Show Your Truck Bed Storage/Camping Mods

[WV Mountaineer]

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4 pieces all removable by myself
Still can have my chest toolbox in front for all the truck gear
The Yeti fits perfectly and replaces the rear center piece
2 Paco pads makes it like a queen bed for me and the wife

That's my kind of setup right there

 

[duckkiller1518]

Just finished this project over the weekend with my son. 2001 Dodge Ram with an 8' bed and an ARE topper. The red LED lights help preserve your night vision when getting prepped in the dark prior to hiking in. My son made the netting overhead from paracord. King sized four inch thick memory foam mattress. Carpet and pad on the truck bed to help insulate. Thinking about installing a diesel heater next.

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Looks good


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[Where's Bruce?]

What are the advantages of a truck tent over a regular tent? Doesn't it take up box room?

For some people...none. For me and my solo treks, many.

1. I can move around with it (offroad) without tearing it down (but you need to watch the trees).

2. I have insulation (Bedrug) so am warmer but if I get cold I can funnel warm air from the heater in the cab to the tent. I do this using my rolled up sunscreen (for the windshield) placed through the rear window of the cab all the way into the forward tent window. Can use the A/C the same way if it's hot. Loosely rolled to fit the window...it works great.

I place it in the lower forward window of the tent (rarely use this option so I don't have an photo):


3. I'm up off the ground, away from mud, rodentia, snakes, scorpions...my tent doesn't get dirty and remains dry no matter what Mother Nature throws at it. I use hammocks sometimes for the same benefit. Tents on the ground can get wet and become a real mess to deal with.


4. It packs down to nothing so if I am passing through a particularly bad storm or get stuck in some desolate place...I have an emergency shelter with me. I take it on long treks all the time. It goes up and down in minutes.


Sometimes at everyday events like a trip to the beach for a cookout or park picnic it comes in handy as a changing station/nap area for little kids or even an overnighter next to the house. I've even used it as a safe space for post-party drunks I don't want puking in my home. The Bedrug can be hosed, power-washed or even shampooed. The tent won't stink cuz they only puke on the Bedrug. Kids like it for backyard "camping" where there's still WIFI. LOL My FlexBow KC tent is more work, gotta sweep/vacuum it out and is more of a chore to erect & tear down. By comparison the truck tent is a snap. Plus I just kinda like having a covered wagon in the west. <g>

 

[Thunderer]

A few years ago I was reminiscing about some of the some trails that my Ram 3500 drove and decided that a dedicated hunting rig would be nice.

Shopping list:
1. Small(ish) to open more trail opportunities
2. 4x4 and Reliable
3. Manual Transmission

Winner: Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road, 4x4, 6 speed, v6, complete with an electric locker. Picked it up cheap.

Wanting a solid, trail capable rig, I started building;
First came the bed storage:

316SS rollers for security

Once the bed storage was done; airbags were installed to control the rear height:

I am all about redundancy when out by myself. 2nd Battery, complete with blue sea systems ACR to control the engine battery and backup (house) battery located in the bed drawer system. Dual independent batteries complete with a manual transmission gives me 2 redundant options to start the truck if the primary battery fails:

A winch is not optional for the places I go, and I don't want to carry two winches in case I need to go backwards. I designed and built a front bumper with a removable winch plate that can be pulled then fastened to the rear hitch to pull backwards. This was my 1st 100% tig welded project, complete with a curved LED lightbar:

Winch plate

Overhead switch console to control the lights, battery switch, etc.

The build list is pretty long with a lot of omitted photos and details for brevity. If you want to see the full build, go here: Hunting Rig Build

 

[Newtosavage]

Why hasn't someone come up with a way to raise conventional toppers off the bed with hydraulics or something, and have a canvas 18" strip around between the topper and the top of the pickup bed. That way, you could switch into camping mode real quick, and have room to actually sit up on a cot or bed without having to hunch over. The hydraulic pistons could even sit inside the wells on the bed rails and be completely out of sight if done correctly.

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Why hasn't someone come up with a way to raise conventional toppers off the bed with hydraulics or something, and have a canvas 18" strip around between the topper and the top of the pickup bed. That way, you could switch into camping mode real quick, and have room to actually sit up on a cot or bed without having to hunch over. The hydraulic pistons could even sit inside the wells on the bed rails and be completely out of sight if done correctly.

This would sell.

 

[spacemonkey]

Why hasn't someone come up with a way to raise conventional toppers off the bed with hydraulics or something, and have a canvas 18" strip around between the topper and the top of the pickup bed. That way, you could switch into camping mode real quick, and have room to actually sit up on a cot or bed without having to hunch over. The hydraulic pistons could even sit inside the wells on the bed rails and be completely out of sight if done correctly.

There's a company out of Moab that does this. Thought about it years back but couldn't pull the trigger.

Home - TopperEzLift

TOPPERLIFT LETS YOU LIVE. WHERE THE ROAD TAKES YOU. Topperlift is a universal lifting kit that fits all full and mid-size pickup trucks, 5′-8′ Box. Add our universal Camper Package and transform your existing truck and topper into a cozy pop-up camper in seconds! Large zippered side windows...

topperezlift.com

 

[Newtosavage]

There's a company out of Moab that does this. Thought about it years back but couldn't pull the trigger.

Home - TopperEzLift

TOPPERLIFT LETS YOU LIVE. WHERE THE ROAD TAKES YOU. Topperlift is a universal lifting kit that fits all full and mid-size pickup trucks, 5′-8′ Box. Add our universal Camper Package and transform your existing truck and topper into a cozy pop-up camper in seconds! Large zippered side windows...

topperezlift.com

Interesting. I figured someone had thought of this already. It just makes sense. Only, I'd put the lifts inside the wells in the bed rails. But I suppose this way it's universal.

 

[mattso5050]

Went with a ARE topper with outdoorsman windows (side windows pop up) and a cargoglide bed slide which only takes up 3.5 inches of bed space (not counting the sides, which can be taken off). Only pulls out 70% though, but I can reach everything anyway.

The bed was built with 2x6's in the factory bed slots, 1/2 inch plywood, and a couple of camping mats. Throw in a few bags and pillows and it's a nice little setup. The bedslide has tie-downs built in so you can just use a hard guncase and strap it down if that's your application.

I threw in several bins for food and gear and a stove and some water. I intentionally split the bed in half so I can throw a big cooler on one side, then pull it out when I get there and put the plywood back on that side.

ADD Honeybadger bumpers front and back. 15,000lb Warn winch up front in case things get nasty (for you purists out there, I know I should have gone with the 17,500.)

 

[Jvhome869]

Then I took an extendable pole and made it easier to get stuff out of the bed of the truck.

Think I need something like that for my long bed. I usually just use my 9 yr old son. Lol

 

[iSaveLives]

Not spectacular but I've been meaning to do this for a while now. I've the same thought process with Sharp...it's all about the build.

Needed a place to store my tools instead of using a Rubbermaid that took up too much space. I figured might as well use the under/never utilized wheel-well area. I used some scrap wood and hardware I already had on hand and painted it with some extra spray paint. All in all, cost me the couple of hours to build it and nothing in materials.

 

[nkramer6]

My first setup was pieced together randomly. Had a couch mode and a bed mode. Worked decent, but once I got a big cooler, I found out they wouldn't fit under the sleeping platform.



Recently completed my new setup to fit my 120qt Coleman coolers underneath the sleeping platform. Made the bottom tray out of rigid caster wheels recessed into a 2x4 and a sheet of 3/4 plywood. Tried to maximize clearance. New set up is four pieces, plus the bottom tray and I can leave it in for 99% of the year

 

[INgunner54]

Just finished this project over the weekend with my son. 2001 Dodge Ram with an 8' bed and an ARE topper. The red LED lights help preserve your night vision when getting prepped in the dark prior to hiking in. My son made the netting overhead from paracord. King sized four inch thick memory foam mattress. Carpet and pad on the truck bed to help insulate. Thinking about installing a diesel heater next.

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Are the lights on their own battery or wired to the truck?

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[JakeInVegas]

Are the lights on their own battery or wired to the truck?

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The lights were hooked up to the starting batteries originally but sometime after this photo we installed a Renogy DC to DC converter and a rear battery when we installed a diesel heater. Now the alternator charges the rear battery which runs the lights, fan, diesel heater. We can even charge the whole system with a solar panel now if we purchase one.

 

[INgunner54]

Cool! Can you share where you got the lights from?

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[JakeInVegas]

Walmart. I bought two of them and a switch for super cheap. They have an adhesive backing. Easy as can be.

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[INgunner54]

Awesome. Thanks!

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