[leedee]

Hey guys here's a video where I talk about how to get a full flat seat setup in the back of the RAV4 for car camping. At one point I mentioned cutting the seat belt receivers in the back seat. Do not do that I was just thinking out loud while making the video. At the limit you can probably tuck them behind the seat but do not remove them.

Also I will probably be making a completely waterproof cover out of cordura 500 or 1,000 fabric to prevent any spills in the back seat while the wood seat is in place.

 

[Variman]

I wonder if this will affect battery cooling? Not saying it will, just something to consider.

 

[462478]

I wonder if this will affect battery cooling? Not saying it will, just something to consider.

I don't think it will. The battery is enclosed fully and has its own filtered intake to get clean air to cool it. The only way I think it would affect it is if the vent where the warm air goes out gets covered up, or the top panel of the battery "box" is removed and the air can't flow properly over the battery.

 

[leedee]

I wonder if this will affect battery cooling? Not saying it will, just something to consider.

That's an interesting point. I can see where in a vacuum type environment if you modify it at all it would create a difference in airflow.

 

[Variman]

That's an interesting point. I can see where in a vacuum type environment if you modify it at all it would create a difference in airflow.

That is what I was thinking. I assume you could get a Scan gauge type device and monitor battery Temperature before and after the Mod, once you find out normal temperate ranges of the battery.

 

[462478]

That is what I was thinking. I assume you could get a Scan gauge type device and monitor battery Temperature before and after the Mod, once you find out normal temperate ranges of the battery.

If it is anything like my battery, the temps are wild and unpredictable. Just starting up in the morning and less than 5 minutes of driving and the battery is already at 110F, then the next day with roughly the same temps out and same driving and battery is only at 85F.

 

[Mr_Flux]

Great beginning thoughts for enclosed camping. I nearly went with a setup like you're describing myself, but ended up another route that allowed for more of a kitchen feel out the back and a completely flat sleeping surface. Sacrificed a bit of headroom to make that happen but the ease of making meals outweighs that by far for me.

I don't think you're going to run into battery temperature issues this way, but the cleanliness of the air will suffer if you don't get that plywood pretty close to the seat's shape and position. I clean the HV filter every service and always blow a bunch of dust out because I've gone camping and just by being out in nature on dirt roads and such it's going to be more present. I wouldn't want all that accumulation to be deposited around the battery compartment. I had planned to use household door molding (long foam square with one sticky side) to make a better seal between that front seat frame and the wood, and even with a few places for velcro I think that would force more air through the filter as the battery circulation comes on.

Suggestions:
For extending the flat surface, put your rear seat headrests in backwards and all the way down. Normally the foam block slopes forward but in 180° orientation extends totally flat to the seat back. They (mine at least) don't lock that way, so they pull back out easily to return to normal position.
A full-size spare at 225/65r17 perfectly supports the rear floor, avoiding caving it in when sleeping on it, or, as it looks by your rows of wire, you might end up throwing bags of animal feed into the back which the flimsy floor also does not like. Some with the OEM spare have 2x4 blocks set on the tire for more load support too, I just prefer having a real spare.
Get a fan and rain guards for nighttime ventilation! If you're closed up in there overnight you'll be wiping moisture off every window and surface in the morning. Moving air through cracked windows keeps that from happening.
If I didn't have my kitchen drawer I'd look at one of those flat-folding trays/steps that hooks over the top of a vehicle wheel for a level place to cook. Costco folding table has been a great addition too.

I still haven't found a way around the metal seat bracket being obtrusive when laying back there, but it's such a minor thing I don't usually think about it.

I've gone out many, many times in my similar setup and have been so happy with it. I love having everything contained in the car so that "breaking camp" is usually just putting my chair into its bag and the propane inside. I love seeing other people's ideas and will be looking forward to an update to see where you take this!

 

[leedee]

Great beginning thoughts for enclosed camping. I nearly went with a setup like you're describing myself, but ended up another route that allowed for more of a kitchen feel out the back and a completely flat sleeping surface. Sacrificed a bit of headroom to make that happen but the ease of making meals outweighs that by far for me.

I don't think you're going to run into battery temperature issues this way, but the cleanliness of the air will suffer if you don't get that plywood pretty close to the seat's shape and position. I clean the HV filter every service and always blow a bunch of dust out because I've gone camping and just by being out in nature on dirt roads and such it's going to be more present. I wouldn't want all that accumulation to be deposited around the battery compartment. I had planned to use household door molding (long foam square with one sticky side) to make a better seal between that front seat frame and the wood, and even with a few places for velcro I think that would force more air through the filter as the battery circulation comes on.

Suggestions:
For extending the flat surface, put your rear seat headrests in backwards and all the way down. Normally the foam block slopes forward but in 180° orientation extends totally flat to the seat back. They (mine at least) don't lock that way, so they pull back out easily to return to normal position.
A full-size spare at 225/65r17 perfectly supports the rear floor, avoiding caving it in when sleeping on it, or, as it looks by your rows of wire, you might end up throwing bags of animal feed into the back which the flimsy floor also does not like. Some with the OEM spare have 2x4 blocks set on the tire for more load support too, I just prefer having a real spare.
Get a fan and rain guards for nighttime ventilation! If you're closed up in there overnight you'll be wiping moisture off every window and surface in the morning. Moving air through cracked windows keeps that from happening.
If I didn't have my kitchen drawer I'd look at one of those flat-folding trays/steps that hooks over the top of a vehicle wheel for a level place to cook. Costco folding table has been a great addition too.

I still haven't found a way around the metal seat bracket being obtrusive when laying back there, but it's such a minor thing I don't usually think about it.

I've gone out many, many times in my similar setup and have been so happy with it. I love having everything contained in the car so that "breaking camp" is usually just putting my chair into its bag and the propane inside. I love seeing other people's ideas and will be looking forward to an update to see where you take this!

I checked out your setup it looks really cool and it looks like you and your wife have had some awesome adventures.

Also thanks for the tip about flipping the headrest the other way I tried it yesterday and it worked well.

I know a lot of people install low profile drawers but my goal is to get as much head clearance as possible. I especially like how the the back platform area can be dropped 2 in lower for more clearance. I actually have a shower setup that I did in my Volvo which had about 32 in of clearance from the cargo floor to the ceiling. The RAV4 is the same or better.

I'm considering getting a swing away tire carrier so that I can use the tire area for a kitchen that potentially pops out but thinking about that still. I might just roll with a foldable table that I can pull out of the cargo carrier on the roof.

 

[leedee]

I don't think it will. The battery is enclosed fully and has its own filtered intake to get clean air to cool it. The only way I think it would affect it is if the vent where the warm air goes out gets covered up, or the top panel of the battery "box" is removed and the air can't flow properly over the battery.

I wanted to follow up on this part of the conversation because I think it's really important to understand how that hybrid battery is drawing in air. I had not fully understood how it worked until I really got down in there and made a little video. It turns out that the battery is pulling air from two areas and there are actually two filters one comes from the battery compartment under the seat itself and the other draws from the cabin area under the footwell of the rear right hand passenger seat. This makes sense to me now because if a child or someone were to block the intake filter that draws from the cabin area there is still a backup source of air. What I did learn is that all the air that is drawn into the battery passes through one of two filters. Having the hybrid battery covered by the bottom seat or uncovered completely really shouldn't make a difference in terms of the air that's being pulled into the battery. The only thing I would say is that you wouldn't want a lot of dust and debris accumulating in the hybrid battery area or water for that matter.

I hope this video is helpful to people who like me are learning the ins and outs of the RAV4 hybrid

 

[HMP]

I might just roll with a foldable table that I can pull out of the cargo carrier on the roof.

For CHEAP and not super large, I went with a Honda table from an element or CRV
Fits nicely in spare tire area
Cost me about 10 bucks

 

[leedee]

For CHEAP and not super large, I went with a Honda table from an element or CRV
Fits nicely in spare tire area
Cost me about 10 bucks

Oh what a great video to wake up to! So that table fits perfectly under there and still allows the Toyota cover to sit flat? That's amazing. I'll have to check at my local junkyard I'm sure they've got several of the early model CRVs. Honestly I'm disappointed in Toyota one for the quality of the hatch cover area also because they put such cheap carpeting on it that absolutely everything sticks to it and it's almost impossible to vacuum completely. There's just many things that they skimmed on that are really a bummer.

 

[S K]

Thanks for the video. Did you do it? Does anyone if there’s any danger to the battery having the unprotected pressure of people sleeping on it? I’d much rather do this than build a platform to level out the uneven rise.

 

[TrueTexan]

The other thing you can get for support over the spare tire is a storage tray. You can find them online. Got one rom my wife’s 2020 XSE since she is a master gardener and puts heavy bag of soil and fertilizer back there, has worked well.

 

[loanstar]

Does the rav4 prime have the battery under the seat?

 

[zerodrk30]

So I did this and it worked great. Took out the bench cover, I clipped the backseat sensors, put a piece of ply wood in its place for storage while traveling to the campsite. Took it out and lowered back seat backs down and it was nice and flat! Thanks. So much easier than removing the seat backs.

 

[zerodrk30]

 

[FKHeath]

Does the rav4 prime have the battery under the seat?

No, the HV battery on the Prime is under the car.

Edit: I believe the charging electronics is under the seat.