DIY 80 Series Bed Build (1 Viewer)

[morganmean80]

Hey guys hope everyone's well
I've seen a bit of discussion on beds inside their wagons as appose to swag or tent. Here are my thoughts on the matter, the pros and cons and how I made mine for roughly 30$. I love mine and provide a bit of info if your thinking of doing it yourself.

 

[AverageTanner]

I built a system out of a wooden pallet from work and used it for about a year until I got a roof top tent. I'm 6'3" so even with the front seats all the way forward it was still pretty cramped (I would usually sleep diagonally), even more so when my wife went on trips with me. I will say I never would have gotten the RTT if I was single and didn't have to worry about the wife's comforts!

 

[greentruck]

Ambulance doors and a stick shift...very cool. Nice video, covers the basics well.

All us tall folks (I'm 6'2") make it work, but it's even better if you're not so tall.

A couple of pros to add. You're up off the ground, which as you know in Australia puts you up above the deadly stuff that creeps on the ground. And it's less of a climb than a roof-top tent.

Yes, having a tailgate does offer several advantages. You mentioned it makes a great table. It also helps with kicking off the dust when crawling into the sack and I use a small folding metal step set (like used to reach upper cabinets in the kitchen) to make entering the back easier.

A tailgate also let's you use a tailgate tent, although I'm sure that something could be fabbed to use with barn doors. Here's a pic of ours, which I modified to fit better.

 

[retrofive]

Ambulance doors and a stick shift...very cool. Nice video, covers the basics well.

All us tall folks (I'm 6'2") make it work, but it's even better if you're not so tall.

A couple of pros to add. You're up off the ground, which as you know in Australia puts you up above the deadly stuff that creeps on the ground. And it's less of a climb than a roof-top tent.

Yes, having a tailgate does offer several advantages. You mentioned it makes a great table. It also helps with kicking off the dust when crawling into the sack and I use a small folding metal step set (like used to reach upper cabinets in the kitchen) to make entering the back easier.

A tailgate also let's you use a tailgate tent, although I'm sure that something could be fabbed to use with barn doors. Here's a pic of ours, which I modified to fit better.

I always enjoyed the truck condom setup when I had mine

 

[morganmean80]

Ambulance doors and a stick shift...very cool. Nice video, covers the basics well.

All us tall folks (I'm 6'2") make it work, but it's even better if you're not so tall.

A couple of pros to add. You're up off the ground, which as you know in Australia puts you up above the deadly stuff that creeps on the ground. And it's less of a climb than a roof-top tent.

Yes, having a tailgate does offer several advantages. You mentioned it makes a great table. It also helps with kicking off the dust when crawling into the sack and I use a small folding metal step set (like used to reach upper cabinets in the kitchen) to make entering the back easier.

A tailgate also let's you use a tailgate tent, although I'm sure that something could be fabbed to use with barn doors. Here's a pic of ours, which I modified to fit better.

Yes those are also very good pros hahaha, and I've never seen that idea with the tail gate that would be awesome

 

[morganmean80]

I built a system out of a wooden pallet from work and used it for about a year until I got a roof top tent. I'm 6'3" so even with the front seats all the way forward it was still pretty cramped (I would usually sleep diagonally), even more so when my wife went on trips with me. I will say I never would have gotten the RTT if I was single and didn't have to worry about the wife's comforts!

Yeah that's true, I've got the standard 80 (vinyl, barn door, 6 seater so maybe the spacing I have has to do with that, but even so if I didn't fit the plan was to leave the doors open and hang a fly screen from the roof

 

[amay3]

Ambulance doors and a stick shift...very cool. Nice video, covers the basics well.

All us tall folks (I'm 6'2") make it work, but it's even better if you're not so tall.

A couple of pros to add. You're up off the ground, which as you know in Australia puts you up above the deadly stuff that creeps on the ground. And it's less of a climb than a roof-top tent.

Yes, having a tailgate does offer several advantages. You mentioned it makes a great table. It also helps with kicking off the dust when crawling into the sack and I use a small folding metal step set (like used to reach upper cabinets in the kitchen) to make entering the back easier.

A tailgate also let's you use a tailgate tent, although I'm sure that something could be fabbed to use with barn doors. Here's a pic of ours, which I modified to fit better.

Looks great. What is the source for that tent?

 

[retrofive]

Looks great. What is the source for that tent?

DAC Tents

DAC Tent | DAC Tents As Low as $195 Delivered!

Here's the best place to buy a DAC Tent! If you have a Full-Size or Mid-Size Pickup Truck with a Cap ... or an SUV ... or a Mini-Van ... our DAC Tents will turn your vehicle into an elevated, dry and comfortable wilderness home for as low as $195 delivered!

dactent.com

You can find them on Amazon and whatnot.

 

[amay3]

DAC Tents

DAC Tent | DAC Tents As Low as $195 Delivered!

Here's the best place to buy a DAC Tent! If you have a Full-Size or Mid-Size Pickup Truck with a Cap ... or an SUV ... or a Mini-Van ... our DAC Tents will turn your vehicle into an elevated, dry and comfortable wilderness home for as low as $195 delivered!

dactent.com

You can find them on Amazon and whatnot.

Fantastic. I am 6'6" and the extended bed (tailgate) option looks very promising!

 

[retrofive]

Fantastic. I am 6'6" and the extended bed (tailgate) option looks very promising!

Maybe someone here can chime in. There is 2 sizes. One fit our 80 a little better, but I forget which. (I sold mine with the truck few years ago)

 

[ppc]

There is always this one from Spector Off Road but a bit pricey but covers all the windows and has screens.

 

[Bludozer]

Maybe someone here can chime in. There is 2 sizes. One fit our 80 a little better, but I forget which. (I sold mine with the truck few years ago)

I got the 'mid-size truck tent' and it fit very well. Here is a photo of it on my old truck. Like others have said, if I was single, I would have stayed with the rear platform set up for the foreseeable future. You can just keep a platform on one side and have all your gear etc. pushed to the other side. Set up time is negligible (even with the condom) and its very comfortable. With two people though, having to pull everything out every time just to get to sleep gets tiresome pretty fast.

 

[greentruck]

Looks great. What is the source for that tent?

I got mine from Campmor. Note that the size I ordered was "Full Size."

The mod I made to make it fit better was to add an extra panel underneath where the tailgate sits. It's made extra long so that the inner end of it hangs down once it encloses the bottom of the tailgate. That blocks the open area that would be under the truck so that when we put up our awning the room it forms is pretty well sealed off from flying bloodsuckers, etc.

We erect the awning to form a kitchen/living room that encloses the back of the truck.

We carry the bulk of our camping gear in the trailer. Depending on our plans and needs, we deploy however much of the whole rig we need on any particular night or trip.