computeruser
Explorer
What do you get when you combine a couple scrap bedframes, a 110v Lincoln welder running flux core wire, and a Metabo 6" grinder with the thin .040" cutting wheels? Yup, you get a TJ interior storage system, representing the pinnacle of Polak engineering. But hey, I'm able to get this into the back of a TJ with room to spare for folding chairs and a couple soft-side bags or backpacks. And I can get to the stuff on the bottom without having to disrupt everything on top!
The system bolts to the factory seat belt retractor bolts on the rear cage, and then has drop legs and bolts through the front mount for the rear seat. So far it seems pretty sturdy - my 240lbs didn't seem to wiggle it, and I could grab on to it and shake the devil out of the Jeep without it budging.
Four small Rubbermaid Action Packers go underneath, along with tool bags and air compressor in the rear footwells. The fore-aft brace is positioned off-center, to prevent the action packer row on the right from shifting left; the action packers are a just-barely friction fit. I still have ready-access recovery gear is under the seats, spares and specialized recovery gear (towing cluster, winch pulley block, etc.) ride in one of the Action Packers. The remaining Action Packers split up the campsite stuff - hygiene, kitchen, dry food. A shovel and 2-man tent sit on the far left the floor.
On top, two matching Contico plastic tubs will store bedding and clothing, and a decent sized cooler sits in the middle. There is still a bit of space for extra stuff, right behind the seats.
This lot will be strapped down, rendering it more immobile than it is already (it's a pretty decent fit - only 1" of side-to-side movement, and a hair less fore and aft for the black boxes).
There is still enough room on top to tie down a couple folding chairs, some soft-side gear bags, and room enough on either side to fit Wedco or Scepter can, and still have the soft top move up and down freely.
Total cost: just the welding wire and a couple cut-off discs, since I reused a piece of OSB for the decking, reused old hardware from my nut-and-bolt coffee cans, and my steel was all free - people just drop off bedframes in my driveway and I find them there when I get home from work. I even kept drilling to a minimum by reusing the pre-punched holes in the bedframes as much as possible!
Total build time, a couple hours.
Total time to install or remove: less than two minutes with a ratchet and wrench, less than a minute with the socket on the cordless drill.
The system bolts to the factory seat belt retractor bolts on the rear cage, and then has drop legs and bolts through the front mount for the rear seat. So far it seems pretty sturdy - my 240lbs didn't seem to wiggle it, and I could grab on to it and shake the devil out of the Jeep without it budging.
Four small Rubbermaid Action Packers go underneath, along with tool bags and air compressor in the rear footwells. The fore-aft brace is positioned off-center, to prevent the action packer row on the right from shifting left; the action packers are a just-barely friction fit. I still have ready-access recovery gear is under the seats, spares and specialized recovery gear (towing cluster, winch pulley block, etc.) ride in one of the Action Packers. The remaining Action Packers split up the campsite stuff - hygiene, kitchen, dry food. A shovel and 2-man tent sit on the far left the floor.
On top, two matching Contico plastic tubs will store bedding and clothing, and a decent sized cooler sits in the middle. There is still a bit of space for extra stuff, right behind the seats.
This lot will be strapped down, rendering it more immobile than it is already (it's a pretty decent fit - only 1" of side-to-side movement, and a hair less fore and aft for the black boxes).
There is still enough room on top to tie down a couple folding chairs, some soft-side gear bags, and room enough on either side to fit Wedco or Scepter can, and still have the soft top move up and down freely.
Total cost: just the welding wire and a couple cut-off discs, since I reused a piece of OSB for the decking, reused old hardware from my nut-and-bolt coffee cans, and my steel was all free - people just drop off bedframes in my driveway and I find them there when I get home from work. I even kept drilling to a minimum by reusing the pre-punched holes in the bedframes as much as possible!
Total build time, a couple hours.
Total time to install or remove: less than two minutes with a ratchet and wrench, less than a minute with the socket on the cordless drill.
