Tacoma bed (5') storage options

[live2travel photography]

Here's a picture of our truck with the tent deployed, for reference.

Looks like my campsites when I unpack.
Have u thought about a trailer. Then everything is always ready. Then a foldable tonneau for the remainder of the gear.

 

[Dances with Wolves]

I called Decked this morning and was told Tacoma "might" be available sometime, maybe down the road. Doesn't seem promising.

You could always make or buy cross members like these;

build a deck top and put a keyed lock on your tailgate.

 

[gravedgr]

Looks like my campsites when I unpack.
Have u thought about a trailer. Then everything is always ready. Then a foldable tonneau for the remainder of the gear.

I have, and we're looking right now. Ultimately, I'd like to have both - but I'm guessing we can afford $1-2k for bed storage before we can afford $5-10k for a trailer with accessories. I'm shopping the for sale section for a deal, but most are too small or don't have a cover/any security.

I called Decked this morning and was told Tacoma "might" be available sometime, maybe down the road. Doesn't seem promising.

They told me "more than a year away".

 

[Dances with Wolves]

My take away from the conversation was that they develop products for fleet vehicles first and foremost. Given that the Tacoma is the only product in the market now, they are gauging the GM truck sales since GM has always been strong in fleet sales. If Canyon/Colorado sales are good, we get DECKED.

 

[gravedgr]

My take away from the conversation was that they develop products for fleet vehicles first and foremost. Given that the Tacoma is the only product in the market now, they are gauging the GM truck sales since GM has always been strong in fleet sales. If Canyon/Colorado sales are good, we get DECKED.

That's a good analysis. I hadn't thought of the fleet angle.

 

[character zero]

@gravedgr - do you park your truck in a garage at home?

I only ask because while I love the custom over the bed rack and RTT mounted somewhat aerodynamically, an aftermarket topper/shell/camper would really meet all your requirements.

IF you have a garage at home, it is easy enough to rig up a shell hoist that you can have off the truck in 5-10 minutes with no sweat. It would meet 1) price; 2) waterproof; 3) security; and 4) ease of removal (perhaps most important).
Second-gen tacoma specific thread here: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/98994-anyone-have-truck-cap-topper-shell-hoist.html

You've got to be removing the current setup anyways for hauling dirt etc.


Edit: just searched within 125mi of you, found this one with Windoors and built in window storage that, assuming 1) load bearing enough for RTT and 2) you don't mind painting or the mis-match would make for a kick *** setup. The windoors alone push the price of these new up to ridiculous. http://greenville.craigslist.org/pts/4685761342.html Hope that helps.

 

[Box Rocket]

I have, and we're looking right now. Ultimately, I'd like to have both - but I'm guessing we can afford $1-2k for bed storage before we can afford $5-10k for a trailer with accessories. I'm shopping the for sale section for a deal, but most are too small or don't have a cover/any security.


They told me "more than a year away".

Doug, here's a couple thoughts for you. I can't remember if you built your own bedrack or what, but if you have the ability to do some fab work you could build your own trailer for the same $1-2K cost you have planned for the DECKED setup. Just saying. I am into my trailer about $2K and it was my first "big" fabrication project and was a blast to build.
.
If that isn't in the cards, you could consider some military surplus medical containers. I have a couple of these and they are great. They are secure, weatherproof, and you can put a padlock on them. A few of these would be much cheaper than Pelican cases. They'd be easily removed from the bed, especially if you don't hard mount them. I have used these to keep things secure since I don't have a lid on my trailer yet.

They also have some that that have the "deep" lid for large items. I think they are a great size for stuff you want to compartmentalize, like kitchen stuff in one, spare parts/tools in another etc.

.
Here's mine mounted to my bedrack. I painted it with bedliner.

 

[gravedgr]

@gravedgr - do you park your truck in a garage at home?

I do. In fact, I had my bed rack custom made to a specific height in order to fit the tent and rack into the garage. So a cab top is simply not an option for us.

Even if I could get the topper & tent into the garage (which I can't), I can't back it in far enough to get any kind of lift or rigging to remove the tent or top because I have a freezer in the garage. My garage door closes with about 4 inches to spare.

Doug, here's a couple thoughts for you. I can't remember if you built your own bedrack or what, but if you have the ability to do some fab work you could build your own trailer for the same $1-2K cost you have planned for the DECKED setup. Just saying. I am into my trailer about $2K and it was my first "big" fabrication project and was a blast to build.

Hey Adam. I did not build my rack, and somewhere (maybe on TW discussing bed storage or trailers) I mentioned I don't have the ability to do any fab work or "recondition" any used and/or surplus trailers. Locking storage that someone can just pick up isn't of any real value to me. I'm not worried about someone picking through my rubbermaid stuff, but pulling a truck up next to us in a parking lot while we're out hiking the Grand Canyon and emptying my truck bed in 60 seconds and leaving us without food, clothes, bedding or tools.

Since I seem to be striking out a bit on the bed storage, I'm starting to lean more towards a lockable trailer. These guys are right up the road from us and had a nice trailer setup at the OXEast. It was quite a bit more than I wanted to spend, but trailers just aren't cheap. I talked to my dad about it and he can't understand why I would even consider spending several thousand on a trailer + tent + accessories instead of spending a little more for a used pop-up camper, but I also don't remember camping anywhere but parks as a kid so I don't think he can wrap his head around the idea of wanting to drag a trailer + RTT to some isolated location to camp.

Anyhow, the trailer solves several problems at once: 1) lockable storage; 2) the ability to leave camp "set up" while still being able to use the truck; 3) extra storage (as much as double what we have currently); 4) the potential to mount our RTT at proper height vs. the reduced height we have now (this would require storage in an offsite locker or a custom "raising" rack which I have in mind to ask someone to build if we get a trailer). So, I'm leaning that way now and just trying to figure out budget.

 

[Box Rocket]

I do. In fact, I had my bed rack custom made to a specific height in order to fit the tent and rack into the garage. So a cab top is simply not an option for us.

Even if I could get the topper & tent into the garage (which I can't), I can't back it in far enough to get any kind of lift or rigging to remove the tent or top because I have a freezer in the garage. My garage door closes with about 4 inches to spare.


Hey Adam. I did not build my rack, and somewhere (maybe on TW discussing bed storage or trailers) I mentioned I don't have the ability to do any fab work or "recondition" any used and/or surplus trailers. Locking storage that someone can just pick up isn't of any real value to me. I'm not worried about someone picking through my rubbermaid stuff, but pulling a truck up next to us in a parking lot while we're out hiking the Grand Canyon and emptying my truck bed in 60 seconds and leaving us without food, clothes, bedding or tools.

Since I seem to be striking out a bit on the bed storage, I'm starting to lean more towards a lockable trailer. These guys are right up the road from us and had a nice trailer setup at the OXEast. It was quite a bit more than I wanted to spend, but trailers just aren't cheap. I talked to my dad about it and he can't understand why I would even consider spending several thousand on a trailer + tent + accessories instead of spending a little more for a used pop-up camper, but I also don't remember camping anywhere but parks as a kid so I don't think he can wrap his head around the idea of wanting to drag a trailer + RTT to some isolated location to camp.

Anyhow, the trailer solves several problems at once: 1) lockable storage; 2) the ability to leave camp "set up" while still being able to use the truck; 3) extra storage (as much as double what we have currently); 4) the potential to mount our RTT at proper height vs. the reduced height we have now (this would require storage in an offsite locker or a custom "raising" rack which I have in mind to ask someone to build if we get a trailer). So, I'm leaning that way now and just trying to figure out budget.

I was going to suggest if you used those boxes I mentioned to just bolt them down in the bed. That's what I've done. Same thing when it's on my rack its bolted down. Nobody's walking off with it without a lot of effort.
But you seem to be eager to shoot down any suggestions that have been made.
It seems like you've got it figured out now with a trailer which like I said before has been great for me and my family. Hope you find what you need.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Goose Gear ******.

 

[live2travel photography]

I do. In fact, I had my bed rack custom made to a specific height in order to fit the tent and rack into the garage. So a cab top is simply not an option for us.

Even if I could get the topper & tent into the garage (which I can't), I can't back it in far enough to get any kind of lift or rigging to remove the tent or top because I have a freezer in the garage. My garage door closes with about 4 inches to spare.


Hey Adam. I did not build my rack, and somewhere (maybe on TW discussing bed storage or trailers) I mentioned I don't have the ability to do any fab work or "recondition" any used and/or surplus trailers. Locking storage that someone can just pick up isn't of any real value to me. I'm not worried about someone picking through my rubbermaid stuff, but pulling a truck up next to us in a parking lot while we're out hiking the Grand Canyon and emptying my truck bed in 60 seconds and leaving us without food, clothes, bedding or tools.

Since I seem to be striking out a bit on the bed storage, I'm starting to lean more towards a lockable trailer. These guys are right up the road from us and had a nice trailer setup at the OXEast. It was quite a bit more than I wanted to spend, but trailers just aren't cheap. I talked to my dad about it and he can't understand why I would even consider spending several thousand on a trailer + tent + accessories instead of spending a little more for a used pop-up camper, but I also don't remember camping anywhere but parks as a kid so I don't think he can wrap his head around the idea of wanting to drag a trailer + RTT to some isolated location to camp.

Anyhow, the trailer solves several problems at once: 1) lockable storage; 2) the ability to leave camp "set up" while still being able to use the truck; 3) extra storage (as much as double what we have currently); 4) the potential to mount our RTT at proper height vs. the reduced height we have now (this would require storage in an offsite locker or a custom "raising" rack which I have in mind to ask someone to build if we get a trailer). So, I'm leaning that way now and just trying to figure out budget.

Give EddyRRT over on tacomaworld a shout. He is thinking about building offroad trailers. Everything he builds is top quality and cheaper than everywhere else. He can build what you need.

 

[gravedgr]

I was going to suggest if you used those boxes I mentioned to just bolt them down in the bed. That's what I've done. Same thing when it's on my rack its bolted down. Nobody's walking off with it without a lot of effort.
But you seem to be eager to shoot down any suggestions that have been made.
It seems like you've got it figured out now with a trailer which like I said before has been great for me and my family. Hope you find what you need.

Okay, I see where you were going. I'm not trying to shoot down ideas, just playing devil's advocate.

There is no perfect solution here (secure, mobile and cheap/free). I'm not trying to criticize anyone's ideas - we appreciate them all! - I'm trying trying to poke holes in everything so that I accurately evaluate the pros/cons. Then, each idea is measured against all others on the basis of value vs. cost, before looking at our budget. It may turn out, based on how much we want to spend / are able to spend, that we use a few ideas that were "rejected" as imperfect / not fitting our needs because they end up fitting in our budget plan. Ex: if we were to buy a trailer, we might use something like your idea to give us some very inexpensive, organized storage for the truck. If we ditch the trailer idea for bed storage, we'd probably prefer to build or buy something more secure and custom fitting or space efficient.

So please don't take my feedback the wrong way. Everyone has good ideas - some we have considered and rejected outright (anything incompatible with our house) and others fit somewhere in our "ranking system". We're shooting for the moon, but reality may set in once we get down to actually spending money.

 

[gravedgr]

Goose Gear ******.

I will check them out. How do they compare, price wise, to other 'name brands'?

Give EddyRRT over on tacomaworld a shout. He is thinking about building offroad trailers. Everything he builds is top quality and cheaper than everywhere else. He can build what you need.

Eddy built my rack, and is building my bumper. I didn't realize he was getting into trailers.

 

[Dave Bennett]

http://www.goose-gear.com/storage-solutions.html

Goose Gear can make ANYTHING to your spec. This is all inside of a 5 ft bed...

 

[live2travel photography]

I will check them out. How do they compare, price wise, to other 'name brands'?


Eddy built my rack, and is building my bumper. I didn't realize he was getting into trailers.

Eddy is toying with the idea. I was telling him I was thinking about moving to a trailer for my rtt and he said he was thinking about trying to build one. Now that he has his shop it would probably be easy for him to build it.