Custom toolbox added behind the seat of my Boomer

[Bob_Skurka]

There is a tiny little toolbox located under the seat of a the Class I New Holland tractors, it is large enough for a wrench and some sockets or a few other small tools, but not large enough for chain, rope, or much else.

I wanted to add a larger tool box, but didn't think a regular tool box would be big enough. I figured if I am going to do it I should put as big a box as will fit without getting in the way of anything.

Here is the picture of the bracked I bent out of 2" wide steel. I had to cut notches on both ends to clear the rear lights. I could have used 1" but I had the 2" stuff available. I also figured the wider steel would make a more solid base for the box since the box will not be centered on the base plate.

The other problem I had was that I have a rear auxilary light on the tractor and I wanted the tool box to fit behind the seats but not to hit the light.

I solved the problem by getting a Craftsman truck box designed for the back end of a Dodge truck. It is about 8" deep, 16" wide and 18" tall.

The attached picture is the base plate being test fitted using the rear to ROPS bolt holes as my point of attachements.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Here is a picture of the base plate, with the Aux Light mounted on its original bracked. The whole assembly is bolted in place using the original ROPS bolts and the original holes. I obviously drilled a couple holes in the base plate to line up with the ROPS holes, but I wanted to make the bracket so that that it did not add any new holes to the tractor.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Re: Custom toolbox added behind the seat of Boomer

Here is a picture of the new tool box added to the base plate. The box has 4 mounting holes in the bottom of it. I drilled to holes into the base plate and using stainless screws and locking bolts attached the box to the plate.

You can see the box is located slightly off center of the center line of the tractor to make room for the Aux Light an to allow for the light to be adjusted enough for work. The back edge of the box is aligned with the back edge of the bracket so there is about a 6" overhang from the front of the bracket to the front of the box. Given the size hardware I used to hold it in place, and given the strength of the bracket I don't expect to see it bouncing around.

You will also notice that the bracked is designed to drop down the height of the box by about an 1.5" so the top of the box is not sticking too far above the top of the seat. I did not want the box to impact the rear visibility. I figured I could drop it a little more, but didn't want to get in the way of any implements when the 3pt hitch is in the full up position.

The original toolbox is still accessable, but the seat must be lifted to get into that tool box. I think I may just stuff some manuals and things in there so I don't lose them.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

By the way, does anyone know where I can find an ADHESIVE slow moving vehicle sticker? I want to simply stick it to the back of the box. I tried 4 super center/hardware stores and the closest thing I could find was a regular metal backed sign. I don't really want to bolt a sign into the side of the tool box and figured it would be easiest just to attache a SMV sticker to the tool box itself. HELP?

 

[dos_perros]

Very nice job, Bob. I have been wanting to do something similar for some time. Also have small factory tool box which just doesn't do the job. Like the idea of avoiding putting new holds in the tractor. Very clean and neat.

 

[Henro]

Bob,

Nice installation. Could you post a side or angle view?

<font color="blue"> By the way, does anyone know where I can find an ADHESIVE slow moving vehicle sticker? </font>

You might try a plastic sign like they sell at TSC, and use some silicone rubber calking to stick it on. I am sure that would work, and later if you wanted to remove it you could peel it off and peel off the silicone rubber...

A construction glue like liquid nails for decks would probably work too...but that stuff would stick forever....like epoxy almost...

You could also do it yourself with some paint and reflective tape...

Man...I full of it today, eh?

Let us know what you end up doing... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[DougM]

Re: Custom toolbox added behind the seat of Boomer

I would like to know if this tool box will be
in the way of ur new back hoe ???

Doug /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Re: Custom toolbox added behind the seat of Boomer

The backhoe is on the Kubota, the tool box is on the NH TC24D.

By the way, here is a side view of the box, so you can see how it fits over the 3pt and nicely inside the ROPS bars. Even with the 3pt all the way up, there is plenty of clearance.

There is also a top link clip that is still accessable under the box so I did not lose that functionality when I installed the box. Had I lowered in about 3" instead of 1.5" I think I might not have been able to connect the top link to the clip when it is not used.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Dos_Perros . . . I figured out a while ago, while playing with cars that putting holes where they don't belong ususally leads to lower resale value, cracks developing, or the eventual rust problem that the hole creates.

By looking at the problem for a while, and deciding what I really wanted to accomplish, the ROPS bolt holes really became the logical point to connect everything to.

My goals were a large box, no new holes, structurally solid with no bouncing, and still maintaining the original functionality of the top link clip and the original tool box while not creating a situation where I had to remount the rear Auxilary Light.

I believe I was pretty successful in accomplishing all those goals.

I had a lower priority goal that was not accomplished. I wanted a place to mount a shovel, digging fork, etc. I had hoped that there would be sufficient room to clamp them to the sides of the box somehow, but that does not seem possible from any of the angles I see. Mounting to the left side would prevent the box from opening. There is no clearance to mount to the back because there is not enough room behind the seat. I may end up with a shotgun style rack mounted to the ROPS bar to carry shovels, etc. But that is a project for another day!

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> By the way, does anyone know where I can find an ADHESIVE slow moving vehicle sticker? </font>
Bob
I got one for my <font color="orange"> Kubota </font> weight box at TSC. They are about $6.00.
Nice tool box. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif