1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Bed setups for camping in 3rd gen?

Discussion in '3rd Gen Tundras (2022+)' started by CarlsSenior303, Jul 24, 2022.

  1. Jul 24, 2022 at 1:59 PM
    #1
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    Has anyone set up a bed for camping in the back of a 3rd gen yet? I was super excited to put together a simple platform bed for an upcoming camping trip (something that I had never gotten around to in the Tacoma), and realized stupidly after I bought the wood that it wouldn’t actually be possible in the Tundra, at least in the way I was hoping. Wanted a simple set up as shown in the first pic stolen from Tacomaworld.com, however the wheel well cutouts that would fit the 2x4s aren’t high enough to rest the platforms above said wheel wells (see 2nd pic)

    my first thought is to add some risers under the planks, but I’m not sure how sturdy they will be, i.e. if they will get wobbly with the added height, and secondly I really just wanted to be able to stowaway some simple 2x4 (or x6 or x8) with the platforms so that I don’t lose a lot of packing space.

    Has anyone tried put something together? Would love to see!

    B86F9F73-725E-4694-A78B-9AF7A35BE79B.jpg
    123DAE67-759A-4FDD-939A-64F0BE3736C5.jpg
     
  2. Jul 25, 2022 at 7:50 AM
    #2
    Jack Straw

    Jack Straw New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2022
    Member:
    #73778
    Messages:
    36
    Gender:
    Male
    PXL_20220516_164502031.jpg PXL_20220517_192225414.jpg PXL_20220518_005230903.jpg PXL_20220519_004315013.jpg PXL_20220520_220455156.jpg PXL_20220520_220707240.jpg

    I think this is a little more than what you're looking for, but anything's possible!
     
    Matvey tod, LukeS, Motorres50 and 3 others like this.
  3. Jul 25, 2022 at 9:51 AM
    #3
    bigjuice

    bigjuice Researching and collecting parts…

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2021
    Member:
    #71582
    Messages:
    1,090
    Gender:
    Male
    WA State
    Vehicle:
    2022 MGM Crew Max SR5
    CarlsSenior303[OP] likes this.
  4. Jul 25, 2022 at 10:43 AM
    #4
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    This is awesome! Definitely more that what I wanted to do though. This first photo you posted was kind of what I was thinking - maybe just cut out the wheel wells from the plywood. But looking in the bed, it seemed like that unnecessary work for not much added sleep room. I guess the benefit there would be storage underneath.

    7C5E4F6B-7F70-4C52-AB4B-01D64771B1A3.jpg
     
  5. Jul 25, 2022 at 10:43 AM
    #5
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    I’ve seen these, was looking for something that would work with my topper though.
     
    bigjuice[QUOTED] likes this.
  6. Jul 25, 2022 at 11:02 AM
    #6
    des2mtn

    des2mtn Third Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2020
    Member:
    #48721
    Messages:
    3,739
    Where my wheels stop rolling
    Vehicle:
    2004 Black DC Limited 4x4
    Tonto cover
  7. Jul 25, 2022 at 12:20 PM
    #7
    wayoflife

    wayoflife Exploring Cascadia and beyond

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2021
    Member:
    #70747
    Messages:
    192
    Gender:
    Male
    Seattle-ish, WA, USA
    Vehicle:
    '22 1794 6.5' TRD Offroad Blueprint/Cream
    Westcott 3/1 Method 705 18x9 18mm Maxxis RAZR 295/70R18
    Anybody looking for a truck bed tent… REI has at least the 6 1/2 foot bed tent 50% off right now. I just picked one up.
     
    CarlsSenior303[OP] likes this.
  8. Jul 25, 2022 at 12:27 PM
    #8
    mass-hole

    mass-hole New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2019
    Member:
    #34378
    Messages:
    1,804
    I made a similar(although less exquisite) setup in my F150 6.5' bed. I had a platform up over the wheel wells that was hinged so I could put in two home depot foam mattresses and they fit perfectly side by side. Everything else went underneath.

    Then I had kids and bought a travel trailer :rofl:It only took 1 or 2 trips with my few month old son where it dropped to 30 degrees at night in July that I gave up. He actually slept good though, it was more the fact that we constanstly were having to move things in and out of the truck as we did things throughout the day. Having a trailer, whether its a travel trailer or just an offroad trailer with the RTT is nice in that you can just drop it off somewhere and setup shop and not worry about it.
     
    wayoflife likes this.
  9. Jul 26, 2022 at 8:40 AM
    #9
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    That is the exact position we are in! Rented a pop up a few weeks ago and loved it, but not sure we’d use it enough to justify the cost (I.e. would likely be cheaper to just rent a few times a summer). My main use case for the setup in the bed of the truck is to have a 2nd sleeping spot in addition to our tent to split the kids up if someone wakes up too early, or a quieter place to nap, or a more comfy arrangement when it’s just the wife and I, etc …hence the desire for a temporary and simple setup.
     
  10. Jul 26, 2022 at 8:42 AM
    #10
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    I’m the tallest one in the family at 5’8”, so the length isn’t terrible in the new short bed. The platform would’ve ideally just given us a little extra space without the wheel wells in the way.
     
    des2mtn[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Jul 26, 2022 at 1:52 PM
    #11
    Troa

    Troa I blue it again.......

    Joined:
    May 9, 2022
    Member:
    #78197
    Messages:
    222
    Gender:
    Male
    Nomad
    Vehicle:
    2022 Blueprint Limited
    I dont quite understand the issue you are describing with laying in a simple plywood platform. If you run 2x8s across the front, back, and wheel wells where the cutouts are, they plywood should lay flat just fine.

    Also, what canopy is that? I've been looking for a high rise like that one, but didn't know there were any available that fit our trucks.
     
  12. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:02 PM
    #12
    Troa

    Troa I blue it again.......

    Joined:
    May 9, 2022
    Member:
    #78197
    Messages:
    222
    Gender:
    Male
    Nomad
    Vehicle:
    2022 Blueprint Limited
    I have a bed slide and am looking to install a platform over the top of it to sleep on, then I can keep all my gear on the slide below. I need the platform to be fairly high though, so I have more than like 6" of room above the slide. Because of that, a taller canopy would be ideal or I'll have to get something like the topper lift to give myself some extra headroom.

    I think I am going to build/install side boxes that run over the wheel wells, kind of like Jack Straw but without the drawers in the middle. The supports need to come down before the bed slide to retain it's functionality. Then I would set 2 or 3 removable carpeted 3/4" plywood pieces on top that span between them that I can remove or stack on top of each other towards the front to haul larger items that wouldn't fit underneath them. I can unload the big items and place the plywood boards back down once I get to camp and set my sleeping area up. Not 100% on how I'm gonna do it yet tho, been doing a lot of research and conceptualizing before I actually start the project.

     
  13. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:06 PM
    #13
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    The cutouts in the wheel wells are ~3” below the top of the wheel well (see pic), so the plywood wouldn’t sit flush. When I went out to take this pic and actually measured, it occurred to me that simply stacking 2x6s or 2x8s would solve this problem, and wouldn’t create too much height that I was concerned with in my original post. So thank you for the motivation!!

    BAE0B345-1AB2-4F77-B8DD-9A070BE3144A.jpg
     
    des2mtn and Troa[QUOTED] like this.
  14. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:09 PM
    #14
    Troa

    Troa I blue it again.......

    Joined:
    May 9, 2022
    Member:
    #78197
    Messages:
    222
    Gender:
    Male
    Nomad
    Vehicle:
    2022 Blueprint Limited
    Alternatively, you could chop 1" off each end and attach it to the end/bottom of your cross boards to lift them up that extra 1". That would free up more space underneath to slide in larger items. If you stack 2x8s you'll lose clearance underneath
     
  15. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:09 PM
    #15
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    Yes! Thank you! Tundras.com ftw :)
     
    Troa[QUOTED] likes this.
  16. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:13 PM
    #16
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    I was originally going to trial it out with 1x6s instead of 2x6s - was in home depot and testing the rigidity of the 1x6s and they seemed pretty solid, I wonder if running those on top of ~2 1/4" blocks would do the trick? Would open up another 3/4" underneath.
     
  17. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:19 PM
    #17
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    I remember seeing him post this in another thread - sounds like a sweet marketplace score! https://www.tundras.com/threads/2022-topper-canopy-shell.106861/#post-2751345
     
  18. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:28 PM
    #18
    Troa

    Troa I blue it again.......

    Joined:
    May 9, 2022
    Member:
    #78197
    Messages:
    222
    Gender:
    Male
    Nomad
    Vehicle:
    2022 Blueprint Limited
    I was actually planning to use 1/2" square steel tubing to maximize clearance underneath, minimize weight, and make it even more study than 2x8s. Then use wood spacers like I detailed above to raise them up to the proper height and minimize wear against the composite bed.
     
  19. Jul 26, 2022 at 2:40 PM
    #19
    CarlsSenior303

    CarlsSenior303 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2022
    Member:
    #74702
    Messages:
    106
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Carl
    Vehicle:
    2022 Tundra Limited TRD Offroad Army Green (hopefully)
    Amazingly, nearly same price as lumber. Are you thinking a single 1/2" tube per "channel"?
     
  20. Jul 26, 2022 at 3:12 PM
    #20
    MULLI63

    MULLI63 New Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2022
    Member:
    #78141
    Messages:
    108
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    John
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tundra Platinum, SnugTop Shell, Gray
    Bilstein 5100 all four corners - front at top setting Ready Lift 1” rear block 295/70R18 Falken Wildpeak Method Roost R18 Under Seat Storage Boxes - Rear Seats - see post LED Interior Lights LED Mirror, Back-Up and License Plate Lights Added Auxiliary Fuse Box and Battery Switch Plasti-Dip Chrome Mirror Covers and All Badges to Black WeatherTech Bed/Tailgate Liner Replaced tailgate strut Working On Modifications: Add Oh Sh!t Handle To Driver Side A Pillar LED Head and Fog Lights
    379C377F-25F5-4F2B-B6E8-0768D940FEE5.jpg I love this tent set up and I sleep in the bed with a inflatable twin mattress. There is an “umbilical cord” that covers the path from the truck bed to the main tent. The silver thing converting part of the shell. The tent is a huge 10’x10’. There is also a front porch screened in room. You can see it on the left side facing out toward the canyon. The umbilical cord can be disconnected from the rig and a door can be zipped up in case you need to leave with your truck at any time. The several times I have used it since getting earlier this year, I have been alone, so I feel like I’m in a palace. My buddies called it the Taj Mahal and I want to make a sign that says “Welcome to the Taj Mahal” when I set it up next.

    The screened in porch is cool as I used that to put on and remove my boots, so the main tent and the truck bed are less likely to get dirt, rocks and mud inside.

    It’s a Napier SUV/Truck Tent. I got it on Amazon, but I just looked it up and did not pay $450 for it like it is now!
     
    CarlsSenior303[OP] and LukeS like this.
  21. Jul 27, 2022 at 10:49 AM
    #21
    Troa

    Troa I blue it again.......

    Joined:
    May 9, 2022
    Member:
    #78197
    Messages:
    222
    Gender:
    Male
    Nomad
    Vehicle:
    2022 Blueprint Limited
    My idea is to secure the 1/2" tube to the bottom of the plywood and notch the side supports so the tubes sit recessed into the wood supports on the sides and the plywood sits flush along the top of them for maximum support. If I go with a 2 plywood board setup, I would have one steel tube at the front and back of each. So 4 tubes total. One tube in the front and rear "channels" and 2 in the center. That way I can remove them separately if I wanted to and it wouldn't add much depth if I stack the front board onto the rear one so I can fit taller items close to the tailgate. Then I can place the plywood board back in place once I arrive and unload to give myself the full sleep platform.
     
  22. Jul 27, 2022 at 12:17 PM
    #22
    OnThaLake

    OnThaLake New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2021
    Member:
    #71644
    Messages:
    618
    Gender:
    Male
    I've got the same tent for my truck with a Leer 100XQ.
    We use an air mattress. With a cab-height capper, you gotta be careful about how tall the sleeping surface is. Just with a 5" thick air mattress I'm a little unhappy with the interior height.
    A big reason I had to remove the new Sequoia from my list of possible new vehicles.
    The height of my truck is 37" from bed floor to capper ceiling.
     
  23. Jul 28, 2022 at 12:53 PM
    #23
    JohnnieBoy

    JohnnieBoy New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2022
    Member:
    #76483
    Messages:
    100
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2022 Army DC 4x4
    Icon Stage 3 Method 316's on 275/70/18 Ko2's NYTOP bumper w recovery's Leer 100XR
    These pics are from my 2nd gen but I'm planning on running the same setup once my Leer arrives next month. Tri-fold foam futon 75 x 38 x 4. Super simple setup but also super comfy. I keep work tools/materials in the back of my truck regularly and empty it out for road/camping trips, so this setup works well for me. The futon folds up into a square with a nice canvas zip cover/carrying case w handle.

    20190911_192030.jpg 20190911_192054.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2022

Products Discussed in

To Top