How do you secure your cargo drawers?

[sandcruiser]

I did some 90 metal bracketry like you'd use on a wooden deck
3 screws into the side of the drawer, 1 5/8" bolt through the wheel well. You could epoxy the bolt in, I imagine, to make it even easier to spin a nut on/off for quicker removal- but it is pretty easy to get a wrench on the bolt in the wheel well, and reach in with your hand to the nut.

I do use a dab of silicone to keep water from seeping in.

Then run a few screws through the floor of the box into where the metal carpet lip is at the tailgate. Should be plenty to hold things together and it only takes a little while to pull it all apart

 

[MagicBeans]

Thanks for all the help with this guys. Kevin, I thought of using those exact same McMaster-carr latches, but they're a little more than I was hoping to spend. Plus I would like it if there isn't anything bolted to the floor after the drawers are removed. In in the end I think I will use the same nut-bolt system you used. Home depot sells these nut-washer in one things that will recess into the bottom of the drawer and not interfere with the drawers sliding in and out. But, for some unknown reason, the trunk of my 60 is warped front-to-back. I haven't removed the rear seat, but it is Linex'ed back there. I think a rubber mallet might smooth it out some, if not I'll have to shim the bottom of the drawers so the bolts don't pull on the bottom of the drawers like a bow. Thanks again!

 

[MagicBeans]

Oh yeah... I'll post pictures soon!

 

[kevinmrowland]

Isn't the center right about the wheel wells? I like that idea a lot though. You could use a ring in the floor like this:

The wheel wells are at the front of the rear part of the drawers, when my back seats come out and the front bins go in they just bolt into the rear part of the drawers. The back part of the drawers is what stays in all the the time.

And why would you want the rings removable? I like to have tie down points all over the place, just as long as they flop down and don't stick up they are fine. If I am wanting to remove the drawers it is so that I can put something else in there, that then needs to be tied down.
You need to work on tying all that crap in your truck down Johnny! No removable rings for you!

MagicBeans Kevin, I thought of using those exact same McMaster-carr latches, but they're a little more than I was hoping to spend.

They're only $13!!! I don't know if I can help you for much less than that! Bolts through the floor are much cheaper, just drill up from underneath, not down from the top and into you gas tank.

MagicBeans Home depot sells these nut-washer in one things that will recess into the bottom of the drawer and not interfere with the drawers sliding in and out.

All you guys are familiar with Tee-nuts, right? They are the bees-knees for bolting into wood. They are a threaded collar with a flange on one side that has spikes that dig into the wood. You drill a hole in the wood and pound these things into the wood from the opposite side that you are going to bolt from, when you snug the bolt up the spikes crush into the wood and hold great, you then have a captive nut in the wood that is basically flush (you can make it flush by countersinking the flange a bit) and stays there.

 

[MagicBeans]

Tee nuts, those are the ones. Just got them from Lowes. And $13 is a lot cheaper than I was expecting. The McMastercarr latches for my rear bumper were like $65 for the both of them. Anyway, thank for all of your help with this one.

 

[haryv]

Try Rivenuts. Drill the hole and put in ones that are at least 1/2 in size. Then pop these large rivnuts in place. Then you can screw the bolts into these without taking out the tank.

 

[MagicBeans]

Drawers Finally Complete

After many delays, my drawers are finally done. Thanks again to kevinmorrowland for almost the entire design. They are bolted down in the front with 'T' nuts which run through the bed, and in the back they're secured with some aluminum angle bolted to the rear seat. I also plan on putting some u-channel trim around the edges of the aluminum so it won't scratch the finish of the drawers, and waxing the drawer runners. And then I'll have to buy a fridge to put in there next to them, and figure out the rest of a sleeping platform.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Those look professional compared to mine. Good work!

 

[kevinmrowland]

Dy-no-mite Ray! They look great!
Glad it worked out for ya, hope the numbers weren't too far off.

Looks like they should stay in place too (as long as the seat is locked back).
After your prodding I ordered a bunch of hardware like the stuff we talk about above to see what I can figure out. I'll keep you posted.