DIY Goose Gear Style Platform

[Ratbert]

I addressed that issue by putting washers around the screw holes that had gaps. That let me tighten those down as much as I needed.

I'm installing the panel that my wife built for our last JLUR into the latest rig and realized that using 3/16" wood is definitely a better approach than what I did last time.

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[FRV]

I'm installing the panel that my wife built for our last JLUR into the latest rig and realized that using 3/16" wood is definitely a better approach than what I did last time.

3/16"? Typo right?

 

[ssrgeoff]

3/16"? Typo right?

I would think....

Since we are headed out for a camping trip and my Goose gear is still in production I quickly put one together out of maple ply. It's only temporary but it does the job. I used the entire 3pc carpet as a template. Secured the PLB40 and have tie downs for the cases of kitchen and camp equip. Speaker box carpet from Amazon is complete trash though.

 

[Ratbert]

3/16"? Typo right?

Yeah, it looks like the height of that plastic is more like 1/4".

 

[Viking Jeeper]

Yeah, it looks like the height of that plastic is more like 1/4".

Looks good, I'm not sure why you are still buying the Goose gear. I'm making my own so I can customize it.

 

[Ratbert]

Looks good, I'm not sure why you are still buying the Goose gear. I'm making my own so I can customize it.

Fortunately my wife is into Jeeping. She also has strong opinions on what she wants. She loves the build quality of Goose Gear products, so we're getting Goose Gear for this.

They build them on demand, resulting in eight weeks of lead time. It's one of the few things that I didn't order back in January, so ours won't be here until after our Rubicon Trail trip. That means that I'm now working on getting our Dometic CD 30 mounted in this Jeep, utilizing the birch platform that she built for our last JLUR.

 

[Ratbert]

Yes @Viking Jeeper, it was 1/4" and not 3/16th.

 

[stingGreyNJ]

Your build is very nice. Really well done. I'd choose yours over GooseGear anyday.

I did a similar plate for my build but I only replaced the 2nd row seats with a “plate". The commercial equivalent is the $599 Springtail rear seat delete. Issue with this solution is that it isn't flush with back OEM plate for sleeping comfort and doesn't provide a way to extend the platform behind the seats for sleeping a 5' 10" person.

I didn't need to mount to the floor so the back was fine as is and I kept access to the storage cubby in back as it was. See below the basic plate:

Above, the bottom support was temporary here but the top gets sealed and covered in carpet.

Above: Plate freshly covered in carpet. Front seats all the way back. All the shelving above ended up changing in the final build I travelled with but the plate stayed pretty much the same. You can see above the flush condition between added plate and existing cargo area “plate”. With just the black carpet it looks pretty OEM.

Above: Cavernous.

Above & Below: This was how I can access all of the storage underneath. The plate tilted up by hand, the red bungee above the hi-lift jack keeps the back side of it down. Some paracord holds it for access to storage. You can see waxed tarp covering the “bed” area here.

Above: Driver side under floor was shoes and flashlights and dog bowl I would have access to it if the door was open.

Above: Behind passenger seat was recovery gear. Pump and deflators can access easily from the open door. If I was in a recovery situation I'd have to tilt up plate for access to the rest of it.

Tilting plate up involves pushing both seats forward and seatbacks upright. Not ideal but no hatches made for a simpler, stronger design, allowed me to cover the entire platform in a waxed canvas tarp (mostly in case my dog lost his lunch on our journey). And even with hatches that hi lift jack isn't coming out without the tilt function.

You may also notice in the little “wings” in front of the front support. These were hinged and allowed me to drop in plates behind the seat when moved all the way forward to get enough length to sleep comfortably.

Above: Blackout curtains up. Filler Plates in to extend length of sleeping space. Ready for bed. This also shows my final version of shelving that included a recovery board top shelf to maintain stealth and security and save weight.

Above: Other than the rain deflectors so I could crack a window even in the rain there isn't much indication someone could be sleeping in there.

Thanks for reading if you made it here!
LMK if you have any questions.

 

[FRV]

Thanks. Your plate is cool too because it does what you need it to do. That's the key.

I have found the hatches to be very convenient. You don't have to move much to get to any single hatch. But I like your lift up hinged lid. Maybe you can add hatches and keep the hinged lid for when full access is needed.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

Thanks again @FRV! Just need to do some finishing touches and figure paint/bedliner out.

 

[LWLjeep]

Really love all the attention to detail. Would love to build sometching like this but not sure the skills, and currently looking at just the rear, for a frig, maybe drawers

 

[Ratbert]

Thanks again @FRV! Just need to do some finishing touches and figure paint/bedliner out.

That looks nearly identical to what we made for our last Jeep. I ended up cutting a removable opening in it so we could access that storage area underneath.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

That looks nearly identical to what we made for our last Jeep. I ended up cutting a removable opening in it so we could access that storage area underneath.

I cut a hole to access the storage underneath but not sure how I'm going to cover it yet.

 

[FRV]

I cut a hole to access the storage underneath but not sure how I'm going to cover it yet.

Make a simple template from scrap plywood 1/2" larger than the hole you cut out. Then use a trim router or regular router if that's all you have along with a guide bearing above the flutes and set the blade depth for half the thickness of the wood. Then dado the platform. Do the opposite on the lid and it will fit flush. Use a latch like I did or for a simpler version a finger hole, though the later will tend to rattle. There are various catches you can use with the finger hole.

All the pictures and explanations are at the beginning of this thread.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

Make a simple template from scrap plywood 1/2" larger than the hole you cut out. Then use a trim router or regular router if that's all you have along with a guide bearing above the flutes and set the blade depth for half the thickness of the wood. Then dado the platform. Do the opposite on the lid and it will fit flush. Use a latch like I did or for a simpler version a finger hole, though the later will tend to rattle. There are various catches you can use with the finger hole.

All the pictures and explanations are at the beginning of this thread.

Actually I had planned to do just that, I just have not yet. I have the 392 so the storage underneath is very small.

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