Well I have been swapping messages with CR-Venturer regarding tires and suspension so I thought I would add to this thread with the simple kitchen platform I made (while I wait for my lift kit....). In the end, it is just a 15" x 48" piece of plywood on some brackets for legs, but it does a lot for me.
I have the CR-V model with the seats that fold down completely to make a comfortable double bed so I wanted a platform to hold a kitchen and other gear, that would stay in place once the bed is set up, still allow access to the table, the other little storage compartments and the wheel well underneath the table (where I put recovery gear).
My thinking is that the reasonable number of smaller boxes makes loading the car easier than large totes and means it is easier to stay organised on the trip.
This is early days with this (as in I have not even loaded gear in yet, or better yet, tested it all out while camping...).
Platform is 15" x 48" 5/8" ply (I had laying around). The legs are angle brackets (also I had laying around). I bent the end of to make a foot.
The other piece of wood I cut is so the table can slide in without the things (behind the seats and on top of the table and behind the platform) falling into the tire well. It is 32" x 9" and also 5/8" ply.
The npolkacement of the legs took some messing about. I used clamps to hold them and tried different locations so as to make the largest space for access while hitting some solid part of the floor.
I am playing with the plastic boxes to work out what I want to put in each, and I can put 3 smaller ones under the platform or a bigger one and a smaller one. I am thinking clothes and dry goods go in them. I stacked a couple of shoe box sized ones to the left of the cooler. Still playing.
It does need a ratchet strap over the whole thing so I will make that a fast and permanent part of it all. Also, I took out the carpet in the rear area - not helping really and stopped access to things underneath it.
