Elevated sleeping/stowage platform for JKU
 

Like many others, I needed more room in my JKU for stuff (mainly camping and exploring gear). I also wanted to have a place to sleep on some trips instead of dealing with a tent. One key thing was that I didn't want to have to unload the whole back of the Jeep to have room to sleep.

Here's what I came up with. It's a full length platform that installs with no tools and breaks down into five pieces. It can be installed or removed in less than five minutes. It's six feet long in the sleeping configuration. It's built entirely out of 2x4's and two sheets of plywood ripped down and fitted to the contours of the Jeep. The carpeting is glued on.

Now to the pictures!

The five pieces ready to be installed
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform1.jpg

The first step is to install the three supports
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform2.jpg

Next in is one section of the platform
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform3.jpg

The complete installation
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform4.jpg

The view up front with the sleeping extensions folded
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform5.jpg

The platform with the sleeping extensions down (and the front seats moved forward)
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform6.jpg

A closer look
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform7.jpg

The view underneath
http://www.hotchip.com/temp/jkuplatform8.jpg

I did a lot of looking and didn't find anything like this out there so hopefully these pictures will help anyone looking to accomplish the same thing.

If anyone has any questions please let me know!

Looks great!
How tough is it to get in and on top of?

It's not too bad but it depends if you have any stuff up on the deck near the front. You have to get in from the side doors or the front seat since there is no good way to close the tailgate from the inside. It's not always graceful, but it works!

Looks great! I've been meaning to do the same thing for a while now. How about some dimensions for the pieces?

Also what prevents the 2x4's from moving or tipping while driving?

Nice mod ;)

This is great! Thank you for this great solution.

Looks good! It's nice to sleep in the dry and on a good surface. I've done similar things in a truck to camp. I have a setup along the same lines in my JKU right now but it's only meant for 2 Welsh Corgis (25 & 15lbs) on their dog bed, and some cargo.

Have you thought about suspending it from the rollcage with some storage straps into eye bolts in the 2x4's? Just an idea.

Attachment 369285

I'll work on getting some dimensions. None of the supports (or the platform itself) moves at all. The front support is held fairly tight just by the friction of the rear seat on the legs. It's also notched around the door handles so it can't move back and confined by the front seats so it can't move forward either. The center support has holes drilled in each end so it fits over the bolts for the hardtop and can't move. The rear support is drilled and fits over the bolt on the right side and has a piece of blocking on the left so it can't move once it's in place (a full length board can't be inserted or removed so that's why the leg is required on the right in the rear). The platform is contoured around the roll cage and the sides so it can't move either.

I looked at making a suspended mount but I didn't like any of the possible configurations and I wanted something that could be in place to support cargo even when going down the road.

That would be great thanks. I will try to make it a full enclosure that locks ti keep the fishing rods etc away from prying eyes ;)

Great job

Is the OP still on here? How are you liking this after a couple years of using it? How close are you to the roof? I was gonna use an air mattress on top of that but looks like you would be too close to the roof at that point. Cool project BTW.

I used the "under floor storage"

Attachment 590955

thread on this forum to build a sleeping platform solution that you can leave in the Jeep all the time. It provides covered storage for lots of recovery gear and tools, but is low enough to use an air mattress for sleeping. The attached photo shows what it looks like in the normal position. The panels you see on the top swing forward with the back seats down and the front seats forward to make the sleeping platform. Check out the thread, it should still be there.