Security from people and animals with open bed vehicles

[DaveM]

How do you guys with open bed trucks, no trailers and limited cab space deal with securing supplies in the back of the truck?

I have a 2003 DC Tacoma with Maggiolina RTT on a rack over the bed. I’ll be heading out for my first trip in this truck in a couple of months and I’m concerned about two things:

1) Food storage overnight (critters big and small will want my stuff).
2) Security on the road (people taking stuff while stopped to eat etc on the road)

I usually carry one large Coleman cooler and a 2 crates with dry goods in it and have always been able to just lock it up inside my fj60. Now I have to deal with an open bed and not a lot of space in the cab. I plan to pull the cooler and the dry goods into the cab at night, so that’s a no brainier really but would like to hear some other suggestions if there are any. I’m more worried about stopping on the road to get a bite to eat or whatever and leaving my truck in the parking lot with all my stuff (way too much to put in the cab), out in the open. Would a cargo net be any deterrent?

 

[DaveM]

I should add that I have a limited budget at this point for stuff like bed boxes etc. Bed covers won't work because my RTT is set on a rack that attaches to the bed rails.

I use one large ammo can thats bolted to the bed for my recovery gear. And might add another for other camp gear. Most of the camping gear and supplies go into one of three plastic bins with the interlocking type lid closure. Keeps it out of site but not super secure.

 

[maxama10]

If you read through Phil (streakerfreaks) thread you'll see that nothing will keep out a determined thief. However you have always padlock and chain things down so that at least they can't just walk off with them.

maybe stop by a place like REI and buy one of those cable nets that backpackers use. They place them over there backpack and lock them to a pole or something.

You could throw it over whatever is most important and lock it to a tie down. ?

 

[rynosurf]

If you want to go cheap just bolt some plywood to the bed rails with cutouts for your rack and buy a pop and lock for the tailgatehttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-0...023QQitemZ360046052041QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW. Paint the wood so it will last awhile and your good to go. If you add some crossbars for support and some tie down points you can load stuff on top of it too. Later when you have some cash you can replace the plywood with diamond plate or steel mesh

 

[Zorro]

I have an extended cab Ranger, so interior room is very limited.

I usually put the really valuable/fragile stuff behind me in the cab, and the random things either thrown straight in the bed, or in large plastic boxes (very cheap).

This was my setup last year ... will probably be identical again.
http://img108.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=39928_DSC07116_122_833lo.jpg

The big box contains my sleeping bag, tent, clothes and other misc items, extra gas and water in the visible cans, plus straps, shovels and traction aids thrown in the bed. In the cab, I kept the camera and fridge (12V plug).

Works fine for me, although I will admit security was never a concern. However they aren't even close to falling out. I accidentally drove over a ditch at 30mph ... and didn't lose anything.

 

[tombkeeper]

I did a 7 day baja trip last year, with the same concerns as you. My solution was to go by a Harbor Freight store and pick up a 10x10 blue tarp - $8 and change. I had already purchased a bednet ($50 on ebay), and covered all my gear with the tarp (so it wasn't visible) and placed the bednet on top of that with tie-downs. Its more of a deterrent than anything else, but it's a solution that's less than $100 and is low profile. I wouldn't park and leave my truck for many hours, but for a quick bite to eat it beats leaving everything out in the open. Try to park at a restaurant where you can watch your rig from the dining area, if at all possible.

 

[Hltoppr]

I'd have to second the plywood bolted to the rails and the tailgate lock...simple, and so effective you'd likely end up leaving it there for awhile...

-H-

 

[DaveM]

Thanks for the tips. I like the backpack net idea. And the bednet with tarp. I think I'll start with those. Maybe sometime down the line I'll come up with a lockable bed cover.