DIY Drawer System Question

No anchoring at all. Mine fits pretty close all around and can't really shift or bounce around. If I have both drawers loaded and pull both out it can tip slightly, but it's only about an inch and a half or so all the way at the front before the top hits the tie downs.

 

remind me again what you did for drawer slides? i remember seeing it elsewhere i just cant recall

 

It looks like for the small top drawer he used actual drawer slides maybe the bottoms are the same

 

thats my truck, i think @forty2 used HDPE, thats what i want to know

I will say OP. you using the angle aluminum and machine screws with your slides opened my eyes, my drawer system 2.0 will be using a play out of that book

 

I am going to be using this video as a template to make mine. It was a good idea to use rivets instead of screws/bolts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju1Rs6Gt0Zs

 

Strips of VHMW on the bottom of each drawer and a strip above each drawer to account for pivoting. I be lying if I said it slides as well as ball bearing drawer guides, but it works quite well nonetheless. The lower weight and additional space gained by eliminating standard guides was my main goal in going this route and I couldn't be happier.



*edited UHMW to VHMW, the latter is almost as slippery and a whole lot cheaper.

 

These, along with the ROK Block tailgate seal could help cut down on the dust collection, if you haven't seen them yet. Just a thought.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bed-cubby-covers-for-sale.491909/

 

I felt like they didnt work well with 2nd gens. I have leftover parts rhat i didnt use if anyone wants them. Just need to dig for them

 

Yeah I have no real world experience with them as i don't have a topper but they seemed like a possible solution. Bummer.

 

good call! i had seen those before and considered it!

 

now i'm torn between spending money on actual drawer sliders or the UHMW / VHMW

I'm undecided as to what sort of top I want for the truck so for now it'll be the rubber mat over the drawers to provide additional protection from the elements (not that socal gets a lot of "element")

 

@Chux used some C channel and a pack of skateboard bearings from Amazon, I believe

 

I use the UHMW and I'm happy with it. My drawer probably has 80+ lbs of tools in it and it still opens fine enough. It's a little bit of a workout parked on an incline, but not too bad.

 

I used aluminum rectangle tube, and yes skate bearings. Got the idea from @2012Taco build..

@daohaus I can pull my drawer system out in 3 pieces if needed.
1. Drawer itself
2. Drawer casing
3. Hidden cubby (behind fridge)

I built it differently than @2012Taco but same concept, a track rolling on bearings. He did a full drawer box system that I believe ties down with his bed bolts. I tip toed into the build with a bed platform first, along with the hidden cubby. Than added the bearings and built the drawer later on. My design actually locked itself in with the floor ribbing and inner bedside walls. Only difference between @2012Taco build and mine, his is way more stout and intricately built even adding water system and switches/wiring. Mine is basic, light weight, and easily removable. Tho the drawer system lives in the bed of the truck full time, I remember pulling it in and out constantly when I was finishing it up and than again for paint.

Platform was built and Pelican case was temporally used as drawer.






Rocked out the bed platform for a bit. Definitely an upgrade from having stacked totes and everything on the floor of the bed. I was in the process of reorganization to make everything I carry accessible without moving something to get to something. Didn't even realize how much I like the little open area to the left of the drawer opening. Not only do we stuff smaller accessible stuff there like a snatch strap and extra shoes or dog blanket but it still allows me to access the bed side cubby door, which I have an air hose in there from plumbing my ARB compressor from the engine bay to that cubby. The hidden cubby compartment I did behind the fridge had just a wooden lid that covered the hidden area and the wheel well. After building the drawer I hinged it and made a hole with a paddle bit to have a finger latch to open and just lays flush when closed.




Than the drawer was built..






After about a month and really liking the setup I did a complete tare down of the hardware and painted the new setup. Decided to go with a black stain thinking the wood would absorb it better than paint and not show scratches on the surface. Im still storing a tote or two on top during trips so I'm expecting some scratch abuse. And did a gray outdoor paint on the drawer for accent color. Two things to note.. Prior to building the drawer I took the drawer sides and scored it down a table saw every 6" and made plexiglass dividers so I could configure the drawer several different ways depending on how I wanted it set up. Also installed a plunger pin, the front paddle latch holds the drawer closed but the spring loaded pin holds it open.. no worries parked on any incline. You sorta have options with the plunger pin but I just decided to do one catch hole about 7/8 back on the drawer. In the above pic you can see 6" increments all the way back left me with a smaller section at the end. I store two 1lb propane bottles for backup and tent spikes in there so not something I need to constantly open the drawer to. Fully open when the pin locks stops the drawer just behind the small maroon tool box.






The drawer has still been evolving. Below is the first real use of the drawer as my wife and I took a 3 week cross country trip. Currently tho as I was not pleased with the organization being as the camp kitchen supplies were kept in the black and yellow totes, I reorganized the drawer to have pots, pans, plates, bowls, forks, spoons, tinfoils, coffee filters, spices, etc..




Overall it has been a great advancement to our camping and having things easily accessible.

Good luck with your drawer build @daohaus


Happy travels

 

@Chux thank you for the indepth description of your drawer's evolution. I'm liking that you made it so that it's almost modular in a way that you can remove one or all of it. I have to consider that as well as there might be a point where I might need the entire truck bed for moving or hauling things. So I have to come up with a way to make it solid in there but also removable without killing myself.

 

No worries. I didn't expect it to be so modular but it's definitely a bonus! When I bought my house the first house mod I got was a 6'x10' utility trailer. Used it to renovate the house taking everything to the town dump and bring in new materials. Since than anything and everything I need to move or haul I hitch up the trailer. Its great leaving the truck as is to pick up sheets of plywood, move a couch or take the leaves to the dump and pick up mulch. I recently used it to bring my snow blower to my moms house after our last snow storm. I would recommend a small trailer if you could, makes life easy.

 

I really like the dividers you put in the drawer @Chux !

Hoping to get started on my system as soon as we get the spring thaw.

 

That's an awesome looking dog....blue healer??

Did you have to do anything to your suspension to hold all that extra weight? I need my truck for my dirt bike so I can't commit to a setup like that.

 

Yup sure is! His names Ziggy, We rescued him at 3 months old.

Not just cuz of drawers but all around weight, I went to air bags..

Firestone ride-rite air bags paired with Daystar cradles. Basically attaches the air bags only on top and the bag rest in the cradle during contact, when off camber the axle drops as does the cradle from below the bag still allowing flex.
Theres a thread on TW somewhere bout the air bags.

 

Sorry @daohaus for the derailment..

Now back to the drawer builds