Sleeping in the bed under a cap, a project starts!

[Jaxmax]

Not an overlander, like the idea, wife does not. I did sleep in my Suburban ( traded on my Glady) 3 days this year, and a Glady owner nearby in Easton wanting to to go west. So being minimal, keeping weight down, having it easily removed, and also satisifing my needs to fab something. I have started the process with a RSI cap in the garage already, a Partner stove ordered (8-10 week wait), researching sinks possibly number one is the Dometic sink with drain board and glass cover, but still thinking if the glass is needed.
Yes the Glady's bed is too short , but my ides is to put my bed on a raised platform on passenger side, with stove, sink and storage under it that slide out past end of tail gate, then planning on putting a pickup truck popup camper door on edge of tailgate and locking into bottom edge of opened cap rear hatch. it would be offset towards driver side a bit, looking at about a 36'high by 24' wide door but they come in all different sizes, tear drop camper doors also work, then I'll have a local canvas shop make two tent sections to close it in on sides probably using velcro strips, sleeping area ends up being six and a half feet. Roof top tents seem fine, but the weight up top, and the fact that I kayak fish a 13' kayak, and surfish with custom 10-12 foot rods sort of makes that difficult, I'm thinking I still might be adding 170-200 pounds of weight to bed, but low and stove and sink are things people have anyway. Yes I over think things but did have a pop up truck camper, where the door mounts to roof and pulls down with two arms fasten at top of door to snap into place. Planning on one of those 270 awnings on rear and driver side, probably buy or fabricate a kitchen storage cabinet like RSI version for driver side rear. Thoughts?

So that's it, if i ever get it off the ground I'll post here as I go..............Jack

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[xerootg]

I like the sounds of this, you gotta share pictures as you go!

 

[Mtpisgah]

we tent camp a lot and are looking for another option when we are only staying one night or the weather is questionable.

So we have an RSI topper on order and plan to camp in the back. We are going to use the DAC tent extender to give us the needed leg room. we will have a 5’ mattress and then another piece about 12” long to put in place when we setup camp so our feet are supported. I will likely build a slider to hold the stove and freedom panels. Everything else will get tossed in the backseat area. We will also add an awning, likely the Rhino Batwing. Need to decide on the left or right.

 

[Jaxmax]

If I do a 270 degree awning it would be down the drivers side, and across back, in the bed there is a gas filler neck sticking into the bed,on teh drivers side, putting a bed on passendger side might be better to get a level bed, and then I would want that window by the bed to be fully open, as if I get a half box from RSI it would be a drivers rear. I am rethinking the extension I usually curl up sleeping anyway, so inside bed I fit at 6' 234 pounds.and diagonal I fit fine also....Jack

 

[Blade1668]

Have you looked at a "Tent Cot" I've got 2 the first one I've been using for about 15 or so years, I got the second one as I figured I would wear the first one out from use. My 6ft plus fits it well enough I've used it in rain, snow and cold. I've had it strapped on my LJ spare tire even in past. It and a small tarp to set feet on. Used it a few times this year with my JT.

 

[Centerville]

I bought one of these years ago and never even used it. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

https://dactent.com/products/dac-da2-full-size-truck-cap-tent

Let me know if your interested I still have it in the shop and super cheap. It was for a full size chevy.

 

[Jaxmax]

Centerville thanks for posting that actually seems like a good option only weighs five pounds would go on pretty quick, solves the problem of water getting in around top if cap and sides and cost is also good. Checking out website looks like the mid size would work better. Thanx!......Jack

 

[Mtpisgah]

Centerville thanks for posting that actually seems like a good option only weighs five pounds would go on pretty quick, solves the problem of water getting in around top if cap and sides and cost is also good. Checking out website looks like the mid size would work better. Thanx!......Jack

Check out the option by Softopper. They use the DAC tent but include extra poles to make it stick out a bit farther.

 

[Black_Widow_Overland]

DAC tent add on to my softopper. Works good.

 

[Jaxmax]

Thanks Black Widow, leaning that way more and more!.....Jack

 

[smlobx]

Sounds interesting. Hope you get it off the ground.

A note about the 270 degree awnings. In the US as you know we drive on the right side of the road. Also, most campgrounds are set up to have space on the passenger side of the vehicle. For this reason I’m going to get one that deploys from the passenger side and wraps around to the back.
I‘m sure you could make a case for deploying on the drivers side but that’s my thinking so far.

 

[Jaxmax]

Thanks Grandpa!
I'll get it off the road, if parts ever come, although the above posts about the camper tent for toppers is very reasonable and looks easy to put up, I am figuring out the sink stove, slide under the bed thing, stove is coming in oh about 8 weeks now, found a wall hung stainless steel resturant hand wash sink with back splash that has stainless steel edge all around, which i'm thinking I could both directly to the slides, ordering that today looks like. I'll post it when I do. The reasons for awning on drivers side are the gas tank fill neck will encroach on bed, and also I kayak jamboree fish in the salt, my suburban I had was awesome for my needs and could carry two 36" wide kayaks on the yakima rack. The Gladiator being much narrower is about 72" wide to mirrors, so I'm using my racks cutting them narrower for most uses and installing boat loaders in both bars, they extend out about three feet, so when I have to carry a second kayak I will extend the bars out perhaps ten inches or so on the passenger side, which would be safer then hanging off drivers side. The camp ground thing with the narrow Jeep I can, either pull in, back in, or even park sideways at end depending on view or utility locations.
Thanks for your input, I always watch your threads and am eagerly waiting on the gas tank install......jack

 

[Jaxmax]

This is the Regency sink I'm thinking about, 17" wide by 15" deep, 10"x14" ,5" deep bowl, can be had with left and right addtional welded back splashes also. I'm thinking about mounting it sideways with the back splash mounted to a 12" wide drawer cabinet, with slides bolted to edge of sink, then Partner stove support plate mounted to the same slides in the "front" of sink. Sink will probably be about $100 deliverd.
Found at Resturant store.com.
Still in design phase but like that perhpas the whole thing will be aluminum or stainless and only wood might be the drawer cabinet, stove has to be fartherest from cap or tent material......Jack

 

[Jaxmax]

Picture a faucet coming out hole n backsplash for sink use and a kitchen style srayer with counter weight coming out of top of backsplash about where the label is, when putting away just pull sprayer up and put in sink....Jack

 

[smlobx]

Jack I’m still wondering why you want/need a kitchen sink? We’ve usually just used a plastic bowl of some sort. Much lighter and multi purpose. Help me understand..
Grandpa!

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