Since buying our coach, I have felt the small cargo bay access hatch next to the entry door was rather worthless. I decided to convert the space to a tool chest storage receptacle. The first step - construction of a pull-out tray - has been completed. I used a pair of heavy duty sliders purchased on eBay - $30 for the pair. They are made by Thomas Regout http://www.thomasregout.com/3/227/product-range.aspx (http://www.thomasregout.com/3/227/product-range.aspx) and are SUPER sturdy. They are 30" closed, and 62" fully extended (110% extension). The frame for the tray is 1" x 1" x 0.0625" aluminum angle stock, and the tray bottom is 0.125" aluminum sheet. The finished tray is 13.5" wide by 29" deep. I was able to mount the assembly securely without having to drill through the floor (something I wished to avoid). To test the tray, I stood on it in the fully extended position, and my scrawny 160 pounds caused zero deflection in the sliders or the fixture!
I have a great old classic silver Craftsman tool chest that I inherited from my Dad. It has 10 red ball-bearing drawers, and a top storage compartment with a lid that locks the drawers in place when closed. It will fit perfectly on my new pull-out tray. More photos to follow after I get the tool chest in place.
Chuck, sweeet!!! :D
Very nice. Great to take Dad along for the ride. I have some of my Grandfather's tools in my kit.
Roger
Nice work Chuck! I have had my eyes open for months now looking for a no wider than 24 inch top toolbox that is about 14 to 14 1/2 inches deep, and up to 26 inches tall to add to the compartment we installed at Xtreme behind the driver side Duallie. As far as I am concerned, that is perfect use of the space you have there next to the door!
Don
nice clean job,and an extra high 5 for NO floor holes!
Don,
The chest I have is 26" wide, 19" tall, and 12" deep (front to back). The 12" depth worked out great for me, because although the cargo bay opening is 14" wide, there is only 13" between the locking pins for the door latches. That means this tool chest, when centered on the tray, will slide in and out with 1/2" clearance front and back. PERFECT!
Chuck, NICE ^.^d
Did you attach at the sides of the L brackets?
Wow, nice work! Does it already have a way to stay stowed? Or do you have to add something for that?
John: I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you are asking. Try your question again, and I will answer best I can.
Jennifer: The slides have some pretty strong spring-loaded "detents" in the full closed and full open position. I think these will be sufficient, but won't really know until I get the tool chest installed and take it for a road test. It would be simple to add a positive mechanical lock in the stowed position, if necessary.
Great job Chuck and thank you for the photo's of your work. :D
Do you have pins or a lock of some kind to keep it on place while going down the road? Or are you relying in the door to keep it in place. Should have some kind of lock to keep it in place while going down the road.
Roland
Roland,
I will see how it "feels" after I get the tool chest loaded. I may indeed need some kind of "travel lock". Should be easy enough to fabricate.
I would install some type of locking mechanism as when going around corners there is a lot of force. I once saw someone turn a sharp corner and the slide tray came out spilling the contents all over the street, a real mess.
Chuck, a simple pin that drops thru a hole in the very front (behind door) part of the base of slide, so that it will catch against the metal frame for door should the tray decide to try and slide against door.
Would be easy to put a small strong spring under tray on pin with a split pin to hold it tight to under tray so it automatically drops in position without thinking on your part.
JohnH
OK, OK! Too many experienced voices warning of potential disaster - prudent move is to take the well-meaning advice to heart. I will install a locking device on the tray. ^.^d
@Chuck Very nice job. I have added this to my project list.
see ya
ken
Very nice job!
It's also very nice that your dad's tools are still being put to a good use. I inherited several from my dad over 28 years ago and they are still in use; I'm confident my son will inherit them some day.
I went with John's idea - simple and effective. Even found a cubby hole to store pin when using tray.
Also added non-skid blue rubber tray liner (Cobalt brand, from Lowe's).
Next comes the tool chest!
Chuck, you forgot the strip of LED lights along the sides so when you pull it out everyone sees your great job. Plus fix that lower rubber seal at the left end with silicone (black) so there is no gap. Road crap will get through there and ruin your nice job ^.^d ^.^d
JohnH
That simple pin will?prevent a future catastrophe.
Roland
Another Forum member asked me how my tool box worked out on my slider tray. I never got around to posting a final set of photos to close out my thread, so here they are. Once I set the tool box on the tray, I realized I would need to raise it up about 1/4", so the bottom drawer would clear the slide mechanism. I used some hard rubber stick-on pads to do this. With the rubber "feet" installed, the blue non-slip drawer liner became redundant, so I removed it. The rubber feet on the tool box work well with the textured paint on the platform - the box does not move going down the road.
In the photos, note the close, but adequate, clearance between the sides of the box and the compartment door locking pins (1/4" in back, 1/2" in front). Also, when open, the tool box lid JUST clears the support rod on the compartment hatch. The fit could not have been better!
Well played! ^.^d
Don
Chuck
Very nice set up. Thanks for the pictures.
Mike
It's a very good looking finished installation!
Great use of the narrow space.
All slide out trays including Joey Bed need a secondary positive lock, as a heavy slider will drive itself right through a compartment door if the conditions are right.
I personally do not believe the drop pin is positive enough as pin can move up, etc on its own.
It is possible to not have the original Joey Bed latch completely fall into its lock. The original latch can also fail, often from sliding open or closed too fast, having the spring latch catch under load, which stresses the latch. In our case the latch weld broke.
We and others have added a bolt or pin that has a positive lock. Ours is a long bolt and a lock washer and wing nut.
Great Job - now you got me thinking how to do one on my 36'. thanks for the great pics.
Looks Great Chuck, I started mine this evening and got one side put together. Off to Denver for a couple days for meetings hope to finish it up this week end. thanks again for the pictures.
Well played Chuck! It'll be nice to have a designated place for a tool chest..and on the correct side of the coach too.
One question tho. I have the same Craftsman tool chest. To keep the drawers from opening and for security reasons, there are two thin metal pieces inserted from the top and slid into slots on the bottom. They are then covered when the top is folded down. Are you using them? Or do you feel they are not needed?
Thanks in advance
Bill,
The drawer "lock" on my inherited 40 or 50-year-old Craftsman chest is automatic. When you raise the lid, a linkage inside the chest releases a locking device of some sort. When you close the lid, it locks the drawers shut. If you do not have a drawer slid in all the way, you can feel the locking device "binding" on the back of the drawer. I'm sure Craftsman chests have changed a lot over the years, so yours may be a more recent design. Should still work fine, though, and "Yes" I would lock them when traveling.
Very nice job. Makes getting tools so much more convenient.
Looks like I need to add another project to the list.
Thanks for sharing
Barry, Chuck could put another piece of angle iron below the one in pics and have a nut welded under it before fixing to the coach frame so a bolt can be placed down thru' the top angle and then screwed into the new one below. A small washer welded to head of bolt would make it easy to unscrew. This would remove that "instance" you mention. There are many methods to fix the off chance thing, but I think the one I mention would stop any back and forth sliding even if it is now only a small amount .
JohnH
Barry & John,
I appreciate your concern, and your suggestions for improving my "slide lock". I think it may be more secure than it appears. In the photo below, you may be able to see that there is a white material showing under the top piece of the pin hole. Under that top aluminum piece, there is a 3/4" long hard nylon bushing, secured in place with a "U" shape pipe clamp. The "drop pin" goes through the top piece of aluminum, then through the nylon bushing, then through the tray material, then through the drawer frame. The pin is a purposely TIGHT fit through the bushing and aluminum holes. It takes a firm tug to lift it out of the "locked" position. I don't believe it is possible for it to "move up on its own".
The only sign of any movement of the tray (after our recent 1000 mile round trip to FOT) is a slight amount of rubbing where the pin contacts the bay floor. The total range of movement possible for the tray (and the pin) when in "locked position" is less than 1/4", as evidenced by the wear mark.
I will keep my eye on the tray. If I see any sign of trouble, or increased motion while traveling, then I will fix it. For now, I think it is secure.
Chuck, sounds good and I did not know you had the other things done to that locking pin set up. You did basically what I was referring to- giving it some more resistance to hold in place.
Nice job.
JohnH