The ultimate cargo slide/tray?

[jscherb]

I love this idea and the prototype so far! Definitely think a locking mechanism would be great. Also, I'd go with the buyer-supplied flooring - anyone can go to HomeDepot and get a piece of wood cut for cheap (if they don't have any tools at home).

I'd love to hear what you think of dual slides - making one wide enough for a standard fridge/cooler, and the other to fill the trunk. I'd like to do my own DIY HD slides someday, but a few projects are in the way.

The way I've designed the trays, dual slides are definitely possible.

I've designed the tray in a modular way so that it'll be easy to do multiple sizes. The four side rails of the tray bolt together, and the floor bolts into the assembled sides. The floor could be DIY-supplied plywood, or if these end up in production, possibly a metal floor with tie-down points built into it.

For the DIY version, different length side rails could be offered, and since the side and end rails will be interchangeable, it wouldn't take too many "standard" lengths to enable a pretty good range of sizes to be assembled. They're also designed so that they can easily be cut to a custom length by a DIY'er if a different length is required. I'm envisioning you might pick the length and width you need and you'd get slides, side rails and end rails for that width, and you'd supply a plywood floor to that size. Think of it as a custom slide/tray construction kit, with modular pieces you pick and choose to fit the application.

In addition to the JK-specific (and possibly other model-specific) mounting brackets, I'm also planning "generic" mounting brackets, which would make it possible to install a slide in something that no model-specific brackets exist for, such as a trailer...

I don't know what, if any, of these details/features might make it into a production product, it depends on if a company signs up for the product and what they decide to release. But I'm designing it with all of the features and capabilities and building the prototype that way and we'll see what happens.

 

[jjohnson1892]

Awesome, that's really well thought out Jeff. We need more guys like you in the industry - cost aware and detail oriented!

Also, just want to say I picked up a set of the HD tailgate hinges you designed for the JK and love them! They're overbuilt and the manufacturer did a great job.

 

[jscherb]

I made up a prototype set of mounting brackets for the slides today and got the slides mounted.

Next I'll work on the tray.

 

[jscherb]

Awesome, that's really well thought out Jeff. We need more guys like you in the industry - cost aware and detail oriented!

Also, just want to say I picked up a set of the HD tailgate hinges you designed for the JK and love them! They're overbuilt and the manufacturer did a great job.

Thank you. I'm glad you like the hinges.

 

[grimbo]

Another thought is to have a table that slides in vertically next to the fridge with a hinge so you slide it out vertically and then fold it out from the slide so it sits outside of the vehicle footprint

For shelves above, hinge them at the back with a soft floor so you can tilt forward to load with bulky soft goods like sleeping bags etc then just push back up to lock in place

Lock in place slides are very handy, especially at various distances.

 

[jscherb]

Another thought is to have a table that slides in vertically next to the fridge with a hinge so you slide it out vertically and then fold it out from the slide so it sits outside of the vehicle footprint

Thanks, that's an interesting idea. Not too hard to do with the way I have the system planned, maybe I'll do a prototype of that.

For shelves above, hinge them at the back with a soft floor so you can tilt forward to load with bulky soft goods like sleeping bags etc then just push back up to lock in place

I can't quite picture that from your description, maybe I'm just slow tonight .

 

[grimbo]

Was thinking, make a frame that attaches via hinged brackets that attach to the factory roll bar. The floor/shelf would be webbing or similar. There would be a spring/ram that would keep it tensioned in an angled closed position but allow for an open position angled down towards the back of the vehicle for loading

 

[jscherb]

Was thinking, make a frame that attaches via hinged brackets that attach to the factory roll bar. The floor/shelf would be webbing or similar. There would be a spring/ram that would keep it tensioned in an angled closed position but allow for an open position angled down towards the back of the vehicle for loading

Thanks for the explanation, now I see what you're getting at.

 

[jscherb]

One thing I'm making sure of as I finalize the dimensions of the slide tray is that the storage compartments in the floor of the JK are still accessible. These concept drawings show how they'll be accessible - when the tray is closed the jack compartment is accessible, and when the tray is open the cargo well is accessible. I'll have to test how easy it will be to remove the carpet compartment cover and the plastic cargo well insert/jack cover with the slide in place, but worst case is you'd remove them when you installed the tray.

 

[crusaderJK]

Nice to see that you design something modular. I find that to be one of the most important aspects for cargo solutions, since everyone has different needs.

Me for example, I didn't want a simple shelf over the cargo area, beause I was affraid the load on the slide might catch on other gear that's stuffed in the back.
So I've built a box to sit on top and enclose the load on the slide.




Also here's a picture of the frontrunner with access to the cubby.

 

[jscherb]

Nice to see that you design something modular. I find that to be one of the most important aspects for cargo solutions, since everyone has different needs.

Me for example, I didn't want a simple shelf over the cargo area, beause I was affraid the load on the slide might catch on other gear that's stuffed in the back.
So I've built a box to sit on top and enclose the load on the slide.

...

Also here's a picture of the frontrunner with access to the cubby.

...

Nicely done.

Looks like the access to the cubby with my design is the same as in the photo you posted of the Frontrunner slide, but it looks like the jack compartment might not be accessible with the Frontrunner, with my design it is.

My plan for an optional shelf above the slide tray is for it to be adjustable - the height of the shelf could be set to accomodate different height things in the slide tray, such as a tall or a short fridge, and the goal is for the shelf to be easily removable so it doesn't have to be in the Jeep when it isn't needed. For mounting the shelf, my design includes accessory mounting rails along the sides of the slides.

The mounts have a series of holes design to accept clip nuts, so different types of accessories besides the shelf could be mounted. For example, my friend Donny suggested a Freedom Panel holder - this would sit above the cargo in the tray and hold the Freedom Panels securely so you could have cargo in the back and a place to store the Freedom Panels so they wouldn't be loose inside the Jeep.

 

[crusaderJK]

Nicely done.

Looks like the access to the cubby with my design is the same as in the photo you posted of the Frontrunner slide, but it looks like the jack compartment might not be accessible with the Frontrunner, with my design it is.

Thank you.


The FR does allow access to the jack storage. Had to remove the plastic liner/cover first.

I'm excited to see your final product. eepwall:

 

[jscherb]

Thank you.

View attachment 302700
The FR does allow access to the jack storage. Had to remove the plastic liner/cover first.

I'm excited to see your final product. eepwall:

Thanks for the extra photo; that's pretty much how mine worked out too.

 

[jscherb]

Input please... I'm in the process of designing the adjustment range for the optional shelf that will mount above the slide tray. I'm thinking the range might be from about 12" above the tray floor to about 21" above the tray floor. At the high end, the largest ARB fridge would fit (for example). I'm thinking at the low end you might put some taller sides on the tray and use it more like a drawer. Adjustments would probably be in 1" increments from the low to the high settings. How does that range sound?

 

[rubicon91]

Input please... I'm in the process of designing the adjustment range for the optional shelf that will mount above the slide tray. I'm thinking the range might be from about 12" above the tray floor to about 21" above the tray floor. At the high end, the largest ARB fridge would fit (for example). I'm thinking at the low end you might put some taller sides on the tray and use it more like a drawer. Adjustments would probably be in 1" increments from the low to the high settings. How does that range sound?

I think that would be great. I would love the part where you can raise over the ARB 50qt. That i think is the hiccup with a lot of shelfs. I would love one that goes over that that does not cost a small fortune Thanks Jeff as always for your designs! Hope all is well.