Any ideas to improve storage use of my truck bed toolbox?

[oosik]

The Ram Box system on the new Ram trucks is great. I can reach anything without needing a ladder. The cross bed tool box on my Ford - I needed a grab hook to reach anything down on the bottom of the box.

I do carry a small, aluminum ladder to gain access to the bed of the Taco Wagon. Just too old and stiff to jump up on the tailgate.

TBH - I'm too old to be doing most any kind of jumping.

 

[Xfaxman]

I there anyone on this forum who hasn't already thought up a similar solution on their own?

Here are two of mine:

 

[Topzide]

The HF .30 cal ammo boxes will hold a 20' length of chain. It's just perfect for my load chains. I have several that are labeled as 20' and 2 10's. Can grab the box and go to the back of the trailer without dragging a chain!

 

[gsganzer]

I have a whole bunch of Milwaukee M18 tools in mine and I'm getting ready to try to come up with a better way to store them in my toolbox. Right now, they're all in a big pile, beating each other up. I'm thinking something like 2 stacking/nesting "pallets" made with 1/4" plywood that have cutouts and some blocking that hold the tool in position, sort of like a shadow board, where each tool fits in a specific spot. The top pallet will have my most used tools, drill, driver, angle grinder, impact driver, spare batteries and grinder disks. I'll lift it out to get to the lower pallet which will have the circular saw, recip saw, router, saber saw etc.

I'm still in the thinking stage, but was hoping some photo's/comments in this thread would get my creative juices flowing.

 

[sixdogs]

I'm the OP on this and after all the great ideas, here's what I'm doing. I've cancelled the idea of a long shelf because it won't work and I don't think was ever designed that way.

*I'm going to make a small shelf by sliding in a piece of flat aluminum plate with locating pins on it and setting a wooden box on it that can be easily removed. It should not move around.

*Chains will go into cut-out HD laundry jugs because it doesn't take much room and easily removed. Great idea. Plus, my chains will smell clean and fresh.

*I'm getting some postal plastic mail tubs and I have some plastic milk crates that will hold other stuff. Also, Harbor Freight sells a great plastic "milk" crate thing that really works. Ratchet chain binders will fit in crates.

*Hydraulic jack, big tools go in plastic milk crates or loose.

Everything is easy to get at because either containerized or easy to remove. I carry a plastic step-stool to get in the bed so no reaching for me.

If I wanted a long shelf I would cut a piece of 3/16" plate aluminum almost the length and almost as wide as the truck box width on the inside. You could wiggle it in. I would then add a series of locating pins** and set wooden boxes on those pins. It would limit underneath storage but be easy to remove.

I'm not a contractor but a rural guy with farm things and this fits me perfect. If I was a contractor I'd get one of those 4' x 8' sliding tool systems for the back and sides of the truck.


**The locating pins I would use are the ones with the detent balls in them like this:

 

[D&D]

Plus, my chains will smell clean and fresh.

 

[gsganzer]

I just hang my chains from the louver slats of my headache rack. The chains hand down between the toolbox and the rack. My ratchet straps stay in a plastic ammo can in the bed.