Sleeping platform finished! (1 Viewer)

[aedgington]

First, I ask that you keep in mind my primary goal here was a sleeping platform, not storage drawers.

I basically made two contoured boxes and a removable platform, loosely based on the "Lynx Camper Expert" picture that someone had posted.

- wood is stained maple to match OE wood on steering wheel & console
- used 4 crown molding casing blocks as platform supports
- covered the removable platform in OE Lexus carpet from a trunk mat

Project cost was less than $100 in materials, not including Lexus trunk mat. If you don't count drying time on the stain, I'd say it took about 5 hours. I needed a drill, hand sander, circular saw, and table router to get the job done. A miter saw would have been nice.

 

[spressomon]

Looks great! Does the height of your new platform match the height of the middle seats when they are folded down (sure they do but just had to ask )?

 

[aedgington]

Looks great! Does the height of your new platform match the height of the middle seats when they are folded down (sure they do but just had to ask )?

Of course they do I also eventually plan to hard mount an inverter and marine battery (for my cpap) in each wheel well portion of the boxes...

 

[wareagle]

Looks very nice. I've been wondering what I should do on the LandCruiser. The wood looks quitre a bit better than what I did on my trooper. I did the troop's platform in steel. Its very sturdy and quiet, but would be a bit utilitarian in the LC. Might have to use some of spare hard wood flooring materioal and copy you design.

 

[aedgington]

It was definitely a labor of love. I'm sure someone else could have done it in half the time it took me, but I have ZERO woodworking experience other than deck work.

My router was actually bought a couple of years ago to install a cook top onto a corian counter, and my circular saw was bought to cut plywood for the infamous Houston hurrican scare.

This is very utilitarian w/ good looks, which was my main priority. This had, had, had to pass the Wife Acceptance Factor. I've tested 300lbs on the center of the platform w/ practically no bowing. The "frame" is made of pressure treated 2x4s leftover from some deck work. I also used speaker box carpet on and around the hinged areas to deaden the closing "thunk" and to cancel noise from them bouncing on speed bumps, etc.

 

[macneill]

Nice job! Looks great!

 

[94landcruiser]

I like it!

kudos!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[NMuzj100]

Did you have that trunk mat just lying around or purchase it for the project?

Looks great.

 

[aedgington]

oooh i got a compliment from macneill... i've spent a year now just hearing him crack on how my gold emblems suck

NM, I'm a car wholesaler; I had just planned to stain the platform & was making sure an ES330 had the spare before I sold it... then as I put the mat back down, I was like... hmmm... so I took it out before I sold it

 

[CrusrDug]

How about a pic with the seats down?

 

[aedgington]

CrusrDug, I'll try, but that is going to take some motivation... taking out the kiddie seat, etc... but I'll get to it.

 

[CrusrDug]

Understood! Just wanted to get a visual. Maybe just flip the side down without the seat.

Looks good! You can see your steering wheel in the pic!

 

[aedgington]

ok, that's not so bad then

 

[Googler]

Very cool and looks great...

What a timely post; I've been recently trying to design a sleeping platform that sits above the 2nd row and 3rd row seats when they're folded flat and you've given me some more ideas.

 

[DMX84]

That is very nice. Did you use the seat anchors to hold it down somehow?

 

[aedgington]

Nah, the boxes w/out the platform are heavy enough they don't rattle, and with the platform, nothing is moving, as it's a pretty snug fit.

I've done a few abrupt stops and everything is fine. With not securing the boxes & platform, I did end up going single piece middle platform rather than two piece.

I angled my cuts slightly on the 2x4 frame pieces to have the boxes slightly lean outward, to add stability when the center is removed.

I also built the frame on the outer edges of the seat mounts, so that if i did end up needing to secure it, I could just add eyes or hooks to the frame and be right in place to anchor... but I ended up not needing to do that.

 

[RumBum]

I had an 80-series that I threw something together for. Yours is much nicer and more of a finished product. I had my spare 35" tire, tool bag, tow strap, hi-lift and all sorts of other stuff under mine. The only problem was mine was a little higher than my rear seats folded down. That was where my feet went. It wasn't mounted to anything either. It was just equally supported and secured with the rear seats up. I had the power inverter back there as well. It was nice to have. I ended up selling that truck, but I had intended to build more of a box support system. Mine only took about an hour to get to where I ended at (not including drying time for carpet). It was also removed in about 5 minutes if necessary.

 

[wareagle]

One comment about the power inverters, what guage wire did you use? I had my inverter mounted to the platform, but had to relocate it closer to the battery.

 

[RumBum]

Gosh, I actually forgot what gauge it was. May have been about 4 or 6. Don't quote me on it. It was thicker than the amp power I had run back, and on the other side of the truck. It was a pain to run that is for sure. I'm sure some of the other guys know what gauge different power inverters require. It may have even been in the manual at the time. Never had any problems at full load either way. When in doubt, go the next gauge thicker... It is a heck of a lot easier to only run it once.

 

[aedgington]

Just got back from the Renaissance Festival. Things to note:

Putting a tarp on the truck sucks. It blocks the sunrise, but makes it damn hard to get in and out. I may try putting butcher paper or something on the windows next time instead.

Auto-locking sucks. When you try to get out at 3a.m. to go to the bathroom and the alarm goes off, you sure are unpopular.

The dome light turning on sucks when you unlock the truck, if someone else is sleeping with you.

There sure isn't much vertical room to get nasty.


====On the plus side====

Damn comfy sleeping on a queen size "bed".

Couldn't hear people pounding on drums 20 yards away.

Turning on the heater in the a.m. rocked.