18' Series The Old Toolbox Debate

[JMS Project]

We hello again Brains Trust...

It's been a while since I've been on board, and still I have not done anything about building/buying a toolbox for my 18.58-1.

Finally work has calmed down a little, so I ask ALL of you budding designers to Please post your draw bar toolbox ideas and designs, so I can finally get 1 on my van.

Thanking you all in advance....

 

[Dobbie]

I'm not the right one to ask as we had a quote at the caravan show for what we wanted and ended up in total shock....so we sold the van.

(Not the main reason but a contributing factor)

We wanted a side opening solid box with a slide for a Weber to be mounted as close to the main body of the camper as possible with the gas bottles moved slightly forward. Quote was horrendous.....and so was the second one.

Either I had to retrain as a welder, metalworker or do a rethink.

Rethink won!

I've since looked closely at Tong Toolboxes...Nudgee or Nudgee rd ....and they look good. They'd have been an option had we decided to go for it. I'm always keeping an eye on weights so we decided to go back to drawing board and have what we wanted made in the build of the new van.

Good luck with it!

 

[Brougham]

mind if i ask how much the quote were for?

I want to build a box with gas bottles in the middle (vented and separate from sides), and then two end opening compartments, one with slide for weber and other side for our yamaha 2.4 gennie.

 

[DWWood]

Almost identical to what I'm looking at doing @Brougham but I haven't even started researching yet

 

[bigcol]

I started to get the box that @Jase had, modified in Cad at my previous work - but left there ages ago, and not heard back from the guy who was supposed to be doing it for me
I dont remember which thread it was in - maybe @chartrock or @achjimmy will remember........there was a big discussion years ago about front boxes
a couple of pic's & the drawing from Jase

 

[Dobbie]

As said, we spoke at length to two toolbox people.

Quotes were for a simple enclosed box, black, with solid slides to the cooking area. Lockable and dust proof so with good seals. When we wanted gas bottles moved forwards, new mounts made etc we were looking at around the $1500 plus mark.

If you can do a lot yourselves you can save $$$ but we can't do it.

The weight was estimated at about 20 plus kgs depending on mounts etc

They are available but, as we discovered, need to be custom made so more expensive. The cheaper ones we looked at were too flimsy but lighter.

The weight still worries me as that's almost on the tow ball.

 

[bigcol]

yeah, I gave a guy the drawing from Jase, and he quoted me $1300 without even measuring

 

[Brougham]

Weird question, but looking at my OB, how do people fit the boxes and still get the spare tyre out? It looks like I'll have to remove both my gas bottles as it is to get the spare out of the cradle.

 

[17triton]

Weird question, but looking at my OB, how do people fit the boxes and still get the spare tyre out? It looks like I'll have to remove both my gas bottles as it is to get the spare out of the cradle.

Most people mount them under the rear of their vans using a spare wheel winder out of a ute.

 

[Dobbie]

Or a drop down from rear bumper.

Has to be good and solid.

 

[Brougham]

Ok. Another mod to do!

I guess the weight lost from moving the spare would offset the weight of the box and bbq too which is good.

 

[17triton]

Ok. Another mod to do!

I guess the weight lost from moving the spare would offset the weight of the box and bbq too which is good.

Exactly mate:encouragement:

 

[Brougham]

cool. not that it worries me, the prado is rated for 250kg towball and i've got upgraded rear springs as well.

 

[dagree]

I guess the weight lost from moving the spare would offset the weight of the box and bbq too which is good.

Only added 5KG's to mine when I did it.... But that was without awning walls etc in the box!

 

[bigcol]

dont remember the change in tow ball weight

I think I wrote it down somewhere

 

[Drover]

Just don't go by the weights on the compliance plate, they are usually wrong..........................heaps of threads on here about tool boxes to suit all types of dreams with piccies to boot.................................rear tyre carriers as well, just have a search many designs and ideas.

 

[Brougham]

starting to measure up and i don't think mine will all fit

weber q200, yamaha 2.4 gene & 2x gas bottles is going to struggle to fit.

 

[Drover]

You need a bigger van then..........

 

[Brougham]

Hahaha

 

[bigcol]

these are these pictures of the box I had made for the front of my Flamingo
basically, the pole holder was already in situ, so I didnt want to stuff with that, and had a custom made one to fit around it
(what a headache)
- the guy (a boat builder) didnt quite understand what I wanted, then he stuffed around for about 5 weeks, before giving it to the Apprentice to do, to his credit, he knew what I wanted, just didnt have the skills to do it too well
then I had to give it to a mate to fix the many problems - he sorted about 92% of them
then we got it blasted and Powder Coated