How To: SuperCab Storage Box

[VH5150]

As many of you with SuperCabs know, there's a serious need for storage in these trucks. Sure, you can just throw stuff behind the seats, but wouldn't it be nice to have a dedicated, covered storage area for things like laptops, fire extinguishers, MagLites, tow straps, etc.?
This is one that I started when I first got my Ranger in '04, but I wasn't happy with the progress, so I shelved it--for 7 years! It is an updated version of one that I built for my '00 that went with the truck when I sold it. This one is made out of 3/4 MDF for the main box, and the lids are 3/4" AC plywood.


I really love this box--it works really well, it holds all of my crap, and it looks great--but it's a little too big, so I can't slide my seats all the way back. Since the PowerDome project is on hold until warmer weather hits, I decided to tackle Version 2.0.
This is an on-going project, so stay tuned. I've gotten a lot done on it htis week, but some of the "finishing" work might be put off for a bit, depending on the weather.
Materials list:
3/4" Baltic Birch plywood--one 5'x5' sheet will be plenty.
MDF rounded corners from Rockler--these are completle optional; they look good, but they're in the ass to work with.
2-12" piano hinges
Magnetic catches--I used some 1/2" rare earth magnets
Sheetrock screws
Angle braces
Misc bolts--I'll get to specifics later on
Whaterver you want to use to cover the outside. I'll be polyurethaning the inside, and on the outside, I'll be using Rustoleum spray-on bedliner and speaker box carpet.
Wood Glue
Spray adhesive

Tools needed:
Power saw of some sort--table saw, circular saw with a clamp-on guide or what I used:


Festool TS55EQ plunge saw with guide rails and CT26E dust extractor. Greatest saw ever--we sell Festool at work, so I borrowed the demo.
Router with plunge base and guide, roundover bit, mortising bit
Drill with driver bits, countersink and assorted drill bits
One of these is also handy to have, but not required:

Kreg pocket jig
Jig Saw
Tape measure, square, speed square, a sharp pencil, sawhorses, clamps, lots of patience, and average woodworking skills.
Cut List:
1-12"x44", 2-5-1/4"x42-1/2", 2-5-1/4"x12", 2-5-1/4"x10-1/2" for the box
1-20"x44-1/2" for the lid
You'll also need some of the leftover pieces for the mounting brackets-specs will be listed when I get to that part.
Cut all of your parts from the cut list first; that way you can just start building.

I started by squaring-up the back with the sides. I used a 90-degree corner jig and clamps, then drilled pilot holes, applied wood glue, and screwed them together. It's super important to keep things square.

Lay the 12"x44" panel on your work surface--this is the bottom panel, but it will help you with the layout. Measure 18" to 18-1/2" in from both sides of the panel and mark a square line-this is the layout line for the inside edge of the center divider. This is a pretty critical measurement, as this is where the box will be notched to clear the transmission tunnel. Align the back/side panel assembly on the bottom panel. Square-up the 10-1/2" divider panels, keeping the panel on the line that you marked. Double-check that the dividers are located properly-the dimension from inside edge of the divider to the outside edge of the side panel must be equal to the 18 or 18-1/2" dimension chosen above. Clamp it, drill pilot holes through the back panel, glue it and screw it. Align the front panel, drill pilot holes, glue it and screw it. In my pics, theres a pretty big gap. No, I'm not that bad a carpenter-that's for the rounded corner blocks!

OPTIONAL: Corner blocks installed using glue and pocket screws


Flip the box frame over on your work surface, then align the bottom panel, getting all edges as flush as possible-they should be pretty close if you kept everything square while assembling. Drill pilot holes through the bottom panel and drive a few screws on each side. I didn't glue mine at this point since I'll need to take the bottom panel back off to carpet the inside of the box. Measure in 18 to 18-1/2" from each side and mark a square line. Transfer these lines to the front and back panels using a speed square. Measure a minimum of 1-1/2" (2" is better) from the bottom panel on the front and rear panels and make a mark, then connect the marks. These are the layout marrks for the tranny tunnel notch. Drill a 1/2" hole in each corner marked; these will be pilot holes for the jigsaw. Clamp your saw guide in place, set your depth of cut to dimension chosen above, and make your 2 cuts on your layout lines on the box bottom. Use a jigsaw to finish-off the notch front and rear.

Next up is the box top. Mine will actually be 2 lids with a stationary center panel, but it's easier to do all of the mock-up and milling with it all in one piece, then cutting the lids to size afterward. I rounded the corners with a jigsaw first, to better match the rounded corners of the box. Next, I used a 1/2" radius roundover bit in a router and rounded-over the front and sides of the lid. For some extra style, I routed a 2" wide mortise about 2" in from the front and sides; this mortise is about 1/4" deep, and once the carpet is applied, it will create a nice transition from the border to the carpet, plus with the "step", it adds a bit of interest to the panel. Definitely need the router guide for this.


Transition detail (old box):

While I had the mortising bit in the router, i cut some mortises in the front edge of the top for clearance for the piano hinges, then mounted the hinges to the top.

Drilled some 1/2" holes with a forstner bit, then epoxied 4 "rare earth" magnets in place to keep the lids closed.

That's it for now, but that shoud get you started. Next-up is poly and carpet on the inside, bedliner and carpet on the the outside, and the mounts that utilize the existing jump seat mounting points--oh, I didn't mention that this is a "bolt-in"? More pics to come then.
MikeR
Hope this helps

[Pikesnogle]

This is a great lil project man. I might have to tackle it this weekend. I am always in need of more storage for work. This could postpone my purchase of a weather guard crossover for a while.

[CLToppingSr]

Originally Posted by VH5150

I really love this box--it works really well, it holds all of my crap, and it looks great--but it's a little too big, so I can't slide my seats all the way back.

WOW !! That looks great... BTW I don't slide my seats all the way back so if you need to get rid of this one ... hint, hint ..

Let me know if version 1.0 is for sale.

Excellent write up.

Chris Sr.

[VH5150]

Thanks Chris--
There's a guy who's fairly local who has first dibs--I'd rather not try to ship it, but if he doesn't want it, maybe we can work something out.
MikeR

[VH5150]

Last night I got the mortises cut for the plates for the catches and hinges, applied first coat of polyurethane to the inside.
Tonight, I brought the TS55 home again and cut the lid into the 3 sections, then applied another coat of urethane.
Planning to re-cut the corners on the lids-they stick out too far and they're not very "round". Probably Friday night.
Carpet wil probably be here next week.
More pics this weekend.
MikeR

[FireRanger]

That is awesome. Since I lack a woodshop, I'm stuck with large plastic containers.

[2wdedge]

Very nice work !!!, Great idea on how to safely store things and keep them out of site of others who might like your stuff too...

[VH5150]

No woodshop--that's my basement--third pic down, that's my clothes dryer behind the bench that the Festool saw is on!
MikeR

[FireRanger]

I don't have a basement, garage, or driveway either.

[VH5150]

Another coat of poly tonight after a light sanding.

[VH5150]

Hit it hard last night and this morning.
I thought it would be nice to have some lockable storage in the cab, so I brought home a 3/4" cam lock to install in the passenger-side lid. I did a mock-up first, of course; I used a piece of 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" aluminum angle stock that I had lying around, cut it 2" long then drillled 2 holes in it and rounded the corners. It's centered at 9-3/8" on the back panel of the box, about 3/4" down from the top edge. Once I had the strike where I wanted it, I drilled through the back panel, and elongated the holes for some up and down adjustment. It's held in place with some machine screws with fender washers and stop nuts on the back side.

Next, I drill the lid for the cam lock. It's located 9-1/2" in from the side and 9-3/4" from the back edge of the lid. I center punched the mark, then used a 3/4" forstner bit to drill the hole. Clamp a block of scrap wood to the underside to keep the hole from blowing out. For this application, i used the bent arm, and mounted the lock according to the instructions on the package.
Top side:

Bottom:

I also made a mounting block for my 175W power inverter-it needed to be spaced out from the wall for plug clearance. I used a scrap of Baltic Birch about the same size as the inverter. I chiseled some 1/2" wide dados on the back side for some velcro straps ( like is used for computer cord control), drilled a 1/2" hole for the power cord, then screwed the block to the inside of the box and poly'd to match. Once dry, I zip-tied the inverter in place to see how it looked.
From underneath:

From above:

Center "dummy" panel mocked in place:

And the handles that I'm using:

Brushed stainless steel bar pulls with carbon fiber accents to match the rest of the interior. Mounting holes are 2-3/4" from the back edge of the lids.
I also filled the screw holes on the outside of the box to keep them from telegraphing through the carpet once it's applied. Carpet should be here in a couple of days.

[tpl593]

2.0 is looking pretty damn good man

[ranger024x4]

awesome mod! much better use of the space over the lame jump seats!

[VH5150]

Pulled the old box out of the truck this afternoon and started on the mounts for the new one. Just a reminder--this mounts in the truck utilizing the stock threaded holes for the jump seats.
Mounts are made from the same 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood. Each mount is made from one piece 3"x10" and one piece 8-1/4"x10", joined together with 2 3-1/2"x3/4" corner braces (National #N220079) and reinforced with 1-1/4" screws.

I clamped the mounts in place 1-1/8" down from the top edge of the box and drilled 3 9/32" holes through them and through the back wall of the box. Clamp a scrap piece to the back wall to keep holes from blowing out. I then redrilled the mount holes to 5/16" and pressed in some t-nuts. The mounts will be held in place with 1/4"x1-1/2" oval head screws with finishing washers, screwed in to the t-nuts.


The trickiest part, and probably the most critical part, is locating the 3 holes to attach the mounts to the jump seat mounting holes. I'll see if I can get these posted later.

[VH5150]

So. back to the mounts--the pic above is the passenger side, but they are mirror images of each other, so once you have one "drilled, you can flip it over and use the holes to mark the other one. Since that picture is pretty clear, I'll use it to give you the hole layout--"A" is the side closest in the pic, "B" is the back edge (right side of pic).
Measure in 1-1/2" from "A" in a couple of spots, then use a straight edge to connect the dots, or use a Speed Square. From "B", measure up 1-1/8" and 4-1/8" along the line and mark. These are the center points for 2 mounting holes.
Measure 6-1/2" in from "A" and mark another line parallel to "A". Measure up 2-3/4" from "B" and mark-this is the center point for the third hole.
Use a centerpunch or awl to mark your center points, then drill with a 1/2" Forstner bit.
Once the holes are drilled, take the mount out to your truck and see how the holes line-up--if they're good, mark and drill the other side.
I also used a router to recess the bolts into the mounts to avoid having to buy longer bolts. This also left enough clearance for the finishing panel that comes later. You can see the mortises, along with the holes that I drilled backwards, in this next pic.

Mount in place:

Now, I probably got ahead of myself a bit in last night's post.
Since I already have a box that I know fits, I was able to cheat a bit; I recommend that you build the box, then build the mounting plates, but DON'T drill the holes to attach the mounts to the box yet. Get the plates bolted into the truck first, snug them down, then set the box in the truck, get it centered, and mark the outline of the mounts on the box. Pull everything back out, line the mounts up with the marks that you made, clamp them in place, and then drill the holes through the mounts and back of the box. This way, you be fairly certain that it's going to fit right. Another tip: you can always drill your holes a little bigger-that way, you'll have some "wiggle" roomif you need it to get the fit right.