This is a throwback video to when I built the sleeping platform in my 2025 6th-generation Toyota 4Runner. My setup has changed multiple times since this video, but I thought it was still worth sharing.
It is time to get this new rig set up. Because I leave in a month for a big trip out west.
I bought a 2025 6th-gen 4Runner SRD with 4WD to explore places off the beaten path.
The first thing I need to do is build a sleeping platform. I want it to be sturdy, secured to the vehicle, and easy to remove when needed.
I’m building a removable bed platform that is level with the backseats when they’re folded down. This will allow me to keep the seats in just in case I need to transport more than two people and Blaze (and all of my gear).
Here’s a list of the materials I purchased for this project:
$30 – 1-Half sheet of 1/2” sheathing plywood
$ 3 – 1-2×2” board
$30 – Indoor/Outdoor Carpet
$30 – 8-pack-Folding Locking Hinges* https://amzn.to/3L2NvEu
$14 – 1-3M Super 77 Adhesive Spray (optional)
FREE Wooden Pallet Boards
$107 TOTAL
$42.90 – 2-Plastic Tubs (optional) I didn’t end up using these after the first test run. But they’re great under the bed storage containers.
This project took a couple of days to build. But it served us well while we were in Colorado and then in New Mexico to experience the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. One of my good friends flew out to join my parents and me. We took a five-day trip exploring southern New Mexico while the government was shut down, so we didn’t get to see White Sands National Park or the Gila Cliff Dwellings. But we still made the most of the trip!
Michelle and Blaze 