Toolbox suggestions for Gen1 Tundra

One of my first mods will be adding a bed toolbox. Looking for suggestions on boxes and mounts.

Typical emergency tools and supplies will be carried. Nothing irreplaceable or particularly valuable. I live in a quiet safe area.

I figure steel or aluminum is necessary. Any preferences on gullwing or chest style, or those rectangle designs that sit in the bed versus the ones with wings that sit on the walls of the bed?

Also, my truck has a bed liner insert. I don't see any holes to mount a bed but I do have steel tie down brackets near the front and don't want to obscure those from being used.

Are there predrilled holes in the bed and I just have to locate them thru the bedliner? Or I've seen some people use steel J-hooks so I could just put small holes in the side of the bedliner at the lip? Thoughts and feedback appreciated. Thanks.

 

I had a UWS low profile cross bed chest style on my last truck and loved it. Aluminum was strong enough to carry everything I needed but light enough to handle by a single person when empty. Needed a toolbox and tonneau cover on my tundra so couldn’t bring it over otherwise I would have.

can’t remember the length (easy to check) but it looked just like this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/UWS-69-...ile-Crossbed-Truck-Tool-Box-EC10473/306377884

 

Depending on how much ‘stuff’ you need to carry you could just do a swing case like I did.

 

I have (and no longer use) a Deezee aluminum chest that fits just right on the bed floor. I drilled a hole on each side and removed the bolts holding the bed to the frame, then used slightly longer bolts to pass through the box and to the frame. Basically used the bed bolts to hold the box.

I removed it because I didnt need that much storage anymore. Would be willing to sell cheap in Southern California. I upgraded it with steel latches so padlocks can be used.

 

@Darkness Appreciate it, but I'm too far away. Someone might want it though!

 

It really just depends on how much storage you need and how nice a box you want.
Look on CL and FB for sure though and score one for a fraction of the price of a new one and many times get a new one too!
I have had several and the Adrian Steel or Weather Guard or Knack or other commercial units are so much nicer that its worth it to me to spend more but you cn usually find one for $100 and be just fine too.

 

Yep, that's actually my plan. I have two (an aluminum and a steel one, both chest style) that I got second hand for cheap. Both are in use as tool lockers in my garage. I'm looking at a few used ones locally but want feedback before investing any time/money even on a used one.

 

Part of it depends too on how high your bed rails are and how high your arms are!

If the bed sits too high it can be hard to get the chest style to work sometimes as there is a strange angle to unlatch them and then to close them sideways in which case the style that opens towards the center might be easier to use.
Likewise if the box sits on top of the rails and the opening is higher then yo need to make sure that you can even reach in and not have to get into the bed to get stuff out,guess how I know what thats like?
Times like that the Chest style might be better as the top is lower and easier to reach into and across from the ground.

There is more to think about than you realize until you are trying to reach too high or far and lift something too big and heavy before you realize that the shorter box might have been the better call?

 

I had these on my truck since about 2003-4ish. They worked well for me. Carried a variety of items in them over the years until their removal last year when at that point the only thing in them was a check book and some nail clippers. They are still in great shape still. Looking to sell if interested. $200 each. Much more user friendly than the big inside the bed boxes. Polished Aluminum and keys included. You pay shipping.

 

I also like my swing case.

 

Tough polycarbonate swing chest: AAA+++recommended. Whatever you choose, get only what you need to carry essentials, make it easily removable and weather tight/non-corrodible. Bigger metal boxes gather crap and the weather is brutal to them over a long time. A manageable, removable box stows essential gear but can be removed for hauling loads if necessary.

 

No need to remove these for hauling loads, but they come off easily if needed. They actually help keep loads inside with the higher side walls.

Weather tight and the 4 strut assists are brand new(ish) heavier duty# than the originals. Lids pop right up on their own and stay up until you pull them down.

 

I have a box that mounts behind the cab on the bed rails using j hooks through the bed rail holes nearest the cab. Sit on top of the bedrails, has about a 6 inch gap between the bottom of the box, and the bed. Junk, dirt, and trash accumulates there. NG.

In hindsight I would have gotten one that mounts INSIDE the bed such as the units described above.

2 reasons for this​

1. I have a shell for the truck, and at the time of purchase of tool box I was not thinking ahead. I would need to remove tool box for the shell to go on. It's not an issue now because the back glass is broken out of the shell. I still have yet to find a suitable replacement. So nbd there now.
2. The junk/trash that accumulates underneath.

I should have done more research, but I was trigger happy trying to clean up my tool clutter in the cab.

I think its a "Rural king special" not a Big gurll unit. ​

 

Does that require drilling into the bed to secure?

 

Yes but it’s super simple, also they are self tapping screws.

 

Hi, do you remember what model you used? Can't seem to find an 05' specific swing case

 

They don’t make one for the 1st gen. Get one for the 07 and it will work. You will lose that corner tie down though.

 

Just another idea. I wanted to still use my retrax bed cover. And easy to remove the toolbox with wheels. For those rare times I need the whole bed to carry plywood.
Bought this Stanley one. Had to modify height but easy. Cut it in half with circular saw and plywood blade. Then it is tapered some. So the top half pushed down and overlapped the bottom by a few inches. So lowered the height. 4 screws and liquid nails to attach. Strong and holds a lot of weight. Can reach in and pull out the handle. To wheel to the back to unload.

 

Which one did you go with? I see it's a swing case, but what truck was it meant for?

 

07 Tundra.

 

Thanks. No issues with it interfering with your cap clamps?

 

Yes an no. I can't fit a clamp in between so I just added extra ones further up. Scroll up and you can see it in the picture.

 

Yeah I saw that. What about the back?

 

There is no room for a clamp back there either. I got like 7 clamps on this thing. It's not going anywhere.

 

Well shit, that's what I was afraid of. So it won't work with my softopper then.

 

Do some measuring. Wheel well might be an issue, but this set for the F150 shows to be 1.5" shallower than the 07 Tundra Amazon.com: PIT66 Lockable Truck Bed Storage Toolbox, Compatible With Toyota Tundra 2007-2021, Rear Box, Drawer Left Driver Side : Automotive

 

Also, this guy used box designed for RAM on his 2.5 gen and it looks shallow. Just had to raise the mount up 2". Again, take measurements Wheel Well Undercover Swing Case Storage Knock-offs | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

 

2.5 gen has a taller bed than our AC's. Same with FGT DC being taller than ours.