Rivian Blue
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- R1S Rivian Blue
This is for you if you want to sleep in the car (2 people) and also have a full size spare inside. It's involved as it requires removing the second row and DIY a bed frame. If you are ok with a full size spare on the hitch or roof, this likely not worth it. If you just want to remove the second row, check out this thread.
The much simpler option is to put a full size spare vertically in the rear. If you are alone, you can even sleep diagonally or you just remove the wheel for the night. You lose most of that rear trunk space, though, so more stuff will be on top of the bed. Each night you would remove the wheel, the cooler, etc. from the car to sleep. Not the end of the world.
What I did below preserves that whole under trunk in the back, and gives you a bit more space in the front (besides the spare).
1. Remove the second row.
See this thread for details
2. Find (or buy) a 3'x4' board
3' will restrict the movement of the front seats a bit. and you don't really need all 36". You can go down to 32" and/or cut two corners for a better fit.
You also have to decide if you want to rest the board on the third row (more stable, more room for front seats), or have it flush. The picture below is flush, but I have mine currently installed on top, and touching the side walls. The small bump is not bothering me,
3. Support the board with some lumber
I decided to rest the board on the tire (it will be sagging if there is a flat tire in there, but likely I won't sleep on that) I had spare 2"x3" that worked well, but 2x4 might also work. The position of the spare matters. If it's all the way back, it will be more tilted, and you need a higher lift in front to go about flat. I built three supports because that's the amount of lumber I had, but two might work, too. The cross pieces prevent the long ones from shearing.
You should drill holes for anchors (see below) before you attach the beams to the board. I wasn't sure where, and did it later, and it was a bit more involved.
4. Wrap everything in automotive carpet or felt
I am not proud of this job, but after 2 hours to remove the seats, and 2 hours of building the platform, I didn't want to spend another 2 hours to make the underside of my bed pretty. I still used spray glue, but the stapler accelerated things a lot.
5. Attach anchors to the floor and the board.
Hopefully you have holes in the supports for the board.
6. Strap it all down
Originally I wanted to bolt down the bed to the car, but it wasn't clear how I would do the tire. So I ended up with straps for everything. I tie the tire down first and separately, so I can just remove the bed and the spare is still there.
Things to consider here: You don't want it to move, especially not in a crash. You also don't want it to shift forward into the middle console and screen. You hopefully do some off-roading with this, so it will be bumpy. Be careful where you place the release of the straps. You don't want a water bottle rolling over it releasing the clip.
I added D-Ring anchors to each bolt, then an M10 nut on top, then the original Rivian stop nut. Covered everything with a 5'x3' waterproof, rubber backed carpet. I cut slits into the carpet for the D-Rings to come through and used two straps.
Then tie down the platform on top. Again, you don't want it to move, especially not forward. Also, if you get in from the side door and put all the weight on the side of the board it will lift the other side if not tied down. Support legs could prevent that, but they will be in the way of additional storage (more than straps)
7. Matress, Duvet and Pillows
I am using a 1" mattress topper, but I like firm beds. It's too long for the Tesla, but it's too short for the Rivian. Oh well
. You get about 7' of bed, 40" wide at the rear seat storage, and 32" head room in the front. Very roomy, much roomier than a tent. But you can get pretty much the same by just folding down the seats.
The much simpler option is to put a full size spare vertically in the rear. If you are alone, you can even sleep diagonally or you just remove the wheel for the night. You lose most of that rear trunk space, though, so more stuff will be on top of the bed. Each night you would remove the wheel, the cooler, etc. from the car to sleep. Not the end of the world.
What I did below preserves that whole under trunk in the back, and gives you a bit more space in the front (besides the spare).
1. Remove the second row.
See this thread for details
2. Find (or buy) a 3'x4' board
3' will restrict the movement of the front seats a bit. and you don't really need all 36". You can go down to 32" and/or cut two corners for a better fit.
You also have to decide if you want to rest the board on the third row (more stable, more room for front seats), or have it flush. The picture below is flush, but I have mine currently installed on top, and touching the side walls. The small bump is not bothering me,
3. Support the board with some lumber
I decided to rest the board on the tire (it will be sagging if there is a flat tire in there, but likely I won't sleep on that) I had spare 2"x3" that worked well, but 2x4 might also work. The position of the spare matters. If it's all the way back, it will be more tilted, and you need a higher lift in front to go about flat. I built three supports because that's the amount of lumber I had, but two might work, too. The cross pieces prevent the long ones from shearing.
You should drill holes for anchors (see below) before you attach the beams to the board. I wasn't sure where, and did it later, and it was a bit more involved.
4. Wrap everything in automotive carpet or felt
I am not proud of this job, but after 2 hours to remove the seats, and 2 hours of building the platform, I didn't want to spend another 2 hours to make the underside of my bed pretty. I still used spray glue, but the stapler accelerated things a lot.
5. Attach anchors to the floor and the board.
Hopefully you have holes in the supports for the board.
6. Strap it all down
Originally I wanted to bolt down the bed to the car, but it wasn't clear how I would do the tire. So I ended up with straps for everything. I tie the tire down first and separately, so I can just remove the bed and the spare is still there.
Things to consider here: You don't want it to move, especially not in a crash. You also don't want it to shift forward into the middle console and screen. You hopefully do some off-roading with this, so it will be bumpy. Be careful where you place the release of the straps. You don't want a water bottle rolling over it releasing the clip.
I added D-Ring anchors to each bolt, then an M10 nut on top, then the original Rivian stop nut. Covered everything with a 5'x3' waterproof, rubber backed carpet. I cut slits into the carpet for the D-Rings to come through and used two straps.
Then tie down the platform on top. Again, you don't want it to move, especially not forward. Also, if you get in from the side door and put all the weight on the side of the board it will lift the other side if not tied down. Support legs could prevent that, but they will be in the way of additional storage (more than straps)
7. Matress, Duvet and Pillows
I am using a 1" mattress topper, but I like firm beds. It's too long for the Tesla, but it's too short for the Rivian. Oh well
. You get about 7' of bed, 40" wide at the rear seat storage, and 32" head room in the front. Very roomy, much roomier than a tent. But you can get pretty much the same by just folding down the seats.
