Been looking into drawers since about a week after I bought my LX. Like a lot of the manufactured solutions out there but had a couple specific needs in mind and wanted to turn it into a quick little project. Just sharing this here as a means to document this for myself, and so that someone down the line can get it right the first time, after I inevitably drop the ball on something.
1 - Third Row Seats: I didn't want to remove the third row seats. I don't have kids but occasionally move 5 or 6 folks, so I want to preserve that utility.
2 - Ease of Install/Removable: I'd like to be able to remove all gear storage/weekend-fun-related paraphernalia if I'm going to be spending a number of weeks or months not needing it, just commuting to work.
3 - Access to Grocery Net: I hear myself... this is pretty frivolous. If I leave the drawers installed between trips, I want to still use my grocery net behind the tailgate. I have a dog and leave a dog hammock thing in the second row seats almost all the time, and the grocery net thing is just super convenient, keeping from slinging food all over the car.
4 - Mounting Options: I'll be adding a slide-mount for a fridge/Yeti at some point, as well as a GoalZero. I'll only have practical need for those items during trips for which I'd need the drawers so... in the interest of streamlining they'll remain bolted to the drawers.
5 - Storage Volume: I'll be the first to admit, I don't have need for as much storage as a lot of the manufactured options offer. I can fit almost everything I need in two under-bed bins, and feels like a good place to start for this project.
These considerations in mind, with third row seats folded up against the windows, I'm working with a drawer footprint of roughly 36in x 38.5in. My bins measure 35in x 16.5in x 6.25in. I'll be using two of them and I'll build a frame around those dimensions out of 8020 aluminum just because of it's versatility/weight. Plywood or something comprable on top of the frame with carpet to make mounting other equipment as easy as possible. With the third row seats folded up, I'll be looking to use the 4 third-row-seat hardpoints in the floor as mounting points for the frame. I'd like to ultimately design something clever in SolidWorks (to be 3D printed) so that the contours line up securely with those recesses. I can always further secure the frame with something like Voile straps or something analog like that, for additional "up-and-down" security.
These things don't need to be bulletproof, but I'd like the frame itself to be solid, and fit around the bins snuggly enough that they don't ramble around. They'll be a temporary solution until I can afford to pick up something like an FSR trailer. I'll update this as I go, but to this point they're projected to cost me roughly $250 in materials.
1 - Third Row Seats: I didn't want to remove the third row seats. I don't have kids but occasionally move 5 or 6 folks, so I want to preserve that utility.
2 - Ease of Install/Removable: I'd like to be able to remove all gear storage/weekend-fun-related paraphernalia if I'm going to be spending a number of weeks or months not needing it, just commuting to work.
3 - Access to Grocery Net: I hear myself... this is pretty frivolous. If I leave the drawers installed between trips, I want to still use my grocery net behind the tailgate. I have a dog and leave a dog hammock thing in the second row seats almost all the time, and the grocery net thing is just super convenient, keeping from slinging food all over the car.
4 - Mounting Options: I'll be adding a slide-mount for a fridge/Yeti at some point, as well as a GoalZero. I'll only have practical need for those items during trips for which I'd need the drawers so... in the interest of streamlining they'll remain bolted to the drawers.
5 - Storage Volume: I'll be the first to admit, I don't have need for as much storage as a lot of the manufactured options offer. I can fit almost everything I need in two under-bed bins, and feels like a good place to start for this project.
These considerations in mind, with third row seats folded up against the windows, I'm working with a drawer footprint of roughly 36in x 38.5in. My bins measure 35in x 16.5in x 6.25in. I'll be using two of them and I'll build a frame around those dimensions out of 8020 aluminum just because of it's versatility/weight. Plywood or something comprable on top of the frame with carpet to make mounting other equipment as easy as possible. With the third row seats folded up, I'll be looking to use the 4 third-row-seat hardpoints in the floor as mounting points for the frame. I'd like to ultimately design something clever in SolidWorks (to be 3D printed) so that the contours line up securely with those recesses. I can always further secure the frame with something like Voile straps or something analog like that, for additional "up-and-down" security.
These things don't need to be bulletproof, but I'd like the frame itself to be solid, and fit around the bins snuggly enough that they don't ramble around. They'll be a temporary solution until I can afford to pick up something like an FSR trailer. I'll update this as I go, but to this point they're projected to cost me roughly $250 in materials.