[Denver692]

My Colorado has a bedliner like the one in this picture. I just ordered a cab high ARE camper shell (the CX Classic). When I get the cap on the truck, I'd like to make a real basic sleeping platform. I mean a real minimal project. The liner has a few notches in it that'll accommodate boards. Has anyone constructed a platform in a situation like this? Are these liners strong enough to support a few hundred pounds sitting on top of a sheet of plywood with a couple two-by-fours spanning the width of the bed? Or should I get a cot instead?

Also, before I get the camper shell would it be wise to lift the bedliner out and place a very thin layer of some kind of foam packing material on the bed, and lay the liner back on top of it? I'm talking about the kind of stuff Walmart sells. Something about 1/8 inch or thinner. I'd like to protect the body of the truck a little.

 

[CaryBosse]

I would not try to support my fat arse on those notches or a couple of 2x4s. Also, I think the notches would handle 2x6 perhaps.

I would go to the floor of bed or go the cot route.

I purchased a bedliner on my 1995 C1500. The installer installed a closed cell foam pad designed to protect the bed. I assume they still make those.

 

[Hike208]

Can confirm that this is a viable project.

We had a need to slap something together really fast before a spur of the moment trip that we went on after getting our Topper Lift installed. We made it with scrap wood that we had on hand. If memory serves, it was a one, mayyyybe a two beer job.

We wanted to go to the height of the bed rails to get as much stuff underneath as possible, and decided to use the notches in the side of the bed because the lift stanchions being positioned on the bed floor.

There are a handful of drawbacks with this method, and we replaced it with a 'proper' build after one trip. But it supported about 350 pounds worth of people and gear sleeping on it for a week while romping around Moab.

It's not a perfect solution, but it is a viable one that only takes a small amount of materials and time to get together.

Good luck!

 

[CaryBosse]

Can confirm that this is a viable project.

We had a need to slap something together really fast before a spur of the moment trip that we went on after getting our Topper Lift installed. We made it with scrap wood that we had on hand. If memory serves, it was a one, mayyyybe a two beer job.

We wanted to go to the height of the bed rails to get as much stuff underneath as possible, and decided to use the notches in the side of the bed because the lift stanchions being positioned on the bed floor.

There are a handful of drawbacks with this method, and we replaced it with a 'proper' build after one trip. But it supported about 350 pounds worth of people and gear sleeping on it for a week while romping around Moab.

It's not a perfect solution, but it is a viable one that only takes a small amount of materials and time to get together.

Good luck!

I think a key point here is that you actually had supports coming off the floor as opposed to just using the plastic bedliner.

I like that setup. If I had a long bed, I could see myself doing something similar, especially with the cap having that lift in it - have never seen that before. I could actually see myself putting a cot on one side, and then I could stand up inside to get dressed if I needed to.

FYI, in tent camping, I really liked using a cot because I could store stuff underneath the cot. With these wooden shelf units in these pictures, you cannot access underneath the sleeping portion without getting out of the truck and then it is a hard reach to get to stuff next to the cab. A cot would allow you to access the items stored underneath it. However, I don't think the truck bed on the Mid-size or full size are wide enough to place two cots, side-by-side.

 

[Hike208]

The pictures make it tough to see, but the supports don't actually go to the floor of the bed, they're perched and wedged really tightly into very the small notches in the bed walls. Another possible point is that we have an aftermarket spray in bedliner, and I just realized that the OP looks to have a drop in? I'd be doubtful of our hacky method working a drop in bedliner now that I think about it.

But I completely agree, in the OP's case they would be better off making the supports go to the floor. We only made that compromise because of the lifters taking up the floor real estate.

Also agree that this shelf system leaves a lot to be desired for storage accessibility. Getting out and crawling underneath the fixed platform to grab something towards the cab totally sucks. This is the main reason this setup was only used as a stop-gap for one trip. We now have a full-length drawer system that we sleep on top of that meets our needs pretty well.

@CaryBosse If you want to see the Topper Lift setup done as well as I could imagine it, check out @RKTROY 's build thread. It really is a work of art: 2021 ZR2 Being Set up for camping

 

[madcratebuilder]

I sleep on top a Decked drawer system, 3" air/foam pad and sleeping bag, comfortable. With the drawers all your gear stays in the truck, takes just a few minutes to be in bed or back on the road.

 

[Tom S.]

12 volt air mattress.
https://www.etrailer.com/Air-Mattress/Rightline-Gear/RL110M60.html

 

[AEONFLUX]

My Colorado has a bedliner like the one in this picture. I just ordered a cab high ARE camper shell (the CX Classic). When I get the cap on the truck, I'd like to make a real basic sleeping platform. I mean a real minimal project. The liner has a few notches in it that'll accommodate boards. Has anyone constructed a platform in a situation like this? Are these liners strong enough to support a few hundred pounds sitting on top of a sheet of plywood with a couple two-by-fours spanning the width of the bed? Or should I get a cot instead?

Also, before I get the camper shell would it be wise to lift the bedliner out and place a very thin layer of some kind of foam packing material on the bed, and lay the liner back on top of it? I'm talking about the kind of stuff Walmart sells. Something about 1/8 inch or thinner. I'd like to protect the body of the truck a little.
View attachment 429351

i keep a piece of foam rolled up and i roll it out and put a sleeping bag on top with a bug screen. Im away from my quarters but ill snap a pic soon

 

[ARCowboy]

My Colorado has a bedliner like the one in this picture. I just ordered a cab high ARE camper shell (the CX Classic). When I get the cap on the truck, I'd like to make a real basic sleeping platform. I mean a real minimal project. The liner has a few notches in it that'll accommodate boards. Has anyone constructed a platform in a situation like this? Are these liners strong enough to support a few hundred pounds sitting on top of a sheet of plywood with a couple two-by-fours spanning the width of the bed? Or should I get a cot instead?

Also, before I get the camper shell would it be wise to lift the bedliner out and place a very thin layer of some kind of foam packing material on the bed, and lay the liner back on top of it? I'm talking about the kind of stuff Walmart sells. Something about 1/8 inch or thinner. I'd like to protect the body of the truck a little.
View attachment 429351

IMO that foam would just be a mildew magnet.

If I were you, I'd look at this platform @Y E T I built

Akicita's Tatanka Build

Happy Birthday My wife purchased a 2020 ZR2 Bison in February 2020 for my Birthday. When she gave it to me on my birthday she asked – “Well. . . what are you going to do to this one?” “Nothing" I said - "its got all I need from the factory.” ----- well ---- I was wrong---- here we go with my...

www.coloradofans.com

 

[CaryBosse]

IMO that foam would just be a mildew magnet.

...

Definitely needs to be closed cell foam. I never looked at my bed when I sold my truck, it was 6 years old, I think I got the drop in bed liner pretty close to when I purchased the truck.

The spray in bed liners were fairly new back then. Rhino linings were the big name, I think Line-X was just hitting the market. Of course, in 1995, we didn't have a functioning internet thing to research any of this. I think Compuserve was the big name in internet back then?

 

[BLSXJ]

for sleeping 1 person, dont go all the way across, 30-36" wide.
In my f150, I built the platform at wheel well height (the compromise between head room and storage below)

I used 1/2" thick carpeted foam tiles with a 2" self inflating camping mat on top of the platform and was very comfortable.

If you can swing it, pull the drop in bed liner, and go with a bed rug mat, bed rug liner, or just a rubber bed mat. All of which will be nicer on your knees

 

[CTRC1893]

IMO ditch the drop in liner, with the topper on weather fluctuations will enevitably cause condensation, especially when your sleeping inside. The drop in liners are notorious for trapping small amount of water underneath and rusting bed over years. Line-x spray in is tough as nails. Then just cut 3/4 plywood base squeeze between tire wells and build your platform off that so if necessary it is removable if needed. Paired setup with a 3inch sea to summit sleeping pad and comfy sleeping bag and it's super comfortable for weekend camping.

I used 1x8 to frame out a full length pull out drawer, trim it down to match up with top of wheel well. Then used 1/2 plywood for the top off platform, I'm 6" 230 lbs and it supports me just fine. Whole setup cost few hundred to build and 2 afternoons afterwork, only needed table saw,compound rip saw, and used kregg joints to secure everything together.

 

[CaryBosse]

...
View attachment 429408

With only one beer, can't be worth a hoot.

 

[CTRC1893]

With only one beer, can't be worth a hoot.

Gotta clean as you go, that was just the victory beer!