Storage Inside Bed (With Topper)

Hey everyone,

New member here. Just bought a 99 single cab and a bed topper. Looking for some advice regarding storage inside of my bed. Whenever I look up anything along the lines of "truck bed storage", I find pictures of the drawer systems which lay in the bottom of the bed. I am not a fan of this due to it taking up depth of the bed since I haul things.

Does anyone have any ideas for convenient storage inside the bed? Mainly for tools, jumper cables, straps, etc. I was planning on building some sort of cubby next to the cab, but I realized this would require me to crawl into the bed to get anything. No bueno. Ideally it would be low profile, yet spacious, and easily accessible. The main purpose for this is so that things aren't sliding around in the empty truck bed while I'm driving. My current idea is to build two boxes behind the wheel wells in the bed.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas, or has done something similar. Pictures appreciated!

Zach

 

Welcome btw!

 

I made a shallow sleeping platform with drawers thinking it would be neato, and honestly, it sucked. It was a lot of dead weight and even though it was only 8" tall, it made it a lot harder to sleep in the back or do other useful things a pickup truck can normally do. Without the sleeping platform, I can comfortably sit up and read in bed or change clothes. With the sleeping platform, I could not.

The everyday stuff that's always in my truck easily fits behind and under the seat with enough room that everything's completely hidden: fire extinguisher, shovel, axe, breaker bar, jumper cables, tow strap, shackle, code reader, multimeter, spare bulbs & fuses, first aid kit. With all that I can still hide a coat, boots and day pack behind the seat.

When I'm camping I have a rubbermaid container for tools, spare parts, camp stove and dry goods, a cooler and a 5 gal. water jug. I set up my bed before I leave home and fold it in half into a taco. Then when I get to my spot it takes mere seconds to move a few things and unfold my bed. I still have to occasionally crawl into the back, but this solves every other issue you mention. Note my friends in the background struggling with an RTT while I've already set up and cracked open a cold one.

 

Thank you for the input. I guess I should utilize that area behind the seats more. I have some stuff back there but I bet I could fit more. The tubs seem perfect. I may do something similar to this for camping.

I also need to get a fire extinguisher knowing that my truck is 21 years old....

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...eping-platform-drawer-storage-systems.424709/

Its a second gen thread, but still lots of ideas and there's a few 1st gens in the thread

 

I built a storage box down the driver's side. It's attached to the carpeted plywood on the bed and has two hinged lids. Tool bag, basic winch/recovery bag, propane cylinders, jumper cable, 1st aid kit, e-tool, a kite or two, spare serpentine belt, some other junk that I can't think of at the moment. There are pictures somewhere in that other thread I think. I camp out of the back of my truck a lot and didn't want to take up headroom plus I carry stuff back there on occasion. I've built and tried a drawer system and hated it since it took up room and I couldn't sit up in the back.

 

This sounds exactly like what I'm imagining. Let me see if I can find some pictures you posted of it. Thanks for the input.

 

Is that carpeted box on the left what you are talking about? It looks absolutely perfect. I would probably end up bed-lining whatever I use to make the box since I am constantly hauling things in the bed. Also, how far does the box go? All the way to the cab or just to the wheel well? I can't totally see it in that picture.

 

Totes.

 

I thought about going this route, and then I saw how much they cost. I'd rather build something out of wood. Thanks for the input though.

 

Yep, that's it (ignore the dead hooker- nah, it's a sleeping bag with an old army blanket around it. My sleeping pad is folded in half under it). That's an old picture, I replaced the floor with a slightly thicker piece of plywood cut into two sections so it's easier to get out. There's a piece of aluminum angle on each end now to hold it and the carpet in place. The carpet is just that gray indoor/outdoor stuff from Lowe's. The storage box is just plywood with some various brackets in it and it runs to the front of the 6' bed. It isn't completely flush with the wheel well, there's a little bit of floor there inside, maybe two inches so longer things can be placed in there. Magnetic cabinet latches hold the top hatches closed. There's enough room for me to sleep between the box and those Rubbermaid Roughneck totes or the totes can be placed on top of the storage box. I wouldn't want to sleep two guys in it but I've had a couple of girlfriends camp with me. Usually I'm by myself and if I've got someone with me I carry a tent. It's the same basic setup I've been using since my first Tacoma in '96 and I've been all over the lower half of the US and down into Baja with it. Get a tarp/awning to go over the back and it's pretty comfortable way to travel.

Those Rubbermaid Roughneck boxes are the three gallon size and they stack. I just keep camping gear in them.

 

Also consider the weight of wood versus plastic... especially when fully loaded. And storing totes would be much easier as many are nestable.

Another consideration is weather proofness. Plastic beats wood hands down.

 

Keep it pretty simple and don't go overboard on plywood thickness (you don't need 1/2", 3/4", 2x4s, etc. like you see some folks using) and it's not bad. I can remove both pieces of mine by myself with no problem; it's just over one sheet of plywood worth of wood, a couple of metal brackets and screws and the carpet. Drawer systems can get heavy very quickly. Containers definitely have their pluses, especially if you need the space in the back and will be removing them frequently or storing your stuff between trips such as leaving all of your camping gear packed and ready to go but sitting on the garage. They're also a good way to carry stuff and see what you want and need while you pare down your gear. The weatherproof aspect is also a definite plus on the side of containers as is helping to keep out dust and they can do double duty- I have a collapsing wash basin but I still use one of the containers as a basin occasionally. I carry my clothing and stuff I don't want to get dusty in North Face Base Camp duffel bags but trash bags work if you're on a budget (helps complete the dirtbag look too; I've shoved my duffels in them before so they weren't obvious to anyone looking in).

Evaluate your needs realistically and go from there. The more you use it, your needs and wants will change as you refine and redefine your own style. I think far too many people have these grandiose ideas about how much time they will spend traveling and the places they'll go or they just want the "overlander" look and they go overboard. On average I spend a couple of nights a month in the back of my truck, more during hunting season, and I rarely need more room in the back. Like I said, I've been using essentially the same setup since '96 and I've tried drawers and a platform but didn't like them. I also have a roof rack, a Yakima cargo box and a utility trailer if I need to haul larger items so my setup suites me most of the time and I'm able to leave camping crap in the back.

 

Thanks for the advice. At this point I am planning on combining the two ideas. Plywood storage box for basic everyday gear (straps, tools, etc) and tubs for anything that needs to stay away from the elements. I am fairly certain that my bed cap does not leak any water, but I do not want to risk it. I'd also like to come up with a way to secure the tubs from moving around.

My goal with the truck is a "weekend-warrior" overlanding setup. I still want the practicality of a pickup, but I also want to be able to sleep in the bed.

 

You can't see most of them in the picture, but there are some loops for securing stuff and typically when on a trip I'll put one of those bungee cargo net things over everything. As much as I despise bungee cords, I will use a net since it's not as likely to have a hook fly back at me. Most of the time those small containers are just stacked loose though since there's nothing heavy in them (lightweight cooking gear, some food stuff, playing cards, a couple of field guides, can't remember what else at the moment) and I'm not bouncing around (everything in the cab that could be dangerous in the event of an accident is secured). In addition to the floor tie downs and the cargo rail thing, there are D-ring picture hangers in several places- you can barely make out one under the front screw on the passenger side cubby (they're on the corners) and another on the vertical face of the box below the handle. Ex. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-4-Pack-D-Ring-Large-Picture-Hangers/3029190 They work well for lashing light weight stuff, hooking bungee nets, etc. I've got them under the nuts for the roof rack track as well and have another net to put lightweight stuff up there.

DJB1's setup is much more practical if you need the full bed frequently, such as being a contractor, or camp infrequently. It's also a great way to carry your stuff as you figure out what you want.