Pajero cargo frame/bed

As promised, here is the information on the cargo frame/bed I made for my 2004 Pajero.

You'll find videos on how to remove the seats, how to make the frame and how it went in use:

Remove Seats

Build Frame

Using Frame

I've driven over 4000 kilometers loaded up, but only slept on the bed once, no problems encountered.

The cost was around $350 (Australian Dollars)

I designed the frame to the following criteria:

• Can carry at the same time:

  • Mountain bike

  • Downhill bike

  • Surfboard

  • Hiking gear

  • Surfing gear

  • Beach gear

  • Body board

  • Mountain biking gear

  • Mountain bike tool box

  • Food

  • Esky for cold food

  • Camping gear

  • Cooking gear

  • Spare fuel

  • Water

  • Tyre compressor

  • Carry some of the above in plastic boxes under the frame

• One person could sleep in it

• It was light weight

• The frame/bed could be removed

• The passenger seat wasn't loaded

• Can easily get from driver's seat to bed frame

Considerations or changes you may want to make

• Unfortunately with the frame in, it isn't easy to get to the underfloor storage, but I do only store emergency items in there, such as spare clothes, spare cooking equipment, spare food, spare water etc. so ordinarily there should be no need to get at it.
  

• I can't sit up on the bed, I needed a specific height to get my boxes under it
  

• I weigh 60 kilos, if you are heavier you may need extra strengthening
  

• I left the carpets in my Pajero
  

• My Pajero is a 2004 NP 3.2L
  

• The two forward most lower legs are different lengths to all the others and to each other
  

• To increase or decrease the height you could change the length of all the 175mm sections (x 6 of them)
  

Material Used:

• Metal Mate brand Anodised Aluminium hollow section 25.4mm x 25.4mm (1" x 1")
  

• Metal Mate brand plastic joiners (note these add 25.4mm to the height or length)

Material Bought from Bunnings Warehouse

Aluminium Lengths/quantity of material bought (Bunnings part numbers E&OE)

• 3 x 900mm long (no cutting required) Part number 9311059091026

• 4 x 1200mm long (to be cut to length) Part number 9311059091002

• 5 x 600mm long (to be cut to length) Part number 1138270

Aluminium Lengths cut to size by fabrication company

• 1 x 1200mm cut to 1 x 775mm 1 x 150mm 1 x 275mm

• 1 x 1200mm cut to 1 x 775mm 1 x 150mm 1 x 235mm

• 1 x 1200mm cut to 1 x 775mm 1 x 150mm 1 x 175mm

• 1 x 1200mm cut to 5 x 175mm 1 x 150mm

• 5 x 600mm cut to 560mm

Check aluminium lengths you have now

• 3 x 900mm

• 3 x 775mm

• 4 x 150mm

• 1 x 275mm note this is adjusted for an error in my build

• 1 x 235mm note this is adjusted for an error in my build

• 6 x 175mm

• 5 x 560mm

Joiners (Bunnings part numbers E&OE)

• 4 x 3 way T piece part number 9311059700089

• 4 x 3 way 90 degree Part number 9311059700072

• 4 x 4 way 90 degree Part number 9311059700102

Feet (Bunnings part numbers E&OE)

• 6 x Feet (obviously, these go on the six legs!) Part number 9311059700058

Wooden top

• 2 x MDF 900mm x 600mm x 9mm thick Cut one to length of 850mm

Note if I did this again I would use one piece of wood cut to 1750mm

Where the aluminium lengths are used

Where the joiners are used

Key:

• 3W = 3 way all at 90 degrees

• 4W = 4 way 90 degrees and Tee

• 3Tee = 3 way Tee