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Bi-Directional Drawer Sliders

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by erok81, Jul 11, 2020.

  1. Jul 11, 2020 at 12:29 AM
    #1
    erok81

    erok81 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I have an idea for a rear seat drawer set up where I can store tools. I want to have the tool drawer to be the full width of the truck (minus whatever needs to stay inside the “drawer housing”). The drawer needs to be opened from either side in case one side is against somewhere where I can’t fully open a drawer.

    Does such a slide exist where I can open the same drawer from either side and fully pull out the drawer.

    I hope that makes sense. There are a ton of options if I wanted two separate drawers on each side but I’d rather keep it all on box that I can slide side to side.
     
    Bryancaluwe likes this.
  2. Jul 16, 2020 at 10:59 AM
    #2
    Bryancaluwe

    Bryancaluwe Active Member

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    This is the simple, inexpensive, and lightweight solution I used to build a drawer/bed platform in my second-generation Tacoma inside a hi-top camper shell. I hope it makes sense.
    I'm unclear if you are removing the rear seats and mounting the box directly on the metal floor of the truck or if it's intended to sit on the existing seats but I think I get the general drift of what you're trying to accomplish and my configuration may help you. My plan was for two drawers that slid in and out over the tailgate on the truck deck under my sleeping platform at wheel well height. There is no wooden bottom attached to the platform frame for weight, cost savings, maximization of the drawer height, and the shortest build time. My drawer/sleeping platform box frame consists of three 6' long vertical 3/4" wide framing pieces, one in the middle, and one each, adjacent to the wheel wells, attached to a piece of wood at the cab end to stabilize it, and sitting directly on the truck deck and supporting the plywood sleeping platform. All of this saves weight, material cost (6' long drawer slides are EXPENSIVE), easy to make, and easy to remove from the truck. The frame is attached with right angle brackets (actually gate hinges) to the deck. I had the plastic retailer I bought the 1/8" thick MDPE, "slippery," plastic from, rip the sheet into six, 2" wide strips, 6' long, the length of the platform. I only paid for the square footage I needed, I didn't have to buy the whole sheet. I used three 6' strips per drawer. I drilled and countersunk screw holes in the MDPE, where I was going to attach it to the deck. I drilled tiny pilot holes in the deck floor using the predrilled strips to locate where to drill. I drilled the pilot holes because the strips are thin and I didn't want to drive the very small flat head screws, which have to be set a little bit below the MDPE surface, all the way through the strip while applying sufficient force to drive the screw into the deck. I found out that was easily done by trial and error. Then I screwed the strips into the deck. I painted the bottom of the drawers with several coats of gloss paint and voila, the loaded drawers slide easily in and out. I attached a drawer pull and installed slide-bolt latches to keep the drawers from sliding around when driving and you can put a lock on them to keep whomever out.
     
  3. Jul 16, 2020 at 11:02 AM
    #3
    boogie3478

    boogie3478 Well-Known Member

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    All the mods
    :worthless:
     
  4. Jul 16, 2020 at 11:07 AM
    #4
    Bryancaluwe

    Bryancaluwe Active Member

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    That's harsh. How about a, "Thanks, photos would help immensely."
    I'll post some in a couple of days when it's back in the truck.
     
  5. Jul 22, 2020 at 10:04 PM
    #5
    Bryancaluwe

    Bryancaluwe Active Member

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    BigRus75 likes this.

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