Life in 20 Sq Foot. Toyota 4Runner Mini Micro Camper
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- Опубліковано 23 жов 2020
- Here I give you an idea how living out of the 20 square foot sleeper cab of my 1996 4Runner is on a recent trip. Water and power make it livable and storage hacks add to the recipe.
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I like this build a lot more than most van build-outs.
Welcome to my hometown. Love watching people traveling in wheels. Love your setup. Simple. Clean. Motivated.
I think it was super smart removing the front seat🪑. Makes the 4Runner extremely spacious considering!
I enjoy all of your videos, but the road trips are my favorites. Thanks for taking us along. The camper is delightful and now everyone will want one! I know I do!! 😎
Your 'Design'...is The BEST YET! ..Practical..Simplicity..COMFORTABLE! ( 'High' Platform's...Don't Make any Sense to me!..). i currently don't have an SUV.....but i plan to Incorporate some of your 'IDEA's'...to my 2 door '99 Honda Civic Hatchback...to do my 'Stealth-Urban-Landing' ! Thanks for sharing Your Great videos! Safe Travels! Cheers from Canada!
Unexpected acoustic guitar at the end was beautiful!
I grew up in San Diego and I have to say that's my favorite restaurant and you ordered my favorite dish
I envy your precision organizational abilities!!👍 super nice video! Enjoy those mini road trips😉
You have one of the best vehicles, with a long life ahead of it.
I love your setup!
Welcome to Cali Steve! Some van dwellers here can be visually messy. Not the majority thankfully. Santa Monica considers “large vehicles” to be exceeding 20’ long, 8’ high or 8’ wide. They can not park on city streets or alleys between 9pm and 6am. Pasadena requires permits to park on city streets overnight. San Diego prohibits inhabiting a vehicle. All in all I’ve never been questioned after living in a minivan for 4 years. Just keep moving each day 🎈
I thought the 9th circuit court struck down the "inhabiting a vehicle" ordinances. I hear you though. Very restrictive.
@@XplorerSteveDIY You are certainly allowed to “nap” in a vehicle 🎈
Great video Steve , enjoy the travel.
You make wood working look easy. I know you don't consider it really wood working but I made a platform for a 12 volt fridge and Bluetti in my Sienna. It took me forever to get the cuts right with a jigsaw to make sure the platform was level because the Sienna floor is uneven. That was my first time using a jigsaw. I was also going to make shelves behind the 60% seats of the third row...I have all the materials but I am jaded.
Nice stealth and comfortable setup. Quality entertaining video too! Thanks for sharing.
Very nice Steve, great ideas.
Love your road trips Steve 👌🏼👍🏼. Keep on keeping on.
Nice music choice so fitting for Old Town!
I'm looking forward to the next video . I always enjoy your videos .
Another fantastic video, Steve. Like the new battery stand build.
Been eating there for past 20+ years. Always good eats!
You went to my favorite restaurant in Old Town, you also got my son's favorite dinner. Thank you for sharing your trip with us. Looking forward to when I can travel again. Hope you were able to enjoy some of the Dia de Los Muertos decorations. Blessings to you.
So good!
WOOOW ANOTHER AWESOME VIDEO, LOVE THE 4-RUNNER SET UP! AND LOVE THE 4-RUNNERS, I DRIVE ONE MYSELF A 2010 MODEL, HAVE FUN STEVE!!
Thanks, you too!
Super stealth in a minivan! Very organized!
Just found you channel and ive been binge watching your videos. You make me want to start doing the same in my 2nd 2wd gen tacoma.
Recently got the jackery 1500 for my 4Runner, been working on my build for about 2 years.
Nicely done! Enjoyed the video.
My old stomping grounds! Miss Old Town so much. Looks like you enjoyed yourself.
I have never seen it so empty. It was good though.
I like watching your adventures!
That is a beautiful 4Runner.
Never thought i would want something smaller than the Xplorer.. But you make the 4Runner look very appealing :) I always enjoy watching some Suburban builds also.
Thanks Z. Suburban would be fun.
Old Town Café is my all time favorite!!
What a great tour as usual. I wish You could help me to transform my Highlander to camper like yours. Yours looks most comfortable conversion to me... and watching you I have a feeling that you are perrrrrrrfectionist.... Thanks for sharing your trip... it feels good to watch someone enjoying nice weather.... ahhh... I wish I knew you personally... so much to learn from you...anyways, enjoy and stay safe... always like to watch your videos
Just found your channel. I also liked & subbed. Really good content. You are a cool dude ! Thumbs up. Wolf from central Florida.
A pleasure as always.
I get the McDonald-on-the-road too, hey- your passenger seat area make over is perfect ! Took my first trip out , I like scenic byway touring/ camping .. Boy my fridge is great !! But takes up so much space & I was eyeing that passenger seat ... then I found your channel ! I bought the jackery 500, and solar’s great but sure wish I could have afforded the jackery 1000 . It’s after being parked that the fridge seems hard to keep up with. I guess I will learn more about solar charging as I go. Like your set up !
Even better watching the second time around.
I love Old Town, and yes, some of the best Mexican food there. I lived in Imperial Beach south of SD when I was in school and sure miss the area. Enjoy the trip!
👍 nicely done, thanks 😊
My favorite guilty pleasure meal!
I love San Diego and I’m totally cool with paying for a campground, but so many of them won’t allow campers older than 10 years. This is awesome.
I have run into that rule but I drive up and they let me in. The rule doesn't seem to apply if you keep your RV looking nice. Try it.
@@XplorerSteveDIY Steve is absolutely correct. I believe they have this rule to keep out shabby looking and trashy RVs. Most will consider a well kept older RV that looks great. I have a 1995 Bounder that I keep in great condition. I have never been turned away after they see it. I suggest call them and tell them that you keep your RV looking beautiful inside and out. Sometimes they ask for photos so have some ready to email them. However RV parks are not my favorite place to camp anyway. They are usually very expensive, crowded and the spaces are tight. I use them only as a last resort. Good luck!
Good Day Steve, Nice to see another video. I got the Jackery 1000 as well. I am converting a Dodge Caravan. Yes tons of room and I took out the Fold and Go seats so crazy more space. Although it will be a pain to put the seats back in haha. Cheers.
Thank you so much Steve. I have a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan and am discovering its potential as a solo car camping vehicle. It has stow and go, allowing all back seats to fold under the bed, leaving a 4X8 open space for sleeping and gear. Could be a great option for guys looking to live like you!
The stow and go seating can also be removed and the wells used for additional storage, like the footwells of my 4runner.
Nice job steve!
That thing's a slick little setup! All you need now is to cut a hole in the middle of the drivers seat and slip a bedpan under it. Wallah! All the essential features installed... It does blend in nicely in a parking lot. Take care..
Cool idea
@@XplorerSteveDIY To be clear, the driver's seat commode was purely just for your humor, I won't hold you to actually doing it. Side note, I had an 18 degree, two electric heater night to maintain 70 inside. One 1000 watt couldn't hold 60. Woke parched. Take care.
I like to see everything you do with your own life. ..
Steve I love how you’ve done storage cabinets/cubbies along the sides vs pullout drawers under a raised bed. I want to do the same with my 2022 Runner. Also, I’m 6ft 4 in tall, I need to figure out a much longer bed…ideas?
Wow XS time flys it seems like this time a year ago you took the new stealth camper to Carlsbad. I’d say for your situation you have the best way to travel and not spend a small fortune plus it’s obviously comfortable. Great build out!!!
The next time you come down to San Diego, Hit me up! I’m in Mira Mesa and recently retired from the USPS
Poor Cosmo!😔
Do you think your 4Runner Micro Camper is now complete? It looks so homey and cozy for a travel camper!
Welcome to San Diego, Steve! I hope you didn't get caught with the rain 🌧️ this weekend, if you are still here. Old Town is a charming SD attraction. This video reminds me to do some staycation and enjoy places in our backyard! Oh, nice music!!
My BFF and I slept in our rental Nissan Rogue when we did our 50th birthday celebration trip a few years ago on PCH for 4 nights. We parked on the streets, hotel parking lots, and washed up in the hotel lobby bathrooms and at McDonald's restrooms. We also ate the free breakfast at the hotel. We tipped really well to make up for it. Fun trip!!
I've learned now to park at truck stops like Pilot or Love. Bathrooms and showers are very clean and they are safe for park and sleep!
Look forward to your adventures in SD!
Thanks for your story.
if you aren't hearing wind whistling through then its not gonna help road noise. all 4 runners are noisy from the over sized tires and short wheel base. enjoy it. I'm on my 3rd. if you want the same thing only a little nicer with no road noise get a gx470. they're awesome and Lexus IS famous for no road noise.
Great setup in the truck. I would have loved that when i was younger, but now i have to have the luxury of a shower and bathroom. I was under the impression that Hotels and Motels took vehicle license numbers and checked the lots at night for cars that should not be there. Although 2 years ago i did the same thing in Santa Barbara and the Hotel did not bother me.
That margarita looks soooo good. My favorite! I thought about ordering the Jackery 1000 with solar panels when it was on sale recently but I was being cheap. Still thinking about what I'm going to do.
I always like the idea of car camping. I do agree with you regarding an SUV unless you're offroad a lot, I suspect a minivan may be a better stealth camper in that it has more room and possibly has better gas mileage. Not sure how many have roof racks. I suppose those older regular conversion vans would work as well but they aren't as stealthy. I also like if you had to evacuate you could leave your house and not worry about a place to stay for awhile.
All good points.
Nice upgrade to the Jackery stand . O. I got the tarp setup you did for the back of the truck .
The awning is a great addition to any weekender.
In regards to wind noise, older cars in general (90s and early 2000s) did not have much sound insulation unless it was a luxury car. You might consider taping the windshield to determine if it is the source of the noise. Tape windshield, if no change, then tape up the left side doors and then test drive on the highway to see if the noise has reduced. I assume you'll enter through your rear right side door. The rubber door seals do deteriorate over time so it may be letting in more air/noise. This is why taping it will help find the source of the noise. Once you've figured out where it's coming from then your next steps might be adding rubber tubing around the door frame. Some people have even put 1/4" hose inside the rubber door seals to keep the shape of the door seal intact, instead of collapsing. Lastly, you might consider adding sound deadening/dampening or noise reducing foam sheets in the doors and under the floor carpet. Very easy DIY job and not expensive at all. Check out Noico sound dampener rubber sheets and also their foam pads.
Great idea to park at motels, going #2 and showering in the morning the only problem I see.
I will cover that in part 2.
Just watched some of your vids and like the stealth set up. With all that gear you should look into a wifi-enabled alarm system, like riggin' a Nest cam or something for peace of mind?
My wife and I sleep quite nicely in my 99 4Runner
Now I’m craving Mexican food! Excellent video! Thanks!!
Great video. Just found your channel. I live in the San Diego area. Next time your down try out the Cafe Coyote as well. Thats my favorite place in Old Town.
Sounds great!
Very nice sir, very nice indeed 👍🏽🙏🏽
Great music!
Love all your ideas… can you please do a you-tube on the jackery battery pack? I need a battery for my CPap while on the the road. The battery I have lasts approximately 5-6 hrs and was hoping to find one which had a little longer life. Also, can you talk about your Wi-Fi hotspot
I'm amazed at how much you can cram into such a small space without it looking like you crammed stuff into a small space. It also seems like you have everything thing necessary without it being a budget buster! And as usual, your fabrication work is superior.
@ 15:43, thought you surprised us with a new 4Runner! jk, your rig is looking great Steve!
If your getting whistling or wind noises. It could be from the moulding. The easy way to check, is put some masking over the gap. Then take it for a ride. If it fixes it reduces the noise, then I would get it replaced. Those mouldings are push in. But doesn't guarentee not breaking the glass. So take that into consideration. Been in glass for about 24 years.
Next episode, do the "fake wake up" sequence. It's a UA-cam favorite.
Linescrew1 lol complete with sleep in the eyes and the cops knocking on the door.
If I do that, I will have to make my bed while wearing a thing bikini.
Amigo! You sure know to enjoy yourself.
Time for a trip! Yeah !!
I'm gonna buy one
My family lived in the San Diego area, briefly, in the early 1960's. Old town is a cool place. We ate a restaurant there. I can't remember which one. The food was fantastic. I hope you get to Balboa Park. That's a great place. Be sure to visit the San Diego Automotive Museum. There you will find the Mattar Cadillac. Sorry, no spoilers.
Thanks for sharing!
I'vew been enjoying all your vids steve. I am also retired 53y korean-american dude with 2 grown kids (also younger dau, older son). I'm still married though so don't have the freedom you have to roam and do/buy whatever you want. Keep making your vids - vicarious delights for me. I saw based on your accordian-playing history that your mom must've been NorK? No matter in any case.
Good call. She was from Nork. Family driven from their home and land.
@@XplorerSteveDIY - nice. Both my parents too.
Could you give some guidance on your curtain set up
good one!!!! Hahah undisclosed location then says the location
Living on the edge with that McDonald's drink in that dash cup holder 😆 I've heard they could break at any time.
The worst Toyota engineering FUBAR ever, that drink cup holder.
Excellent results explora steve baby.. 😁
Steve, I'm originally from San Diego. Check out El Indio for tacos, the original Rubio's Fish Tacos in Pacific Beach, Little Italy near downtown, La Jolla and North County-i.e. Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas for more fun places to see. I have a 1999 Toyota 4Runner Sport w V-6 4X4 with 5 speed Manual. Love it and look to do some camping in it when it cools down here in Florida.
Thanks for the tips!
You got a metal detector...very cool. You should colab with Brent from Cerro Gordo.
Take it to your local windshield shop and see if they can remove the windshield and reseal it. They run BIG bead of sealant all the way around the windshield.
Thanks for the video. If you're a fan of American BBQ, try Phil's when you're in San Diego.
Great video God bless
I had to have my windshield removed (NOT replaced) for a rust repair last year. The mechanic told me that there was a 50% chance that the windshield would break when removed and that it was a risk i had to take, i might have to pay for a new one. Luckily it did not break, and when re-installing it there was basically no risk of damage. So i cannot answer your road noise problem, but i thought you might want to know about the possible damage risk. This was for a 2009 Ford E250 Van (Majestic Tourer II Class B).
Home is where your pillow is at.
Great video. My 4Runner has been converted to a mini camper as well. Except I have 4x4 and 33 inch tires and a whole bunch of crap that causes my gas mileage to go south quickly like a winch and awning and plate bumper. Ha ha. Do you have a link to the Mofi wireless you talked about. I didnt see it in your links above. Keep up the great work.
Very cool!. Mofi is on amazon.
Go to have a Margarita when in Old Towne!
I have read that for the long run it is unsafe to charge your smart phone over night on the night stand next to your head, having that 1000 WH solar generator is like having roughly 150 iPhones charging right next to your head all at ounce.
Just a point worth considering.
Take care and safe explorations.
🍻🍻
BB
I don't consider those type of click candy articles where this or that item that everyone uses is good or bad for you Coffee being one of the biggies. Cell phones, another. Usually speculation with no hard facts but ad revenue none the less. Live a fabulous life and filter what you will let into your mind.
I have an '05 Highlander, which I love, but it has always had a lot of road noise. Not wind leaks, just road noise,.
When you have new blog
Steve, you should bring Cosmo along on your adventures, someone to talk to may be nice.😃
@Odorous Smegma
It's the name Steve gave to the mannequin head that is at the beginning and end of most of his videos. Kind of a mascot
Looks like fun, but I,d be using the explorer.
I’m so used to down pillows, I have to bring my own on trips or can’t get comfortable for sleeping.
Steve, do you find you are using the 4Runner more often than the RV?
So far we have been running our mini fridge (similar to yours) off of the trailer battery, but we recently signed up for Harvest Host so may need a Jackery sometime in the future for off grid camping.
The 4Runner more- lately.
Get a tube of clear silicone caulk and plug around the windshield yourself as a cheap experimental fix. Whether it works or not you can easily peel it off with your fingers. Leave it thick and blob like so it’s easy to peel off. I would suspect the driver side mirror or door seal, window seal. Just a suggestion to try to find where air is getting in. If anything has been fixed or taken apart in the door and all the plastics and different layers aren’t put back right the air gets in. I had road noise after replacing a passenger review mirror.
Someone mentioned tape. I will try THAT..
You’ve utilized every inch of your 4Runner. Thanks for your videos. I was wondering why you had such a large (1,000) Jackery, you’re not using solar. I think I would want a cook space (a pull out platform from under the bed, not too high. I’m more interested in Overlanding. Do you attach your cabinets to the interior walls. Did I miss that video(s)?
I have video's showing my cooking setup and a build video showing the build. 2 parts. look back on my timeline to check them out.
Nice video. Maybe solar hook up for the jackery?
Covered on the previous video. Got it.
hunker down steve :)
No overnight parking in residential areas for RV's, boats, vehicles over 7.5' tall and/or 22' in length. Welcome to CA! 😁
You may be able to go into industrial areas with an RV? That's where they tend to gather. There are a lot of them all over CA. Also around parks.
It varies from city and county in CA. We have people in my neighborhood with visitors in RVs especially during the holidays. No biggie.
That is what I love about the 4runner camper. No restrictions on size.
Big mac, fries, and a coke.. Good... and good for you lol
The food looks amazing.
I can't even begin...
Do you know how I can get those side bookshelves made?
DIY. or a woodshop. I would suggest DIY or you will pay. BIG.
Not too sure that the wind noise is coming from the windshield. Any chance it is from the rain guards on the door windows? I often have wind noise from the top of the doors where the windows are. They bend away from the cab of the vehicle over time making the seal in the weather-stripping loose. I give it a gentle bend back to get the seal tight again.
You might try some painters tape to cover the trim on the windshield or the seals on the doors to see if the noise goes away. And thanks for sharing your video!
The tape has been mentioned and that is a good test I will try.
@@XplorerSteveDIY i have weathertech guards on my vehicle. i love them. do you plan to put some on the Xplorer?