March/April 2008

Creating a Sleeping Platform For Your Land Cruiser Wagon

Creating a Sleeping Platform For Your Land Cruiser Wagon by Mike Wood

I've owned a 1989 FJ62 since 1994. In that time, I've made over 100 modifications to it. One of the most useful items I've fabricated for my Land Cruiser is a sleeping platform for the rear compartment. This platform rests above the wheel wells and creates a flat surface for the entire back of the vehicle. On long mountaineering trips, this has allowed us to let four people stretch out and sleep in the back while we drove cross-country (head to toe, and bear in mind that climbers are thin).

Two key advantages to this platform are:

1. It is sized to fit large Rubbermaid containers. These easily slide in from the rear of the vehicle and are ideal for organizing gear. Besides being hidden from view underneath the platform, the rear access hatch to the platform is also lockable for security.
2. The flat surface of the platform makes it easy to haul plywood, drywall, paneling or anything that would be difficult to transport or possibly damaged if forced to rest on the wheel wells.

This platform can also be folded up while in the vehicle, allowing you to still use the rear seat when the platform is not needed. Thus, the rear seat can be used in the normal manner for passengers during the daytime, while at night, the platform can be folded out to create a sleeping platform. The sleeping platform consists of two main components. The first component is a 9-1⁄4" high base, which is made out of 3⁄4" hardwood plywood. This piece is glued and screwed together, except for the front two boards, which are attached via hinges to the rest of the base. The base looks like a football goal post that has been laid flat on the ground. When the rear seat is being used, the front two boards fold flat against the base. For the FJ60/62, the cutting list for this component is as follows:

• (2) front boards, 9-1⁄4" high x 19-1⁄2" long
• (1) middle board, 9-1⁄4" high x 39-1⁄2" wide
• (2) side boards, 9-1⁄4" high x 44" long on the bottom and 41" long on the top
• (4) triangular pieces, 7" x 3"
• (2) square pieces, 4-1⁄2" x 5-1⁄2"

The two front boards are mounted so that they meet each other in the center of the front side of the middle board. They are each attached to the middle board with two hinges. These boards fold out into the open position when utilizing the sleeping platform and fold back into the closed position when the rear seat needs to be used.

The middle board is attached to the side boards (glued and screwed) so that it can stand vertically just behind the rear seat.

The four triangular pieces are attached at the inside corners (between the middle board and the side boards) to create strength in the structure (point the long sides toward the rear of the vehicle and glue and screw these boards also).

The two square pieces are attached at the bottom of the side boards toward the rear of the vehicle. These pieces allow the cargo fastener hooks in the rear of the Land Cruiser to protrude through them in order to hold the base in place.

Place the structure into the back of the vehicle and slide it forward until it hits the back of the rear seat. Center the square pieces over the cargo hooks and mark the location where they will be attached to the side boards. Also, mark where the hooks will protrude through the square boards once the hooks are placed in the upright (vertical) position.

Remove the structure from the vehicle and use a drill and saber saw to cut out a small hole in each square board at the marks for the cargo hooks. Now glue and screw these two boards at their marked locations onto the side boards. This part of the structure is complete, except for sanding and adding lockable clasps (more on this later).

The second component of the sleeping platform consists of three pieces of 3⁄4" hardwood plywood that are joined with two sets of hinges. The cutting list for these components is:

1. The front section is 54-3/8" wide at the rear x 47" wide at the front x 29-1⁄2" long.
2. The middle section is 54-3/8" wide x 38-3⁄4" long.
3. The rear section (which sits vertically at the back of the platform) is 41" wide x 9-1⁄2" high.

After cutting the front and middle sections, you will need to notch the sides to allow for roll bars, speakers, etc. Also, when the rear seat is folded forward, you will notice two rubber bushings and a latching mechanism facing the rear of the vehicle. Mark these locations on the front section of the plywood and create notches for them too. This will allow the plywood to mesh perfectly with the rear seat when it's folded up.

The front and middle sections are attached to each other with two hinges placed on the top side of the boards. This allows the front section to fold up and backward to the rear of the vehicle. The middle section is attached to the rear section by two hinges placed on the bottom side of the boards. This allows the rear section to fold down and close up the compartment.

Adding clasps to the back of the compartment will allow you to padlock it. The clasps mount to the rear (hinged) board, about an inch up from the bottom. Fold the clasps around the side boards and mark the location for the two u-bolts. Fasten the u-bolts in place on the side boards. Placing one set of padlocks through the two cargo hooks and a second set of padlocks through the clasps will now lock the compartment. The reason the rear board does not span the entire width of the rear section is to allow access to the cubbyholes on either side of the platform. Also, the metal plate that holds the carpet in place in the rear of the cargo section is 1⁄4" lower than the rest of the cargo section. Thus, the rear (folding) board is 9-1⁄2" high, whereas the rest of the base is only 9-1⁄4". The platform is only attached to the base via the clasps. Weight and a fairly snug fit with the sides of the vehicle keep if from sliding back and forth.

Once the sleeping platform has been constructed and positioned into the rear compartment, follow these steps to use it.

1. Fold the rear seat base forward and the upper rear seat down to the floor.
2. Place the sleeping platform in the vehicle.
3. Unfold the two front vertical boards so that they extend toward the front of the vehicle.
4. Unfold the front section of the top board so that it rests on the two front vertical boards.
5. Toss in a couple sleeping pads and sleeping bags and you'll be all set.

You could make the platform lighter by using 1⁄2" instead of 3⁄4" plywood. I chose 3⁄4" plywood because it is much stiffer. There are a number of sections where the plywood just overhangs into air (rather than making a platform to support every last inch of the plywood). Without enough stiffness, someone lying down might cause the ½” plywood to sag.

Notching the edges of the plywood sheets to match a basket cage roof rack will also allow the platform to be used on the roof rack.

Rubbermaid containers are widely available. I use 16" wide x 23" long x 9" high bins for the forward area (of the rear compartment) and 16" wide x 39" long x 9" high bins for the rear area.