I’m an orderly sort of person and I like things simple. As I get older I want to ensure that everything has its place and that everything is easily accessible. So when it came to carrying goods in my 4WD, I needed to think how best to do so.
The question of how to lug loads is especially relevant to 4WDers who own small to medium sized wagons, where cargo space is limited and accessing that elusive carton of beer often entails a frustrating procedure. You end up extracting a myriad of those plastic storage boxes, bags and camping stuff and placing them all around the base of your vehicle to get to your goal. Then comes the unenviable task of putting it all back in and wondering why it doesn’t seem to fit as it did before.
While I’ve found using various sizes of those plastic bins to be handy, I thought that there must be a better way to combine these with a secure method that makes accessing what I want easier.
CHOOSING YOUR 4WD DRAWERS
Many people opt for a set of drawers as a solution to storing all manner of things and I’d always thought that this concept could work for me but they seemed quite expensive. I’ve seen some intricate units costing in excess of $3,000 to $4,000. That's not a budget I’d personally aspire to.
Still, I wanted to store specific things such as recovery equipment which is usually heavy and bulky but which needs to be easy to access. Storing other travel necessities was also on the agenda, ranging from cans of food, camping essentials and other travel paraphernalia. I needed to secure it all from flying around while traversing rough roads, steep ascents or — worst case scenario — if I was in an accident.
In recent years there’s been a flood of imported drawer systems, which on the surface looked like an attractive remedy to my storage dilemma. They were relatively cheap, readily available and some even came with a built-in fridge slide. And while I have not had personal experience with them, it did appear from speaking with others that they were a 50/50 split on quality and fit for purpose. Some loved them while others thought quality was lacking. Seems you get what you pay for.
These units mostly target common wagons and utes, so they wouldn't work with my new model vehicle with a shorter cargo area, which is a problem many others encounter, too. Given that I have a new vehicle with only 760mm in depth available, I resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to make my own set of drawers that would address my needs. None of the imports made a unit shorter that 960mm. Besides, I like to develop my own design and style when outfitting my 4WD.
There are only a few companies that specialise in drawer systems in Australia, and fortunately some not only provide a full supply and install service, they have DIY kits for the handy 4WDer. After several weeks researching, I’d narrowed it down to two companies, and one happens to be located on Sydney’s outskirts.
After initially speaking with my namesake Steve, the head honcho at OffRoad Systems (ORS) at Smeaton Grange, and surfing their comprehensive website, I felt confident that they could help me out. I arranged to meet to further discuss my needs and view their manufacturing process.
It was evident to me from the start that ORS were passionate and knew what they were doing. Steve suggested a DIY kit that would work but pointed out that they’d not even seen the latest Wrangler to date, though they did have kits for the previous model. So I was a pioneer of some sort I suppose.
WHAT'S IN A D.I.Y. KIT?
I soon returned to collect the goods. I’d had a simple requirement for a pair of side by side drawers that would maximise the cargo area space but be no higher than 220mm, as I needed to fit my Waeco fridge on top.
Surprisingly the kit comprised just a few items. Included was a pair of bare aluminium drawers measuring 455 x 730x 200mm, a pair of front drawer facias, 1200 x 900mm sheets of 15mm heavy-duty ply for the base and 15mm standard ply for the upper deck; plus an ample roll of marine style carpet in flint colour to cover the base, deck and drawer facia; and finally, a bag of stainless bolts, nuts and washers. It all seemed simple enough and I would save heaps by doing it myself.
INSTALLING THE DRAWER BASE
To put it all together I needed just some basic hand tools, a cordless drill and bits, though a quick trip to the hardware store also saw me buy a staple gun that set me back about $40. Necessary tools may include a saw, measuring tape, a straight edge for a tidy cut, sand paper, a Phillips head screwdriver, a hammer, sockets or a spanner in 8 and 10mm, a sharp stanley knife and a wood chisel. You’ll need to budget for some high tensile bolts to use the 4WD’s tie-down points, probably 8mm but check first.
Before you start, it’s imperative that the whole kit is secured well and this is where pre-set tie-down points come in handy. Nearly all 4WDs have some sort of tie-down points and luckily for me, the Jeep had six 8mm ones, evenly spaced, at both sides of the cargo area, which you forgo to install these drawers, as you do the existing cargo mats and flooring.
The first task was to tape around vulnerable panels to protect against the inevitable hits and scratches while doing test fittings. I found a few layers of painter tape worked nicely. I then started to measure out the base and as luck has it, the Jeep had a flat area.
However, plastic panels did intrude on the front, rear and right side, so I needed to measure a “hundred” times to ensure a cosy fit around these obstacles. Note that you need to take into account the thick carpet, which will roll over the edges and be stapled underneath. I shortened my measurements about 5-10mm to accommodate for this. Another important thing — mark your top and front so you don’t get confused.
I found it best to cut the base ply for the maximum width and depth and then test try after each cut around any panels intruding the cargo space. You’ll find the base ply to be much heavier than the top ply, even though they’re the same height. As you work your way around cutting off sections, test and test again, measure and measure again. If you need to cut out a block section, cut multiple slices and you’ll find it easier to chisel off the smaller bits. Finish off with sand paper to square it off neatly.
Once I was happy with the final cut, it was time to carpet it. Cutting off the necessary piece of carpet is easy with a sharp knife, just make sure you allow enough to fold over to staple. It’s best to test a few samples so that you get a feel for folding and cutting around corners. Frustratingly, my newly acquired (read cheap) staple gun struggled against the harder ply but I finally managed to secure some good staples.
Fitting the base in place turned up brilliantly, with no gaps or dodgy bends. Time for a beer.
Lining up the 8.5mm holes for securing the base to the vehicle’s tie-down points is challenging but doable by using points of reference along the painters tape and straight edge, making accurate measurements and utilising a sharp felt pen.
ALIGNING THE DRAWERS
Now that the base is done, the next task is to align the drawers in position. You'll have to ensure you can set the back seat upright and close your tailgate. As mentioned, with my Jeep it’s a tight fit, so I had mere millimetres to play with, but once I ensured it was straight I marked the eight points to where I would secure the drawers to the base using a white marker pen. I then removed drawers and base and drilled 6.5mm marked spots through the base. Then I flipped the base and hammered in the 8 x 6mm captive nuts that ORS supply, which will act as the anchors for the drawers.
After vacuuming the area, I replaced my base, used my bag of 8mm bolts and washers, and secured it tightly to the vehicle’s six anchor-points, then aligned the drawer in position. Using the 8 x 10mm supplied bolts and washers, I fastened the drawer frames to the base’s captive nuts. There are four metal drawer stoppers that require piggy-backing on the front four of these bolts.
As said before, ORS supply most of what’s needed, although there are no instructions per se. Cutting the top deck requires the same degree of care as the base, if not more so, as it’s the part you see. Once I cut to size and around the necessary edges, I again test fitted it. Lining it up with the eight cage nuts on the top drawer frame takes accuracy, as you don’t want to muck this up.
A trick I learnt was to insert all eight bolts upside down through the cage nuts so they protrude through. Then I lined up the deck and, using a rubber mallet, hit the area around each bolt, resulting in a dent in the underside of the deck which showed me the precise place to drill. I then carpeted the top deck, which I found easier to staple due to the softer grade of timber. Once the holes were drilled, I used the eight black supplied flat head screws to secure the deck in place, which took a bit of persuasion due to the thickness of the carpet.
As I had no need for side wings, I was nearing the last part, which was to carpet the ready-made drawer fronts and attach them to the frame from the inside using self-taping screws once I’d pre-drilled. Incidentally the drawers come with full and removable drawer linings. The final positions of the facias gave a neat and sealed fit, so no dust was getting in. Hopefully that stands the test of time.
THE FINAL STAGE
The hard work was completed and I was pleased with the results. All that was left was to install a paddle locking system, handles and tie-downs for the fridge and cargo. This added about $100 to my expenses.
Overall the task took me two days plus several hours of research. It’s certainly a challenge but is very rewarding and doable by anyone with basic tools and common sense.
I’m an orderly sort of person and I like things simple. As I get older I want to ensure that everything has its place and that everything is easily accessible. So when it came to carrying goods in my 4WD, I needed to think how best to do so.
The question of how to lug loads is especially relevant to 4WDers who own small to medium sized wagons, where cargo space is limited and accessing that elusive carton of beer often entails a frustrating procedure. You end up extracting a myriad of those plastic storage boxes, bags and camping stuff and placing them all around the base of your vehicle to get to your goal. Then comes the unenviable task of putting it all back in and wondering why it doesn’t seem to fit as it did before.
While I’ve found using various sizes of those plastic bins to be handy, I thought that there must be a better way to combine these with a secure method that makes accessing what I want easier.
