Some info on the new systems… I completely revamped the design and the way they are put together. This allowed me to save a little weight, but more importantly allows me to fully assemble them prior to the Line-X coating. This reduces the tolerance stacking that had the potential to cause fitment issues in the older systems. I also now fully assemble each system with hardware prior to shipping, which means I can check with 100 percent certainty that everything works and fits like it should. Additionally, almost all exterior hardware is gone which eliminates the risk of visible corrosion on the hardware. Even though the hardware was coated, it would still rust slightly after repeatedly throwing your wet gear in there. All of this also means that the install for the customer is fast and straightforward. Exactly what you should expect from a high end product.
The Alpha Systems now have an integrated fridge slide and redesigned center section. This has increased the shallow drawer and work surface width considerably (3+ inches) without sacrificing any space elsewhere. I also now offer extra drawer modules that mount on top of the base systems, so the sky is the limit (actually, the roof). For those folks with other vehicles or special requirements these “Zulu” drawers could be purchased as a stand alone unit as long as the customer figures out how to mount them. Another new product is what I call an Aux Work Station. It is a set of brackets that quickly mount to the large drawer when extended. It has little ‘nubs’ that stick up which index some blind holes in the bottom of the included phenolic cutting board. This is a great extra work space as is, or you can use it as a place for your camp stove to keep the main cutting board free for food prep. You can also do what we did- drill a couple of small holes in the bottom of your Partner Steel (or other brand) stove so it indexes on the nubs to prevent sliding. This solution should answer the requests I’ve gotten for an integrated stove system, while addressing my own (and other’s) concerns about mounting a stove on your vehicle in regard to the accidental fire potential. A Partner Steel stove and the brackets will now fit in the shallow drawer of the new Alpha System with room to spare, so it makes a great setup.
I now use a thicker (3/8” vs the old 1/4”) Richlite phenolic sheet for the work surfaces. This gives more rigidity with the larger spans in the new systems. The material is also contains recycled cardboard vs the old ones which had paper. It has a slightly darker color, but the importance is that the cardboard product darkens much less with exposure to UV light. Therefore, there is less of a chance of “ghosting” should you leave your system open for long periods in the sun with items on it.
The Accuride slides that I use come with a release latch that is coated in a yellow vinyl plastisol type product. The coating is very durable, but it is sometimes damaged in shipping before the slides even arrive here. Also, for some reason the yellow color kind of stains with some greases and oils, so it can look a bit dirty. I’ve been removing them, sanding, cleaning, and spraying them with a black plastidip type product. But it is not nearly as durable. So, I’m in the process of making custom molds and will be making black vinyl plastisol covers for the latches. All new systems will come with them once they are ready. All previous customers will receive a set free of charge. The devil is in the details.
Even though they were just released last fall, I am already on version 2 of the Jeep JKU systems. All previous buyers of version 1 have received the upgraded/new parts at no cost. The basic difference was a change to the fridge slide which provides even more room front to back to allow for even bigger fridges. In doing so I had to also change the shallow drawer face, and driver’s side wing and wing face. Personally, I liked version 1 better aesthetically, but version 2 was necessary due to there being quite a bit of variance in the way Jeep stamps their floor pans. There’s not much room to begin with in the back of a Jeep, and it was a hard decision to make. In version 1, an ARB 50 fridge would fit in some Jeeps but not others. Version 2 makes it a non issue.
Security. The new systems use a deadbolt style cabinet lock with a very heavy bolt. Also, there is a very tough pin lock that is hidden from view. So even if some dirtbag manages to defeat the lock on the front of the drawer, it is unlikely they will find let alone beat this secondary lock. I intend to make a video showing some burly dude trying to get in, but so far I haven’t had the willingness to trash a system. It makes me cringe just thinking about it!
As I said above, I have also started updating the website (more to come). I have written some basic articles about drawer systems in an attempt to provide an objective view for those looking to build or buy a system. Yes, I would love to sell everyone a Trekboxx, but the fact is that they don’t fit everyone’s needs. And I very much enjoy speaking with and helping fellow DIYers. I welcome any feedback you may have on the site.
Well, that’s about all for now!
David
Aux work station brackets:
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PS Stove in shallow drawer (this is a 22" stove in a LC system)
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Stove on brackets:
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Version 1 JKU:
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Version 2 JKU:
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