sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
too bad little sluice won't be there when you go wheel it. 
'97 tacoma build: Abner
- Thread starter sixstringsteve
- Start date
-
- Tags
- abner build build thread tacoma toyota
Excellent. I'll let you when I'm ready to gt it taken care of.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
I'm not a master fabricator like some of you guys out there (Lewis, Herzog, iLean, Greg, Ricksrx, Chocflip and others) but every now and then I get a good idea and I don't totally botch it. This sleeping platform v 3 is one of those times, I'm very proud of it.
I started out building my sleeping platform v3 using some 3/4", .120 wall square tube. I ended up I scrapping the idea because along the way I got a better idea.
At work the construction guys use a lot of unistrut to position and hang heavy pipes. I figured if it could hold pipes full of water, it could hold me and my wife. Unistrut can be found at home depot and lowes. It's about $15 for a 10' piece. The stuff I used is 14 GA galvanized sheetmetal (nasty stuff to weld on). Fortunately it's usually windy at my house, so I was able to weld outside so I didn't get sick. The unistrut is very light, and they have nuts and fasteners that fit in the track. It's kind of a poor man's track system. I can put nuts all along the track to tie things down like coolers, bikes, gas cans, etc.
Here's my new design:
getting painted.
and bolted in to the truck. This thing doesn't budge one bit.
I'm pretty proud of it. My seats fold down to fit under it, and they can fold up without the rack having to be removed. It'll also fit the small size action packers underneath it. There's not a ton of headroom, so changing clothes is out of the question in here, but it's just fine for climbing in and sleeping. The screen windows let the breeze in and the shell keeps the weather out. It's not quite done yet, but it's functional.
I had never seen unistrut used on a vehicle before (though now that I research, I find that my idea isn't all that 'original') and it works fantastic. It took a long time, but I'm very happy with the end result. I slept in it at the QTD/NPLD a few weeks ago, and it's solid. I'll get some more pics of it on this upcoming trip. Now all it needs are some lights back there.
I started out building my sleeping platform v3 using some 3/4", .120 wall square tube. I ended up I scrapping the idea because along the way I got a better idea.
At work the construction guys use a lot of unistrut to position and hang heavy pipes. I figured if it could hold pipes full of water, it could hold me and my wife. Unistrut can be found at home depot and lowes. It's about $15 for a 10' piece. The stuff I used is 14 GA galvanized sheetmetal (nasty stuff to weld on). Fortunately it's usually windy at my house, so I was able to weld outside so I didn't get sick. The unistrut is very light, and they have nuts and fasteners that fit in the track. It's kind of a poor man's track system. I can put nuts all along the track to tie things down like coolers, bikes, gas cans, etc.
Here's my new design:
getting painted.
and bolted in to the truck. This thing doesn't budge one bit.
I'm pretty proud of it. My seats fold down to fit under it, and they can fold up without the rack having to be removed. It'll also fit the small size action packers underneath it. There's not a ton of headroom, so changing clothes is out of the question in here, but it's just fine for climbing in and sleeping. The screen windows let the breeze in and the shell keeps the weather out. It's not quite done yet, but it's functional.
I had never seen unistrut used on a vehicle before (though now that I research, I find that my idea isn't all that 'original') and it works fantastic. It took a long time, but I'm very happy with the end result. I slept in it at the QTD/NPLD a few weeks ago, and it's solid. I'll get some more pics of it on this upcoming trip. Now all it needs are some lights back there.
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Great work, I've been tinkering ideas of a sleeping platform in my wrangler. I could have about 6' of head-toe clearance with my full hard top or soft top. Not so sure about the half cab top ha.
Biggest thing is how do you make a platform that can compact itself down in size so that its not taking up a lot of real estate.
Looking forward to seeing your finished platform. Looks cold
Biggest thing is how do you make a platform that can compact itself down in size so that its not taking up a lot of real estate.
Looking forward to seeing your finished platform. Looks cold
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sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Thanks. I can't wait to see what you come up with. In my opinion, sleeping platforms are best in nasty weather. In the summer I'd rather sleep in a tent or under the stars. But in the middle of a snow storm or a wind storm, I'll take my shell over anything. I'm very happy with this setup. It turned out better than I could have imagined.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Thanks
jentzschman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Sandy, Utah
Looks good steve.
4biker
Active Member
Nice work! I love the moments of clarity when things just seem to make sense. I love the track system for hauling. You're a brave man welding on galvanized, but you're right, it's always windy over there. Are the tracks going to stay in permanently, or pull them out in the summer when there's no shell? Also, did the galvanized take paint ok? I've read it gets really soapy with most paints.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Its easy to remove. I think I'll remove it in the summertime since I don't sleep back there in the summer. There are 7 bolts per side, it takes about 10 min to remove the entire rack.
I meant to say it was zinc coated, not galvanized (same effect though). I took a wire wheel to the entire rail. I removed about 85% of the coating. I used metal etching primer on the bare metal. It looks like it adhered really well. I initially tried hitting a piece or scrap with the hammered finish paint, and it didnt stick to the zinc very well. I guess time will tell how well it holds up. I would.love to have powdercoated it, but it was going to cost $150-200. Not worth it to me.
I meant to say it was zinc coated, not galvanized (same effect though). I took a wire wheel to the entire rail. I removed about 85% of the coating. I used metal etching primer on the bare metal. It looks like it adhered really well. I initially tried hitting a piece or scrap with the hammered finish paint, and it didnt stick to the zinc very well. I guess time will tell how well it holds up. I would.love to have powdercoated it, but it was going to cost $150-200. Not worth it to me.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
exactly. 3/4" plywood. With two people sleeping back there, most of the weight is close to the rails, so the wood doesn't bow much. I'll post some pics of the panels in place tonight once I load it up.
Cascadia
Undecided
- Location
- Orem, Utah
Nice work Steve. Very cool!
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
Nice! I think steel or aluminum is the way to go. I had a really nice wooden one that came in my Tacoma but I ended up removing it because it weighed a metric ton :-\
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
I wish I had some aluminum decking for the main sleeping part. I can't afford it, so plywood will do for now. The entire frame weighs about 10-15 lbs max. it's nice.
D
Deleted member 12904
Guest
Durable powder coating does stuff like this super cheap. His work is ok but for this type of stuff you cant rattle it as cheap as he will powder it.
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4biker
Active Member
You could always get some scrap channel or angle iron and bolt it to the underside of the plywood to give some rigidity if you felt it would bow too much. I agree though, the weight will be really close to the rails anyway.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
It doesn't bow enough to matter. I would prefer aluminum only because its lighter.
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
I've decided to sell the rig.
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.ph...gsteve-s-rig-Abner-1997-toyota-tacoma-on-35-s
Pass the word along. I almost had it for a year. I'm not dying to get rid of it, but I'd like something with 4 doors. If I could have this identical rig with 4 doors I'd be happy for life. I think my next rig will be a 4runner or 100 series LC with 32-33" tires. The stuff I'm interested in now is less rock-crawly and more camping oriented.
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.ph...gsteve-s-rig-Abner-1997-toyota-tacoma-on-35-s
Pass the word along. I almost had it for a year. I'm not dying to get rid of it, but I'd like something with 4 doors. If I could have this identical rig with 4 doors I'd be happy for life. I think my next rig will be a 4runner or 100 series LC with 32-33" tires. The stuff I'm interested in now is less rock-crawly and more camping oriented.
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