Waiting for my GFC, so figured I’d use downtime to build out bed. I don’t overland as much as I just need camper for biking/split boarding and hiking. Copied some other setups in forum with slight modifications.
Requirements for me:
-Fit 4 Snowboards under neath
-kitchen for easy set up
-upper deck for dry storage (clothes, food)
Future adds
-Perhaps a Dometic Fridge on upper deck - Can’t decide how I’d power
-Storage towards back once I have GFC
-Mesh net for blankets/pillows
Tacoma Off-road Short Bed
Did I use a measuring tape? Nope…haha. Will see how it holds up.
I just got my GFC last month and I’m waiting until the spring to build out the bed (I live in NY). I want something exactly like what you have here. I love the drawer setup too!
Would you mind giving a rough blueprint of how you did this? I’m handy with tools and fixing stuff, but I’ve never built anything out. Building out the bed of my Tacoma short bed will be my first stab a project like this. I understand I’ll probably make some mistakes, and I’m trying to mitigate that now before I spend money on supplies at Home Depot.
I will preface… I rough cut most of this project, so it’s not super clean. I tried to build it in a way so I could take it out in 2 parts in case I needed my full bed. The main drawer slides (Right side) are mounted to the bed. I just used some 4’ slides for the main drawer and 24" slides fo the smaller drawer. The left platform just sits on the lip of bed and right side of drawer setup. I don’t have much holding the whole setup down outside of a tight fit and one bolt that I tied to the existing u bolt. I do not off-road or rally my truck. Just use it for sleeping for biking/riding.
I recently installed a cheap diesel heater that I have been running camping. I wish I would have thought of this earlier in my build, but it worked out. Has allowed me to winter camp in sub temps.
*If you are waiting on your GFC you can start building now, just make sure you give yourself enough room under the mounting rails.
** Be sure to measure/play with how your gear fits. I use the left side to hold my inflatable kayak and wood in the summer. I ride a 158 snowboard… I also needed to make sure I could fit 3-4 decks.
Thanks for following up with this info- really like your build as someone else who will primarily use the GFC for splitboarding/ surfing/ trailhead camping rather than the more wheeling / overland focused builds. Will definitely plan on the diesel heater for snow camping- what kind did you get? Did you go through one of the built in storage pockets for the intake/exhaust?
I just bought a cheap knockoff on Amazon… It’s had its issues but it is working well now for the price. I just ran the exhaust through the storage compartments in the bed and ran it as far way from the intake as I could. Just make sure you don’t have too many bends in the exhaust pipe.
I can’t see how you have done it, but Ideally you don’t want to make the exhaust connection inside your living space. Any leak will be bad. A turret mounting plate allows the heater to be inside and that connection to be outside. For the same reason, the ones that come in the boxes are for exterior use only. You can take everything out of the box and safely mount it with a plate if you want to put one inside. They work great and I wish it was colder where I am
To justify one.
