Building new truck bed drawers, opinions wanted!

[jeeper]

I need to put a set of drawers in my truck to hold my tools for work, and gear for camping. My previous set has been VERY nice and super great to have. Here are some photos to show you what I have to help with the new drawer plans:
(they uploaded in reverse order)



It's a very basic platform, with some basic square wood drawers. I keep all the tools in the drawers, and can put ladders, lumber, etc on top. I sleep on top when needed as well.

I was going to go buy a decked drawer system, until I mathed it out, and I have more than DOUBLE the area that their drawers have. I already max mine out, I cannot do less space.

My biggest complaints with what I have are that
1- the drawers are somewhat heavy, and take a little effort to move. Not enough that I can't live with it though.
2- accessing things in the front of the platform is difficult.
3- (this is my biggest issue) With the platform height, I can't get larger items into the bed, such as water heaters, dishwasher, ect as they hit the top of the shell window.

Here is what I have planned for drawer system 2.0:
-Adding side access windows to the shell to solve the access issue.

That's it. That is all I have planned.

Here is what I would like, and the needs that also have to go with it:
-I would LOVE to be able to mount my ARB fridge in the back (this is the least important desire, and causes the most issues with trying to also get plywood and other large items in the bed.. but would love a good solution to have it in there.
-I would like more 'tall' space to hold a small dirt bike, dishwasher, shop vac, etc. I could stack the drawers on one side.. but again that would prevent sheets of plywood or sheet rock from going in.
-I need a place to hold a folding ladder. I have just been tossing it on the platform, and that has been fine. I am happy to continue doing it this way.
-Need a place to be able to sleep when camping. I have typically been using a cot outside.. but want the option in the truck bed if needed.
-Any other great thoughts or option you think are a need or would be great to add.

How would you organize/design a drawer and platform system?? Best idea wins the chance to come help build it!

 

[jeeper]

I am thinking some type of plastic wear strips would allow the drawers to slide better..

 

[glockman]

Mine are wood on wood. I cut out a large section of the bottom, sanded to 600 grit and waxed them. They slide pretty well but are shorter than yours and have less weight in them.
This is th bottom. I figured that much less wood reduced the friction quite a bit.

 

[jeeper]

I have run little 1x2's down the ripples in the truck bed, so I have wood on wood also.. nothing sanded or smooth though. it helped a lot. Each drawer is probably around 75lbs or so.. It's really not too bad for what it is.. I am just being picky with version 2.0.

 

[glockman]

I'll bet some hpde strips on the wood would make them better, or you could use skate board bearings on some angle iron bolted to the floor. Cheap and easy.

 

[Pike2350]

Another option is to get some of the melamine faced masonite board for floor of the bed. Melamine side up will give less resistance and you could add strips cut off to the drawers to help with sliding as well.

As for the ladder...could you hang it sideways on one side of the shell? It would block access from that side if you did windows....but your list is a little to diverse to make a solution that will work for everything. Modular would work...but many functions might require removing another.

As for some options...what about doing double stacked drawers on 1 side. A board/leg standing up on the opposite side that could hold drywall/plywood...but when not carrying those you could have the high storage space on that side? If the drawers had a simple latch you could move one down to create a sleeping platform....or leave it in this configuration most of the time and change it for when you need high storage or vice versa

 

[comingdown]

Loose the camper and all your problems are solved, or buy a small 4x8 trailer that would haul plywood or drywall and then your ladder could go to the outside of the shell on hooks and locked up, and that could free up some space. But to check off all those marks I think you have to compromise or add more space to the equation ( trailer)