I'm hoping to draw on someone's knowledge on this one but I was just curious if there was anyone in this forum who has built a sleeping platform for their ranger. I'm putting my own set of plans together but it would be really awesome to see pictures or read descriptions from others who have already built one of these to get a little more insight. The main idea would be to build a platform above the wheel wells to maximize the sleeping area and also would enable you to store gear underneath. Has anyone already done this? Thanks in advance.

 

ya its been done by crazy guys lol.. the only thing i know thats on the market like that is this...

http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Tru...r_mattress.htm

 

I will be doing mine this spring. here are a couple of links that i am basing mine off of.

http://www.bajataco.com/Camper1.html
http://www.rickdunn.net/Tundra/Hotel_Tundra1.htm
http://swaygogear.com/articles/truck...g/default.html
http://www.pigseye.com/jackson/

 

those are some pretty slick ideas.....that would be cool to do....

 

Thanks for the responses. I'm planning on starting mine this weekend and to finish before the end of feb. I'll take pics and keep the plans in case someone else is interested.

 

I like that first one..

 

badass!

 

Personally I just want a tent for my Edge. After having a topper and sleeping in that, I think a tent would be easier and FAR more comfortable.

 

I've got a truck tent and a simple air mattress... it works pretty well for me!

 

+1

if i had a topper..well a standard bed and topper. id totaly do that if i were to try truck camping. it looks perty nice, and i could manage sleep'n in the bad of a truck looks kinda comfy actually lol

 

I hate when you tent camp in the middle of nowhere and can not find a flat spot to pitch the tent, with a set up like those that will never happen again.

 

wow those look awesome. kinda wish i camped!! i'd definately do what those guys did with a camper shell!!!

hell i guess if i ever get kicked out of my house, i know i can turn my bed into a mini apartment

 

When i had my can back i thought about doing all that but never did...I slept in the back of my truck by just putting a air matress in there....Oh and i hade a space heater to kill the dampness....worked out fine...i was thinking about doing something like thouse guys...but im not going to do it inless i can find a nice fiberglass topper....

 

This is how mine use to be set up.

The platform you see there folds up to a 90 degree angle, and the legs hinged in/down, storage underneath obviously. I kept two other pieces the platform underneath that one, that extended all the way to the other side for two people.
Worked well for me, but I ended up throwing all of it in the dump after a few years. I made it the whole deal in two pieces so it was relatively easy to remove, but it just got old taking it out to hual stuff.
I had plans to make a more simple platform all the way across, on top of the wheel wells, with fullsize spare underneath in the front, and pull out drawers in the back. Just never bothered with it as I don't use it much for sleeping lately. Too cramped for two people.

 

You have a bed cape right?
Anyways this is my idea of a cheap good sleeping pad.

Cut of a nice thick piece of plywood or something similar to fit in your bed.

then on all four corners of the peice of plywood screw on 1 piece of 2x4 or 4x4. Then install the wood platform in your truck bed. Should be cut so that the plywood barley touches the fenders 9(for support) and all four corners will have some support. Then lay your choice of beding overtop. Then you also have storage space underneath your bed. When the tail gate is shut it should be tight enough it wont move too much.

Inexpensive and easily removable.

 

those are nice, i was actually telling my wife about the first taco (bajataco) the other day and wondered if i could find the url

 

If the back of the truck isn't enough, you could always build an off-road trailer. Mine's been "in progress" for quite a while now, but I got slowed down because I lost my garage. Anyway, here are the plans and some early pics of it. Looks a little more put together now, but not much. This will be this summer's project.





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