ISO Rear Cargo Area Sleeping Dims

[Cloven]

I am considering a 460 and seeking more information on sleeping two out of the back with the seats down. I found this post with helpful measurements of the cargo area already, now looking for three additional measurements:

1) The length from inside the rear tailgate to the back of the front seats. Ideally the range of length you can get by sliding the front seats forward vs driving position.

2) The interior width above the wheel wells if I were to construct a platform that rests on top of the third row cup holders for extra width.

3) The interior height above & below the top of the wheel wells, to understand room for storage underneath and headroom above said platform.

 

[r2m]

I am considering a 460 and seeking more information on sleeping two out of the back with the seats down. I found this post with helpful measurements of the cargo area already, now looking for three additional measurements:

1) The length from inside the rear tailgate to the back of the front seats. Ideally the range of length you can get by sliding the front seats forward vs driving position.

2) The interior width above the wheel wells if I were to construct a platform that rests on top of the third row cup holders for extra width.

3) The interior height above & below the top of the wheel wells, to understand room for storage underneath and headroom above said platform.

If you > 6', you'll need to scoot the front seats forward AND something to fill the space between the middle seats (when folded down) and the back of the front seats to continue your bed length.
Or just sleep in the fetal position all night.

 

[MeefZah]

1) The length from inside the rear tailgate to the back of the front seats. Ideally the range of length you can get by sliding the front seats forward vs driving position.

2) The interior width above the wheel wells if I were to construct a platform that rests on top of the third row cup holders for extra width.

3) The interior height above & below the top of the wheel wells, to understand room for storage underneath and headroom above said platform.

1) 80" with seats all the way forward

2) 54" wide right above the cupholders

I did not check #3 as I have a third row delete and my measurements would differ from non-deleted models.

A sleeping platform up top of the wheel wells would be tight as hell top to bottom. Like coffin-tight. Especially for two people.

I suggest to everyone who wants to do a sleeping setup to permanently rip out the third row and fab or buy a third row delete kit, and then take the 2nd row seats out as needed for your camping trips and replace them with a platform that lines up with the new hatch floor; which gives you ton of space and a ton of headroom to sit up in the back. Yeah - you don't get storage underneath your bed - but it hasn't been an issue for us over quite a few trips. There's always other ways to store stuff, minimize your gear, move it around to the front seats or roof at night, etc.

As an example, this is mine (shown with front seats all the way back, in driving position). My 2nd row seats can go in and out in about 20 minutes but honestly I just leave them out all the time now since no one ever sits in them anyway.

To fill in the gap left when the front seats are slid forward, I have a plywood "leaf" that drops in and allows the full 80" floor space which sleeps two of us on an ExPed Megamat.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

1) 80" with seats all the way forward

2) 54" wide right above the cupholders

I did not check #3 as I have a third row delete and my measurements would differ from non-deleted models.

A sleeping platform up top of the wheel wells would be tight as hell top to bottom. Like coffin-tight. Especially for two people.

I suggest to everyone who wants to do a sleeping setup to permanently rip out the third row and fab or buy a third row delete kit, and then take the 2nd row seats out as needed for your camping trips and replace them with a platform that lines up with the new hatch floor; which gives you ton of space and a ton of headroom to sit up in the back. Yeah - you don't get storage underneath your bed - but it hasn't been an issue for us over quite a few trips. There's always other ways to store stuff, minimize your gear, move it around to the front seats or roof at night, etc.

As an example, this is mine (shown with front seats all the way back, in driving position). My 2nd row seats can go in and out in about 20 minutes but honestly I just leave them out all the time now since no one ever sits in them anyway.

To fill in the gap left when the front seats are slid forward, I have a plywood "leaf" that drops in and allows the full 80" floor space which sleeps two of us on an ExPed Megamat.

Got any picks of that "leaf"? I'll leave the 40 of the 60/40 split for my kid but I had planned on something similar to what you described as a drop in solution for the 60 part.

 

[MeefZah]

Got any picks of that "leaf"? I'll leave the 40 of the 60/40 split for my kid but I had planned on something similar to what you described as a drop in solution for the 60 part.

I do - but it's not a leaf that splits side to side, it splits front to back. The platform that covers where the second row was is held down only by gravity, and held in place from lateral movement by two dowels that the platform drops onto. When I camp I move the front seats forward and I lift the platform off the dowels and move it forward and then drop it on a second set of holes which engage the dowels. I then set the leaf into the gap between the hatch platform and the second row platform which was created by moving the second row platform forward. If that makes sense?

No leaf:

Leaf:

No leaf:

Leaf:

 

[Cloven]

1) 80" with seats all the way forward

2) 54" wide right above the cupholders

I did not check #3 as I have a third row delete and my measurements would differ from non-deleted models.

A sleeping platform up top of the wheel wells would be tight as hell top to bottom. Like coffin-tight. Especially for two people.

I suggest to everyone who wants to do a sleeping setup to permanently rip out the third row and fab or buy a third row delete kit, and then take the 2nd row seats out as needed for your camping trips and replace them with a platform that lines up with the new hatch floor; which gives you ton of space and a ton of headroom to sit up in the back. Yeah - you don't get storage underneath your bed - but it hasn't been an issue for us over quite a few trips. There's always other ways to store stuff, minimize your gear, move it around to the front seats or roof at night, etc.

As an example, this is mine (shown with front seats all the way back, in driving position). My 2nd row seats can go in and out in about 20 minutes but honestly I just leave them out all the time now since no one ever sits in them anyway.

To fill in the gap left when the front seats are slid forward, I have a plywood "leaf" that drops in and allows the full 80" floor space which sleeps two of us on an ExPed Megamat.

Thank you for the insight, and sharing your design. Do you find the 43" between the wheel wells to be adequate width for two? Thinking of backpacking, I have a 25" sleeping pad and she has 20" which is already shoulder to shoulder in a tent.

Curious if you ever attempted a setup with the second row seats in place? It seems the only way to get adequate length in that format would be to build over the top of the second row seats when folded up vertical which would add a good bit of a height and may not be feasible for headroom, like my idea on top of the wheel wells/cupholders.

 

[jdam]

I did this. It would have been tight, and I would have brought a roof box for storage. Even with the deck between the cupholders, I would have already struggled with headroom. We've done two inflatable sleeping pads in between and it's possible, just tight.

 

[Cloven]

I did this. It would have been tight, and I would have brought a roof box for storage. Even with the deck between the cupholders, I would have already struggled with headroom. We've done two inflatable sleeping pads in between and it's possible, just tight.

View attachment 4012319


View attachment 4012320

View attachment 4012321

Could be an illusion but looks as though your platform height is about level with the wheel wells. Is there a reason you didn't extend it for extra width? How do you find the headroom?

 

[MeefZah]

Thank you for the insight, and sharing your design. Do you find the 43" between the wheel wells to be adequate width for two? Thinking of backpacking, I have a 25" sleeping pad and she has 20" which is already shoulder to shoulder in a tent.

Curious if you ever attempted a setup with the second row seats in place? It seems the only way to get adequate length in that format would be to build over the top of the second row seats when folded up vertical which would add a good bit of a height and may not be feasible for headroom, like my idea on top of the wheel wells/cupholders.

To the first question, yes, the distance between the wheel wells is fine for two. This section is generally where your lower body is so it doesn't need to be as wide (assuming you sleep head towards the front of the truck). Also you are kind of contained on the sides and I actually really like that - as a side sleeper I can scoot against the wall and it gives me some support that I don't get in a regular bed. Bottom line, plenty of room for two.

I never attempted a setup with the second row in place. The first mod I did was to rip out the third row and after that there was like a 6-8" height difference between the cargo floor and the folded down second row. That difference in height was insurmountable IMO (unless you built a drawer to occupy that space, which I did not want). Also, leaving the second row in means you have to engineer some sort of platform to go between the back of the first row and the folded down second row to be able to use that area (the second row footwell area ) otherwise it's just void space that you can't sleep on. That all just seemed like extra stuff I didn't want to deal with in my quest for the most available space with the least amount of Rube Goldberg engineering.

I'm not trying to sell you on doing it my way by any means. I just have used it a lot and I'm very happy with the way that it works. I see a lot of drawer systems that are really cool and a lot of platforms that are elevated that look awesome. But in the end this is simple and it gives you the maximum amount of both headroom and room to sprawl out.

 

[jdam]

Could be an illusion but looks as though your platform height is about level with the wheel wells. Is there a reason you didn't extend it for extra width? How do you find the headroom?

I wanted it relatively level with the highest point, which was the fridge. Even at that height, I couldn't sit up and I'm not tall. 5'9" on a good day.

 

[ducktapeguy]

Thank you for the insight, and sharing your design. Do you find the 43" between the wheel wells to be adequate width for two? Thinking of backpacking, I have a 25" sleeping pad and she has 20" which is already shoulder to shoulder in a tent.

Curious if you ever attempted a setup with the second row seats in place? It seems the only way to get adequate length in that format would be to build over the top of the second row seats when folded up vertical which would add a good bit of a height and may not be feasible for headroom, like my idea on top of the wheel wells/cupholders.

2 people is possible, but you'd have to be pretty friendly with the person in there with you. If you go backpacking then you're familiar with sleeping in cramped spaces. It's a little smaller than a backpacking 2 person tent, which are already cramped for 2 people. My big agnes tent is 88"x48" and I only use it when I'm camping solo.

I left the second row in place and built a drawer to level it out. The second row doesn't fold totally flat so it's not perfectly level but with a thick mattress it's not noticeable. IMO, I wouldn't go any higher than this with a sleeping platform. Even at this height it's slightly cramped but tolerable, a few inches lower would be nice. For any sleeping arrangement, the ability to sit upright is a HUGE factor when it comes to comfort. If you're over 6ft even this setup would probably be too short. Also, having a stadium seat/crazy creek chair is a back saver if you spend a lot of time in there. Sleeping on top of the wheel wells would be miserable, and you'd need to be a contortionist to get in and out.

I've never had a problem filling the space between the front seats and second row. I just throw all my bags in there and it fills up quick. I adjust the amount of bags I throw in there to use it as sort of a pillow. You can also extend the second row headrest for some support, but for me using bags is easier and more comfortable.

 

[MeefZah]

2 people is possible, but you'd have to be pretty friendly with the person in there with you. If you go backpacking then you're familiar with sleeping in cramped spaces. It's a little smaller than a backpacking 2 person tent, which are already cramped for 2 people. My big agnes tent is 88"x48" and I only use it when I'm camping solo.

I left the second row in place and built a drawer to level it out. The second row doesn't fold totally flat so it's not perfectly level but with a thick mattress it's not noticeable. IMO, I wouldn't go any higher than this with a sleeping platform. Even at this height it's slightly cramped but tolerable, a few inches lower would be nice. For any sleeping arrangement, the ability to sit upright is a HUGE factor when it comes to comfort. If you're over 6ft even this setup would probably be too short. Also, having a stadium seat/crazy creek chair is a back saver if you spend a lot of time in there. Sleeping on top of the wheel wells would be miserable, and you'd need to be a contortionist to get in and out.

I've never had a problem filling the space between the front seats and second row. I just throw all my bags in there and it fills up quick. I adjust the amount of bags I throw in there to use it as sort of a pillow. You can also extend the second row headrest for some support, but for me using bags is easier and more comfortable.



View attachment 4012639

I agree that head room is an under appreciated consideration for building a sleeping area. Being able to sit up is really nice.

 

[Cold Iron]

I agree that head room is an under appreciated consideration for building a sleeping area. Being able to sit up is really nice.

This! And great job on your sleeping platform.

I spent 20 years sleeping in Navy coffin racks, 77" long 27" wide and 17" high not sure I could even turn over in one now LOL

They will turn you into a slide sleeper for life as mentioned earlier back against the bulkhead and knee braced to help keep you from rolling out onto the deck from the ship rocking and rolling.

In the 70's- early 80's threw a mattress in my FJ55 and slept in the back all the time on the weekends in the woods. When I got the GX the Toyota dealer happened to have one on the showroom floor. The seats folded flat and it was a lot larger than I remembered.

An old mountaineering trick for camping at the approach area is to build a shelf ABOVE your sleeping area so that you have more head room. I did that in my Taco for 10 years. With a MX ARE topper so that I had more height, it also allows you to sit up and change clothes. General rule of thumb is to have shelf depth as deep as your pants inseam.

Last time I did that was for a 3 day weekend back when I was ~60. Eventually it gets a bit hard on the body no matter how you do it. You wake up one day to realize that you didn't work so hard and long to get to the top of the food chain to sleep in the back of your rig and hurt when you wake up. That is my story and I'm sticking to it, even though somehow I can now hurt myself sleeping in a bed some nights But for decades sleeping in the back was the way to go. For me.

Although preference and part of the evolution was eventually to pitch a tent when camping for more than a couple of days

With cots and even a wood stove when it was cold

Setting up and especially tear down is a lot of work especially in the rain or snow however.

 

[r2m]

I spent 20 years sleeping in Navy coffin racks, 77" long 27" wide and 17" high not sure I could even turn over in one now LOL

They will turn you into a slide sleeper for life as mentioned earlier back against the bulkhead and knee braced to help keep you from rolling out onto the deck from the ship rocking and rolling.

Were you a submariner? Even doing a couple tours of the Midway (Midway class, 1945 aircraft carrier), the last with our daughter a few years ago, which we have docked down here in San Diego, I thought I remember the racks being a we bit more spacious.
Maybe that's why I'm a CW3 in the Army!

 

[IanTxGX]

I have the Air Down Gear Up sleeping platform which rests on the back of the folded second row. I think it's 9-10 inches high.

It is tight for getting into and out of to go pee because the exit is either through the second row door or through the rear window. (I haven't added an interior release for the rear door yet.) If you sleep with the rear door open, it would be fine, especially if you have a strong overhead shelf or net to slide yourself in and out. Then, it would just be a 2man backpacking tent with end entry that is too short to sit up in.

I would not plan on putting a platform across the top of the cupholders and sleeping two people repeatedly unless there is a clear reason to do so such as the ground being muddy. On the other hand, y'all might be far more flexible and not have to get up to pee as often.

Coffin racks on a ship or tour bus work because there's a full length curtain to swing your legs out and somewhere to grab to leverage your way out.

 

[IanTxGX]

This platform is 69" long x 42" wide.

The vehicle ceiling is lower at the front and the second row seats slope up towards the front. This leaves 25" from platform to ceiling around where the top of my head goes if sleeping head towards front. A 3" pad and a pillow drops that further.

 

[Cloven]

View attachment 4017627
View attachment 4017629
This platform is 69" long x 42" wide.

The vehicle ceiling is lower at the front and the second row seats slope up towards the front. This leaves 25" from platform to ceiling around where the top of my head goes if sleeping head towards front. A 3" pad and a pillow drops that further.

Those measurements, particularly the height really put into perspective how tight it would be above the cupholders. Thanks for the insight.