DIY Goose Gear Style Platform

[FRV]

We completed the painting and installation of the platform plus a few additional small projects.

For paint we applied two coats of Interlux Brightside Seattle Grey one part LPU paint. We rolled and tipped. We gave it a couple days to cure hard before we reinstalled it.

We mounted the locking base for our Engle 35 Liter fridge to the platform. We also installed the locking compression latches made by Sierra Pacific and ordered through Fastenal.

In addition to the platform I also installed a Blue Seas Fuse Block aft of the C pillar onto the cubby shelf system we built as part of the platform project. I ran a 6 AWG from the battery to the fuse block and grounded to the frame below the driver side rear door. We installed two 12v sockets and a dual USB port just forward of the fuse block.

Last, we installed a Zamp Solar Obsidian series 100 watt panel run through a Victron Smart Controller. We wired the solar to the controller with 12AWG marine tinned wire. We used a Blue Seas flush mount cable clam with 316SS cap to route the wire through the gutter area of the Ursa Minor J30 pop top camper.

Plan to head off for three week shake down camping trip. Looking forward to seeing how the projects measure up during sustained use in the real world.

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[Jeepeto]

We completed the painting and installation of the platform plus a few additional small projects.

For paint we applied two coats of Interlux Brightside Seattle Grey one part LPU paint. We rolled and tipped. We gave it a couple days to cure hard before we reinstalled it.

We mounted the locking base for our Engle 35 Liter fridge to the platform. We also installed the locking compression latches made by Sierra Pacific and ordered through Fastenal.

In addition to the platform I also installed a Blue Seas Fuse Block aft of the C pillar onto the cubby shelf system we built as part of the platform project. I ran a 6 AWG from the battery to the fuse block and grounded to the frame below the driver side rear door. We installed two 12v sockets and a dual USB port just forward of the fuse block.

Last, we installed a Zamp Solar Obsidian series 100 watt panel run through a Victron Smart Controller. We wired the solar to the controller with 12AWG marine tinned wire. We used a Blue Seas flush mount cable clam with 316SS cap to route the wire through the gutter area of the Ursa Minor J30 pop top camper.

Plan to head off for three week shake down camping trip. Looking forward to seeing how the projects measure up during sustained use in the real world.

Wow! That looks great man. I really like it, great work with the solar and power distribution too. Awesome job!

 

[Rolling18]

Really nice job on this...design, build


-Steven

I think he should sell his plans/ diagrams I would buy!

another alternative:
buy the goose-gear setup, copy all the boards mountings ect and buy the hardware seprately, might save a grand?

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

I recognise your solar panel from the UM Facebook group. We've chatted there before.

Great work with this.

 

[FRV]

I recognise your solar panel from the UM Facebook group. We've chatted there before.

Great work with this.

Thanks.

 

[Twowheels19]

As part of our JLUR (with manual trans) build we ordered and finally received (8 months) our Ursa Minor J30 pop up camper. It took a few days to install it and wire it into the jeep. We have also installed an engine bay mounted ARB single pump compressor.

We took the jeep up into the Appalachian mountains for five days this summer for some overlanding to get some insights into the jeep. We were pretty happy with the it overall but knew we needed a platform to make the Jeep more user friendly and maximize the storage.

So, the next project was to design and build a platform based on the Goose Gear plate system. I studied pictures and watched a view videos of people installing the GG system to see how it was constructed. It did not look difficult to build. We used marine grade 1/2” BS 1088 okume plywood for the platform. We removed the rear seat. We used doorskin ply strips and a hot glue gun to build the templates. We templated all the original fastener holes. We build the hatches in the same style as the GG plate system. We used some fiberglass right angle supports that I had on hand to frame under the forward half of the platform. The L shaped brackets that secure the main transverse bulkheads (to the bolts that held the seat in place) I replicated using two layers of 1708 biaxial and epoxy laid over a right angle form (simple 2x4 taped and waxed). When I removed it from the mold I cut them into sections with a hack saw and sanded them smooth.

We thought about line x or bullet liner over the platform but it’s expensive and black is the only color available in our area. But, we also thought it made the inside of the Jeep very dark. Our plan is to paint it with a marine grade single part linear polyurethane in light grey. If it scratches it’s easy enough to remove the platform, sand, fair, repaint and reinstall. The platform is light, dead flat, and stiff.

We found flush mounted keyed compression latches ($18 each) made by Pacific Sierra. They look to be the same as the GG latches that sell for $45 each. They arrive next week. So far, with the plywood, fasteners, paint, and locks we have about $200 in the project. That’s a savings of about $1,300 from a GG plate.

if this is a project that interests others I can write a little about the tools and techniques we used.

Very nice craftsmanship! I’m considering doing the same versus the click and buy method. Have done a Subaru before that had a box and drawers so this should take less time.

 

[FRV]

Glad it's helpful. We have been very happy with the platform. Would not change a thing. Good luck. Look forward to seeing pictures of your project.

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

Thanks.

How has the smooth surface of your platform fared? I’m wondering if I should bedline mine.

 

[FRV]

How has the smooth surface of your platform fared? I’m wondering if I should headline mine.

LHP, I'd say it looks very good. Pictures below from a few min ago. I was OCONUS for six months. So not a lot of use. Soon to head off for trip to Maine then maybe out west to Big Bend this winter. Will know more after that.

We talked to a local LINE-X business about spraying it when we were building it. But, all they had was black. Just too dark. It was also expensive. We painted it with a one part LPU. Our paint is light grey though in photos it looks more white. Glossy is the nature of the paint we had. Could have added a flatner to the paint but wife liked the gloss for more light reflection. Not as tough as LineX or Rhino Liner etc. No doubt about that, but we are careful with it. We have a few squares of thin outdoor carpet we use where heavy containers are positioned. Also, we can repair and repaint ourselves, easy. So, a bit of a compromise that plays to our strengths. We are happy with our choice. You have to decide what you want and how much you are willing to spend.

The last thing I would mention is we saved a bundle over buying a Goose Gear Plate (and ours is structurally stronger and lighter). Probably saved about $1,200. That was important to us. Saved enough to just about pay for a Warn Zeon 10S.

No right or wrong answer just compromises that need to work out in your favor.

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

No right or wrong answer just compromises that need to work out in your favor.

Such is life, especially when living out the back of a JLU!

I appreciate the photo. Another quick question, how do you feel about your decision to go with a full rear seat delete? I’m debating full delete or keeping the 40% seat. Mainly I’m interested in the benefits of keeping the small seat as they relate to getting in and out of the top. I get “upstairs” through the hatch and not from the outside.

 

[FRV]

Such is life, especially when living out the back of a JLU!

I appreciate the photo. Another quick question, how do you feel about your decision to go with a full rear seat delete? I’m debating full delete or keeping the 40% seat. Mainly I’m interested in the benefits of keeping the small seat as they relate to getting in and out of the top. I get “upstairs” through the hatch and not from the outside.

Never missed it. Only advantage to third seat is to be able to haul a third passenger around in the Jeep.

Easier for us to get in and out of the Ursa Minor with the whole platform in place. Simple enough to duplicate the 40 percent delete if you want it but you'll need to purchase or make the bracket that supports the platform on left side if you leave left seat in the Jeep.

 

[Wraith]

Fantastic work! Really well done.

 

[FRV]

Thanks.

 

[Jtclayton612]

Thanks.

Curious if you have any dimensions laying around. I just decided to tackle this the other day after realizing I haven’t used the rear seats in two years lol.

disregard: I just saw in the write up you said there were no dimensions. I had planned on cardboard for a template as well so that’s what I’ll do.

looks super professional though, great job

 

[FRV]

Though it will get you kinda close cardboard does not lend itself to an accurate template. I used doorskin ply ripped into 1.5" wide strips. Then used a pair of tin snips and hot glue gun to assemble the templates. This technique creates a rigid and accurate template that is laid over the actual plywood that comprises the plate system. There are pictures in the thread of the templates and a very long detailed step by step description how I made the plate system.

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