H3 Trying to make sleeping in my h3 more comfortable

[joekicksit]

Alright so I took the rear back rest out of my 06 h3 before my desert trip last month and I love the set up. I left the bottom seats in and only had to cover up the bolts sticking out of the floor but that wasn't really an issue. My girlfriend and I were able to COMFORTABLY sleep in the back for the weekend it was perfect! Now the only issue is that I no longer have seat belt receivers or a back rest making sitting back there illegal and dangerous... Soo my plan is to simply use the existing bolts and put in some seat belt receivers and use a thick strap (or two) or a tight cargo net type set up as the back rest.
Now I was wondering if this was a safe idea?
also if it would be legal in California?
has anyone done something similar?
I want to be able to enjoy naps in the back of my h3 but since it is my dd not having rear seat belts/backrest is going to become an issue.

 

[Panzer07]

I just fold the rear seats down push the front one al the way to the front...and use a Coleman SUV portable air matters some individual mattress linen, and some pillows or use my clothes as pillows the matters however the air matters has a sort of built in air pillow in itself...anyways this set up, it fitted, me and my wife pretty comfortably....I came up with this set up for when I made the long road trip from NY Back to Cali...and I dint wanted to spend money on cheap filthy hotels as well...it is a pretty more convenient set up since I can just pull over to the side of the highway adventure a little in off-road in to the woods so I'm not in the open...and can always fall to sleep...idk if I have a pic somewhere I'll post it later...I traveled with a lot of army and personal stuffs, and we manage to have a nice spacious and comfy set up on the back of the 3...surprisingly.


"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man."
-Mark Twain-

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Build a platform like is in my H3 (see my build thread - H3 SAR) for dimensions. it is even with the seats folded down. it's NOT 6' long, but it's close enough that you can stretch out

 

[4speedfunk]

Yank the rear seats, and install a Rhino-lined plywood platform. Keep all the factory studs and reuse them to bolt some support brackets to. I used a piano hinge and made my platform fold so I could get access to the storage area below. I keep my hi-lift, heavy tools, and such stowed here...keeps the vehicle COG low, and less prone to tipping (roof rack). I did this with no cutting, and the seats can be bolted back in place in about a half-hour. Seat belts are left intact...and they don't seem to hinder anything.

When its all done...you are left with a FLAT cargo area. Much better for sleeping.

 

[joekicksit]

Well I don't want to use an air mattress because when I have breaks between class ( I'm in college) I like to go either take a nap or do home work in the back. So I don't want to have to deal with an air mattress. I have a thick comfy mat that I laid down and since I left the bottom seats in I lay basically flat so I won't be needing to build anything just yet, but that does sound interesting! What I want to do is be able to randomly nap comfortably in my h3 when ever I want but still be able to have people in the back if I need to unexpectedly pick someone up!

 

[backcountryislife]

I have some open cell foam pieces that fill the difference in height from the rear to the seat back, and then toss down whatever you want to sleep on. I've spent many nights in Moab & around here set up like that. I do have the coleman SUV size mattress now, but I've done it with puzzlemat (the foam filling the space, and the mat on top of it making a softer surface, and put my thermarest on that... but honestly the coleman mattress is so fast to blow up that it's easier to do it that way.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

here is what I'm suggesting - it's 9" to be even with the folded front seat - but making a platform like this, you can stretch out flat to the front of the car



bonus is you have a place to stow your gear other than the front seats.