ARB or DIY - Drawers (1 Viewer)

[brizzle]

I know there are tons of threads on drawers but I had to ask.

I drew up some plans and like the idea that I can DIY with special features just to my liking. I am expecting all the materials will cost me $500-$600 (mostly in the slides). I expect it will take me much longer than I plan.

Do I go for the DIY or do I drop $1000 more, save time and potential frustration and just spring for the ARBs. I am assuming I will find a way to do all the little things (mostly wiring/power stuff mounting) I expected to do in the DIY build.

Your opinions are greatly appreciated!

 

[TXSunDevil]

Have you had any experience building drawers/ cabinets and squaring boxes? I have had enough to know it is a pain in the rear and it would take me days to come up with a finished product that would still be substandard to the ARB. Many of my projects take many trips to the store for small items and new tools such as something make corner joints. I often end up with leftover material that takes up space or is wasted and I end up mad for half of the day because my project is not running as smoothly as I had anticipated. I am still on the fence but I am leaning towards a factory made system. Have you looked at the KISS drawers? It looks like it would shorten the construction time considerably and you can still tweak to your liking. I have come to value my time more lately in the last few years so I would lean towards purchase a kit or built unit. Good luck.

 

[od4x4]

I would highly recommend KISS drawers. @cruzerDave has done a great job designing these and you can do as much customizing as you like. Mine took about 3 hours to assemble in the extreme heat. With a big work table and some fans I guarantee that it would go much quicker! I am planning to convert one side to a camp kitchen but for now it is in stock form... that is the great part of this system... it can be easily taken apart and put back together (with the exception of the slides but even that is not impossible).

KISS Drawers (Keep It Simple Storage)

Land Shark Outfitters

For the price you absolutely cannot beat this deal!


Tom

 

[THEIZZARDKING]

i'm installing my ARB drawer and wiring for fridge this weekend,i've built storage in the back of my offroad trucks for over a decade, i have to say this ARB stuff is super nice, i got one super cheap in trade and don't really see how anyone can build a comparable unit for the price, fact is they can't, ARB is a massive company and the drawers are sold as being universal fit, they just fit some vehicles more universally than others, meaning that you have to drill holes in your floor with certain models of truck, others not so much, with the 100 series it basically lines up with the mount points of the jump seats and you pick up on those, due to the design and the size of ARB they are able to order bulk materials and get the price down to a reasonable level with the materials they use.....still pretty spendy but actually kinda cheap once you start looking at the materials and design elements, the one i have has a roller floor on it, meaning no real need for a fridge slide as the frame stays mounted and the whole top deck slides forward as far as the drawer opens...during the install process i've been climbing all over the thing with the floor extended and drawers open, supports my weight very well and has been a pretty straight forward install, as per usual the real pain has been all of the ancillary stuff i wanted to get done before the actual install, sound deadening, running of wires, ect... would have been even quicker with a proper writeup and/or pictured instructions....still, pretty easy and straight forward once you have everything cleared out and layed out.

as for all of the wiring and power stuff you still have that wing gap on the side, arb sells units that fit in that space or you can build your own, which is what i plan to do, you could buy the arb drawers and build your own wing boxes for your power needs....

another thing i noticed is the weight of the units is like 1/10 of that if i would have just built the whole thing out of wood and the fact that is comes in sections is nice as well, i'm only using one side as i need to retain one of the jumpseats for family trips, after the initial install you could very easily remove one of the drawer and chuck the jump seat back in, in about 15-20 mins if need be and still have half your drawer system and the fridge in there, with designs like the above it's all or nothing.... I've only removed the cargo box out of the 4runner once since i built it and am likely never to do it again because it's such a pita...

i like the ARB drawers, really nice product here, that said, i got mine for basically free....hard to say if i'd actually pay full price for them, they certianly have a bunch of advantages to them for the money, but i might have gone with something that's not quite as good imo if money was a factor here.

 

[Tareq]

Even if u can afford the most sophisticated system, I would still advise you to build your own from scratch
I could have bought one ready, or got a carpenter to do it for me.
Money was not an issue.
However, the fun is in building it yourself and living the experience.
It is more satisfying.

Here is me building mine, good luck!!

 

[brizzle]

Even if u can afford the most sophisticated system, I would still advise you to build your own from scratch
I could have bought one ready, or got a carpenter to do it for me.
Money was not an issue.
However, the fun is in building it yourself and living the experience.
It is more satisfying.

Here is me building mine, good luck!!

Thanks man I subscribed to your channel, I pretty much film everything I do with the cruiser too.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

If the cost of ARB is not an issue I would start there. Until you live, work, travel, or camp out of your vehicle you really dont know what you need. ARB drawers have a high resale value and with that said install them in time you will figure out what you configuration you need. If ARB drawer meet your needs you are ahead if not sell them and make exactly what you want.

 

[78f150tx]

@brizzle You probably have already seen the KISS Drawers on the forum, but in case you have not I think @cruzerDave makes a great alternative to ARB and ready to customize for your needs.

 

[cruzerDave]

Even if u can afford the most sophisticated system, I would still advise you to build your own from scratch
I could have bought one ready, or got a carpenter to do it for me.
Money was not an issue.
However, the fun is in building it yourself and living the experience.
It is more satisfying.

Here is me building mine, good luck!!

Great drawers @Tareq, LOVE the colors! While I agree 100% with your advice to DIY, the reality is many folks don't have the tools, time, space, or honestly the mechanical inclination, hence my and other drawers having a healthy market. I like to think mine are the most modifiable as they're friendly plywood you're ripping into and not sheet metal, composites, or liners and fine carpeting... But if someone does have the time, tools, and desire, there is nothing more satisfying than creating your own vision and seeing it realized in front of you, for sure.

@brizzle You probably have already seen the KISS Drawers on the forum, but in case you have not I think @cruzerDave makes a great alternative to ARB and ready to customize for your needs.

Thank you

 

[Tareq]

Great drawers @Tareq, LOVE the colors! While I agree 100% with your advice to DIY, the reality is many folks don't have the tools, time, space, or honestly the mechanical inclination, hence my and other drawers having a healthy market. I like to think mine are the most modifiable as they're friendly plywood you're ripping into and not sheet metal, composites, or liners and fine carpeting... But if someone does have the time, tools, and desire, there is nothing more satisfying than creating your own vision and seeing it realized in front of you, for sure.

I agree ,,, and thank you for the complement

 

[00fourseventy]

Even if u can afford the most sophisticated system, I would still advise you to build your own from scratch
I could have bought one ready, or got a carpenter to do it for me.
Money was not an issue.
However, the fun is in building it yourself and living the experience.
It is more satisfying.

Here is me building mine, good luck!!

+1

I went DIY, as well. A friend gifted me a bunch of "scrap" 3/4" cabinet grade birch from a project, so that saved me a nice chunk right off the bat. I think I have right around $250 in materials in these- $100 for the 200 lb drawers slides, $60 for the locking T-handle latches (pair), $30 for spring-loaded hinges and L-brackets for the wings, $20 for the LC bottle opener, $20 for the highest quality Home Depot carpet, and another 20-30 bucks for the plexiglass and hardware for the amp cover. I'm going to run a switchable 12V/USB/Voltmeter to the passenger side rear in the next month, or so, so that'll be another $30 and about an hour to run the wire.

 

[78f150tx]

Pliny....now that's how you celebrate a fine build. Well done.

 

[00fourseventy]

Pliny....now that's how you celebrate a fine build. Well done.

Thanks! I've been beating the crap out of them for 2 1/2 years with zero issues!

 

[bluesquirrel]

I've been in the carpentry industry for a while, so building my own was fun. Zero hassle.
But, if you do not have the correct tools, it can be challenging.
I still say build your own, and get what you want, without compromising

 

[YvesNL]

Even if u can afford the most sophisticated system, I would still advise you to build your own from scratch
I could have bought one ready, or got a carpenter to do it for me.
Money was not an issue.
However, the fun is in building it yourself and living the experience.
It is more satisfying.

Here is me building mine, good luck!!

+1 on buiding it yourself.

It will be more fun to say you designed and build it yourself, everytime you use it it will be more enjoyable.

Create a mockup, use it for a few weeks, improve and have fun. Take your time and do not rush the build.

If you don't want to carpet your slides, it is worth taking a look at the material they use for flightcases.
It is 9mm baltic birch plywood with a 1mm HPL layer on top, very strong, easy to clean and scratch resistant.

 

[Tareq]

+1

I went DIY, as well. A friend gifted me a bunch of "scrap" 3/4" cabinet grade birch from a project, so that saved me a nice chunk right off the bat. I think I have right around $250 in materials in these- $100 for the 200 lb drawers slides, $60 for the locking T-handle latches (pair), $30 for spring-loaded hinges and L-brackets for the wings, $20 for the LC bottle opener, $20 for the highest quality Home Depot carpet, and another 20-30 bucks for the plexiglass and hardware for the amp cover. I'm going to run a switchable 12V/USB/Voltmeter to the passenger side rear in the next month, or so, so that'll be another $30 and about an hour to run the wire.

View attachment 1489484 View attachment 1489487 View attachment 1489488
View attachment 1489489

Nice build,,, I see posts on the net for free wood too so I might rebuild mine if I get time lol

I have 3 comments:

1) be careful not to spend too much money on expensive slides, like 200lb rated.
Mine are 100lb which is more than what I need and cost me 28$ cnd.
Loaded with groceries or equipment I dont think it weighs more than 50-60lbs

2) I would rather paint the box than cover it with carpet as it is easier to clean than dragging the vacuum to the car to clean the carpet ,,,, but we are different.

3) your box seems as high as mine, meaning higher than the 2nd row seats when folded, so how do u level it out so you can sleep? did u get a wood extension and put it there when u go to sleep?
Please take a pic of the platform extension over the 2nd row seats.

Thank you!!

 

[brizzle]

Nice build,,, I see posts on the net for free wood too so I might rebuild mine if I get time lol

I have 3 comments:

1) be careful not to spend too much money on expensive slides, like 200lb rated.
Mine are 100lb which is more than what I need and cost me 28$ cnd.
Loaded with groceries or equipment I dont think it weighs more than 50-60lbs

2) I would rather paint the box than cover it with carpet as it is easier to clean than dragging the vacuum to the car to clean the carpet ,,,, but we are different.

3) your box seems as high as mine, meaning higher than the 2nd row seats when folded, so how do u level it out so you can sleep? did u get a wood extension and put it there when u go to sleep?
Please take a pic of the platform extension over the 2nd row seats.

Thank you!!

Thanks I was actually looking at 500 lb slides that were extremely expensive but lock in and lock out do you know of any lighter-weight ones that will lock?

 

[Tareq]

I've been in the carpentry industry for a while, so building my own was fun. Zero hassle.
But, if you do not have the correct tools, it can be challenging.
I still say build your own, and get what you want, without compromising

I am not a carpenter and never built anything before this box.
But I insisted on building it myself for the fun of the experience.
Carpenters wanted $200cnd + materials.
I paid a hobbyist to use his tools in his garage $100 and be my camera guy too haha
3 hrs Saturday for cutting and painting, then 2 hours to install on Sunday and we are done!
Could have done it faster if I didnt spend time adjusting the camera angles

 

[brizzle]

If the cost of ARB is not an issue I would start there. Until you live, work, travel, or camp out of your vehicle you really dont know what you need. ARB drawers have a high resale value and with that said install them in time you will figure out what you configuration you need. If ARB drawer meet your needs you are ahead if not sell them and make exactly what you want.

Thanks that's a great Point never really thought about the great resale the ARB drawers

 

[Tareq]

Thanks I was actually looking at 500 lb slides that were extremely expensive but lock in and lock out do you know of any lighter-weight ones that will lock?

500lbs?? what are you carrying there?
Unfortunately I dont know much about building material.
I just went to HomeDepot, Low's, Rona, then to a Canadian chain that specializes in wood works, Lee Valley, and got the 100lbs slides for the same money as slides in other chains with less capacity,,, they had lockable ones and "soft closing" mechanisms on others, but didnt want to spend on what I dont NEED,,, not sure what shops u have there in the US.