Kei trucks are amazing at their utilization of available resources and design, but nobody is going to brag about how much storage space they have in the cab. Sure you can pile stuff up on on the passenger seat, but that happens when you have a passenger? It quickly becomes a juggling act of backpacks, straps, gear, etc. The bed is fine for quick trips, but not secure. Under body storage is also a challenge. What I wanted was a simple bed storage box, but not lose the storage capacity of the bed itself. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071KKF7RS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details 413gCtiQHKL._AC_ by DAN CANAAN posted May 7, 2021 at 8:27 AM I found this at a very affordable price and it is sits nearly perfectly in the bed as if it was designed for this purpose. Excellent! But then I lose that amount of bed floor for hauling lumber or other supplies. I thought about putting the bed on some risers so at least 2x4's would fit under the box, but no plywood or sheet material will work like that. "Why don't you hang the box from the rack?" a friend asked. Well no, you can't do that. That headache rack isn't nearly strong enough... to support... the box. Hmm. How rigid IS that rack? Turns out it's very strong and stable. Okay, he may be on to something. 20210430_232316_resize_70 by DAN CANAAN posted May 7, 2021 at 8:13 AM I spent a Friday night quickly welding up a simple 1" square tube frame that mounts to the rack from behind, drops down and supports the bottom of the storage box. The aluminum box was too flimsy to only be supported on the bottom, causing it to wobble. I welded up an upper mount on the back of the box to triangulate the support and that ured that issue nicely. 20210430_210104_resize_44 by DAN CANAAN posted May 7, 2021 at 8:13 AM Now the box is supported above the bed about 8" with ample unobstructed space under it for plywood or similar material transport while also getting the box up at a good access height. Simple bracket to make, good fabrication project. It fits a couple of backpacks, ratchet strap bag, misc items nicely and clears up the cab.
I put a cross box on mine, mounted to the bed side panels. Marked the top rail of the sides, and inserted a couple of M8 nutserts in each side. Comes out fairly easily if I want it to, I have a sky hook in the carport for lifting deer in and out of truck beds, so I added two eyes to the box, and just unscrew it, lift it up, then drive out from under it. Move it to the side of the carport, and put it back when I’m done. That said I haven’t needed to take it off, in the last few years. There is about 6-inches under it, so I can carry as much plywood as I buy at a time. If I’m buying more, the yard delivers free for $200 purchases. With the 3/4 MDO plywood I’m using for making cabinets for my shop, selling for $90/sheet, up from $45/sheet, it doesn’t take much to hit the $200.
For dry storage under my 93 Carry I bought 2 ammo boxes, the 81mm mortar rounds, and slid 1 in each side with very minimal difficulty, they work great! Out of the way and good for straps and tool bag, and also my winch on a plate with the wiring and everything, and room for a snatch strap!! I’m getting a bigger one it’s a 120mm mortar round ammo box, it’s going above the bed and hanging from headache rack, I’ll post pictures when it’s done
@Horn Hunter - I ordered 2 X 24” Lunds. VERY well built and I wanted to separate boxes versus one large. Price was roughly the same as a 48” box. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SF83F0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Here’s a black diamond plate 48” one for $250 after coupon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JBX3XS5/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1Z4ORVQ0TMEUB&psc=1 *sorry, mine are in-bed boxes.
I was able to buy two bedrail toolboxes, Kobalt (Lowes) branded, for $100. At 48" long, one fits nicely across the front of the truck bed for tools, etc, and the other gets mounted on the front of the flatbed trailer for straps and towing supplies. Had to rekey them, as the keys were lost, $12 on Amazon for matching locks, 10 minutes to install.
