Tentative plan for a sleeping surface in my TJ.

Neil Sears

TJ Enthusiast
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Oct 21, 2018
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Big Bear, CA
So I just bought a Tuff cargo box drawer. I’ve also been looking at awnings with wraparound walls as well as the Red Rock or other attach to the Jeep tents. My tentative plan is to raise the Tuffy box to the height of the top of the rear door. On that I will use the 500lb slider rails and attach them to a platform the maximum length possible: where they will be about 1” away from the seats in the front and an about 1” away from the back door in the rear. I will then either hinge that so a second platform will fold back into the TJ or as a standalone piece build another flat platform that when the sliding one is pushed out past the rear door, the second platform will fit into the space it once occupied. This will give a flat surface of about 6’ and that should in theory be enough for a sleeping surface. Although you will not be fully inside the jeep your head and most of your body will be. If I have the awning with walls or an attach to the Jeep tent this will not matter.

Please note: Ironically, I’ve been bed bound for the last few days so I just designed this in my head. I haven’t measured anything so that 6’ could be off however using the measurements of the Tuffy box I think it would be close. For those over 6’ and extension to the outside edge of the platform would be easy enough to add.

Even withought using the Tuffy box as a platform a bed slide can still be used attached to the floor of the Jeep as shown in the picture of a JL.

I like the idea that in a worse case scenario and you had to bug out in an instant, you would be inside the vehicle and can maneuver to the driver seat and drive off, potentially saving yourself from threat.

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So I just bought a Tuff cargo box drawer. I’ve also been looking at awnings with wraparound walls as well as the Red Rock or other attach to the Jeep tents. My tentative plan is to raise the Tuffy box to the height of the top of the rear door. On that I will use the 500lb slider rails and attach them to a platform the maximum length possible: where they will be about 1” away from the seats in the front and an about 1” away from the back door in the rear. I will then either hinge that so a second platform will fold back into the TJ or as a standalone piece build another flat platform that when the sliding one is pushed out past the rear door, the second platform will fit into the space it once occupied. This will give a flat surface of about 6” and that should in theory be enough for a sleeping surface. Although you will not be fully inside the jeep your head and most of your body will be. If I have the awning with walls or an attach to the Jeep tent this will not matter.

Please note: Ironically, I’ve been bed bound for the last few days so I just designed this in my head. I haven’t measured anything so that 6” could be off however using the measurements of the Tuffy box I think it would be close. For those over 6’ and extension to the outside edge of the platform would be easy enough to add.

Even withought using the Tuffy box as a platform a bed slide can still be used attached to the floor of the Jeep as shown in the picture of a JL.

I like the idea that in a worse case scenario and you had to bug out in an instant, you would be inside the vehicle and can maneuver to the driver seat and drive off, potentially saving yourself from threat.

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How tall are you?
 
Pull passenger seat and sleep across that gap maybe it’ll work. I felt like I was just a little too tall to make it work

Im going to have the Tuffy cargo box inside so that wont work in my application.
 
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I spent (aka wasted) a lot of time trying to figure out a way to sleep inside of my camping truck.

Being out of your vehicle while camping is not a bad thing. Trying to put 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag works out about as well as you’d expect.

If you want to sleep in a vehicle with anything resembling comfort you should buy a larger vehicle.

I speak from experience. I’ve designed sleeping platforms and all other types of things to come to the conclusion that my tent cot is vastly superior to the “convenience” of sleeping in a vehicle that’s not even close to being large enough.

For what it’s worth.

Btw - I’m only 5’7” and 175 pounds. Not exactly a big guy.
 
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I spent (aka wasted) a lot of time trying to figure out a way to sleep inside of my camping truck.

Being out of your vehicle while camping is not a bad thing. Trying to put 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag works out about as well as you’d expect.

If you want to sleep in a vehicle with anything resembling comfort you should buy a larger vehicle.

I speak from experience. I’ve designed sleeping platforms and all other types of things to come to the conclusion that my tent cot is vastly superior to the “convenience” of sleeping in a vehicle that’s not even close to being large enough.

For what it’s worth.

Btw - I’m only 5’7” and 175 pounds. Not exactly a big guy.

Not overly proud about it, but in the early 90’s camping with my CJ5, it rained and I just rolled under it in a sleeping bag…the bourbon helped make it work…not sure it’s an elegant solution ha,
 
I spent (aka wasted) a lot of time trying to figure out a way to sleep inside of my camping truck.

Being out of your vehicle while camping is not a bad thing. Trying to put 10 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound bag works out about as well as you’d expect.

If you want to sleep in a vehicle with anything resembling comfort you should buy a larger vehicle.

I speak from experience. I’ve designed sleeping platforms and all other types of things to come to the conclusion that my tent cot is vastly superior to the “convenience” of sleeping in a vehicle that’s not even close to being large enough.

For what it’s worth.

Btw - I’m only 5’7” and 175 pounds. Not exactly a big guy.

Although I do appreciate your feedback, I’m stubborn as hell and I’ve always been the type to build it and figure it out for myself.

Since you do have experience however, what are the pluses and minuses of my design in your opinion?
 
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Just get yourself a hammock and call it a day...
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I have three maybe four and use them all the time, including at my home in the mountains, but I don’t have one of those fancy Dyneema rain flys. I do however have the Medera hammock stand. I can use two hammocks off the back of my TJ and as long as the ground is firm, I don’t need a single tree!


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I have three maybe four and use them all the time, including at my home in the mountains, but I don’t have one of those fancy Dyneema rain flys. I do however have the Medera hammock stand. I can use two hammocks off the back of my TJ and as long as the ground is firm, I don’t need a single tree!


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I carry one Tensa Solo in case I find myself someplace with trees that don't work or no trees at all.
I've got a bit of a Dyneema fetish... can't lie.
That said, I have added a silpoly tarp. The Dyneema tarps are reserved for backpacking.
 
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