Removable Drawer System?

[dra2120]

Hi All,
Does anyone have any tips for making a removable drawer system. A drawer system seems like it would help organize, and make packing out our SUV a much easier task. However, we fill the back of our SUV at least weekly, and so we can't really afford to permanently loose that cargo space. This leaves me thinking I need to build some sort of easily removable system, that can be installed and removed decently quickly. My thought at the moment is to use metal peg board (like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Pegboard-Stainless-Threaded-System-Storage/dp/B07C5KLB68/) as a base. Then use the factory cargo tie down points, to anchor the peg board down, and have bolts sticking up through the peg board that the drawers and things can be secured to. So if anyone ha made a removable system and has any ideas / tips, or if anyone can think of a faster / easier / better way, I'm all ears.

 

[dra2120]

^^^
Yes, I'm looking at pull out drawers, primary for camp kitchen use. I've thought about plywood, but I wasn't sure how it would hold up to being installed and removed frequently. We will be with our kids ( 5yo and 1yo), plus I've got a normal 9-5, so our trips will be weekends up to a week long.

 

[phsycle]

My opinion is to keep it simple, or deal with a permanent solution.

Bins provide flexible storage options, ie taking what you need for a weekend trip vs week-long trip. Easy to remove, cheap to buy.



Or just get a nice drawer system put in and deal with it. Maybe a roof rack? Cargo box??

 

[ArtfulDodger]

We had a similar issue. We wanted a camp kitchen that was easy to install and remove. We ended up building a plywood box tat could attach to the SUV‘s tie down points. The drawers and other compartments then fit in and around this base.

It may not be quite what you’re looking for, but maybe it can give you some ideas. Let us know what you come up with. I’m always interested to see different approaches to similar problems.

The Artful Dodger

The Dodge Durango doesn't get much love in expeditioning circles, especially the third generation models that switched from body-on-frame to unibody construction. Of course, nobody is going to confuse one of these for a serious off-road vehicle, but I think the platform has a lot going for it...

expeditionportal.com

 

[dra2120]

We had a similar issue. We wanted a camp kitchen that was easy to install and remove. We ended up building a plywood box tat could attach to the SUV‘s tie down points. The drawers and other compartments then fit in and around this base.

It may not be quite what you’re looking for, but maybe it can give you some ideas. Let us know what you come up with. I’m always interested to see different approaches to similar problems.

The Artful Dodger

The Dodge Durango doesn't get much love in expeditioning circles, especially the third generation models that switched from body-on-frame to unibody construction. Of course, nobody is going to confuse one of these for a serious off-road vehicle, but I think the platform has a lot going for it...

expeditionportal.com

Your system is pretty much exactly what I'm looking to do. I may have to commission you though, as my wood working skills aren't nearly to level yours are. Fortunately, my floor is completely flat with the seats folded, so that would make it easier...I really like the modular idea of yours as well. I've got two small kids, so the chances of running just 2 up are pretty slim, but I have wanted to build a cabinet into the space between their car seats, and your modular idea would work perfectly.

 

[Clintnz]

If you are keen on making something but actual drawers are too much for your skills/tools, then just a box or 2 that are sized around plastic bins can work well, I made this many years ago, 2 bins similar to those posted above go in each side. One side has since been modded into a fridge slide.

These are held down with some big countersunk cap screws into the old seat mounts, so quite quick to remove, but you need to work with what you have in terms of attachments. These were 1/2" HDF which may be hard to get but plywood also works - a pocket hole jig as used by the Artful Dodger is a good investment for this sort of joinery, especially with plywood.

Cheers
Clint

 

[dra2120]

Sounds like no matter what, I need to pick up a pocket hole jig.