Gear Tunnel Shuttle thoughts?

[DaveA]

I suspect that there will be many aftermarket slides, at half the cost. So give it a little time, and you will be able to get something better for less money.

$1500 is a lot of money for slide like that, can't imagine it costing more that $300 to make.

Trying to save a few hundred bucks on a currently bespoke accessory on a $75k+ vehicle is hysterical. ?

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[crashmtb]

Then you have a rusty imagination. I priced 26" drawer glides with 440 LB rating at McMaster-Carr at $461. 26" was the longest they offered. I'd expect longer glides to be to be at least that much, even with a lower rating. That's just 1 part to make the sled. There are electrical parts as well. You can see the cable management bit in the center of the photo. I'd put the actual material cost at $800.

I agree that aftermarket sleds would be less money, but it will be a lesser sled. Probably not have the electrical connection for example.

I found 60” extension slides with a 250lb rating, $563 EACH on McMaster Carr. Probably cheaper in OEM quantities but still going to be a lot of $$$.

 

[crashmtb]

I suspect that there will be many aftermarket slides, at half the cost. So give it a little time, and you will be able to get something better for less money.

$1500 is a lot of money for slide like that, can't imagine it costing more that $300 to make.

Right and a newspaper costs $0.25

 

[bmelt]

I have a 2019 GMC Sierra pickup currently and I added a Bedslide to the rear bed. It allows me to slide out the BedSlide, put my stuff on it, then slide it back in under the tonneau cover.

Same concept here with the Gear Shuttle. No crawling way inside the tunnel to get your stuff, just slide it out. Of course, clearance from side to side is an issue, and you do lose height as well. Tailgating with the gear shuttle extended probably isn't possible as they park you side to side.

And you may use the bed for more things when at stores as you will be parked in a parking spot with little side clearance too.

Hmmm, now that I type this, I wonder if it's really worth the $1500.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

I bet you could use the shuttle to make one hell of an outdoor WFH setup. Add an awning from the roof rack for some shade and voila!

 

[KeithPleas]

I bet you could use the shuttle to make one hell of an outdoor WFH setup. Add an awning from the roof rack for some shade and voila!

I was thinking along those lines as well - the power requirements from the inverter would be modest, you could conceivably get a couple of monitors mounted on articulating arm. I suspect the height and surface area would need some additional engineering.

On my boat I have a Netgear LB2120 connected to both cellular and WiFi antennas on top of a radar mast. Pre-pandemic cruising in Canada my wife and I could do Zoom/Teams calls wherever we could get decent cell coverage though we generally didn't share video.

 

[cc84]

I found 60” extension slides with a 250lb rating, $563 EACH on McMaster Carr. Probably cheaper in OEM quantities but still going to be a lot of $$$.

Amazon may have something similar to what you're referencing, for twice the load rating and 1/2 the price. 1 pair (two slides) per package.

Drawer Slides.png

Or, maybe figure out a way to use a conveyor system, with such as plywood on top. The plywood being held in place, in a channel, on the top and sides....will be able to slide from either end of the tunnel. Use a floor to ceiling block (customize I block) to hold the base down on the opposite end you slide.

Conveyor.png

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

I was thinking along those lines as well - the power requirements from the inverter would be modest, you could conceivably get a couple of monitors mounted on articulating arm. I suspect the height and surface area would need some additional engineering.

On my boat I have a Netgear LB2120 connected to both cellular and WiFi antennas on top of a radar mast. Pre-pandemic cruising in Canada my wife and I could do Zoom/Teams calls wherever we could get decent cell coverage though we generally didn't share video.

Depending on where you are, you might want to have roll down screens off the awning for bugs but man that would be nice.

 

[crashmtb]

Hmmm, now that I type this, I wonder if it's really worth the $1500.

for me it is, 5 year warranty if ordered with the vehicle, and it shows up installed.

I like designing and making things, but there would be way more than $1500 of my own time, never mind materials, into making something like this shuttle.

 

[TDWRT1]

Are the tunnel dimensions available?

 

[Rivuylkill]

Are the tunnel dimensions available?

65 inches long, 18.1 inches wide, and 20.3 inches high, but not sure yet how that maps to the odd shape.

 

[eggpaul]

I'm having second thoughts about the shuttle now. I don't see a situation where I will have room to extend it out all the way in a parking lot. Maybe half way to get things in/out. Maybe better for me to have the entire gear tunnel space.

 

[Temerarius]

I'm having second thoughts about the shuttle now. I don't see a situation where I will have room to extend it out all the way in a parking lot. Maybe half way to get things in/out. Maybe better for me to have the entire gear tunnel space.

Unless you are getting the Camp Kitchen, at this time, I don't see why folks would want to get the shuttle. Maybe once they roll out additional toys for it, but, unless you are getting the kitchen, I'm not sure I see the value in just getting the shuttle (at this time).

However, I would be super leery of doing anything after market. For one, powering the shuttle (or having power connections on it) will need someone that knows intimately, how to connect the shuttle to the traction battery and if those power outlets need to be added to/controlled by the UI. Secondly, warranty... if you F-Up and poke hole you shouldn't or otherwise damage your R1T while installing or using this after market shuttle... you maybe SOL. Plus, what type of a warranty does the third party shuttle offer itself?

I am getting the shuttle, but only because I'm going with the kitchen. I presume that over time, additional toys will be made available by Rivian that will hook into/onto the shuttle, and that for those that did not order a shuttle, the wiring harnesses will be there so that you can bring it in and have one added later on if you want.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Unless you are getting the Camp Kitchen, at this time, I don't see why folks would want to get the shuttle.

I agree. The shuttle is a necessary component for the camp kitchen, and I understand why people want the camp kitchen... But the shuttle, on it's own, is even more niche, and much less practical. I would prefer having access to the full gear tunnel, rather than losing vertical space for an accessory that can't really be used in everyday life.

 

[kylealden]

There are going to be cool accessories, even unpowered. Even just a slide with some gear bins/drawers to make the storage more structured could be fantastic - if you ever dive into the overlanding or vanlife community you'll see all kinds of wild hacks to add structured storage to bed racks, slide outs in the bed/trunk, van walls, etc. Doing all of that in a more integrated way with a much lower center of gravity would be awesome.

I'm sure Rivian will make some of these, but there will be good DIY or aftermarket options as well. The shuttle t-slots looks thoughtful and easy to work with, so it could go anywhere from just 3d-printing some baskets all the way to a bespoke Shuttle-length powered fridge that you could access from the cab. Or gun racks, or an air hockey table, or whatever the hell.

It's a bummer to lose the vertical space but ultimately there's not a shortage of lockable storage in this truck - I'll sacrifice a few inches of the gear tunnel for the utility, present and future. But I'm also getting the camp kitchen so I may just be a sucker ?

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