Setting up 4WD for sleeping

Try this:

We have drawers in the back with an extension that goes right up to the driver's seat. There is enough room for one to sleep very comfortably on a 90mm thick foam mattress along the left hand side. Plenty of storage under the extension for all our tentage and canvas stuff. Three 25 lt water cubes and a gas bottle sit on the floor behind the drivers seat and a small "nibbles" fridge is there also. Two big drawers for food, cookware and utensils. All recovery gear, shackles, chains and air hoses go in the two side pods beside the drawers.

The fridge has been moved to the rear on a drop down fridge slide. Clothes and soft stuff just sits on the flat area wherever is convenient at the time. Yet to install a full rigid cargo barrier.

We sleep there if its raining and we can't be bothered putting the tent up in the rain. A tiny bit crowded for two sets of legs but excellent for one person.

Phil

Hi Di
We used to have a Jackeroo which I fittedd drawers and with the rear seat folded down it made a lenght of around 6 ft we had a swag which we rolled out that gave us enough sleeping room
Brian

DiCros

I guess it depends on what type (body style) of 4wd you own. If it's a Suzuki maybe the roofrack, if it's a Toyota Troopy you and a partner in the back and rent out the extra space.....lol
A slide on camper on an extended cab HZJ75 works for good lady and self. If it's a wagon vk1dx's setup looks pretty good.

Cheers Pop

Nothing fancy but it worked well for me. Had a few extra supports underneath and I removed the middle and rear seats as they weren't required.

Di,

My setup for one. :D
For those long trips where you want to get somewhere quick and need to pull over for a nap. :wink:
Doesn't work with the cargo barrier in as I'm too tall. Also a bit tight but works OK.
Swag is on a 19mm plywood baseboard running from the top of the cargo drawers and resting on the top of the folded rear seat.

Hi Di

We have made a re-configurable setup for our GU Patrol that allows it to have double bed or one or 2 singles.
The framework has different positions and allows for the bed to be quickly changed to make it back into seats. The seats are only for emergency use or for when packing requirements make it a more suitable arrangement.

A fridge sits between the two front seats and either side are foldback panels which are normally were you head goes.

The bed base sits the height of can of food above the floor , which allows for storage and also gives sufficent headroom for sleeping.

You enter the bed by opening either passenger door and sit on the bed edge
where you can change with a little difficulty.
Others we know have used troop carriers and climb in thru the rear which can be awkward.

It was important to get these aspects just right and the result has been that you are more comfortable, secure and insulated from other campers then tent based systems.

To do this sucessfully the rest of your equipment needs to thought threw so that in packs and complements the setup.

We used it again this easter.
Made mostly with 12mm ply and 20mm angle iron.

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I have a 40 series troopy which the prior owner kitted out with a single bunk running down one side and a set of storage shelves running down the other side and the Fridge behind the passengers seat. I can walk between the shelves and bunk easily.

The single bunk is narrow but over six feet so has plenty of leg room.

The only issue I found was in warmer weather the steel frame of the troopie builds up a lot of residual heat during the day and it takes quite a while to dissipate at night. Fitted a pop up tent to the roof cage and use that for overnight but have kept the bunk with mattress. Very useful for a quick kip by the side of the road or an afternoon nap.