Removable pickup box.

[N80]

I've got a 6 year old F-150 Supercrew. Because it has 4 doors the bed is very short. For years I've had a toolbox that sits down in the bed like this:

Its been okay but its hard to get to from the side of the truck and because it sits on the bed itself you can't put long flat stuff in the bed. The good thing about it is that it hooks to two brackets on the cab end of the bed with two pins making it easy to remove.

Now I want a regular bed box like this:

But, I'd really like to make it easily removable. Anyone done this before? Any ideas? I think a locking rail system would be perfect.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I went with the sliding tool box. Pull two pins and the whole box rolls to your tail gate and you use tout tail gate like a table. When your done it rolls all the way back to the cab on the rails attached to the bed and put the two pins back and off you go.

I hated always having to hop up for stuff dozens of times a day. Now everything is right in front of me.

 

[N80]

Sounds interesting. Where did you get it? Got a link? Did you have to get a 2nd mortgage to buy it?

 

[Western]

A friend of mine used small link pins, like on your tractor.

He had the cotter pins inside the box. He said he got tired of buying a new box every time he bought a truck.

 

[N80]

I did a little research into the track systems. Very good ideas and exactly what I'm looking for. You bolt the tracks to the bed wall. You bolt a guide that fits into the track onto the bottom of the tool box. Two knobs inside the toolbox on each side allow you to tighten it in place. This way the box can be positioned anywhere in the bed or slid out the back.

The problem? They are outrageously priced. The system from TracRac is $700!!! It includes a ladder rack system but they don't sell just the rails as far as I can tell. There is a Canadian firm that sells through J.C. Whitney that sells just the rails and the box kit but even that is over $300. That's just nuts. $300 for two extruded aluminum rails, a few screws and polyurethane guides. I just can't see it. The more I think of the idea the more it makes sense as the perfect solution so maybe $300 will start to look more reasonable. You can slide all sorts of hoops and brackets into the rails too.

But for now, I'll just have to do with out. Might fabricate my own system with pins like Western mentioned. Might be hard with this Ford though because the bed wall is enclosed. It does not have an open lip like they used to.

 

[milkman]

Would this be the one?
Sliding Toolbox

or this one?
http://www.orsracksdirect.com/tracrac-sliding-tool-box-mount-kit.html

 

[N80]

Yes. Those are the two I was referring to. As mentioned, the least you can pay for either one is $300. Seems steep.

 

[Redbug]

Hi George...

Here's the alternative I went with...wheel well boxes. These aluminum tool boxes are bolted on the side walls in the bed. Between the boxes, there is more than 4 feet of space, so you can lay plywood, wall board, etc, flat on the truck bed. With the shell on my truck, it is a good fit.
Mine are made by DeeZee.
Dee Zee Wheel Well Truck Tool Box

They also make them so they open in the back, and even have sliding drawers. Do a google search and there's all kinds of options for you to explore! Ain't the internet great! Hmmm...removable...there should be some other options out there.
Pork Chop Boxes
Van, Truck, or Trailer Tool box - The PC Series

 

[N80]

Thanks Dave. I'll definitely look into that. I've always liked the one's with the drawers but a pair of them would be pretty pricey.

(And if it sounds like I'm a tightwad its just because.......I am. )

 

[tallyho8]

Hi George...

Here's the alternative I went with...wheel well boxes. These aluminum tool boxes are bolted on the side walls in the bed. Between the boxes, there is more than 4 feet of space, so you can lay plywood, wall board, etc, flat on the truck bed. With the shell on my truck, it is a good fit.
Mine are made by DeeZee.

My buddy has some like that but his camper shell has windows that lift open so he can reach right in the toolbox without having to climb up in the bed.