Cargo area floor storage platform solution (prototype for 6th gen 4Runner) by American Adventure Lab

[AmericanAdventureLab]

Add another $80-140 for shipping. Just want folks to have an idea of the total cost and what expectations to be. AAL makes great stuff, I fitted my JL and Bronco with numerous items from AAL. Quality is top notch, Just be prepared at the checkout screen to be smacked with a big shipping charge.

Looking forward to seeing what the team comes up with products for the 6G 4Runner.

Thank you Shawn for the kind words and input! Unfortunately shipping is something we don't really have much control over. This type of product is often large, heavy, or both. Now, often times, the estimator that spits out that number overestimates and when we go to ship the order, it ends up cheaper by a great deal and we refund the customer that amount. Other times it ends up more, and we eat that cost. That just seems to be an unfortunate factor for us...

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[tms5153]

We are hoping to have our solution for the 6th Gen available soon. Here's an early prototype image. The production version will have access doors for the storage area under the platform, and possibly some mounting solutions for aux batteries or compressors under the floor.

Thanks! As of right now, its looking like 4-5in from the platform to the body floor.

Any plans for a MASS drawer storage platform that has a top flush with the folded seats and is sturdy enough to hold the weight of two grown adults and a mattress?

 

[mightysnopants]

Add another $80-140 for shipping. Just want folks to have an idea of the total cost and what expectations to be. AAL makes great stuff, I fitted my JL and Bronco with numerous items from AAL. Quality is top notch, Just be prepared at the checkout screen to be smacked with a big shipping charge.

Looking forward to seeing what the team comes up with products for the 6G 4Runner.

I like AAL stuff. I had a bunch of it on my Jeep JL and it’s very well made and not cheap ( not flimsy and is expensive) but you’re right, the shipping costs they choose to pass on to buyers are really high. I’ve purchased heavier bulkier item like bumpers, tire carriers, hoods, awnings, skid plates, bed covers where the shipping was either free or just less. I guess just cost of doing business

 

[AmericanAdventureLab]

Any plans for a MASS drawer storage platform that has a top flush with the folded seats and is sturdy enough to hold the weight of two grown adults and a mattress?

Yes, I know several people that sleep in their 4Runners, so I assumed this would be a pretty quick thought. They all have earlier generations that make this much easier for them. Unfortunately, Toyota changed the functionality of how the back seats fold, making this more difficult.

Either way, I plan to have a solution for this. It will just need to be a taller drawer/raised platform to get it to line up with the seat backs when they're folded down. What do you think? Would you rather have a big locking drawer that makes up that height, or just a raised platform that is open from the back, with maybe some access doors? The raised platform would likely be cheaper, but wouldn't have the finish and functionality of the drawer. Another thing to keep in mind is for it to be stand alone and bridge the gap on its own, it would likely have be be removed to fold the seats back up, as it would probably contact the seat back before letting the seat lock back, or possibly have some type of sliding/removable piece that would bridge the gap between the "riser" and the seat.

I've also planned for the addition of a rear seat delete that would line up with the platform. Likely available in sections so one could leave one side of the back seat in if they want. It would be a similar setup to what we have the Jeep JL/Gladiator.

 

[AmericanAdventureLab]

I like AAL stuff. I had a bunch of it on my Jeep JL and it’s very well made and not cheap ( not flimsy and is expensive) but you’re right, the shipping costs they choose to pass on to buyers are really high. I’ve purchased heavier bulkier item like bumpers, tire carriers, hoods, awnings, skid plates, bed covers where the shipping was either free or just less. I guess just cost of doing business

Yea, this is a very common conversation around the shop, as we ship heavy/large items quite often.

Its hard because we obviously don't make any money off shipping. The shipping company is going to charge us either way. So our options are to charge what it cost us to ship the item, or raise the price of the product by the most common amount to ship it, and then offer "Free Shipping". We just try to keep our prices as low as possible, and on most items, if we eat the $100+ dollars in shipping, we no longer have any margin on that product.

Its a tough one for sure. All we can do is try and be as diligent as possible on refunding any overpayment. It is very very rare that we'd reach out to a customer and charge them for additional shipping if there is any.

Thank you for the kind words about our products!

 

[tms5153]

Yes, I know several people that sleep in their 4Runners, so I assumed this would be a pretty quick thought. They all have earlier generations that make this much easier for them. Unfortunately, Toyota changed the functionality of how the back seats fold, making this more difficult.

Either way, I plan to have a solution for this. It will just need to be a taller drawer/raised platform to get it to line up with the seat backs when they're folded down. What do you think? Would you rather have a big locking drawer that makes up that height, or just a raised platform that is open from the back, with maybe some access doors? The raised platform would likely be cheaper, but wouldn't have the finish and functionality of the drawer. Another thing to keep in mind is for it to be stand alone and bridge the gap on its own, it would likely have be be removed to fold the seats back up, as it would probably contact the seat back before letting the seat lock back, or possibly have some type of sliding/removable piece that would bridge the gap between the "riser" and the seat.

I've also planned for the addition of a rear seat delete that would line up with the platform. Likely available in sections so one could leave one side of the back seat in if they want. It would be a similar setup to what we have the Jeep JL/Gladiator.

Sweet! Ideally it would feature a big locking drawer, but if not at least access doors would be a good alternative feature to have.

 

[Brian Day]

Very interested in this platform . Any progress @AmericanAdventureLab ?

 

[AmericanAdventureLab]

Yes! Check out the main post on our sponsor forum.

Here! Click me!

 

[AmericanAdventureLab]

Sweet! Ideally it would feature a big locking drawer, but if not at least access doors would be a good alternative feature to have.

Agreed, I'd like to do a big drawer as well, and we will, but I've had a lot of requests for a simple open storage area. I do like that idea as well, as you'd still be able to get to the access doors in the platform.

 

[Brian Day]

just finished installing their platform and I'm impressed ! Needed a few tweaks but that was expected with a brand new product . Highly recommend one if your looking for one . !

 

[Vincenzo]

I like the effort and not bashing. Larger access placed more aft. Needs a bed liner applied and attachment points.

 

[Nodak]

personally i dont think there will be a viable solution for doing this in a hybrid. you have 3-4in raised floor as it is on top of the non hybrid.

you would have to seriously cut into the cargo space to put anything viable for storage in there. and mounting is going to be hard since the battery pack is take up most of the non hybrid mounting points.

i would love to be wrong but at a back of the napkin look, i dont think its viable from a business perspective to cater to such a low client base wanting this vs the non hybrids.

 

[Brian Day]

I'm going to carpet it in the spring . Adhesive won't stick when it's this cold out .
Ordered bungee cord loops .

 

[AmericanAdventureLab]

I like the effort and not bashing. Larger access placed more aft. Needs a bed liner applied and attachment points.

Thanks for the input!
The access doors didn't work out well any further back, as they interrupted our mounting pattern and would have compromised some strength. I guess it's all relative to what you're trying to store in there, but they are plenty big enough for anything we've tried to put in there.

We sell this platform in numerous finishes including Mil-Spec coating which is literally the same product as LineX. Brian just happened to choose the Raw option.

There are a ton of attachment points across the whole area of our platforms on a 3"x8" grid pattern that matches up with all of our drawers and slides, or simply used with our Bungee Cord Loops.

 

[AmericanAdventureLab]

personally i dont think there will be a viable solution for doing this in a hybrid. you have 3-4in raised floor as it is on top of the non hybrid.

you would have to seriously cut into the cargo space to put anything viable for storage in there. and mounting is going to be hard since the battery pack is take up most of the non hybrid mounting points.

i would love to be wrong but at a back of the napkin look, i don't think its viable from a business perspective to cater to such a low client base wanting this vs the non hybrids.

I'm hoping to get my hands on one early next year. I'd love to incorporate some storage, but the main objective would be the ability to mount slides/drawers. I'm confident we can make an equally functional option for the Hybrids, it just may not use the same design style.

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