Do you need the back row seats? Removing them gets you 4” of headspace
Car Camping Solution
- Thread starter Marinna
- Start date
Yes. The camping solution would be a three or four times a year thing for me. If I were constantly running down to Baja, I’d do the wood solution from the company in San Diego. Looks like a pretty solid solution, but for the amount of times I’d actually use it, doesn’t make sense for me.
- Moderator
- #83
My issue was, I could definingly feel the transition from the mattress to the hard back of the folded seat, too uncomfortable for my taste. I fabricated a 4" platform out of extruded alum and laid up a carbon fiber deck, the new mattress touches the back of the front seat and the closed rear hatch, so fills up the entire available length. I notice a very slight incline at the head, but very comfortable now.
Total cost somewhere around $250-300 bucks
This is great and I really like how you've put the OEM mat over the top and can leave the cubbies open for easy access! It makes it look totally integrated. Any chance you drew up any plans/measurements to share? Curious what shape the supports are under the platform.
That sounds like an exceptional solution. Pretty light and easy to move in and out when it’s not used? That’s really the only thing that would prevent me from doing the wood version from the San Diego company, that one seems like a great solution if I were using it every month, but that’s really not my intention
- Moderator
- #86
It weighs less than 15 lbs. I made some anchor points, utilizing the factory hybrid battery hold down bolts, and fasten it down with some "lashing straps" I got off amazon. It takes less than 3 min to release the straps and remove the bed. When the bed's not installed, the front two straps are completely hidden by the rear seats and the rear two can be dropped into the rear storage tray. The only visible evidence are the two slots I cut into the cargo mat....... I can live with that! My EcoFlow fridge slider is mounted the same way but weighs twice as much, due to the full extension sliders and 1/8" alum deck. Additional details are on my build page.....
The larger section is 46”x21” and smaller section between the cup holders is 44”x21”. Then I did corner cuts to match the mat and make the larger section neatly line up with the small section. I will have to measure the bottom supports….but they are 42” long with an angled cut for accessing the full storage box.
The height is personal preference, but I made it so the top panels are level with the very back of the seat bump.
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I bought the Hele Outdoors single platform $399 I believe. Not cheap, but I think a very good value. Easy, fast setup/takedown, and quality built. Flat, hard platform, easy access storage beneath, can be used on many vehicles (if you sell your LC) and way less expensive than many model-fit platforms. I use my LC as a daily driver and take others with me so I wanted a packable quick platform. Search hele outdoors on YouTube for good videos or Google them. I like it!
