Boort

 

[wiz329]

[MENTION=210827]Boort[/MENTION]

I likely still have the sketchup model as it exists in the renders above. I've not updated it to how I actually built it. I'd be happy to share the SKP file but before I do, I'd like the Ok from Adam (@bagelsjustbagels) since my design was based so heavily on his work and parts list.

Boort

Thanks much, appreciate it. Have you noticed any sleeping discomfort from the sleeping panels not being 100% level with the top of the drawers? Or would there be any downside you could foresee from making the drawers an extra 0.5" or so to bring everything closer to being level?

Also, if you've got any further pictures of the new drawer fronts, would love to see those as well.

 

[Boort]

[MENTION=210827]Boort[/MENTION]

Thanks much, appreciate it. Have you noticed any sleeping discomfort from the sleeping panels not being 100% level with the top of the drawers? Or would there be any downside you could foresee from making the drawers an extra 0.5" or so to bring everything closer to being level?

Also, if you've got any further pictures of the new drawer fronts, would love to see those as well.

[MENTION=595447]wiz329[/MENTION]

No sleeping discomfort. The small difference is no big deal as the change is spread out over ~35". I sleep on top of my Klymit backpacking mattress so it's absorbed even further. When camping I'm seldom able to find a place where my truck is parked level. Generally even when I stack rocks under the low tires I'm more than 1/2" out of level front to back, side to side, or Both.

At any height it can be hard to move about on top so for me every 1/2" is welcomed. So far I've only used the sleeping platform solo. It's possible to sleep 2 on this setup. But you'll need to be traveling light. I generally put all of my gear in the passenger seat and on the 40% side then sleep on the 60% side. I'll leave the small back seat set up so I have more room to swing my legs out and into my boots. Make sure you have easy access to your key fob to unlock the doors, before opening a door, so the fn horn does not go off. (Not sure if this is a standard "feature" on 4th gens or part of the Dealer addon Security system that is installed on mine. IIRC the horn does NOT stop beeping until you START the fn truck!) It was not fun to learn that it rearms itself when unlocked, with you inside, while camping in Ouray during FJ Summit! Very few things ruin a morning of camping than being the dude who wakes up everyone in the backcountry with your car horn going off.

Sorry no new pics of the updated drawer fronts. I've had limited access to the shop tools due to the current situation so all of my updates have been on paper and trying things out in Sketchup. The fronts from the plan and the little side "block offs" are sitting in the garage waiting for me to decide just what I want to do exactly.

The good news is I took the time to update the SKP to the current setup. Including the updates we've discussed on this and other threads.

Boort

 

[AuSeeker]

[MENTION=595447]wiz329[/MENTION]


I likely still have the sketchup model as it exists in the renders above. I've not updated it to how I actually built it. I'd be happy to share the SKP file but before I do, I'd like the Ok from Adam ( [MENTION=96727]bagelsjustbagels[/MENTION] ) since my design was based so heavily on his work and parts list.

Boort

I'm just replying to edit part of the quote above, I put a space between Adam's user's name and the parentheses so it mentions him properly, without the spaces it doesn't notify him that he was "mentioned" and thusly he will miss your post.

 

[wiz329]

[MENTION=210827]Boort[/MENTION]

Thanks. How thick is your mattress? I was thinking about getting a [foldable] memory foam mattress to put on top of the platform, likely 6-8" or so. Too cramped?

 

[wiz329]

I'm just replying to edit part of the quote above, I put a space between Adam's user's name and the parentheses so it mentions him properly, without the spaces it doesn't notify him that he was "mentioned" and thusly he will miss your post.

How do you properly tag people? I had to manually look up the profile ID in my response above. I imagine there's a much more efficient way of doing this.

 

[xtremewlr]

How do you properly tag people? I had to manually look up the profile ID in my response above. I imagine there's a much more efficient way of doing this.

Put an @ in front of the username.
[MENTION=595447]wiz329[/MENTION]

 

[Boort]

[MENTION=210827]Boort[/MENTION]

Thanks. How thick is your mattress? I was thinking about getting a [foldable] memory foam mattress to put on top of the platform, likely 6-8" or so. Too cramped?

My mat is about 3" when inflated. It is the older version of this one ( Klymit Static V Luxe Ultralight Camping Sleeping Pad - Klymit )

Yes I think that 6-8" would be overkill. An 8" mattress would put you at the same level as the bottom of the rear window. This would would leave very little room on top. Also a memory foam mattresses of that size would be very heavy. The full platform is roughly a queen size so you'd be talking about 80-100 lbs for the 8" mattress, maybe more. I know my memory foam mattress at home is way more bulk and weight than I'd like to deal with on the trail.

In the A-frame camper I have 4" mattresses made from 2" high density eggcrate foam, topped with 2" memory foam that I cut from a king bed topper. They are comfortable and the eggcreate helped to lighten the mattress over using all memory foam.

Boort

 

[Boort]

Thanks [MENTION=149207]AuSeeker[/MENTION]

I fixed it in my original post as well.

Boort

 

[blackjackck]

I didn't build them. Bought them used from a 5th gen owner and just painted them to clean them up, they ended up fitting perfectly under my rear deck lid. Its such a tight fit that the deck lid holds them in place pretty much.

It measures 41" wide x 30" long x 9 1/4" tall.

This looks great, I have 2 questions:
1) could tell but does the sides fit snugly against the wheel well?
2) you mentioned that the Double Decker fits right on top of the shelf, you would you say that its now strong enough to sleep on top of the double decker if you build something to go over the 2nd row and extend from the double decker shelf?

 

[BoostinZX]

This looks great, I have 2 questions:
1) could tell but does the sides fit snugly against the wheel well?
2) you mentioned that the Double Decker fits right on top of the shelf, you would you say that its now strong enough to sleep on top of the double decker if you build something to go over the 2nd row and extend from the double decker shelf?

Sorry I just saw this thread quote!

1) It doesn't fit super snug side to side, there is a small gap on either side but haven't measured exactly.

2) I would think that its strong enough, but the top shelf isn't solid so there's a chance it would break it depending on the weight on top but it would only collapse about an inch if that makes sense before the drawer system would catch it. I'm sure you could devise a way to make it stronger under there to be more form fitted with the shelf or just take it out completely.