Can the 4th Gen still be used as a camper or sleeper? Flat or Non Flat Cargo floor ?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by zor, Sep 12, 2015.

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  1. zor

    zor Member

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    Hi David,

    Thanks for detailed instructions, i will take a good look at that material when i get some time and see if it will work with the 4th gen when i drive it out the lot. Will keep you posted, it sure sounds like quite a solid solution.

    Happy New Year
     
    #21 zor, Jan 1, 2016
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Witness Leader

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    @zor, that might be it: when I layed a tape measure in the hatch area, it was without pushing the seats forward. I was thinking about transporting something. I hadn't touched the seats, pushed them forward, and I'm sure there was several inches more travel.Ok, did a measurement: seat pushed completely forward, there's a decent 6'-5". There's slightly over a foot gap at the front you'd likely want to fill in with something.
     
    #22 Mendel Leisk, Jan 1, 2016
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  3. zor

    zor Member

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    Good stuff, looks like some one thats 7 foot more less can fit...
    Where can some one say that they get 4-5L/100km as their daily commuter and also can sleep 2 people comfortably :) for the price range of 25-30k
    I think its brilliant. Most cars that people use as a campers are gas guzzlers,Subaru Wagon,VW Hippie Van, Regular Vans... etc they are just not practical for daily commuters while giving you a place to sleep 2 people to boot.
    Prius, best of both worlds.
     
    #23 zor, Jan 1, 2016
  4. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    I like the idea of a hard shelf to bring the back up to height with a layer of something soft(carpet), a thick piece of foam would compress in the wrong places and it would gas out the car forever.
     
    #24 Lucifer, Jan 1, 2016
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  5. zor

    zor Member

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    That is what i was thinking originally as well Lucifer, i was thinking plywood but i think that would be to heavy at the end of the day.

    When you say gas out, do you men the gasses that the foam gives off? and if so would Ethafoam do the same thing?

    Thanks,
    Z
     
    #25 zor, Jan 1, 2016
  6. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    A thin shelf of plywood properly supported, easy to remove, if ethafoam doesn't gas, great, hows it smell?
    The back of my 11 hatchback has seats down, horse blanket for padding, canvas dog barrier and it's a kennel.
     
    #26 Lucifer, Jan 1, 2016
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  7. zor

    zor Member

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    That is a good point, i was actually thinking about the aspect after reading your post, that for camping sakes a sheet of ply wood with some support under it might do and if its heavy then it can be removed when not camping.....ill check that out as well as the ethafoam, i dont know much about the foam though, i work in the concrete industry so i have seen foam forms, i might be able to find out where i can go and have a whiff o_O the smell is important to me as well. Cool that you set up a kennel in the back mate.
     
    #27 zor, Jan 1, 2016
  8. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I see possibly wrong info early in this thread.
    Please review Tony Schaefer's updated summary of Gen4 specs.
    Visual Tables of Gen4 Package Combinations | PriusChat

    I think it says all Gen4 models with spare tire (2 and 3, 3 touring) have level floor. Therefore 2 eco, 4, and 4 touring would have the non-level floor. Check me on this.

    EDIT- P.S.- I am looking for foam board for a different purpose...I want to go to Lowes looks like they have some 2-in x 4x8-ft insulation board (DOW or Pactiv brand).
     
    #28 wjtracy, Jan 1, 2016
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's correct. the prius maintains the interior temp without the engine running all the time. and when it does run, it's very clean, relative to other cars.
     
    #29 bisco, Jan 1, 2016
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  10. zor

    zor Member

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    Hi wjtracy,

    firstly nice pic of the Prius and the canoe you have there, definitely looks like the type of person who would use their car for the the purpose of this thread :)

    That is a good point you mentioned about the tire aspect....although Tony Schaefer's info is that :
    1. Prii with NiMh batteries have a cargo floor that is flush with the rear seats when folded.
    2. Prii with LiOn batteries have a cargo floor that is not flush with the rear seats when folded. The floor is lower.

      so if i understand correct, it means that its not necessarily the spare tire but the location of the battery that has that effect on the level of the cargo floor, usually for spare tires have an indent where it rests under the cargo floor, which is what i suspect, if thats the case it probably would not change the level of the floor,if it was the case that the tire was not put in a shaped indent it would be a very uneven cargo floor. Maybe Tony can answer this question for us errr how do i tag Tony to this comment :S??,

      Good to know lowes has it thanks for the heads up, im currently in the process of researching which foams are environmentally safer and that dont give off gasses or smells. It might take me a month or so to figure all that out before the Prius arrives to the dealerships.

      Thanks for your your question and interest wjtracy, i hope you are enjoying your Prius.

      Zor
     
    #30 zor, Jan 1, 2016
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    tony's info is from september, i think wj may be correct. it's probably more about the spare tyre than the battery.
     
    #31 bisco, Jan 1, 2016
  12. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Yes I was going to bite and ask why the battery made a difference, but then I realized that may be out-dated info.
     
    #32 wjtracy, Jan 1, 2016
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    looking at your link in post #29, it seems the packages with spare tyre have less hatch volume, which i assume means higher floor.
     
    #33 bisco, Jan 1, 2016
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  14. zor

    zor Member

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    Good point bisco, i hope Tony Schaefer can clear this up for us, i think he might have actually been at the event and seen the gen4 in person.
     
    #34 zor, Jan 1, 2016
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  15. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Ethafoam doesn't smell, but I'm sure there is some outgassing. There always is (from my "high vacuum" days). The local mall I walk every morning installed new displays, made of large flat panel TVs. They came with large sheets of 1" ethafoam protecting the screen. I have a couple of those sheets, charcoal in colour. No smell. I used to use ethafoam to hold handheld radios in suitcases for emergency use. Cut it with a scalloped kitchen knife. I use it now for my portable electronic test equipment cases. I use spray-on contact adhesive when I need to glue two pieces together. 3M #76 adhesive.
     
    #35 David Beale, Jan 2, 2016
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  16. zor

    zor Member

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    Hey David Happy New Year,

    Thanks for the post, i will definitely be checking it out. Plywood and Ethafoam seem to be the only two gateways i have right now, so will compare them as days go by, im primarily leaning more towards the plywood because of the gasses Ethafoam might have but if the gasses are not an issue then the foams weight, price and workability is much more appealing.
     
    #36 zor, Jan 2, 2016
  17. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Ethafoam certainly looks like good stuff. Personally, I would not rule out Styrofoam or any foam for "gases" unless there is some known concern. You can always check state of California ratings, but everything causes cancer in California, so that's why we don't move there. Seriously I would check product safety info and use instructions carefully, maybe Google for concerns. But I am not aware of an issue there. Styrofoam for food packaging has political enemies for reasons of litter, non-biodegradability, and generic belief by some that plastics are bad. But we incinerate our trash here so not sure it matters.

    I was just riding my bike (last warm day) and at the local High School they were outside cutting up 2inx4x8 sheets of this Corning Formular stuff for props for a play. Apparently this is the material of choice for making Halloween props etc. (easy to cut to shape). There is safety info from Corning basically saying it does not require hazard label, which is a little less than full disclosure I know.


    Environmental FAQ (note formula change after 2009)
     
    #37 wjtracy, Jan 2, 2016
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  18. energyandair

    energyandair Active Member

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    It seems fairly clear that the models with a spare have a higher floor but I'm not sure whether it's level with the rear edge of the folded back seat.

    IIRC, someone was saying that there are European Toyotas (Auris?) with an adjustable height floor in the trunk area and I think they posted a photo.

    It would be great to have the choice of maximizing available height or providing a flat floor with a concealed storage space below it.
     
    #38 energyandair, Jan 2, 2016
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  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i think i read that too, but i don't recall any pics or descriptions.


    keep in mind they paid out billions on defective breast implants.
     
    #39 bisco, Jan 2, 2016
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  20. zor

    zor Member

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    Thanks wjtracy,

    As far as styrofoam i have been googling a bit on it and it seems to be quite a nasty product for the most part, but im gonna keep looking, there probably is something out there that is safe for the environment and does not omit anything dangerous.

    2 sheets of ply wood properly measured (so that it is easier to take out then one piece) and supported by some pieces of wood/blocks under neath might be the safest option with some carpet material on top to boot.
     
    #40 zor, Jan 2, 2016
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