Drawer system v. Tool box/storage boxes....

[Daryl 32]

We sleep in your rig. short bed F250. The bed is basically 6'4" long which is nice for my old 6'1" frame.

My plans are to build a draw system with a space between them that allows Kathy and I to be able to sit up in the shell and have a place for our feet. When it is time to sleep I will have a piece that fills the center. I am thinking the draws will only be 48 to 50" deep leaving room up front for hidden storage or maybe even a fresh water tank.

To me the choice lays in how you use your vehicle, boxes are great if you do not sleep in the vehicle so you can pack them away at night if need be - away from critters. The other consideration is easy of access, one of the planned draws will be for tools, recovery gear and other more used stuff. While the other will be for kitchen and cutting stuff.

One of my goals is to try and get most of the always used stuff on/in the truck so leaving is less work - I seem to always forget something.

Currently I have built boxes for the floor of the rear seat and our year model has a fold down rear seat back so that area is full of things. While the bed has two small boxes bolted in place for widgets and things I want easy access to.

The inside boxes also give Ernie a full flat floor to lay on while traveling.

 

[Tim N Michele Davis]

2 and a 1/2 sheets of plywood, some slides and some Bedliner material and this is what we ended up with. It bolts down to the 3rd row seats and is removable. Fold the second row of seats down and you can get a queen-size mattress in there.

 

[Onefin]

We also own a JKUR.
Rear cargo area management is a challenge.
This summer I’m building a rear drawer system (similar configuration to the one in photo...but in a JKUR) that has my ARB fridge and slide on the left and two drawers on right. Top serves as suitcase or duffle shelf.
Lower drawer for recovery gear, repair tools, and air/tire stuff. Recovery and tools are in individual bags. Similar to these, but were a 2-pack at Lowe’s or somewhere for less than $20. Anyways, they work just as well as my expo sexy expensive Viking off-road recovery bag....
The rigid boxes are good, but I’d only want them under a solid divider to keep from prying eyes......thieves see rigid and think expensive tools.
We have a military camping trailer, and I’ve just realized that certain things stay in the Jeep and certain things don’t.
We do sometimes use the Jeep as a non-off-road or camping road trip vehicle and it does need to fit three suitcases. It sucks in this capacity......but it happens.
Fridge is best in vehicle 24-7. Pain to load and unload, and we live kinda far from affordable grocery stores.

 

[tsteb112]

I like drawer systems but haven’t built one for this rig yet. I currently use duffel bags and hard plastic totes


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[Inthewoods]

I currently use storage boxes for my stuff. Big boxes. One for my recovery gear, one for my kitchen stuff, one for food and then my tool box and air compressor. My two tables and chairs. This has worked good for now because when we camp its for days.
I am going to a drawer system to cut down on the pack up time for these long multiple stop camping trips. My truck is only a camping and fishing truck what goes in stays in. My only issue with the drawer is that i may not be able to sit up inside anymore. I might have to get dress outside of the truck now and might lose friends that way.

 

[bajatacoguy]

I have the Decked system in my Tacoma and I love it.

 

[Daryl 32]

2 and a 1/2 sheets of plywood, some slides and some Bedliner material and this is what we ended up with. It bolts down to the 3rd row seats and is removable. Fold the second row of seats down and you can get a queen-size mattress in there.View attachment 45533

What kind of plywood did you use? I have been looking into trying light weight marine plywood.

 

[tsteb112]

2 and a 1/2 sheets of plywood, some slides and some Bedliner material and this is what we ended up with. It bolts down to the 3rd row seats and is removable. Fold the second row of seats down and you can get a queen-size mattress in there.View attachment 45533

That’s a good looking system. Do you have a write up of any kind?


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[4xFar Adventures]

I started with a Tuffy drawer in the back of the D2. It's meant to fit between the tire wells of a Jeep, so it was a little narrower than I'd like, but it worked well. I covered it with a wood platform and added a couple anchor points near the edges. Once I got the ARB fridge I knew it was time for a new solution. I'm 6'4" tall and could just look and see the bottom of the fridge.

Aside from the height, which really didn't bother me, the Tuffy box ate a lot of space. Mostly on the sides. There's about 3" on each side of wasted space from the shell to the drawer itself. The drawer is built to fit panel dividers (which I never used), so there was more wasted space on the inside of the drawer sides. The remaining space on the sides of the Tuffy box was too small to really do much with it. It was deep, but my arm couldn't reach all the way to the backs of the rear seats.

So, out went the Tuffy box with all the trim and carpet in the cargo area. The ARB now lives on a slide tray, mounted to the bare floor of the truck. Next to it is a wooden box that encloses 2 Pelican 1550 cases. On either side of that are Mac's Custom Tie Downs Versa Tie tracks to hold down the other gear and cases for trips.

Here's the old setup.

Here's the current setup.

 

[Tim N Michele Davis]

What kind of plywood did you use? I have been looking into trying light weight marine plywood.

I used 3/4 plywood furniture grade, not marine, covered with Rhinoliner.

 

[Tim N Michele Davis]

Here are some pictures of the build of my drawer system. the center section is an easy straight box with 28 inch 150-pound drawer slides from Amazon. The paddle handles come from McMaster-Carr, used cardboard to make a templet for the sides. It is 2 piece with a plywood bottom so you can slide it out if you want to which is pretty easy to do, I thought I might but never have to be honest. If you have questions I would be happy to answer them I can not stress how easy of a build this was and how much we would be lost without it. You lay the second-row seats down and you can fit a queen size air mattress in the back to sleep on. I don't remember what I paid to have it Rhino lined so not counting that I have about
3 sheets of Birch plywood (Homedepot 39.95) 120.00
2 pair 150lb 28 inch slides (Amazon 50.00) 100.00
9 Hidden Hinges for wings (HomeDepot) 25.00
Voltmeter, USB, and Lighter Panel (Amazon) 20.00
2 pair Paddle Handles (McMaster-Carr) 50.00

And there you have it, the best DIY I have done by far I highly recommend you build one, it isn't hard if you have questions feel free to ask
Here are some pictures of the build,

 

[Daryl 32]

Every nice McDowre!

Thank you the parts list and out of car pictures!

 

[Overland California]

Here are some pictures of the build of my drawer system. the center section is an easy straight box with 28 inch 150-pound drawer slides from Amazon. The paddle handles come from McMaster-Carr, used cardboard to make a templet for the sides. It is 2 piece with a plywood bottom so you can slide it out if you want to which is pretty easy to do, I thought I might but never have to be honest. If you have questions I would be happy to answer them I can not stress how easy of a build this was and how much we would be lost without it. You lay the second-row seats down and you can fit a queen size air mattress in the back to sleep on. I don't remember what I paid to have it Rhino lined so not counting that I have about
3 sheets of Birch plywood (Homedepot 39.95) 120.00
2 pair 150lb 28 inch slides (Amazon 50.00) 100.00
9 Hidden Hinges for wings (HomeDepot) 25.00
Voltmeter, USB, and Lighter Panel (Amazon) 20.00
2 pair Paddle Handles (McMaster-Carr) 50.00

And there you have it, the best DIY I have done by far I highly recommend you build one, it isn't hard if you have questions feel free to ask
Here are some pictures of the build,
View attachment 46248 View attachment 46249 View attachment 46250 View attachment 46251

What was your thought process on adding the hidden hinges on the wings? I've always considered doing pop-out panels for the wings on my truck for more expansive access. The hinges look like they could hold the flap down well to keep rattles to a minimum, but may be a bit too restricting to access.

Would love to hear your experience with them.

 

[Tim N Michele Davis]

What was your thought process on adding the hidden hinges on the wings? I've always considered doing pop-out panels for the wings on my truck for more expansive access. The hinges look like they could hold the flap down well to keep rattles to a minimum, but may be a bit too restricting to access.

Would love to hear your experience with them.

Thought about pop out panels but had the hinges so I used them. After having this for 4-5 years now I like the hinges but the pop-out panels would probably be OK just afraid every time you go off-roading they would pop out

 

[SubeeBen]

Here are some pictures of the build of my drawer system. the center section is an easy straight box with 28 inch 150-pound drawer slides from Amazon. The paddle handles come from McMaster-Carr, used cardboard to make a templet for the sides. It is 2 piece with a plywood bottom so you can slide it out if you want to which is pretty easy to do, I thought I might but never have to be honest. If you have questions I would be happy to answer them I can not stress how easy of a build this was and how much we would be lost without it. You lay the second-row seats down and you can fit a queen size air mattress in the back to sleep on. I don't remember what I paid to have it Rhino lined so not counting that I have about
3 sheets of Birch plywood (Homedepot 39.95) 120.00
2 pair 150lb 28 inch slides (Amazon 50.00) 100.00
9 Hidden Hinges for wings (HomeDepot) 25.00
Voltmeter, USB, and Lighter Panel (Amazon) 20.00
2 pair Paddle Handles (McMaster-Carr) 50.00

And there you have it, the best DIY I have done by far I highly recommend you build one, it isn't hard if you have questions feel free to ask
Here are some pictures of the build,
View attachment 46248 View attachment 46249 View attachment 46250 View attachment 46251

Beautiful looking system, nice craftsmanship, good job

 

[Lindenwood]

Awesome thread!

I went with drawers in my 4runner to maintain a clear space for my dogs to hang out, and because it made for a way to combine storage and a wide sleeping area.

I started with duffels and such, and got tired of moving stuff around to fit different loadouts. Now all my recovery gear and most of my baseline camping gear is always in the same place with no passenger conflicts.

 

[Overland California]

Thought about pop out panels but had the hinges so I used them. After having this for 4-5 years now I like the hinges but the pop-out panels would probably be OK just afraid every time you go off-roading they would pop out

Yeah, I can see that happening. Pros and cons to both! I'm going with pop out panels on my drawer build (easier to build). I'll let you know if I come up with a way to secure those flaps or if they become a headache on the trail.

 

[Daryl 32]

Working on our drawer design

Going to make it out of 9 ply 1/2" cabinet plywood
2 drawer components with space between for stuff and feet while inside - drawer assemblies will fit out ward tight to wheel well
Drawers will be 60" long with 60" HD sliders (for now just the passenger side) and full box shell
Front of box will be a covered empty space I hope to put a fresh water tank into later.

 

[ru108]

Subbed.... On the fence ATM

 

[Inthewoods]

Lindenwood, like the box. that's what I'm going to do too. Except I'm in a truck . I take a compressor with me like the one you have. Here's what I am doing with my compressor. Mounting the motor about where you have yours and running a tube down thur floor to 3 tanks mounted up in the between the frame ( where the spare tire is) with a quick connect and gauge with switch up front to start the pump before I stop so that the tanks can be filled up when I do stop. I did this with my FJ 40, york compressor and 2 tanks and ran a 1/2 inch impact off it.