3rd Gen Storage - I need a better way

Under and behind the seats is good storage. In mine I keep a first aid kit, jumper cables, and some random stuff behind the driver side rear seat, and behind the passenger side I keep all of my recovery gear including two recovery straps, winch line dampener, tree saver, hitch/ball, several shackles, some bungees, and several ratchet straps.

If op isn't using those areas he should be.

 

It sounds like all of the stuff he needs to store would fit there and then some.

 

Bed mat plus a tail gate locker. That'll secure the bed and stop things from sliding. Other than that, pick a container or get some milk crates and just use the bed.

 

Really like where? I’m genuinely curious. I have a 5th gen 4runner and the only storage is two tiny storage cubbies in the back. It has less places to put things than my Tacoma.

 

I had a ton of stuff tucked away in the long storage spot behind the rear seats, pull up the cover and there is a tub under the carpet. I also had things stowed under the front seats.

 

Maybe it's time to reevaluate what you're carrying. Tires have gotten pretty damn good over the decades of being resistant to punctures

 

Hmmm. I don’t think I have that cause I have 3rd row. There is no place to put things in there.

 

I got my Tacoma because I didn’t want all the space in the truck. I used to have a sedan with a big trunk and all it did was cause me to hoard all sorts of junk that I would never take out. When I traded that in, I was surprised by how much junk was piled up in the trunk. It filled up a moving box from Home Depot.

 

Sounds like everything you are carrying isn't used daily, but rather there in case you needed. Seems like under and behind the rear seats is the best place for that. It can be a pain to move everything when you need to get to it, but if you are like me then it's not that often.

 

You might take a peek at the Pelican Cargo setup as well. I'm waiting on the bx135, their largest bed box for the Tacoma. You may not need that large, but it adds a lot of storage. Definitely a premium price wise over the other options, but less than half of a decked system.

 

Inside, you can take out the plastic panel behind the back seats to gain quite a bit more usable storage volume; here’s what mine looked like. I was applying sound deadening mat and insulating foam to reduce road noise, and decided that I’d just leave the plastic panel out since it wasted so much otherwise usable space.

 

OP, Do you need the rear seats?

 

Small bed box option, no need for the rails if all you care about is stationary. Does require drilling at least two holes for mounting through the bed.

 

I kicked my jumper cables to the curb and got a small jump box. It fits in a smaller space than the cables. I don’t have to worry about frying electronics if I decide to help someone, and I can jump my own truck without another vehicle.
I also keep a small backpack behind one of the seats for smaller items and hang a tote bag on the passenger seat headrest for holding jackets, gloves, etc.

 

In for a penny, in for a pound...

 

Bed mat for sure, and just get some cheap crates. Insta Crate is on sale at costco for like $6 each