I'm in the process of putting a shell/cap/canopy on the bed of the truck.
Not wanting to reinvent the wheel, has anyone ever tried to route heated air from the cab system into the bed area via duct work of some sort?

My cab takes a while to warm up, but it eventually gets plenty hot.
What I'm envisioning is a run of aluminum dryer duct hose , or possibly smaller diameter hose run along the tranny tunnel area to the bed.
Either that or a 12V travel heater from a truckstop, but I don't have a two battery set up, and don't want to overtax the electrical system.

Any Ideas?
I'd hate to try and engineer this, just to find someone has already done it a better way.

Thanks,

Juanathon

 

It'd be a lot easier to run a 12v wire than an air duct to the bed. It should be fine to run a heater, do you have anything else hooked up that uses power? A high output alternator would help too.

 

youll be fine.. i have a p/a,train horns and 6 total aux lights off my stock alt and a optima yellertop

 

the 1st Gen Toyota heating system leaves something to be desired to begin with. As mentioned routing air would be a PITA. One option to consider for heating the bed would be a rear heat system similar to what you would find in some 1st Gen 4Runners (my '86 had it and my back seat passengers loved it) and some FJ40's. I am pretty sure that it had a minature heater core though been awhile since i saw one apart..

The 12V heater you found will most likely be the easiest method to get heat back there. Just make sure you fuse it, possibly use a relay and adequate gauge wiring.

 

I have a friend that put a heater core in the bed, built a fiberglass box with a fan in the back, and he had heat in the bed! Neat setup.

 

I just opened the sliding rear window and set the heater on fresh air with all other windows raised and it would blow in the camper.It worked good enough for our weather.
Bigblock

 

Maybe find a 1st gen 4runner with a rear heater in it and see if you can do something with that. I've had a 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen all with rear heaters they're nice the whole interior warms up a lot faster.

 

Keep in mind if u are getting alot of snow/moisture underneath your truck then adding heat will speed up our good old friend rust. Thats why frames rot out right by the muffler.

 

Thanks Guys, for all your input.

I hadn't thought of the heater core options, looks like I'll have to do some research on 4Runners and see what is available. I've got some thin plate steel and a couple of scraps of aluminum sheet to build an enclosure. Might have to build an auxiliary heater, but before I do I'll check the electrical draw required by the 12V heater. If it's not huge it would be nice to go the electrical route and be able to run the heater without running the engine (even if it's just for a little while before bedtime). As far as rust/condensation goes, I'm in Arizona so it won't see a lot of snow...it was 24 degrees Fahrenheit this morning and to me (lifelong desert dweller) that's cold enough. I can't understand how you guys up north handle it, but more power to ya'!

Thanks Again,

Juanathon

 

I was stationed in Alaska for 3 years and 3 in Upstate NY. Don't know, it was kind of cool waking up with 18" of snow on top of your sleeping bag/tent
Curious what you end up doing though. My kids don't feel the '81 Trekker's heat cuts it, they like the 12v blanket though

 

i don't think the air would be warm if you piped it all the way to the back... and that is a lot of real estate to try to heat with these crappy heaters.

i would go with the electric heater. just fuse the power wire close to the battery....

Al

 

Juanathon, did you ever work out a heater back there?