🛠️ Member Build Rear Platform & Storage System

[Lagunatic4x4]

Any dudes or dudets looking for a platform or storage system for the rear cargo area? Sleeper platform, sliding drawers, sliding fridge, etc etc….Air Down Gear Up is about to officially release them! They worked with Ben from Dissent Off-Road on their new LC250 and worked with me for the GX550. It’s SUPER LEGIT!

Here’s an awesome teaser video from Instagram:

 

[Bluegill]

I've looked at their platform systems for the LC. Very nicely done....but holy shit, they are expensive. $8K+ for a sleeping platform with drawers and slide-out cutting boards!

 

[Lagunatic4x4]

I've looked at their platform systems for the LC. Very nicely done....but holy shit, they are expensive. $8K+ for a sleeping platform with drawers and slide-out cutting boards!

I don’t believe you have to spend that much. They aren’t cheap either, but the craftsmanship and service are top-notch! Let me know if you want to explore a system again and I can intro to the owners.

 

[Bluegill]

Oh, I'll bet the craftsmanship is top notch. The more basic system I'd want is Sliding Sleeper Platform with two standard drawers and one slide out table on passenger side drawer, no cutting board. $5044.

 

[Lagunatic4x4]

Oh word. Any other options out there? Or nothing that’s within budget + quality? Also, where are you located? Happy to show you my setup if you’re close (Central Texas).

 

[Redfish88]

Built my own for $500 and 2 days.

 

[Bluegill]

That looks really nice - you know we need more pictures and info!

 

[Redfish88]

That looks really nice - you know we need more pictures and info!

I will take some more pictures this weekend and what I used to build it.

 

[nopantz]

I ran across this product which the owner claims the wide seat will easily accommodate the solo, and both down will accommodate the duo. No need to remove the seats. The extended legs will arch over them and into the footwells.

Car Camping - Hele Box

Car camping platform that fits in most SUVs/trucks. Lightweight, versatile and converts your daily driver into a car camping rig in under 5 minutes. See if we've already test fitted your vehicle!

heleoutdoors.com

Car Camping Platform

Lightweight car camping platform that fits in most SUVs/Trucks. Easily set it up for your adventure, then conveniently pack it away in the compact case when you need your daily driver back!

heleoutdoors.com

Haven't looked closely at this yet https://www.rei.com/product/229077/rei-co-op-trailgate-vehicle-sleeping-platform

 

[Bluegill]

That Hele Box Duo looks great.

Constructed size is 72" x 40"

The Overtrail rear cargo area with rear seats folded in half (not tumbled forward) is 43" wide at the narrow point between the wheel wells and, on my truck, 74" from the back of the driver's seat in normal driving position to the inside of the cargo door.

I might have to check this Hele Box Duo out further. The only way to know for sure is to buy and try. The REI platform in your link appears to no longer be sold, I can't find the double option, maybe they are still selling some singles. I want a double option for more room for me, and to accommodate the wife when we are camping together. But mainly for me!

 

[nopantz]

I like the idea of the 40" which you could use with a standard twin 3" foam pad, but I ordered the solo 25" so I have room around the platform. While you store stuff under, I didn't want to count on easy access while the hatch is shut. On the other hand, I hope I don't feel like I'm falling off the solo platform! I occasionally get that feeling on a tall mattress pad.

For a couple, the 40" is going to be tight. Likely to use a tent at that point, especially if the dog is with us.

 

[Bluegill]

LOL....I just read your username out loud, nopantz!

 

[nopantz]

LOL....I just read your username out loud, nopantz!

Same as its license plate. My other license plate is nohandz, for the Tesla.

 

[Bluegill]

I like the idea of the 40" which you could use with a standard twin 3" foam pad, but I ordered the solo 25" so I have room around the platform. While you store stuff under, I didn't want to count on easy access while the hatch is shut. On the other hand, I hope I don't feel like I'm falling off the solo platform! I occasionally get that feeling on a tall mattress pad.

For a couple, the 40" is going to be tight. Likely to use a tent at that point, especially if the dog is with us.

nopantz, did you ever receive the solo platform in the link you provided?

Hele Box (narrow)

 

[nopantz]

It doesn’t ship until November

 

[Bluegill]

Yeah, I dug a little deeper into the Hele Box website and I see it's a pre-order thing with shipping in late November but "aiming for sooner!"

Hele Box Duo platform

There will be plenty of room in the GX550 Overtrail front-to-back for this 72”-long platform. For my driving position, I have about 76” to 77” of length between the driver’s seat back and the inside of the rear cargo door. The seat slides forward plenty (a good 8-10") but the limiting variable is the center console which is 80" from the rear cargo door. The 24"-wide single platform will obviously fit width-wise and so will the Duo platform. The Duo is 40” wide and the width between the narrowest point in the cargo area is 43”.

The length and width of the platform will fit but I was wondering if the layout of the legs on the platform would work, and if the adjustable lengths of the legs would work. So, I worked up a quick sketch of the rear cargo area (Overtrail, no third row seats). These measurements are with the thick Overtrail rubber rear cargo mat installed. See the image below.

The Hele website and their videos say the range of adjustability in the platform legs lets you go from a floor-to-top-of-platform-frame measurement of about 8.75" to 14". I’m assuming the frame tubes are about an inch in diameter so the real adjustability is about 7.75” to 13” to have the frame clear something like the seat back. And you can adjust in 0.5" increments.

The spacing of the three pairs of legs on the platform should work fine. The length between the rear-to-middle and middle-to-front legs should work, with the middle pair of legs falling right into the dip in cargo floor immediately behind the second row seats. Note that the platform frame is 72” long with the front and rear legs set in about an inch and I’ve assumed that the middle pair of legs is in the middle of the frame, or 36” from the front and rear.

The limiting variable for the length of the legs to work is the height of the forward edge of the second row seat when the seats are folded “flat”. They don’t really fold flat – the forward edge is a bit higher than the rear edge. The forward edge is 19” above the second row footwell floor. The level line of the forward edge is about 13.5” above the dip in the cargo floor directly behind the second row seat. Note that the 19” measurement is really 19-1/8” but the folded seat will compress when you’re lying on it – it may compress a couple inches. So technically that 13.5” height measurement behind the second row seat is about 1/2” over the max adjustability of the platform legs but it should hit the floor when the folded seat is compressed.

I initially wondered how the forward legs would reach the second row footwell floor (with max adjustability of only about 13”). Then I realized that the platform kit comes with 6 short legs (the normal legs) and 2 extended legs. The extended legs go up front and their adjustability range is 14” to 25”. We need about 18” or 19” on the front legs so we are within range. On another note, you could probably also just leave the front legs off and let the frame rest on the folded seat back, but this would probably dig into the seat back over time and wouldn’t be as stable.

They also sell little stubby legs that adjust from 4.5" to 6.5" for little cars like Suburus where headroom is in short supply. Note that they also sell a pair of longer legs for $39. If the middle legs end up being an inch short in the GX550, then a pair of longer legs for the middle location would solve that problem.

I think I’ll order the Hele Duo today.