rear cargo/sleeping platform

[Seanz0rz]

so ive gotten started designing my cargo box for the rear of my 4runner. as i have the sub box on the right side of the vehicle, im having to plan around that.

here is what i have so far:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/cargobox.jpg

in the upper right, that round cutout is for reference at this point. i need to go back and take more measurements, i might even cardboard template this so i can know exactly how much room i have.

im limiting the height to 10 inches.

you will notice on the side of the longitudinally mounted piece there is a cut out, that is for the cross piece that has cross joints. the drawers that im working on now will be 24 inches deep, on 100 pound full extension slides

[neliconcept]

looks good, I may leave my big sub box in with my runner now when I trade and swap parts with the black 00 sport 4x4 and wanted to do a sleeping platform with side sub box.

you going to drawer all of it or just some and throw plastic boxes in the rest of the spaces?

[Seanz0rz]

im going to put drawers.

the upper compartments(pic to come) will be for more secure storage of rarely used stuff. you will have to drop the rear seats to access those pockets.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/cargobox2.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/cargobox3.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/cargobox4.jpg

more accurate depiction of the top as cut around the inside trim

[Seanz0rz]

so what am i missing here? what should i improve on?

i havent had a chance to get to my truck and finalize all the drawings. its parked up at the top of the hill. how should i design the front wings for sleeping? im going to make them independant so i can have one seat down and the other up.

[reggie 00]

Just a thought. What about the space in front?

On mine i made a drawer, and in the front section is a storage compartment. This can be accessed with the seats up or down. use it for things not normally needed.

I will try to re post my platform here later this week.

[SD4runner]

Looks good and simple. I like.

Here's some pics of mine. I made it so I could fit a surfboard underneath though. I think for camping I will be making a drawer possibly, but, I kind of like just having it open.

I used turnbuckles on the side, and hooked them to the two hooks near the wheel wells to anchor. Also used some piping with screw-ins for front end support w/o taking up space.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v346/sc4runner/back5.jpg

[Seanz0rz]

how are you guys managing the folding front?, sd4runner, is yours a fixed length and you remove it when you need the rear seats?

my drawers are more for tools, trail stuff. as this is really my oh-no-another-earthquake-took-out-the-freeways vehicle, i keep my stuff in the truck at all times. this way they will be hidden, etc.

im not quite sure about my clearance with my subwoofer. i think i might have to abandon the right drawer for some other idea. im kinda kicking myself for putting it back there in the first place, but i dont know where else to put it. my cargo box must come out on its own. so i cant put the sub in there.

[GSGALLANT]

This is my set up: CLICK HERE (http://www.flickr.com/photos/10599256@N04/sets/72157601049000249/). If I can make a suggestion, you could put flip up doors or access hatches on the top side of your platform to get to those front storage compartments.

[SD4runner]

I took out the back seats. ;)

If I had to keep the seats in, I'd make a seperate section to take out when the seats were up. When I wanted the full sleeping platform, id put the section in.

I have no problems getting into the center section without pull-out doors. I tried to keep it simple as possible, with the most structure I could. I used thick, high quality plywood. I loaded up with 300+ lbs of camping gear a few weeks ago and went on a 100mile dirt road through Baja and had no issues. Throwing in some extra doo-dads might be worse in the end, unless you know what your doing, (and I dont) haah.

[carljackson47]

Putting a drawer would be better to make your toolbox and some other tools for your Toyota be in a safe place on the rear cargo. The drawer top could be good for resting too.

[troyboy162]

just my 2 cents but anyone making one should keep in mind weight. mine is not much more then a deck held up by a couple legs and two small car stands. the deck is made from 3/4 plywood to get away with less sopports but this also makes it very heavy.

also i hinged mine but never actualy use the hinge to get at things. its tall enough that i just slide things under it from the back and sides

when you are done...this is Cadillac camping! you will have all the storage space you need with some clever packing and a bed that cant be beat.

[04 Rocko Taco]

I keep coming back to the idea of putting a topper and a setup like this in my Tacoma. I feel like drawers for the rear most half of the deck are great, the front half should be open storage space, as this will be pressed up against the back seats, or the front of the truck bed, in my case, I think cut the deck itself in half, and use a heavy duty piano hinge of some sort, so that the front of the platfrom will fold back 180* onto the rear half of the deck, and allow access to storage in the front.

NOTE: the platform should not be exactly in half in my mind, as this will create problems on where to position yourself while opening the front half. Maybe a 1/3 of the platform should be total size for front fold up portion.

[snowboarder919]

heres a pretty well made one i found that has a sleeping platform as well

http://www.yotatech.com/f129/skyrat-s-rear-cargo-box-sleeping-platform-3rd-gen-4runner-76673/