what are you keeping in the boxes?
You cant beat a quality under body, but the down side is they rust out?

 

what are you keeping in the boxes?
You cant beat a quality under body, but the down side is they rust out

Well, the crossover toolbox had all my logging stuff in it on the old truck, so I was kind of hoping to get that back in there. I'd also like to keep straps, shackles, chain, fluids, and a few tools - specifically a bottle jack.

I'm really considering just seeing how much it would cost someone to brake a open square to mount the toolbox on and build hinged doors for the open ends to hold the misc stuff that doesn't necessarily need to be out of the weather.

Another thought was to just build some angle supports and hang the toolbox off the headache rack.


Also - underbed boxes are $250 new/each. I really don't want to spend $500 at this time - plus I need to build some sides because the only sides I have available are 20+ year old stock sides that dad or grandpa had used on their trucks. And I don't even know if those'll work because they were for an 8' bed, I think.

 

Thats why I asked what you were keeping in it, a PVC pipe with threaded ends can keep stuff dry.
Hanging racks are the way to go for stuff that doesn't need to be locked up or protected.

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction.

 

I've got an idea.

I bought 6 hitch pins, a bunch of washers, and a couple spacers.

I'll use the cross over box and 2 side boxes, but I'll use the hitch pins from the bottom up to secure them.

That way, if I need to move the boxes for a load, I can pull the pins and move the boxes. And I might run some 1x's or 2x's under for spacing/drainage/assist in moving.

 

I've got an idea.

I bought 6 hitch pins, a bunch of washers, and a couple spacers.

I'll use the cross over box and 2 side boxes, but I'll use the hitch pins from the bottom up to secure them.

That way, if I need to move the boxes for a load, I can pull the pins and move the boxes. And I might run some 1x's or 2x's under for spacing/drainage/assist in moving.

Did you get the standard pins, or the "tractor style" pins? I use the tractor style on my hitches and love them. I also use those "snap ring" style retainers to hold them in place, way better than cotter pins.

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Any thoughts on how to get the pins in through the bottom without them falling out?

I figured I'd figure that out later..

Maybe make a cheat strap using jb weld and something else that can be swiveled or flip into place to keep the pin in place?

 

Just an update - I went ahead and went with the tractor style T pins - and used a ledge under the bed to hold them in place while I installed spacers and the pins in the box. And I have my chainsaw in the box - which is upgraded from my last post to a 58" x 20" x 18" toolbox that my friend gave me.

(Traded the cross over and side boxes for an old school diagnostic system on top of a vintage snap-on toolbox - to which I gave my mechanic friend. This is the kind of system, that if it works, will help him do diagnostics on pre-obd vehicles and equipment.)

So - my dilemma is still - storage...

I could just leave my chainsaw stuff at home, but I'm typically working on any 3 things at any given spare time - construction/mechanics/logging.

3 options:
1) 2 chest type 58" toolboxes facing outwards towards the front of the bed. That allows the full 9' to the headache rack in the middle, but only allows 3' 10" from the end of the bed to the end of the box. And - the toolboxes are 4" past the gooseneck ball, but I think they are low enough that that won't be an issue.

2) Purchase a 72" x 24" x 24" Knaack box and mount on the front of the truck. Might C-bolt it to the headache rack and leave the casters on it to allow for space underneath, and allow me to move the box around if I deem it necessary. Have even considered building rails so that if I wanted to use it to prop something up at the tail end of the truck I could... Doubt rails could stay clean, so don't think that's really an option.. Down sides - potential blocking of vision out back of window, and it's 1 box with everything - so a little more difficult to organize and keep organized.

3) Purchase 1 or 2 36" underbody boxes and mount them perpendicular - using them as vertical storage cabinets at the front of the bed, on either side of the 58" tool chest. The biggest downside I see with this is that the underbody boxes - regardless of where they are mounted, don't seem to offer much storage space. And could block vision on the passenger side.

Any thoughts? Anything I'm not seeing?

 

Looks like the best deal for the most amount of storage is a $400 72" Knaack box on casters that i can move around my bed depending on what I'm hauling at the time.

It'll just be difficult to keep tidy - but I'll be able to keep my log roller, shovels, and any other long tools that I would like to keep with me - with me.

Oh, and difficult to secure in such a way that I can keep the casters on it and secure it elsewhere on the bed if necessary.

I keep bouncing to the idea of a getting 36" underbody boxes and mounting them on top - but I don't think I'll ever mount them under the truck. And if that's the case, I could go with 48" side opening boxes and position them facing out or stacked at the front of the bed.

I've decided to get rid of the 58" chest altogether.

 

Also...my toolbox with casters on stands so tall that the corners of the box are wider than the A frame of my headache rack.

I can either use this to my advantage and anchor the box by using tractor pins through the headache rack into the back of the box.

Or - take the casters off and anchor with tractor pins through the floor like I am doing with my current 58" toolbox.

Choices, Choices.

If I put the tractor pins where they can be seen at eye level in the headache rack, is there a greater chance that someone with a cordless saw will cut the pin and take off with the toolbox?