Drawer & foldable bed in the trunk

[ST185pinjo]

I was thinking of building a drawer system with foldable bed in the trunk.

like the one in the pic.



Is there anyone on here who has done that?

I want to see some to get ideas and looking for some tips and tricks.

Cheers,

[pyemaster]

It's certainly a neater way of doing it, though I prefer the extra headroom you get by putting the bed on the floor.

I've unbolted the rear seat bases and stood them on their end so they can rock forward with the front seats when the rear seats are folded flat. This allows more room for pillows and clothes storage, etc, when sleeping in it (I'm 6ft and my wife is 5'9"). A 6x4' double futon mattress fits perfectly in the back.

I use the rear quarter window recesses for storage of stuff, and installed flexible cargo netting on the inside of the roof behind the sunroof tray.

Having the extra headroom makes the difference when you're on a trip and find yourself cooped up in the truck in bad weather - eating, watching a film or playing cards is a lot more enjoyable when you're able to sit up a bit more.

Just my 2p!

Owen

[Fey!]

Mine is commercial and I have a pair of drawers put in. The frame was very easy to make; it only took a couple of hours. I still haven't gotten around to carpeting it yet, and it's in well over a year!

[ST185pinjo]

which drawer slides did you use? I have founs some, but those are quite expansive.

How high are the drawers you installed?

[Karma Supra]

TruckBedz?

Works well for me, its the size of a double mattress minus he arch cut outs.

Best airbed I've ever slept on!

[Fey!]

I had priced rails, but they were stupidly expensive. I ended up just making a tight fitting drawer with no rails, and it works very well and I haven't had any problems. I had thought about putting some grease or candlewax along the lower corners, but it hasn't been necessary.

The drawers on mine are about 10cm deep; high enough to hold an battery drill on its side. The floor is MDF, I think 18mm.

The drawers are recessed a little back from the frame to allow for the handles; I found in the surf that it something is putting pressure against the back door it sometimes won't open without a kick to the lock!

Because I have no rear seats I have a huge storage area above where the jack is, going down into the rear footwell. I've also left myself a support behind the front seats to stop loads going forward, which I could screw a laminate bulkhead to later if I want to. I got a few very strong tie down rings which are screwed into the frame and which will help hold down the carpet (when I eventually get it fitted).

On either side of the drawers there is space for a small top-opening space; the one on the left is quite small due to the fuel filler position (you can't really see it in the pictures), but is handy for keeping power cables and fitting an accessory socket into. The one on the right is big enough for a towrope and light ratchet straps. Of course, if you're handy you could always shape the drawer to maximise the space (I'm not handy, so I went for the easier option).

I hope this helps.

@KarmaSupra; that bed looks fantastic. I have used a double airbed in the back of mine before I put in the drawers and it worked very well. I haven't tried it with the drawers in yet.

I used to have a dog cage behind the front seats, and I couldn't figure out why I kept sliding into it during the night. I had forgotten when I climbed in that I had parked nose-down on a steepish hill!

[ST185pinjo]

Looks good Fey! thanks for sharing. Hmmmm, no sliders.....

That wouls also be an option Karma. Those aren't even expencive.

[MrSandman]

I know that resurrecting old threads are a bad idea, but I have a question. OP, what kind of linear guides did you use for building these drawers? They look perfect! I'm asking about it because I don't know where to find this stuff for making my own drawer. Local store sells only Chinese crap. I don't want it. One of my friends told me that I should buy from the Germans. Even told me where to find a store with good linear guides (or, as the Germans call them, linear führung). Is it a good idea to buy it from the German store?

[Fey!]

MrSandman; sorry for taking an age to reply.

To be honest I have no idea what a linear guide is; we were never allowed to do wood or metal work in my school!

Those drawers are just just timber against timber with no runners. They're built to fit tight, and as long as I don't pull them out beyond 4" of the end they won't fall out.