The most awesome sleeping/storage platform thread

[xxaarraa]

I have read many sleeping platform threads here and longed for one for a while. But my woodworking skills are only slightly better than my dog's, so I never attempted one. Till a very skilful friend of mine graciously agreed to help me. So we got started this weekend. This thread will chronicle all our awesomeness.

Here were my requirements:

• Have a storage drawer in the caro area
• Just one large drawer instead of the two that seem to be common, I wanted the versatility of a large drawer
• Extend out to the front to also make a sleeping platform - I do quite a bit of car camping
• Make effective use of the wheel well areas on either side - plan is to mount a Keurig, microwave and a cabinet to hold food and kitchen ware
• Do all the above without taking away anything from my 100 lb dog who likes to travel in comfort.

First, here are the threads I had printed out as reference - they are from various gen 4runners, I was just looking for ideas:

Hidden compartment
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/132202-rear-storage-drawer-project-4th-gen-4runner.html
Fold out leg - full length
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/97683-rickashays-sleeping-platform.html
Fold out leg - full length
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/85496-storage-cargo-drawer-sleeping-platform-system.html
Other
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/142011-cargo-box-sleeping-platform.html

Then we got started on my own. You can see from these sophisticated autocard drawings below that we aren't fooling around.

Followed by more precision template making.

Then came a trip to Home Depot. We got two sheets of 3/4" plywood, some screws, hinges. My friend already had heavy duty slides for the drawer.

What followed is a whirlwind of various saws. Band saw, Table saw, Router. My skilled friend was working so fast I could barely keep up taking photos.

Sanding, finishing.

The drawer / storage box coming together. We designed the floor to match the angle of the floor in the cargo area of the 4th gen. There is a weird upswent section right by the back seat.

After spending a lot of time getting the large top cut just right to go right across both wheel wells, we realized we couldn't get it into the car. So we cut out the side 'wings' and decided to work out a way of attaching them later.

Here is the final product for just the storage drawer.

 

[xxaarraa]

02-06-15 Update:

Fabbed up the front sleeping platform today.

• My rear storage platform is 38" long, and I wanted to maximize the length of the sleeping platform, which meant I could go as long as 71" since that's the maximum "rear seat bottom to hatch" length available in the 4R.
• However, if I just add a 23" sleeping platform AND I wanted it to fold on top of the storage platform, it wouldn't clear the ceiling height while folding.
• So I had to devise a bi-fold design, with each fold being 15.75" and I used 180 degree hinges to make this work.
• I also decided to use some trailer jack stands to support the fold out leaves of the sleeping platform. These are cast aluminum and pretty awesome in how light they are, as well as being infinitely height adjustable.

First, as usual, I started with very advanced and sophisticated auto-cad schematics.

It's still not done, I plan on adding another couple of hinges to reinforce, finish painting, adding some pull tabs to make fold and unfold easier, as well as add turnbuckles to bolt the storage platform down onto the truck floor.

What's next:

• Buy a thermarest self-inflating foam pad for sleeping on.
• Mount a Keurig mini and a 0.5 cu ft mini microwave on one of the wheel wells
• Mount a small cabinet/storage cubby on the other wheel well to hold coffee mugs, keurig cups, paperware, towels etc.

 

[xxaarraa]

Reserved for future use.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

No Memory Foam Mattress?! Fail!

J/K Good build!

 

[xxaarraa]

OK, here's an update. Got the platform bedlined. Two coats on the top of the platform and inside bottom of drawer, and one coat everywhere else.

Some goodies came in...

Next up:
Finish the fold out sleeping platform.
Mount the Keurig and microwave.
Mount "cross bars" across the caro area windows to create storage space.

 

[xxaarraa]

Mounted cross-bars in the rear cargo windows.

03-07-15:
Finished painting the storage platform, refined and reinforced the fold-out sleeping platform, added Keurig and Microwave, and refined the sleeping area for my dog.

With pet bed attached:

Without pet bed attached (what's underneath):

 

[Martinjmpr]

Microwave?

Are you planning on carrying a generator or do you always camp in places that have 120v AC service?

Also, microwave and a keurig but no fridge? And why a Keurig anyway? I get that it's convenient at home (I have one, too) but it sure takes up a lot of space. Also I don't know about yours but mine is very leaky. I wouldn't put it in a vehicle.

Interesting build but you seem to be making some odd choices. What kind of camping do you do?

 

[Refined]

This is one of the more interesting builds that I've seen. Can't wait to see the final product.

 

[McRib06]

:snacker:

 

[xxaarraa]

Are you planning on carrying a generator or do you always camp in places that have 120v AC service?

Also, microwave and a keurig but no fridge? And why a Keurig anyway? I get that it's convenient at home (I have one, too) but it sure takes up a lot of space. Also I don't know about yours but mine is very leaky. I wouldn't put it in a vehicle.

Interesting build but you seem to be making some odd choices. What kind of camping do you do?

I carry a Honda EU2000i with me when I go camping as well as when I camp at the racetrack.

I have the Keurig K10 mini plus. I don't think it takes up any room at all. I can't speak to whether it leaks, since I haven't mounted it in the car yet, but it only takes enough water to make one cup at a time, so I am going to guess it doesn't leak. We'll see though.

I thought about a compressor fridge. Would be very nice, my friend has an edgestar one. But those are very pricey, at over $4-500. For now, I just have a regular old cooler and dump some ice in it to keep the food cool on trips.

 

[zerowkul98]

Well, he's on Boston, im a few miles away in Worcester...and it's barely 5 degrees this morning...why the Keurig? I can think of a few reasons!:cheers:

Cool build! Nice shop too!

 

[m85476585]

How about a standard mini-fridge that uses a compressor? They are cheap, and maybe you could find one that's not too big? Check local colleges at the end of the school year and you can get some free/cheap ones. Some mini-fridges use thermoelectric coolers (TEC), but they are inefficient, and they don't even cool well.

If you can't find one small enough, you could probably modify a mini-fridge by taking the door off, removing some of the material there (like 6 inches all the way around), and re mounting the door to make a slim fridge.

Or maybe you could take the compressor mechanism out of a mini fridge and put it into a modified cooler?

If there's enough headroom, you should put some storage on the ceiling (headliner). An elastic cargo net, at least, would be good for soft or long items, or maybe you could hang drawers on one side to add storage but still keep headroom on the other side in case you want to sit in there for a while. If you don't need the full width of the platform, you could make one side into a mini kitchen, floor to ceiling.

 

[Net4n6]

Also I don't know about yours but mine is very leaky.

That what she said.

 

[fourwd1]

it sure takes up a lot of space. Also I don't know about yours but mine is very leaky.

That sounds like a personal problem.

 

[xxaarraa]

How about a standard mini-fridge that uses a compressor? They are cheap, and maybe you could find one that's not too big? Check local colleges at the end of the school year and you can get some free/cheap ones. Some mini-fridges use thermoelectric coolers (TEC), but they are inefficient, and they don't even cool well.

If you can't find one small enough, you could probably modify a mini-fridge by taking the door off, removing some of the material there (like 6 inches all the way around), and re mounting the door to make a slim fridge.

Or maybe you could take the compressor mechanism out of a mini fridge and put it into a modified cooler?

If there's enough headroom, you should put some storage on the ceiling (headliner). An elastic cargo net, at least, would be good for soft or long items, or maybe you could hang drawers on one side to add storage but still keep headroom on the other side in case you want to sit in there for a while. If you don't need the full width of the platform, you could make one side into a mini kitchen, floor to ceiling.

Thanks for the suggestions. I never thought about a standard mini fridge. I thought the automotive compressor fridges were built to retain the interior temperature when car is switched off? Are all compressor fridges the same or automotive fridges different somehow?

Can't touch the storage platform because of Mr. Fussball here.

 

[LC2013]

Thanks for the suggestions. I never thought about a standard mini fridge. I thought the automotive compressor fridges were built to retain the interior temperature when car is switched off? Are all compressor fridges the same or automotive fridges different somehow?



Can't touch the storage platform because of Mr. Fussball here.

 

[m85476585]

Thanks for the suggestions. I never thought about a standard mini fridge. I thought the automotive compressor fridges were built to retain the interior temperature when car is switched off? Are all compressor fridges the same or automotive fridges different somehow?

Yes, an automotive fridge will probably retain temperatures better than a mini fridge, but depending on what you need it for it might not matter?

Automotive fridges are probably designed to run on 12V. You would need an inverter or a generator for a standard mini fridge.

I think I remember reading that standard fridges need time for the refrigerant to settle down after moving them, so they might not work well on the move. I think they get bubbles in the system that make it work less efficiently or not at all. TEC fridges are solid-state, but a friend in college had one and it basically didn't work at all, so I can't recommend one.

Automotive fridges may be designed to work in a wider range of temperatures. A fridge can only maintain a certain temperature difference between the inside and outside, depending on the amount of insulation, amount of heat dissipation area, strength of the compressor, etc. If it gets too hot in the car, a standard fridge might only get down to 50-60 degrees.

It might be worth a try if you can get a mini-fridge for cheap. It probably won't work as well as an automotive fridge, but if it did, no one would be paying $500 for them. It might be better than no fridge, especially if you can run the generator a lot, have a place to plug in, or only keep stuff that doesn't matter if it gets warm, like drinks. Or you could use it like a cooler that needs less ice when it's plugged in, if there's enough insulation.

 

[eviele]

Can't touch the storage platform because of Mr. Fussball here.

That's a good looking dog sir.
Does he travel there in the back? It looks like it would be quite a leap to get up there. Ours is a little too short for that kind of jump.

 

[xxaarraa]

That's a good looking dog sir.
Does he travel there in the back? It looks like it would be quite a leap to get up there. Ours is a little too short for that kind of jump.

Thanks. He does travel there. He spends hours back there, as I take him on errands etc. and he hangs out in the back of the truck a lot.

Quite right, it is a multi-step process to get him up there. I have a pet step and have to boost him up from pet step to back bumper and from back bumper to top of platform. He was trained to jump in by himself before the storage platform, but now the training is worthless!

 

[xxaarraa]

Yes, an automotive fridge will probably retain temperatures better than a mini fridge, but depending on what you need it for it might not matter?

Automotive fridges are probably designed to run on 12V. You would need an inverter or a generator for a standard mini fridge.

I think I remember reading that standard fridges need time for the refrigerant to settle down after moving them, so they might not work well on the move. I think they get bubbles in the system that make it work less efficiently or not at all. TEC fridges are solid-state, but a friend in college had one and it basically didn't work at all, so I can't recommend one.

Automotive fridges may be designed to work in a wider range of temperatures. A fridge can only maintain a certain temperature difference between the inside and outside, depending on the amount of insulation, amount of heat dissipation area, strength of the compressor, etc. If it gets too hot in the car, a standard fridge might only get down to 50-60 degrees.

It might be worth a try if you can get a mini-fridge for cheap. It probably won't work as well as an automotive fridge, but if it did, no one would be paying $500 for them. It might be better than no fridge, especially if you can run the generator a lot, have a place to plug in, or only keep stuff that doesn't matter if it gets warm, like drinks. Or you could use it like a cooler that needs less ice when it's plugged in, if there's enough insulation.

Yeah, you are right. For this kind of compromise, I might as well just use my cooler. If I put ice in it, it holds it for up to 24 hours before ice melts, so I usually just refill the ice everyday and we are good. One day, I may get an automotive fridge, but to be honest, hot coffee in morning and being able to warm up frozen food is always more important to me while camping than freezing the food itself. Especially while winter camping up here in the north east, I just sit the cooler outside overnight and it refreezes any ice that has melted.

Here's a couple of pics from a most recent trip up to Maine.

This will no longer be necessary due to addition of Keurig!

This should no longer be necessary due to addition of microwave!