Ute Setup for touring

[axel]

Looking for opinions!

I have a king cab D40 with a steel tray on the back (dimensions 2100x1800), presently my touring setup has got me through a week in the Vic High Country and a 3 week trip through Central Australia, however there are issues I want to try and solve.

Current setup:
Built a steel frame that bolts down onto tray with a form ply floor (400mm high) on top covered in marine carpet. In the middle, towards the back of the timber floor is a Howling Moon roof top tent, which when in use folds down off the back of the ute.
Problems: The roof top set up is good for overnight stays but limits mobility when staying for longer unless you pack and unpack each time.
Before packing anything else my rear OME springs are almost inverted but have still managed to provide me a good ride on both trips.
The storage space under the timber floor is handy but not enclosed. Anyone that has travelled for extended periods will understand how annoying grabbing things out covered in dust can be even when things are put in containers, etc.

New Setup:
I have thought of putting a canopy on and using one half of the tray for my swag and the other half for storage but it limits being able to throw items such as fire wood, dirty gear or anything else you throw in the back of a ute without much thought. I think the most important thing for the design is to be able to just pull up at any stage and be able to do things quickly, i.e have shelter, start cooking, go to fridge, etc.

I hope you get the idea, but if anyone has good setups for touring please share, it's more of a brainstorming session for me at the moment.

Cheers

 

[Tappet]

King Cab here to. My setup is not disimilar from yours except I have a well body ute with a false plywood floor, wheel arches are part of the support. Swag on top and gear underneath. Tonneu stretches over the top, just. After a bit of mucking around managed to seal the back of thing quite air tight with little or no dust. Like you to I have considered a canopy but I use the use to carry garden cuttings and bit of junk around. so reluctant to go donw that path.
Fridge sits in the back of the cab drivers side but only a 35l engle which is fairly compact. Small Esky on the other side for drinks and grog.
I brought one of those 3m X 3m quick up gazzebo things, very handy, like your own carport out in the bush. You can buy sides for them to. Not the most private setup but if there's going to be other people around I just don't go there.
It's ideal for an over nighter but sleeping up off the ground in the back of a ute has certain advantages. Especially around this neck of the woods where there is lot of criters , even ones with big jaws and teeth.

 

[Bong]

I have a king cab but with a canopy, A 50ltr Waeco sits behind the drivers seat mostly. I use a Touring tent to sleep in mostly. For short trips I sleep ion the back. Look at my garage for some pics .

 

[axel]

King Cab here to. My setup is not disimilar from yours except I have a well body ute with a false plywood floor, wheel arches are part of the support. Swag on top and gear underneath. Tonneu stretches over the top, just. After a bit of mucking around managed to seal the back of thing quite air tight with little or no dust. Like you to I have considered a canopy but I use the use to carry garden cuttings and bit of junk around. so reluctant to go donw that path.
Fridge sits in the back of the cab drivers side but only a 35l engle which is fairly compact. Small Esky on the other side for drinks and grog.
I brought one of those 3m X 3m quick up gazzebo things, very handy, like your own carport out in the bush. You can buy sides for them to. Not the most private setup but if there's going to be other people around I just don't go there.
It's ideal for an over nighter but sleeping up off the ground in the back of a ute has certain advantages. Especially around this neck of the woods where there is lot of criters , even ones with big jaws and teeth.

When I did my trip through Central Australia I had two engels (fridge & freezer) behind the seats in the cab but it just limited the comfort and because it was a bumpy trip I got a few to many interior scratches for my liking.
Sleeping off the ground is a must.