I built it tall enough where the 3rd row cup holders in the cargo area keep it from tipping. I did also use some turnbuckles to hold it to the tie downs built into the floor as an extra precaution. Mainly to keep it from sliding forward if the seats are folded.
Thats a great idea. I've been considering removing the rear seats and expanding the storage system with additional options through the rear doors on both sides. We still have 2 teenagers at home but they rarely ride in my 4runner. We most often take my wife's highlander when we the boys come along. That being said there are those occasions where I need it to be more than a 3 seater.
Yes it was. I used the rustolium bed liner for the durability factor. It took way more than I expected to get it all painted. Went through 5 extra large cans at $20 each. Doing it over again I would look into a different product. It is holding up nicely. I just got home from an adventure to Outlaw Canyon in the Big Horn mountains. It's a very rough road with lots of washboards and uneven bedrock that beats the crap out of you the whole time. Had gear sliding around on it and it came out unscathed. Nothing rattled loose either which in the end was one of my biggest big fears.
Yes I’ve been meaning to put that together and post it. I’ve put the setup through the motions a handful of times and am confident it will hold up. I used 2020 when I built my setup not realizing 8020 would be a better material. Even so I have had zero issues with it. I suffer the random squeak every once a while, but even doing some 4x4 trails last weekend it wasn’t that often. I have some issues with the fridge slide and need to modify that setup. It’s related to the slides. I should have used the same ones I did on the drawer. It doesn’t lock and I had to put bolt slide on it to hold it closed.
I was going with carpet initially as well and figured out that I wouldn’t be able to wrap it around the edges and have clearance for the install. I like the look of yours with the carpet better and might have to fashion some sort of mat.
Yeah I've got it all set up for that. I am using a Luno Life Foam Air Mattress which fits perfectly and a Rumpl sherpa blanket. It's a super comfortable sleep setup. I just installed the Caliraised internal rear molle panels and upper shelf. I haven't gotten a chance to set it up completely but I have a tablet holder that will place my iPad like TV so I can kick back and watch it hands free.
How did you mount the fridge?? Really like this set up and getting all material written down to order.Endeavoring to find a way to have the whole back of my 4runner be level with the seats folded down I decided to try and build a platform. I love the way my wife's highlander folds completely flat when the seats are down. It facilitates hauling crap around so much better than the way my 4runner does. I wanted to simply build a frame and then lay plywood across it and the over the seats up to the back of the front seats. Being an expereinced DYIer with loads of wood working experience my first thought was to build it out of plywood. The issue with this is the weight and bulkiness of framing it out. I want to be able to pull it out and stash it without a lot of effort.
A couple years ago when I rebuilt our deck the railing was all made out of aluminum and I loved how it turned out. I was able to cut it with my Milwaukee miter saw using a blade suitable for aluminum. It was easy to work with and it was absolutely square and lightweight. At the local makers space they use a lot of 2020 extruded aluminum to build frames for the robotics club. It looked pretty straight forward and it is relatively affordable so I decided that would be a ticket. The guys down there were helpful and gave me the amazon links they use to get the material and the little hardware kits. Apparently it can support up to 2300 lbs or something so it's tough stuff.
Now, I am a complete noob when it comes to working with metal and I have definitely learned a few lessons on this project. You can't think like a wood worker when you're using this stuff it's like building legos. If I had take that into consideration it would have been far less of a learning curve. The hardware required is diverse and you really have to puzzle it all out as you go. That being said I would definitely do it differently had I known what I know now. I wouldn't use the 2020 that they use at the makers space it works but it isn't ideal. I would use 8020 which I learned is more industrial and people build their camper vans out of it. By the time I waded into this I had gone too far down the path to change my material. So I am stuck with the 2020 unless I scrap it all and start over and that is not happening.
I also evolved this project from just being a platform to being more modular. I want to be able to stick my ICECO fridge back there and also have a locking drawer to keep my work tools and camera gear out of sight and more secure. I took some measurements and jumped on my drafting program and came up with this design. I measured everything to account for the 3/16" the 3 way corner brackets require to fit and create the joints. On the top view that is the thicker black lines in the corners. Turns out there are square 3 way connectors that make this way easier that I didn't find out about unit I was already collating crap together.
This also sits higher up against the back seats so that when the 3/4" plywood is connected it rests on the seats and is level with the plywood that is part of the drawer system. I've also had to double up the frame on the bottom so that the drawer can clear the rear bottom trim.
UPDATE WITH FINAL PAINTED FORM:
I also have everything painted and mounted ready to go. Just have to tie down the fridge and chase rattles which.
