Lets see cargo area storage mods

[Expedition Essentials]

Actually you remove it when you remove your hard top. I intended it to be used only with a hard top mainly for the security aspect. It is easily removable when you do take your top off, two bolts and 5 minutes and you're done.


Sent using a squirrel raised from birth by a flock of well trained carrier pigeons.

 

[Jurfie]

Actually I made it: had a little free time on my hands and no trailer project to work on: wanted to come up with something a little outside the box as a storage option. Then I realized the dead space above the cargo area would be perfect: it is never used even when fully loaded. The box bolts and hinges to the roll bar using factory bolts: the lock/latch plates bolt to the hollow structure of the hard top using nut serts.

As of right now it will be a product someone can buy: I filed a provisional patent and i am working with a U.S. Manufacturer for production. Plan is a 1st qtr 2015 production start date.

I also love how it creates storage in a place most would-be thieves wouldn't think to look. I'm looking forward to seeing more details as soon as it becomes available!

 

[rlynch356]

You've made me curious. How many can fit in a layer on the bottom? It looks like you don't have the subwoofer. Could you tell many you could fit with the sub?

You can fit 2 on the left side - the seat only becomes an issue when you go vertically. I have not tested this with table yet, but eyeballed it and it looked fine. I'll add all the stuff in there this week and take some pictures. (Table, wolf's, and ARB50qt fridge). I do not have the subwoofer in my truck. Its easy to delete as well if you order the Sport side panel though. I can measure it from the Left side panel to the edge of the wolf boxes to give you an idea. but i don't have a way to actually test it with a factory subwoofer.
<Edit> i did not try a full layer on the bottom - i can and let you know what that looks like (Pictures) i was more focused on a fridge + Wolfboxes solution.

 

[Expedition Essentials]

I also love how it creates storage in a place most would-be thieves wouldn't think to look. I'm looking forward to seeing more details as soon as it becomes available!

Hopefully very soon


Sent using a squirrel raised from birth by a flock of well trained carrier pigeons.

 

[rbkelley89]

My TJ has been through about 100 different rear cargo configurations, but I'm finally happy with it. The folding seat and table in the back make much better use of the space and can be folded out of the way at anytime leaving a wide open cargo space for large items. On the back I made a small folding tray that hangs on my spare tire and above the tire, I have a rack and waterproof box that can be switched in and out.

wow got any info on that rear tire carrier and storage thing i would love to build one

 

[Xbcasey]

I built the tire carrier myself, I cut out and welded tabs to some Genright corner armor and used hiem joints for the hinges. Then I just built a frame that bolts to the four stock tire carrier mounting points in the tailgate. The frame takes all the weight of the tire, rack and gas can, the tailgate is basically just bolted to the inside of the frame and is the latch to hold it closed. The corner armor spreads the load between the stock hinge points, and the whole corner of the tub, I can sit on the tire while someone opens and closes the tailgate and there is no sag or deflection. Using the hiems top and bottom gives me up and down adjustment of the tailgate, as well as side to side. But since I set it up the first time during assembly, I've never had to adjust it.

I had another tire carrier, but I got really tired of having an extra step to get into the back of the jeep. This one opens with the tailgate handle just like it did when it was stock. I was actually so annoyed with how long it took to get into the back, that I copied J-Sherb's idea and built my own version of his soft top back window

Then I started to get carried away, I added a removable gas can rack to the tire carrier, and two mounts behind the tire so that I could use my interchangeable basket rack, or cargo box over the spare tire

After that, I built a set of sliders that had removable side mount jerry can holders. I have a jerry can toolbox that is really handy to throw in them on the trail and not have to listen to tool rattle around in the back. It's also nice to get a bunch of weight off the back of the jeep and spread around a little more evenly, you can really feel the difference when driving. The last step was modifying a 60mm ammo can to mount into my drivers side slider and swap out with the jerry can mount. It's a perfect place to throw tow straps, gloves and other small things like that. All in all this setup works really well for me and the type of wheeling I do.

 

[DEFENDERBEAM]

nice work Xbcasey.

Hard to draw the line, the possibilities are endless.

Fab work is a good pass time for me. Not so much my neighbors though!

 

[Xbcasey]

Thank you! It never ends, I always find something to modify or tinker with. I do fab work as part of my job, then come home and do it as a hobby, I love it when one hobby makes another one even better!

 

[oscar the grouch]

Im trying to figure out how to get my 70quart cooler on the back without adding to much more strain to my tire carrrier. shes already in trouble. any thoughts?

2014-08-29 08.37.25 by Oscar da Grouch, on Flickr

 

[tweenerlj]

My little tool drawers:

After having these drawers, it got tiresome to always have to unzip the rear window to access the cooler, so I also made a version of jsherb's rear window, an example how one mod drives another:

 

[rbkelley89]

Im trying to figure out how to get my 70quart cooler on the back without adding to much more strain to my tire carrrier. shes already in trouble. any thoughts?

2014-08-29 08.37.25 by Oscar da Grouch, on Flickr

Holy tolido what size tires? Id say a cooler rack is oit of the question just because the size of it would be massive to clear that tire or a hitch mounted cooler rqck could work butnwouod be really low. You could always put it in the passenger seat and have fresh ones handy lol.

 

[oscar the grouch]

Holy tolido what size tires? Id say a cooler rack is oit of the question just because the size of it would be massive to clear that tire or a hitch mounted cooler rqck could work butnwouod be really low. You could always put it in the passenger seat and have fresh ones handy lol.

HA. I ususally have a passenger and shes a red head so holding a cooler for an entire day might get me on the bad side.

I have 3 dogs that go with me every time. so i need cargo space back for them.


the tire is a 37x13.5 hitch mounts suck cause i really dont want to loose the departure angle.

this is my current setup and its a little cramped. I was going to put the bags in an attic i was going to build tonight but if i cant get the cooler off the floor there is no reason as its all on top of that.

 

[rlynch356]

Test Fit
4 Wolf Boxes
1 ARB 50Qt Fridge
1 Adventure trailers Tailgator Table
2 GMG magnetic hooks on the tailgate.

4 wolfs can fit stacked vertically - Cons here are Rear Visibility and a center tie down needs to be added. I'm looking at solutions there.
you cannot do 2 stacks of Wolf boxes front to back though since it interferes with the latch on the drivers side - Possibly a cub box stack. May fit there.

But all in all Vertically stacking the wolfs gives you a lot of volume for stuff/Food, etc and room to house water and the other items.

I do not have a subwoofer in the back.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

I'm always interested in seeing what folks do to make their vehicles more efficient in terms of storage, camping, sleeping and off roading. Looking at others' ideas is like browsing through an off roading store and it appeals to my creative, DIY side.

Thanks Xbcasey (and others) for posting up pics on this thread. Very creative!

Here are some links you might find interesting:


This one is very cool: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f96/rubicon-unlimited-sleeper-storage-mod-1101531/

Rear seat removed; custom panel made: http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/custom-jk-storage-deck-floor-230185.html

Elevated sleeping/storage platform: http://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-write-ups-39/elevated-sleeping-stowage-platform-jku-248645/

Rear shelf (DIY): http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?p=182847

This is the EP's mother of all threads on the subject (142 pages and counting!): http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/9034-Post-up-your-drawer-storage-system/page142

And here's a link to the Front Runner rack someone posted earlier in this thread (nice idea and I especially like the brackets - cool if they sold them separately!): http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/front-runner-slimline-ii-interior-rack-jeep-wrangler-jk-5-door.html#.VLv-7oeZyA0

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Thanks for posting these 2 links. I've seen one but not the other and it's good to have them here.

I've seen a couple of pretty slick platforms built out of these no-weld erector set/tinker toy products like http://industrialerectorset.com/T-Slot-2.asp and http://eztube.com. These solutions look to be very strong and much lighter than wood construction. I may build a platform out of one of these so I can slide my cooler and an action packer underneath and have the top for the rest of my gear. I haven't found a rear shelf I like that isn't stupid expensive.