Drawer systems in Dual cab utes

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Drawer systems in Dual cab utes

Plain Truth · Guru

The Titan draw systems seem like good value for the money.https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW-ISUZU-DMAX-Titan-Drawer-Storage-System-WITH-Fridge-Slide-/143069068742

elliemike · Guru

I made mine back in 2014 for the Dmax using the joiner pieces from Bunnings and the 25mm Tube from Capral Aluminium. Also all the sides in aluminium sheet. I had access to a guiliotine then which was handy. It worked out very well and is still in use. See the Two Videos by clicking on the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaYrMPE9Td0

dogbox · Guru

The layout is important side by side or stack one on top of the other depending on what else you are planning on carrying if you want a fridge in the back you may want the stacked set up.
a canopy with lift up windows works better for myself than sliding ones

Dougwe · Chief one feather

As I said when you saw mine Warren, I went the wrong way and should have gone with a Aluminium Shed in a tray. Yes the way I have mine works for me. I did think of drawers but concerned of the weight of them so be careful there.

I safely got away this morning and now heading in a southerly direction keeping an eye on fires etc. I couldn't weigh my teepee or tug as power was down there due to a fire on Harvey Range Road Tuesday Night. No drama.

Wanda · Guru

Hi
Just remember the more extras you add to the vehicle like drawer systems, then the fridge then all the goodies you put in the drawers( and we all fill them), bullbars and winches, towbars, ute canopies, tables chairs camping gear(just in case)spare water or fuel etc etc ALL effect your weights.
Just saying, be carefull and check what you are or intend to tow first.

I have the BT50 and don't have a drawer system(and the fridge) because I WILL BE OVERWEIGHT when towing if I had it.
cheers and do home work first
Ian

Plain Truth · Guru

elliemike wrote:
I made mine back in 2014 for the Dmax using the joiner pieces from Bunnings and the 25mm Tube from Capral Aluminium. Also all the sides in aluminium sheet. I had access to a guiliotine then which was handy. It worked out very well and is still in use. See the Two Videos by clicking on the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaYrMPE9Td0

Looks nice,good video.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Thanks Ian, dogbox for your concerns.
The fridge won't be going at least for the near future (38kg empty) as the van is more than capable with a good sized 3way and the canopy has lift up windows but while I have a built-in ladder, Pat doesn't & it took a lot of arm twisting to get her to agree to the dual cab.
The one big plus I expect to get is placing the aux battery (up to 25-30kg) in the back & getting more than one year out of it as the one in the Patrol got cooked!

I've done lots of homework on this one & while we would have liked to get an I-Mux, it & most other wagons had few little pluses over our Patrol with 600kg of payload. When I worked with Telstra, one of the specialists fitted the country mtce wagon with drawers. Gee they were great, kept everything neat & tidy BUT along came the HS&E regulations, the car was weighed & out came the drawers!! Spectrum & digital radio analysers weren't light.

While the new bull bar has a winch facility (as does the Patrol), the only winch I have owned is a Tirfor & I sold that a few years ago. So to get somewhere, go in with HR 4WD or LO 3rd, 4th, get stuck & LOW 4WD gets used in reverse!

For Plaintruth, Elliemike - I'll check out your inputs soon - thank you.

the rocket · Guru

Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
Hello fellow ute owners,
We have bitten the bullet & are in the process of buying an Isuzu D-Max. I'm curious to hear from you about the drawer systems you may have in your cars to store otherwise loose items eg fluids, tools, recovery equipment, etc.
In our Patrol, I had a couple of boxes with my essentials in them but I fear there might have to be significant changes to them & to satisfy Pat for giving in that I'll make it easier for her to get "her" stuff out without resorting to a ladder alongside of the canopy windows. I also want to add the auxiliary battery & perhaps a jerry can for remote trips to the rear too.
I saw Doug's system of home made boxes & pipes holding his gear - must work for him. What do the myriads of others who own these vehicles use? I know commercially available systems can add a fair bit of (the dreaded) weight. I am prepared to manufacture my own "system".
I did a "Search" but nothing showed up.

Hi warren pat 01,

we considered the draws. They look good but were too heavy for us. We use plastic tubs. This was an easy choice for us as we wanted to cut down our weight.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Wanda wrote:
Hi
Just remember the more extras you add to the vehicle like drawer systems, then the fridge then all the goodies you put in the drawers( and we all fill them), bullbars and winches, towbars, ute canopies, tables chairs camping gear(just in case)spare water or fuel etc etc ALL effect your weights.
Just saying, be carefull and check what you are or intend to tow first.

I have the BT50 and don't have a drawer system(and the fridge) because I WILL BE OVERWEIGHT when towing if I had it.
cheers and do home work first
Ian

We don't have bull bar, tow bar, draws, lights, under body protection but we are at out payload limit with second spare wheel. Upgrading 6 tyres to all terrain added 18kg, 50 litres fuel, water, tow ropes, fridge, batteries, solar panels, awning, sand tracks, tools to name a few items.

24kg of items under 1kg not including food or clothes.

Do a spreadsheet for every item.

Greg 1 · Guru

Some of those drawer systems weigh 100kgs +. Thats a lot to take off your payload before you even start. Like a few others, plastic tubs for me.

elliemike · Guru

Greg 1 wrote:
Some of those drawer systems weigh 100kgs +. Thats a lot to take off your payload before you even start. Like a few others, plastic tubs for me.

The ones I built in Aluminium probably weigh about 25-30 KG's I certainly can lift the lot into the back of the Dmax by myself. I take the unit out once a year to clean the tray out as sand tends to get in there under the unit. Takes me about 30 minutes to get them out clean up and start replacing it all.

Plain Truth · Guru

I have removed the middle seat and the two side dickie seats,these weighed 69 kg. altogether.

Made a set of drawers and a false floor,now I have heaps of storage.

storage area.jpg

travelyounger · Guru

I had titan twin draws in my Ute they are good but do take up a lot of space for what you can get in them they are also very heavy so I have changed to something lighter

Radar · Guru

After being to close to our dual cab gross the u beaut 65 kg cargo slide now holds the wall up in storage.

Plastic boxes are the go and 2 is all we need. The next thing to go is the arb canopy which probably weighs another 60 or 70 kts. Dual cabs are really not the best thing for towing a caravan and filling the tub up with gear.

Greg 1 · Guru

Dual cabs are not the only things. You can't load the back of your LC200 to the gunnels either and be legal with most larger vans.

Knight · Senior Member

DRIFTA

www.drifta.com.au/all-dual-cab-vehicles/

Dougwe · Chief one feather

G'day Knight,

They look just as good as any others out there I have seen and just as heavy looking. I couldn't find anything in the link to say how heavy, sorry. Do you know?

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

Radar · Guru

Dougwe wrote:
G'day Knight,

They look just as good as any others out there I have seen and just as heavy looking. I couldn't find anything in the link to say how heavy, sorry. Do you know?

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

Dougwe hi, you are right about look good but but JUST AS HEAVY looking.

When are we going to get the message across that the tub of a dual cab ute is almost useless to put anything in when particularly towing with a ball weigh above 180 kgs.

Never noticed it with my first caravan a pop top 17 footer 1800kgs, yes I was 200kgs under my gross for the ute, I just threw anything I wanted into the tub. But then one day I replaced that caravan with a 2.8 caravan, 100kgs extra on the ball and things were not quite the same, weight needed to go.

Now I am a total anti dual cab ute person to tow big caravans, love mine to pieces, spent real money on it making it better, safer, super great touring vehicle, great tow vehicle with real power, V6 170kws, 550nms but don't fill the frig up with beer or in my case wine, instantly weights go out the window.

The only place you can put weight is between the front and back axles, like in the cab, in my case most times the back seat has hat, coat and the hand bagage on the floor.

Hope someone listens.

That is my rant for the day.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Yep. Not wrong Ralph. I have and extra leaf both sides of rear springs to add strength in the rear end.

I have approx 120kg of 'stuff' in the back of the collie at all times, it looks more but that's the weight of it all, so not bad Me thinks. I, as you say, distribute weight between rear and front axles. The heaviest items above rear axle then on it goes. I also use the back seats and foot areas as need too. I also use the front passenger foot area but not the seat as I like that free of stuff.

It's not easy but something that has to be done. My TeePee is not much under it's ATM but well under the axle loading. The Collie is under in all areas so good there too. My 250kg tow ball weight once hooked up with the 2.7t of TeePee still has the Collie under in the rear end and I don't use the extra carry weight added to the rear axle by fitting the extra leaf each side. It's nice to know it's there for when the road is a bit rougher. The combined weight is under as well.

I am currently being a courier and taking a kids car seat and cloths from Townsville to south of Melbourne but who knows when I'll get there cos I don't even know that so in the mean time they are living on the back seat. I had to be very careful of the extra weight as I still needed my stuff as well. I had trouble explaining all that to the two girls but I am still OK with my weights, thank goodness.

The thing that is difficult to get people to understand is weights these twin cabs can't carry etc because of what sales people ramble on about to get sales. Just during the last week before I left Townsville I was trying to explaining it all to daughter #1 but it's not easy when the owners manual and a salesman is saying one thing and dad is saying another. I THINK I got through though. She is about to get a Dmax twin cab with tray.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

Edit, I think all that is sort of still on topic Warren but sorry if not. Every little bit of info you read is handy I reckon. I think what is clear through the replies so far is be very very careful of the weight of the drawers.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 14th of September 2019 07:02:16 PM

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Thanks everyone - I am looking at the plastic box situation now, just how to hold them down might take a little more thinking. Both Bunnings & Office Works seem to have boxes that could be suitable. Will be able to do more when we get the car in a couple of weeks.

I have no intention of "filling the tub with heavy weight stuff" nor of towing a heavier van as we're quite happy with our 17'10" pop-top. Fortunately there is a bench below the wall mounted air conditioner & at the end of my bed where I can stick my footsies out (still ok on cold nights). I suppose if I had a narrower pillow, my feet would stay on the mattress. Pat is quite content on the other bed with the lounge wall at the end of hers. I do need some weight to take the shocks out of the suspension.

As I've said before, I'd love a Dodge Ram 2500 but there is an issue then about having to own two cars & it is too high to fit in my garage - the storm resistant roller door won't let me have the pack rack fitted to the Patrol!

I've sent a PM to you Radar.

PS - My son worked out that I've had three Nissan Patrols in the last 36 years - an end of an era!

Radar · Guru

Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
Thanks everyone - I am looking at the plastic box situation now, just how to hold them down might take a little more thinking. Both Bunnings & Office Works seem to have boxes that could be suitable. Will be able to do more when we get the car in a couple of weeks.

I have no intention of "filling the tub with heavy weight stuff" nor of towing a heavier van as we're quite happy with our 17'10" pop-top. Fortunately there is a bench below the wall mounted air conditioner & at the end of my bed where I can stick my footsies out (still ok on cold nights). I suppose if I had a narrower pillow, my feet would stay on the mattress. Pat is quite content on the other bed with the lounge wall at the end of hers. I do need some weight to take the shocks out of the suspension.

As I've said before, I'd love a Dodge Ram 2500 but there is an issue then about having to own two cars & it is too high to fit in my garage - the storm resistant roller door won't let me have the pack rack fitted to the Patrol!

I've sent a PM to you Radar.

PS - My son worked out that I've had three Nissan Patrols in the last 36 years - an end of an era!

Yes, received your message and have replied.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

G'day Knight, Doug,

I did make contact with Drifta & while their system looks good & seems quite practical, they do weigh 50kg. I like the fact that their drawers slide on Teflon, not rollers. Freight to Townsville also adds $275 to the cost (around $2000) as well - this could be saved if I went out of my way on one trip to pick a set up.

Someone said in one of my posts recently that "dual-cabs that DCs are not the perfect vehicles for towing a big caravan" - well on our way up to the Atherton Tablelands yesterday, I saw the following vehicles towing vans heading in the reverse direction & only on the Palmerston Highway - Toyota 200 Series - 1, Toyota 100 Series - 1, Pajero - 1, the rest (in excess of 10) were all dual-cabs.

I guess that I'll be able to play around soon with the trial & errors, after all the home made stone guard on the caravan was up to Mk4 - the new car will take it to Mk5! While I don't want to go to having two similar cars to run, a friend in Malanda suggested I should keep the Patrol (& let Pat drive it)!!

Greg 1 · Guru

Have had many tow vehicles over my lifetime including Landcruisers. I currently have a Ford Ranger dual cab towing my 3 tonne van. I have to say that the Ranger has so far proven to be the best tow vehicle I have ever owned and this one has completed 4 return trips across the continent with one of those a complete lap, so I have to say that all dual cabs are not bad tow vehicles for large vans. That is a myth quite frankly.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Thanks Warren.

Greg, I agree about Twin Cab Utes. I have a Colorado Twin Cab with genuine Canopy fitted. As warren knows, I am very happy with it but for one thing, the back. I tow a 2.7t van and Collie is loaded up at all times and copes well. Yes, I have to drop down a cog on hills but hey what car don't you with weight on the back. I use selective shift in 5th most of the time as I reckon the auto is a bit slow in changing up or down.

Instead of the genuine canopy I should have gone with a tray and aluminium shed on it. I am struggling now getting things from up the back so the aluminium set up would be much better but way too expensive to change to now.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

Radar · Guru

Greg 1 wrote:
Have had many tow vehicles over my lifetime including Landcruisers. I currently have a Ford Ranger dual cab towing my 3 tonne van. I have to say that the Ranger has so far proven to be the best tow vehicle I have ever owned and this one has completed 4 return trips across the continent with one of those a complete lap, so I have to say that all dual cabs are not bad tow vehicles for large vans. That is a myth quite frankly.

Hi. No one is augmenting that dual cabs will not pull the weight, they are more powerful then a Masey Ferguson tractor, its carrying the weight in the tub of ute, then dropping the caravan on thats when real problems rare there head.

Its all about what is legal, not what the salesperson saids, I was silly enough to believe that all the dual cabs going down the road with boats on the roof, outboard motors hanging off the back of there large caravan, bikes on the A frame were ok. It really come more to light when we purchased a 2.8tonne caravan, seriously legally its on its limit on the drive axle rating set by the manufacturer. We are well under on our gross combination rating 6.2tonnes weighing in at approx. 5.6 tonnes and towball weight of 270kgs.

Bottom line is you can not put much in the tub of the ute.

Greg 1 · Guru

If you believe the sales hype and don't crunch the numbers on pretty much most vehicles on the market, and try to tow what they claim, then you will be in trouble. Last trip, the lap around, I had the rig weighed fully laden with full tanks and we were 140kgs under with the van and 70kgs under with the Ranger so nicely legal with a small safety margin. And we were not anywhere near the claimed tow capacity by about 660kgs.

yobarr · Guru

Radar wrote:
Greg 1 wrote:
Have had many tow vehicles over my lifetime including Landcruisers. I currently have a Ford Ranger dual cab towing my 3 tonne van. I have to say that the Ranger has so far proven to be the best tow vehicle I have ever owned and this one has completed 4 return trips across the continent with one of those a complete lap, so I have to say that all dual cabs are not bad tow vehicles for large vans. That is a myth quite frankly.
Hi. No one is augmenting that dual cabs will not pull the weight, they are more powerful then a Masey Ferguson tractor, its carrying the weight in the tub of ute, then dropping the caravan on thats when real problems rare there head.
Its all about what is legal, not what the salesperson saids, I was silly enough to believe that all the dual cabs going down the road with boats on the roof, outboard motors hanging off the back of there large caravan, bikes on the A frame were ok. It really come more to light when we purchased a 2.8tonne caravan, seriously legally its on its limit on the drive axle rating set by the manufacturer. We are well under on our gross combination rating 6.2tonnes weighing in at approx. 5.6 tonnes and towball weight of 270kgs.
Bottom line is you can not put much in the tub of the ute.

Always on the twin-cab utes the overloading of the rear axle is a major problem.If safety is of any concern,the other problem is keeping the weight on the van wheels (GTM) at least 10% lower than the weight on the cars wheels.Despite all the hype,a car with a GCM of 6000kg cannot safely tow a van with an ATM above 3100kg.This gives,in the case of a Ranger,av3200kg GVM car towing a van with GTM of 2800kg,assuming 10% towball weight.The others cannot even do that,with the various GVM figures well down on the Ranger (and BT50) figures.Safely tow 3500kg?.......you are dreaming.Cheers.