Rear Cargo Box Build

[scrowley]

I started to build my rear cargo box today. I am trying to set it up for camping as well as keeping organized. I contructed the whole thing out of 3/4" AC cabinet grade ply. $30 per sheet at lumber yard. I fastened all the panels and drawers together with 2 1/2" screws and glue. I used european hinges for cubby tops. Box was prebuilt prior to install. 8 bolts hold the thing down in the factory holes for the rear seat brackets. The drawer use NO slides. I built boexes perfectly square and built drawers a shy 1/16" smaller all the way around. They slide nice and snug. Best of all no $$ spend on big $ slides. I will be picking up some slide locks and tie down point tomorrow. Also will be wrapping with thin black auto carpet.

Mounting bolts right side

 

[Rwhat]

Looks nice, i wanna do one but want to make it modular for easy removal. How many sheets did you end up using?

 

[trailrider87]

Awesome build man. I'm starting mine tomorrow. How sturdy does it feel with no 2x4 frame? Also, what dimensions did you use (as far as total width, width of the 2 drawers together, depth of the rear section). Is your rear section full depth? I was thinking about making my box 18 inches tall, and making my rear box 10 inches deep with a hidden compartment below that (that will butt up to the back seat) for firearm storage and using my rear box for storage of my 2 extra battery's.

Any Ideas, helpful hints or lessons learned you want to share??

 

[breathed]

Nice work. You're gonna have that rig built in no time at this pace.

 

[scrowley]

To remove full assembly I would take out 8 bolts and it would slide out in one piece. The hinges are quick release euro hinges for no hardware removal

Looks nice, i wanna do one but want to make it modular for easy removal. How many sheets did you end up using?

Thanks. 2x4's would be a waste of space in this situation 3/4" AC screwed togther is very very strong. Pre-drill and countersink all screws, use glue, build everything square. My drawers are 30" deep. I am a contractor by trade so working with wood is second nature. Take your time and have fun with the design....I didnt...I was going more for speed and cost effective. Oh and I used two full sheets.

Awesome build man. I'm starting mine tomorrow. How sturdy does it feel with no 2x4 frame? Also, what dimensions did you use (as far as total width, width of the 2 drawers together, depth of the rear section). Is your rear section full depth? I was thinking about making my box 18 inches tall, and making my rear box 10 inches deep with a hidden compartment below that (that will butt up to the back seat) for firearm storage and using my rear box for storage of my 2 extra battery's.

Any Ideas, helpful hints or lessons learned you want to share??

Thanks. Yeah. I tend to get very involved in projects and dont waste anytime overthinking things. I have had these last couple weeks off from working. So I took the time to knock off some of the bigger projects on my list. Not too much left to do.....Yeah right...I think next will be dual battery setup, and Inverter.

Nice work. You're gonna have that rig built in no time at this pace.

 

[scrowley]

Finished pics

I finished up on the cargo boxes today. Only thing I have to do is come up with some semi hidden catches for drawers and flip up tops. Here are the pics.

 

[Mattnatti]

Very nice. I like the idea of not spending $ on slides. If the drawers ever start hanging up use a little bit of soap and they will slide like new.

 

[LandCrawler]

Wouldnt the wood eventually expand and contrast depending on the weather and conditions??

Otherwise great build. I am going to be starting mine soon but wont be building drawers, instead it will have top-down accesable compartments with some cubby's in the rear for quick and easy tool retrieval.

Really, great work!!

 

[The Jade Bean]

Wow...that looks fantastic! If I didn't have my third row seats I'd do something like that.

Sent from the Gamma quadrant through the worm hole by DS9.

 

[scrowley]

I did aclimate the wood but we will see this summer on the humid days. Using the 3/4" ac ply which is cabinet grade doesnt move to much with weather.

Wouldnt the wood eventually expand and contrast depending on the weather and conditions??

Otherwise great build. I am going to be starting mine soon but wont be building drawers, instead it will have top-down accesable compartments with some cubby's in the rear for quick and easy tool retrieval.

Really, great work!!

Thanks. Good idea with the soap. I used bees wax wood wax on the boxes.

Very nice. I like the idea of not spending $ on slides. If the drawers ever start hanging up use a little bit of soap and they will slide like new.

Thanks! If you didnt use your third row all the time. This setup can be taken out in 15min tops with one person.

Wow...that looks fantastic! If I didn't have my third row seats I'd do something like that.

Sent from the Gamma quadrant through the worm hole by DS9.

 

[The Jade Bean]

Thanks! If you didnt use your third row all the time. This setup can be taken out in 15min tops with one person.

That's cool...I didn't know it could be removed that fast.
~Daniel

Sent from the Gamma quadrant through the worm hole by DS9.

 

[VCCruzr]

Very nice. I like the idea of not spending $ on slides. If the drawers ever start hanging up use a little bit of soap and they will slide like new.

I have 100+ pounds of tools/CO2 tank/recovery gear in one of my drawers. If I didn't have slides, I'd never get the drawer open or closed easily.

BTW, nice build.

 

[scrowley]

I cant say the slides arent nicer....I was going for budget friendly and no moving parts to break.

 

[Bluetribal]

Slides are not all that expensive especially since your drawers are shorter with that front compartment. I got my 250# slides from DrawerSlides.com for $73 shipped to my door.

 

[jdeitch]

Nice work! I'm going to do something similar with my cruiser project. Now I can ditch that stinky 18 year-old rear carpet.

 

[pHarps]

Are slides that much better than not?

I have been mulling over replacing the original bed and sink system with a better storage system (planned on doing it this week except the truck won't start...).

I'm wavering on the drawer slides.

Most of the equipment to go in the drawers will be camera or fly fishing, so I'm not expecting a ton of weight.

 

[scrowley]

Slides can be cheap. But A set of slides would cost what I built my whole setup for, maybe more. They do slide quite well how I have them.

Are drawer slides needed...? I can say they arent needed but would be a nice additon. I chose not to and save a few $ towards the spiral of projects I want to do on my 80.

 

[greentruck]

If you have lots of weight in the drawers or plan to open them on the trail -- yes, that does happen -- then you'll like the slides.

But I can see economy and simplicity, too. This build has that, looks great, and I agree is plenty strong with 3/4" birch ply. That's what I build lots of stuff out of and it's plenty strong.

 

[scrowley]

If they become a problem and I hate the function its nothing but building a two new boxes, reuse face , and add slides. I'm sure it won't come to that but an option.

 

[The Jade Bean]

If they become a problem and I hate the function its nothing but building a two new boxes, reuse face , and add slides. I'm sure it won't come to that but an option.

X2 ^

Sent from deep in the mountains of Honduras.