Configuration for Sleeping in the Rear - up to 9' of space!

[mike1305]

I'm sure there are a few threads on this already, but I'll include some work I did to lay out the space for anyone trying to overland in a WD21 4 Door. I was just trying to figure out a comfortable place for my fiancee and I to sleep. Even summer nights in the mountains are too cold for the Mrs. and she cried during two camping trips in 2020 from not being able to sleep for two nights straight lol. Anyway, onto the photos.

 

The limiting factor for rear space is where the rear seat bottoms tumble to. But not if you remove them, as mentioned in many a thread here. Just 4 12mm bolts per seat, easily done by hand. Unbolt the seat bottom itself so the hinge can nearly store flat under the folded seatback. As a bonus, you can use the seat bottom more easily as a filler without potentially hurting your carpet or bending the bracket. Just flip it 180 degrees and the notch for the wheel well fits around the center console instead! This gives you extra room without completely losing the front seats.

 

 

One seat tumbled one seat removed. about 20" of space if you slam the front seats all the way forward and tilt them. This gives you 79" (6'7") of space from the closed hatch lid to the rear seat.  But then there's a drop off between the seat back and seat cushion and the cushion itself has some mobility. If you just push the front seats back enough you can sort of "jam" the rear seat into this position so it doesn't move, and you have a clean transition from one space to another. it ramps down 5" and you lose 3", but still have 6'4" of space in the rear end to end. I'm planning to have a custom foam piece cut, or just filling it with blankets.

 

 

For now, I just found a cheap foam topper on Marketplace and threw it back there for reference in this 17" setup.

 

 

As noted elsewhere, if you remove the rear seat cushion completely, push the front seats all the way up, remove the headrests, and fold it flat - there's 9 feet of mostly flat surface. 9 full feet, no kidding! Insane.

 

 

Here's the setup with a full sized foam pad.

 

 

Depending on how you park, if you're able to get away with the parking brake being down, it would be easy to make a platform that extends all the way to the steering wheel. I would suggest elevating the platform somehow otherwise you're going to ruin the front seat bolstering over time, if I had to guess.

 

 

Anyway, hope this helps someone some day. Here are all my measurements as I was considering having custom foam pieces cut to fit the rear perfectly instead of making an elevated platform with wood, which I am going back and forth on. I can take more on request as I'll be messing around all week with this before reinstalling the rear seats for every day use again.

 

[AaronHorrocks]

If you remove the head piece from the front seat, and move the front seat forward, you can lower the back down all the way to make it flush, or lower than the rear seats. 
This gives a large semi flat area to sleep in. Add pillows and blankets. 

[JadynHancock]

Hey there. I stumbled upon this old but gold post and wanted to chime in. Your configuration for sleeping sounds like it's on point, especially with that idea of flipping the seat bottom for extra room. As for tips for better sleep, I've got a few to add to the mix. Make sure to pack some earplugs and a sleep mask, especially if you're camping in a busy area. These little things can make a huge difference in blocking out any unwanted noise and light. Also, consider investing in a camping hammock. It's a game-changer for those who like to sleep under the stars. And don't forget about bringing along some comfortable camping clothing for bedtime - comfy jammies and a warm hat can do wonders for a peaceful night's rest. Hope these suggestions help. Happy overlanding!

Edited February 15, 2023 by JadynHancock

[adamzan]

4 hours ago, JadynHancock said:

Hey there. I stumbled upon this old but gold post and wanted to chime in. Your configuration for sleeping sounds like it's on point, especially with that idea of flipping the seat bottom for extra room. As for tips for better sleep, I've got a few to add to the mix. Make sure to pack some earplugs and a sleep mask, especially if you're camping in a busy area. These little things can make a huge difference in blocking out any unwanted noise and light.

It really is great. Back when my 95 was my daily I did this all the time for camping. Also get some screen and magnets, you can leave the windows cracked this way and not wake up to a nasty humid mess.

[BlueKrogan]

I just want to comment and say that this is really amazing! The WD21 doesn't look that big, especially on the outside, but damned if that doesn't look comfy with ample room!