Finding the best tool box for under tonneau cover storage could be a real headache due to the fact you're working along with this kind of tight elevation limit. You would like to keep your gear dry plus secure, but most standard cargo area boxes are just too tall to match under that cover. If you've ever attempted to slam your own tonneau cover shut only to hear it hit the best of a metallic chest, you know precisely what I'm speaking about. It's a frustrating game of inches, and honestly, it's why the lot of guys turn out just tossing their tools in the back chair instead.
But you don't need to give up your cab space in order to keep your equipment safe. There are actually several really smart styles out there which are specifically built in order to sit low, tuck away into sides, or slide best under those bed rails without any disturbance.
Why Height is Your Greatest Enemy
The key reason people struggle in order to find a better setup is definitely that most conventional "crossbed" tool boxes—the ones that sit on the rails—hang over the top of the bed. Even the "low profile" versions usually have a lid that sticks up an inch or even two above the side of the particular truck. If you have a flip or rolling tonneau cover, that extra inch is more than enough to be able to impossible to close the cover properly.
When you're looking for the best tool box for under tonneau cover use, you basically have got to stop looking at the rail-mounted stuff and begin looking at "chest" style boxes or wheel-well mounts. Chest boxes sit on the ground of the cargo area and don't touch the rails at all. As long as the box is usually shorter compared to depth of your truck bed (which is generally around 20 in order to 22 inches on most modern pickups), your cover will slide right over the top of it like it isn't actually there.
The wonder of the Swing-Away Box
If you don't need to carry a massive set of heavy-duty power tools, the particular swing-away style box has become the coolest invention for truck owners in the last decade. These types of are these clever little plastic instances that tuck in to that dead space behind the wheel well. They're excellent simply because they don't get up much room in the middle of your bed, therefore you can nevertheless haul plywood or a dirt bicycle if you require to.
What makes them perfect for under-cover make use of is their elevation. They're designed to sit just beneath the bed railroad. Plus, most of them have a release lever that enables the box swing out within the tailgate. This is the lifesaver because it means you don't have to examine under your tonneau cover or peel off back half the particular lid just to grab a screwdriver or even a roll associated with duct tape. A person just reach in, pull the lever, and the equipment come to you.
Low User profile Chests for Heavy Hitters
In case you're a service provider or someone who just has a lot of large gear, those little plastic swing containers aren't likely to cut it. You're heading to need the full-sized aluminum or steel chest. These types of are the large hitters from the storage space world.
The trick right here is to gauge the height from the floor of your bed towards the underside of your tonneau cover's tracks. Several covers, especially the particular retractable ones which have a canister in front, take up the bit of straight space. You desire to make certain there's at least the half-inch of clearance so the box lid doesn't rub against the cover.
Aluminum chests are often the preferred because they're lighting enough to move if you need in order to take the box out for the weekend project, and they also won't rust if a little rain leaking through the sides of the cover. Also the priciest tonneau covers usually let a little drinking water in at the corners, so getting a weather-sealed box underneath is like getting a second coating of insurance for your expensive exercises and saws.
Material Choices: Plastic vs. Metal
When you're looking around, you'll see a lots of talk about materials. Many people naturally slim toward diamond-plate light weight aluminum since it looks classic and "truck-like, " but don't rest within the high-density polyethylene (fancy talk for heavy-duty plastic) choices.
Light weight aluminum is usually great because it's rigid. If you're throwing heavy things on top associated with the box or if it's heading to have a conquering, metal will be the method to go. It feels safer, and the locks are usually a bit more substantial. However, metal containers could be noisy. In the event that you don't have it bolted down perfectly, you might hear it rattling back there while you're driving more than bumps.
Plastic/Composite boxes, on the other hand, are usually dead silent. They will also don't drop. If you fall a heavy sledgehammer against an lightweight aluminum box, you've obtained an everlasting souvenir of that mistake. The plastic box may usually just bounce back. They're also totally rust-proof, which is usually a big deal if you live in the particular salt belt.
Security Within Security
A issue I get requested a lot is: "If our tonneau cover hair, why do We need a locking tool box? "
It's a fair point, but believe about it this particular way. Most soft-top tonneau covers may be opened with a pocket knife in about three mere seconds. Even the hard-shell foldable ones can become pried up with a crowbar if somebody is determined plenty of. Having your equipment locked inside the secondary box that's bolted towards the pickup truck bed adds one more layer of "nope" for a thief. They might get into your bed, but they probably aren't going in order to spend ten mins seeking to crack open a steel upper body while standing within the middle associated with a parking great deal.
How Your Cover Type Modifications Everything
The type of cover you have really dictates how you'll access your tools.
In the event that you have the tri-fold cover , you have to fold back at least two sections to get full entry to a chest-style box sitting at the particular front from the bed. This is a slight pain if you're constantly grabbing things. In this situation, you might try some fine box that sits closer to the tailgate.
If you have the roll-up cover , you've got it simple. You are able to just move it back a feet or two, grab things you need, and roll it back. It's possibly the most easy setup for someone that uses their tools several times the day.
Retractable covers are the trickiest. They have a big canister at the front from the bed where the cover rolls up straight into. If you put a tool box right up against the cab, it might be tucked under that canister, making it almost impossible to open the lid of the particular box. If you have the retractable cover, a person almost always need to go with wheel-well boxes or the chest that rests further back towards the tailgate.
Don't Just forget about Mattress Liners
A single thing people always forget to accounts for is their particular bed liner. If you have the thick plastic drop-in liner, it's likely to eat up regarding half an inches of height plus width inside your bed. If you're buying a tool box that is "just" small enough in order to fit, the liner might be the thing that makes it the no-go.
Spray-in liners are usually much better for this simply because they don't change the proportions of the bed. When you have a drop-in liner, you may also find that bolting a chest down is the bit more complex, since the liner can flex and trigger the box in order to vibrate. It's nothing several spacers or even some creative installation can't fix, yet it's definitely some thing to keep in mind before a person hit the "buy" button.
Last Thoughts on Choosing the Right One
All in all, the best tool box for under tonneau cover storage depends on what you're actually carrying. If you just need a place for some jumper wires, a tow strap, and a several wrenches, those swing-out cases are a complete no-brainer. They maintain the middle of the bed open plus they're super easy to access.
But if you're the pro or someone who basically lives out of their truck, you've gotta go along with the low-profile ground chest. Just grab your tape gauge, look into the height associated with your side rails, plus make sure you leave a little breathing room for the cover in order to glide over. It's a bit of a balancing act, but once you obtain that perfect match, having an organized, dry, and secure bed is a total game player. You'll stop stressing about your equipment every time you park at the hardware store, plus that satisfaction is worthy of every penny.