Show us your truck bed sleeping platform/drawer/storage systems

Planning an 8 week mostly camping road trip with my wife, and wanted some storage. We have the RTT, so not sleeping in the bed, although I could if needed to in a pinch. Don't want a topper for different reasons - mainly with a a topper and RTT it won't fit in the garage. I also wanted a sanded finished look on the exposed wood. Top platform is two pieces - the one nearest the tailgate is wider than the one near the cab, as I felt it would have more support by being able to sit on the wheel wells at that end (you can see the seams in the photos). Not using any wheels or sliders - I also used finished plywood for the bottom of the trays and it slides nice on the bed. If I can find some leftover lexan somewhere, I may rip a few strips to fit underneath and slide in the grooves, but it's not needed yet.

The one change I would make, is I left it about 4" away from the tailgate so that I had access to the tie downs in the bed. I wish I had made it all the way to the tailgate and created an access hole or something else.

Supports are all 1"x1" and the strength still feels fine.


Dividers are not secure yet as I don't know where I want them.


Still trying to figure out a solution to keep the drawers from sliding while driving. I might have it figured out, but for now a 2x4 sits between drawers and tailgate.

Oh and I threw on a Pelfreybilt bumper today.

 

Are those 1x6's made of pine? Everything feel pretty sturdy? What is the fabric you're using? Any worries with moisture/water getting in?

I saw somebody use some old skateboard bearings and 1x1 box aluminum for the rails, as well as truck box latches to lock/keep drawers shut.

 

1x6 pine cross member supports, and I think it is either a 1x8 or ripped down 1x10 vertical support down the middle (I could be wrong), with a 1x8 face on the drawer. face Very sturdy. Carpet was from Lowes, $20 for a 6'x8' indoor/outdoor roll. Yes it will get wet, no it is not a longtime solution. But for $300ish, it will serve its purpose for a few years. I've had another similar build for my work truck years ago, that would get wet all the time, and it held up for a few years. All of the exposed wood will be coated soon as well, to help repel SOME water.

The face plate on the drawers is separate and removable, if I want to come up with a different style for latches and handles.
I love using tools and making things up as I go.

 

Awesome. Looks good. I'm probably at least a year out from building something...I have far to many other woodworking projects that still need completed, and various parts that haven't arrived yet, that need to go on the truck.

I'm thinking i'll probably build something out of aluminum, using diamond plate for the top. But really trying to get ideas at this point.

 

Dude!! That is pretty much what I have been looking for, but didn't know what to call it. Couldn't find anything similar at Ace Hardware or HD, or Lowes.
Big thanks. Looking at them right now.

 

I'm planning on locking the tailgate whenever we are not at the truck, so I don't believe locking will be necessary. I'd probably change out that faceplate for the drawer, that has the notch at the top. This is perfect.

 

Very nice! Screw a 3/4" wide x 2-3" long cleat to the center support. Twist it 90 degrees and the drawers don't slide out.

 

Super clever with the casters upside down!
How are the rattles?

 

I must say, I've learned a lot from you guys. I kinda dove into doing this with no real plan. It started as wanting a simple drawer/sleeping platform and expanded into a bit more than that.
My requirements were that it could hold as much as possible yet still not be any taller than the wheel wells. It needed to be inexpensive, otherwise I'd have just bought a Decked system and it needed to work for both camping and photography excursions.

Started as a box with two drawers


I noticed the drawers slid pretty easily on the plastic bed liner, so I chose to not go the route of expensive industrial drawer sliders. Even with a fully loaded drawer, they both slide quite easily.
Once the foundation was complete, I added the top deck with access panels to both cubbies as well as access panels to the far back of the drawers in case pulling them out was hindered.

And covered it in carpet...


Once the drawer box had been installed, I noticed a nice 2.5 foot space leading up to the front of the bed. Originally, I had planned on using 4" PVC piping to the roof rack for onboard water, but the high center of gravity wasn't too appealing. Using a water tank I found on Amazon (

$89 Class A Customs | T-2100 | One (1) RV Fresh Water 21 Gallon Tank, Grey Water

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MSK5RQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) I was able to build a watertight box and cover the tank without anyone knowing it's even there. Drilled a small hole directly over the stock bed drain hole in case the tank leaked in hopes the water would be relatively contained. Added a pump and some plumbing to the tailgate and now have nearly 20gal of onboard water. The tank can be removed in about 10min if storage is more important.



Toward the tailgate, I tried cleaning things up a bit and added false panels to either side. The panels are easily removed by simply pulling them from their 'cabinet door' attachments. If the need arises that I have to remove the unit, I can simply detach these panels and not have to mess around with all the plumbing.



It's still a work in progress, but so far the left panel has onboard air via an ARB Dual taking the place of the left cubby and a quick-disconnect at the top of the left panel along with a pressure gauge on the far left. The quick-disconnect for onboard water is just below that followed by a standard hose fitting to fill the tank. On the right is another panel that houses multiple switches, USB ports and a battery voltage gauge. Two switches operate the left and right floods on the Prinsu rack. Another switch operates the rear floods and the two remaining switches operate the air compressor and water pump.






The wife and I broke it in over New Years camping in Big Sur. We're both pretty short at 5'3 and 4'10, so the Long Bed was perfect.

 

Looks great and love the additional stuff you have done.
May I ask the cost of materials for everything but the fancy add-ons you have done? (Water tank, air, etc.)

 

@TVRPhoto Tyson, nice looking platform!

 

Wow. Great looking system--Well done. Something I'll definitely refer to when I build mine here soon.

 

Not including the air compressor, I think I put about $500 into it...including all my trials and errors. I'm sure if you planned it out better than I did and know what you're doing, the build would be closer to $300.

 

Nine inches sounds about right. Four feet deep. The only complication I have using them without bearings or slides is the bolt supporting the bed reinforcement bracket. Haven't really found a way around that, but a quick pull upward on the drawer usually gets it past the bolt and then it slides pretty easily.

 

Not sure if that would work, but I have thought about removing the large washer under the bolt to decrease its height.

 

I've thought about that too, but haven't figured out a way to make it reliable and not wonky. I'm not much of a wood worker and have very limited tools as I live in an apartment, so solutions haven't been easy to come by.

 

Thanks! I appreciate that. It's taken about 3 months of weekends to do.
Regarding width, I'd have to go out and measure it, but there are basically two widths to deal with...bottom of the bed between the two wheel wells and width of the bed just above the two wheel wells. I want to say 49" at it's widest and 42" between the wells, but I may be off.

 

And ... above the wheel wells it is still tapered, and increases width as you go up.

 

I only say that because if you raise the platform, like I did 2 inches, you end up with 'pinch points' along the sides, and the platform gets to be a sloppy fit.
I have 11 inches under my platform. I can use 3 gallon buckets and the cardboard boxes that gallons of water come in at the store.
NOTE:
I have a walk in door, so the drawer is not a good idea for my setup.