Thread: Drawer System

Hi John

The unit itself will take any amount of weight - there are three longitudinal bearers underneath that transfer the weight to the edges and centre of the floor, also a transverse bearer at the front and the back. The wings will be as strong as you want to make them. Mine have got two triangular folding braces that are glued and screwed to the underside of the wings to give support when they are folded down - You could fit more hinges and wings if loading up the wings was an issue.

The biggest problem with the concept is having to take it out to use either the third row of seats of lower the spare wheel. I don't have a solution to this apart from making it easy to get out!

I will knock up a sketch over the weekend with some dimensions and post it.

Cheers

Al

I have had a couple of requests for some dimensions, so I have drawn up a couple of sketches of how the drawers go together.

Obviously, when the unit is finished, carpet is stuck on the top, the fronts of the drawers and the end nearest to the seats with contact adhesive and some good quality hinges are screwed onto the top. A length of alloy angle from the hardware shop trims the edge.

The set in my D1 have got metal handles on the front of the drawers, but thet rattle. One of my favorite marine principles is "never use a fitting when a hole will do", so the handles on the drawers in the new set (both ends of the drawers) are just nicely finished holes. There is a another pair or holes in the back of the case to serve as handles when lifting it and to let the air in and out when you open and close the drawers. They are a very good fit.

Also not in the photos or the drawings are short loops of 25mm black webbing screwed under the wings. The webbing loops come up around the outside of the wings as you close them, so that you can pull them up without cutting your fingers off. I found this out the hard and painful way.

Cheers

Al

Hi Al,
Many thanks for the detailed pdf. They do look easy enough to construct and you have made the task even easier. Hope this didn't put you under the pump too much. A great solution without a huge outlay.
Cheers for your assistance
John

Thanks Al for you great drawings, do you design boats? If so what kind, stink or sail?
I used to build and race timber dinghy class sailing boats when I was young. Got into shaping surfboards too. Great fun then I became a Carpenter / Builder.

You have made me decide I want to build my own set of drawers, I'll roughly use your O/A measurements but I'll move the centre support slightly to the drivers side so I can leave the seats in and do the extended wheel winch setup to lower the spare.

I'll have my Engel on the D/S above the drawers on a slide base with the centre drawer divider under the edge of this. I see you have not fitted drawer runners, I won't be fitting any either, I may however either place teflon strips under the drawers for ease of use.

I'm also toying with the idea of using Qubelock for a top section. 4 posts in each corner, a centre divider next to the fridge and a top shelf approx 180mm down from the top of the tailgate. This would be used for my tent storage. Hmmm sounds like fun.

Rich - don't you over-do things too soon!

Sounds like you're on the mend!

Cheers,
Rob

P.S. Is that "cubelock" the aluminium frame with plastic joiners that I saw at Bunnings?

Originally Posted by jonesy63

Rich - don't you over-do things too soon!

Sounds like you're on the mend!

Cheers,
Rob

P.S. Is that "cubelock" the aluminium frame with plastic joiners that I saw at Bunnings?

Well I can only research & design as yet seeing I can't drive!

At Capral it's called Qubelok, same stuff.
http://www.spacepac.com.au/Brochures...nts_3pg_np.pdf
I'll use the lipped tube for the top shelf & centre divide.

Thanks for the link Rich! Take care.

Hi Rich

Good idea with moving the centre pillar to one side but I thought of that. I was going to fit two centre pillars so I could use an extended socket to lower the spare wheel through the middle space. Then I wondered how I was going to open the 3rd row of seats to get at the nut without taking out the drawers! Ha ha ha!

If anyone has a solution to this please let me know and I will re-build mine!

With regard to the teflon strip - I have got a strip of formica laminate that I was going to cut into 20mm wide anti friction slides - very good stuff for this purpose - but you really don't need it. The drawers on my D1 must be 10 years old and I have only ever waxed them the once. It is not as though you will be opening the drawers every 10 minutes, day in , day out. If you have the strip, there is no reason not to use it, but I am a strong subscriber to the KISS principle.

I do all sorts of boats - I am a marine surveyor by profession and a (qualified) amateur boat designed by vocation. Amateur designers have the advantage of not having to please customers in order to scrounge a living! I am currently handicapped by having both sorts of boats - stink and sail - I sailed my 38 foot sailboat from WA to Hobart in March in preparation for a sailing and Land Rovering semi-retirement. Anyone want to buy a 38 foot Randell flying bridge stinkboat?

Cheers

Al