User Experience w/ Drawers (1 Viewer)

[DrivenLyfe]

I’m starting to plan a DIY drawer system with the help of a couple of friends who are skilled woodworkers. I would love to hear from anyone who has experience with drawer setups—whether custom-built or off-the-shelf. Specifically, I’d like to know:
• What do you use most often?
• What do you wish you’d done differently?
• How would you improve or reconfigure your current setup, especially for those who sleep in their 200?

Here’s my current concept, and I would greatly appreciate your feedback:
• Fridge Placement: Behind the front passenger seat for easy access while driving.
• Tool Storage: Behind the driver’s seat, lined with Dynamat to reduce noise.
• Power Bank: My Bluetti Power Bank would fit between the tool storage and the fridge.

Rear Storage Layout:
• Driver’s Side: I’m considering placing my EZ Flate, a spare CV, jack, etc. If I can move the jack up to the space behind the front seats, I’ll do so to further centralize the weight.
• Passenger Side: This would hold cooking and cleaning gear, including a small propane tank or two, a burner, kettle, cast iron cookware, a collapsible grill, a riser cutting board, and possibly a small water tank for cleaning or showering.

Additional Considerations:
• I’ll add tie-down points for soft items like mattresses, blankets, and other lightweight gear, possibly securing them under a net while in motion.
• For the water jug and pump, I’m considering a more secure system than netting to keep everything stable on the go if I can’t fit in the drawers or side pocket.

This is still in the early planning stages, and I’m eager to learn from your experiences. I look forward to your suggestions and insights, and hopefully, this discussion can be helpful for everyone working on similar setups.

 

[slipkid13]

I’m starting to plan a DIY drawer system with the help of a couple of friends who are skilled woodworkers. I would love to hear from anyone who has experience with drawer setups—whether custom-built or off-the-shelf. Specifically, I’d like to know:
• What do you use most often?
• What do you wish you’d done differently?
• How would you improve or reconfigure your current setup, especially for those who sleep in their 200?

Here’s my current concept, and I would greatly appreciate your feedback:
• Fridge Placement: Behind the front passenger seat for easy access while driving.
• Tool Storage: Behind the driver’s seat, lined with Dynamat to reduce noise.
• Power Bank: My Bluetti Power Bank would fit between the tool storage and the fridge.

Rear Storage Layout:
• Driver’s Side: I’m considering placing my EZ Flate, a spare CV, jack, etc. If I can move the jack up to the space behind the front seats, I’ll do so to further centralize the weight.
• Passenger Side: This would hold cooking and cleaning gear, including a small propane tank or two, a burner, kettle, cast iron cookware, a collapsible grill, a riser cutting board, and possibly a small water tank for cleaning or showering.

Additional Considerations:
• I’ll add tie-down points for soft items like mattresses, blankets, and other lightweight gear, possibly securing them under a net while in motion.
• For the water jug and pump, I’m considering a more secure system than netting to keep everything stable on the go if I can’t fit in the drawers or side pocket.

This is still in the early planning stages, and I’m eager to learn from your experiences. I look forward to your suggestions and insights, and hopefully, this discussion can be helpful for everyone working on similar setups.

Not sure if I can be much help. I bought these drawers years ago when they were first introduced to US (Toyota Land Cruiser 200/Lexus LX570 Twin Drawer System - By Big Countr – Rugged Bound Supply Co.) They offered a significant discount to like the first 10 MUD members to order.

WAY more useful than the 3rd row I never needed or used and much better than just an open space. I don't have any slides, or a fridge. I did install this Truck Bed Anchor Kit - Aluminum L-Track & Stud Fittings to tie down cargo on top and coolers/bags when camping/hunting. I use a drop in box to hold a portable compressor, hatchet, foldable shovel, winter gear (extra gloves, hand warmers, emergency blankets etc) For road trips put in extra shoes, jackets, tools, etc.

The wings are super useful for storing small items like a portable power supply, binos, first aid kit, etc. These pull straight off and are not hinged which I think it a good design, easy to access if your cargo is loaded right next to it.

If I go to the range I can put my pistols, ammo, range bag in there, hidden and locked up.

Honestly my main use is for putting stuff like groceries in the drawers, small purchases, etc. Keeps you stuff from sliding around, bags tearing, stuff opening up and spilling. Almost weekly someone walks by while I am loading the drawers and comments something "cool" "so useful"

The only negative with these drawers is they are not really removable without disassembly. I bought them knowing that so not a big deal but there are few times a year where I would like to take them out to put stuff in there and keep it out of sight.

I don't sleep in the truck so I can't help you there, though it is fairly even with the middle row folded down. I suppose with some padding over cargo rails sleeping would be a def option.

 

[jlm43]

Unpopular opinion but drawers are a bit overrated. Yes they allow for great organization, but they also take up a lot of space. I get that they work out great for some people, but I think with proper plastic bin management, you can get a similar outcome for a fraction of the cost while retaining more of your cargo area. Now if you're building a camp kitchen back there, for sure, drawers are probably the way to go. For straight storage, I don't think it's worth the cost of admission.

My first DIY setup in my 100 was just an aft platform with a front section for when I needed to sleep in my LC. Second setup was the full two drawer sleeper kit from ADGU in my wife's GX460. Third set up is in my LX570 and is just a better version than my first. In the GX, I ended up removing one of the drawers as it was just wasting space. There's a lot of area lost between, on the sides, and under the drawers. One camp chair would not fit in a single drawer but two camp chairs will fit where the drawer was previously installed plus having better access to the area between drawer area and sidewall.

Could you build it in stages? Do the base platform as stage one then use it for a bit and see what you actually need for storage. A long plastic tote that fits where a drawer would go is nice as you can take it other places, even if it's 20 feet to the picnic table.

 

[Valgrind]

I got my drawers from the previous owner of my 200. They don't have sliders but are just a friction fit, I really hate that. Once you load it up heavy, it's really annoying to open and close. I would have added some way to actually lock them, so they don't accidentally open. Haven't been able to figure out how to retrofit that for mine.

The guy made them specifically so you could keep the rear seats, so they dont have wings on them. I ended up really liking that because I can fit two water jerry cans on the sides. I added really cheap carpet to the outside and inside the drawers, with tie downs on the top for the cooler and other cases. I ended up building brackets to bolt the drawers into the factory 3rd row seat brackets, I like that alot.

Personally, I keep them full most of the time, the left one has my recovery gear and tools. I end up using the tools very often so glad I keep them in the truck. It also makes recoveries must faster having it all organized. For daily use, just my air compressor is in the right drawer.

 

[UPR LC]

Unpopular opinion but drawers are a bit overrated. Yes they allow for great organization, but they also take up a lot of space. I get that they work out great for some people, but I think with proper plastic bin management, you can get a similar outcome for a fraction of the cost while retaining more of your cargo area. Now if you're building a camp kitchen back there, for sure, drawers are probably the way to go. For straight storage, I don't think it's worth the cost of admission.

My first DIY setup in my 100 was just an aft platform with a front section for when I needed to sleep in my LC. Second setup was the full two drawer sleeper kit from ADGU in my wife's GX460. Third set up is in my LX570 and is just a better version than my first. In the GX, I ended up removing one of the drawers as it was just wasting space. There's a lot of area lost between, on the sides, and under the drawers. One camp chair would not fit in a single drawer but two camp chairs will fit where the drawer was previously installed plus having better access to the area between drawer area and sidewall.

Could you build it in stages? Do the base platform as stage one then use it for a bit and see what you actually need for storage. A long plastic tote that fits where a drawer would go is nice as you can take it other places, even if it's 20 feet to the picnic table.

Definitely depends on use / need.

I have a refrigerator that works very well placed on the top of a sliding platform. Under the sliding shelf, I can store heavy gear that would be unsafe in a rollover or accident. My system is attached to the rear seat hoops in the floor. just takes a couple clamps to remove and no mods to the truck.

I also have it so it only takes up half the rear space, since I still need to use at least one rear seat for the fam.

For me, the drawer / slider works great for me. I'm not sure how I would install my fridge otherwise.

 

[Dwight S]

If you DIY, consider weight. I used 3/4” plywood for almost everything and they’re heavy and you know it from the driver’s seat. Consider using 1/2” plywood for the top and bottom and maybe even use pieces of plywood for the bottom instead of a solid sheet. My setup is relatively cheap with 250# locking drawer sliders and plywood construction.

 

[TeCKis300]

If you DIY, consider weight. I used 3/4” plywood for almost everything and they’re heavy and you know it from the driver’s seat. Consider using 1/2” plywood for the top and bottom and maybe even use pieces of plywood for the bottom instead of a solid sheet. My setup is relatively cheap with 250# locking drawer sliders and plywood construction.

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Great points.

Most drawers are made with far too much wood and structure. There is value in less weight and IMO 3/4" ply is overkill. I would primarily use quality 1/2" ply for key structural areas with 1/4" in most paneling areas.

Thick paneling takes up usable usable space. With stackup of standoffs, slides, and drawer walls, it eats up space before storing anything.

I would avoid a full 3/4" baseplate as so many do. That is a lot of weight and space before getting to the rest of the drawer.

I appreciate fine wood joinery as much as the next guy, but this shouldn't be house furniture. Besides just wood, aluminum angle can be a great way to join thinner sheets of ply.

Not quite the same thing but here's my take on drawers. Fabricated primarily of aluminum, lightweight, and can be taken out in 5 minutes.

Homebrew Drawer with Roller Fridge Floor and Slide out Table

I've resisted going down the cargo drawer path. Recently removed half the 3rd row to gain additional space. Trying to downsize, simplify, and organize better. Maximize functionality with a slide out drawer, slide out fridge, and slide out table. In as minimal space and weight as possible...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Artie]

I have the ARB drawers with the sliding top, these are great for our needs. My only complaint is that the drawer does not open all the way out, it leaves maybe 6” still inside when fully open. This isn’t a massive deal but has led to some cussing a time or two.

Otherwise, they help immensely with organizing. We have one for tools and recovery gear and the other has a variety of things we use in our adventures like flash bags, toilet stuff, gaiters, a tiny Nemo folding table and some other odds and ends. We’re in these things a lot and it saves the top space for larger stuff which remains clutter free thanks to the drawers.

Editing to add: water storage inside can be a massive nuisance when trails riding. The sloshing is no joke. Just something to consider if you have not had to ride with a jerry can of water as a passenger before.

 

[TheComedian]

It rly depend alot by what you want do do in many ways.
But just for ideas here is my full rear box. Two big drawers of wich one contains euro containers for tools, spare parts, other stuff or just beer crates and the other one has multiple pull outs to contain a water tank and storing cooking stuff.

Everything sits on a steel frame that I just level out with wood and strap it down.

It is two parts that are screwed together like a T so you can „easily“ (an hour… the hardest part is getting the seats out and in…) disconnect them and remove everything.
At the T the part behind the passenger contains my fridge in a position I can access easily from the drivers position and also from the rear left door and also the charging stuff. The other side contains the third battery (diesel 200, they came with two batteries from factory) where I put clothes and other stuff.
The whole thing gives a nicely big sleeping platform from wich the fridge standa out only a little bit.

Btw the whole thing is made of 12mm (top and bottom) and 9mm wood and after I built in everything I was loading it fully and did some higher speed jumps to see if anything comes loose - it didn’t

 

[MCtree]

I have a single goose-gear drawer in the driver side.
I like it… but maybe don’t love it.

The drawer itself works great. Slides easily, is spacious and wasn’t too hard to install.
But like said above, it might be a net-negative when it comes to space. Tubs might be better.

And Tubs can be accessed without opening the lower tail-gate. It’s totally nit-picking, but occasionally it’s annoying to have to open the lower gate since that makes one stand further away from the trunk area.

On the other hand, the security of being able to lock up my more valuable stuff in the drawer is a huge comfort. Its like having a lockable trunk.

And I chose to put my fridge on the passenger side and the drawer on the driver side because when we drive we look over our right shoulder more often and hence want the view on that side to be unobstructed.
I am more likely to stack stuff on the drawer than I am the fridge - and this stacked stuff can block my view. If that makes sense.

 

[linuxgod]

I wanted a single drawer so I could sometimes use the 3rd row, so I built my own. Everything commercially available kind of sucked as a single drawer, with a rough side where the passenger would go.

The good. About $500, made of 1/2” Baltic birch. Carpeted. I designed it so I could add a platform on the other side if I removed the 3rd row seat so I could add a fridge. I remove that in the winter and put the 3rd row seat back, then remove that and add the fridge slide in summer. I also added a small storage area at the back of the drawer accessible from the 2nd row. I added a slide out “table” under the drawer which is great when we stop for a random lunch break. Throw some extra carpet in the drawer to help keep things quiet

The bad: I used UHMW slides which are fine for light duty but with 100#+ of gear it’s SOOOO hard to slide open. I would 1000% do it again with real slides. Also as noted the drawers eat space… there are definitely times I’d rather take my gear out and have a huge truck space which I can’t do now. But if I took the gear out I’d likely leave it out all winter, yet it’s been convenient to have tools in the trunk when I’m not at home (more for helping others than myself).

I recommend the fridge on a platform at floor height because your trunk is already soooo high that you’ll have to climb onto the tailgate to access it, and then it might not open all the way because of the hatch.

Pic of my setup (for reference). I also have the Kaon divider system and attic, which I really like. I want to fab a removable metal platform above and to the right of the fridge… this pick has one but it’s a fiber plastic material that bends and sucks

 

[TimCFJ40]

We've loved our "poor man's drawer system". Easy DIY “Poor Man’s” drawer system - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/easy-diy-poor-mans-drawer-system.1318608/
A few advantages:
1) For us, being able to remove the bins to pack has been awesome. Packing the food or kitchen stuff inside and then just sliding it out is great. Carrying the food bin and kitchen bin to a table to set up is great in camp too.
2) With the bins removed, you can use the cubbies. We recently did this for Christmas presents with the dog up top and nothing got squished or broken.
3) The whole thing comes out in about a minute, although we rarely take it out.

 

[CharlieS]

I've tried a bunch of different systems, and the Trekboxx is hands down the best I've used. The ONLY two downsides are that they are heavy and expensive. Expensive is relative though, it is one of those "you get what you pay for" situations. If I'd just bought them first and not gone through several other systems first, I would have been better off. The old "buy once, cry once". I have the second row platforms that replace the second row seats, and they have a TON of storage in that area, and it makes for a great sleeping platform. I've had them all over the continent and they're amazing.

 

[OregonLC]

There's a third downside to TrekBoxx (as with any other wooden drawer system) and that's the space inefficiency of wood as a structural member. If you have 50" of width with two sets of drawers made from 1/2" ply you're looking at a total of 8 sides, or 4" (8%) of lost width. If you do the drawer boxes out of 1/2" and the cases out of 3/4" that goes to 10%. That might not sound like a lot, but this is a relatively small space and every cubic inch counts. If I were to buy a manufactured drawer set, I'd definitely look at the ARB for that reason alone.

For a daily that requires cargo duty, then don't mess with drawers and just stack case like Wolf Packs. Harder to use, but the only solution if you need to transform the rig quickly.

I've done both and find that drawers are very preferable for things that need to be in the vehicle. That last part is important to understand when it comes to loadout. Tools, recovery gear, first aid kit, tarps, spares, air hose, flat repair, etc. are things that are always in the truck and enjoy an organized home in the drawers. At one point I had camping/cooking gear in the drawers but this was always competing for rear access during meal prep. Plus it doesn't need to be with me all the time. So now that gear is in a Wolf Pack and can be loaded as needed. I get that some people like the efficiency of cooking off the back of the truck, but I like to do this off to the side on a separate table. The cooking Wolf Pack is set next to the table and everything is easily at hand. And it keeps the truck from smelling like the business end of a Denny's.

I do keep survival cooking capability in the drawer in terms of a JetBoil along with water filtration and a few day's worth of Mountain House. Dopp kit and toilet items are also always in the drawers.

Another item to consider is security. If your drawers don't extend above the lower gate there's no quick way to get access to contents (unless you installed the rear hatch lever mod). If your gear is in a case or a bag then it's a quick smash-and-grab job.

 

[linuxgod]

I get that some people like the efficiency of cooking off the back of the truck, but I like to do this off to the side on a separate table. The cooking Wolf Pack is set next to the table and everything is easily at hand. And it keeps the truck from smelling like the business end of a Denny's.

Disagree. Bacon is the best air freshener

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I've built several sets of drawers and numerous similar (pull-out) storage/cooking units. Both for my LX, and previous Tacoma.

Click on the link to my build thread in my signature to see a few examples.

Drawers are fantastic, and I would probably never not have them (unless they significantly obstructed access to something). And with that in mind, I'll probably never again build another set. The set of drawers that's in my LX right now took close to 40 hours of work, and likely $400-700 in materials. The set has worked great for ~6 years (minus a bit of time w/ other storage setups), but the juice was absolutely not worth the squeeze.

Buy a simple, well-made retail option and call it a day.

 

[DrivenLyfe]

It rly depend alot by what you want do do in many ways.
But just for ideas here is my full rear box. Two big drawers of wich one contains euro containers for tools, spare parts, other stuff or just beer crates and the other one has multiple pull outs to contain a water tank and storing cooking stuff.

Everything sits on a steel frame that I just level out with wood and strap it down.

It is two parts that are screwed together like a T so you can „easily“ (an hour… the hardest part is getting the seats out and in…) disconnect them and remove everything.
At the T the part behind the passenger contains my fridge in a position I can access easily from the drivers position and also from the rear left door and also the charging stuff. The other side contains the third battery (diesel 200, they came with two batteries from factory) where I put clothes and other stuff.
The whole thing gives a nicely big sleeping platform from wich the fridge standa out only a little bit.

Btw the whole thing is made of 12mm (top and bottom) and 9mm wood and after I built in everything I was loading it fully and did some higher speed jumps to see if anything comes loose - it didn’t

View attachment 3816188View attachment 3816190View attachment 3816191View attachment 3816192

View attachment 3816189

This is exactly what I was looking for, particularly the fridge set up. Do you have any additional pictures of that section? How does it mount? Does the noise from the fridge bother you when sleeping inside? Does the fridge protrude above the rest of the platform and impact comfort?

Great setups everyone and thank you all for sharing! Really cool to see different setups and how people use drawers for their different use cases. The experience with things I wouldn’t have thought about like sloshing water, but now that does seem like it would be annoying, while a locking drawer would be really helpful. Hope to see some more setups.