Building my own storage drawers- Nissan GU- Tips/Help?

Been there, done that. I decided in the end not to copy a commercial system, but used a design I saw when visiting a fellow EO member. Can email you some photos if you like. Just drop me a line at jiarna at bigpond dot com.
Re the bearings, I am using alternator bearings from CBC Bearings. Once again, the design of the slide is not a copy of a commercial slide, but a much simpler home-made design.
Carpet came from Supacheap (a roll of plastic backed carpet sold as an entrance mat). Attached with contact cement on steel and Aquadhere on wood.
I'm very happy with my setup, and all-up it cost about $400.
Cheers
John

Hi guy,

If you're thinking of using marine ply, don't bother. It costs a lot more and doesn't actually give you any benefits. (unless you're building a boat).

R.

Hi Guy,

I build my own system (see rig pic) for just over $200. I used marine carpet (from Clark Rubber), stainless steel draw catch (Truck engineering supplies mob in Malaga WA), 100kg draw runners (Galvins I think) and 12mm form ply from Bunnings.

I already had an engels fridge slide and a 60L water tank to suit my design (water tank is at very back of draws/fridge - draws ~700mm long otherwise could have been 900mm long). It works very well and suits my needs, something I could not get in ready made units. I also incorported my ARB compressor, pressure gauge, work lights, power outlets etc... into it, you can see the switches and pressure gauge on the LHS of the rear panel.

Be aware when designing that you still need acces to the jack panel and that the LHS panel is very convinient for wiring up items. Also, while the floor looks level the whole way across, note that there is a tiny kickup on the very edges, it stops the draw opening unless you allow for it (as I found out the hard way).

Anyway, they are not to hard to make if you have the right materials - good luck

Cheers

Captain

I built my own "box" too - it is customised to fit exactly my gear and obviously the car. Two things worth considering:
1. For the fridge slide, I used some rails from rack mounted computer servers. The rate most IT departments go through servers, it can't be too hard to find some lying around
2. I don't use drawers as such, I opted for Sabco boxes (available from kmart, bunnings). These are square sided, have a drware sliding out of a box, and are stackable when out of the car. I get 4 of these on the bottom level of my box, fridge alongside, and if necessary another couple stacked on top of the box.

Let me know if you want pics or anything

Cheers
Andrew

Carac in Melbourne or caravan suppliers are usually the place for runners.

Another optino is this

http://www.geocities.com/hay_dj/Patrol/StorageSystem/PatrolStorageSystem.html

We use a nylon covered bearing here at work as a cam follower. SKF part number NC6201-2Z. Cost would about $16.00 each! I am pretty sure that will include the nylon "tyre" on the bearing. Linear bearings would be good but expensive and certainly available

cheers

I thought about building one and after a lot of research but finished up with a commercial unit from Brawn 4x4 in Vic. The two drawers which I leave in permanantly, come within 5mm of the back seats when I reinstall them after a trip - a really neat fit. The drawers and frame are all gal metal, the drawers are lined and the timber deck over is carpeted.

What I liked about the unit were little things I had not even thought about, like tapers at the front edges of the drawers that wedge to stop rattles and take the weight off the bearings, and the fact that the whole unit bolts down onto bushes that keep the base frame just floating above the existing carpet. The brackets they supplied to tie the unit into the interior body panels are excellent also.

My view was that I could not make anything as strong as metal using timber and that the thickness of timber collectively would cost me valuable space.

I did add a deck extension that comes forward from the drawers supported by a verticle panel, the bottom of which bolts to the points where the back seats bolt in. I carpeted this in the same finish as the drawers.

If you are in Syd & want to look mine over to get any ideas your most welcome.

We built ours for about $400.
check it here and follow the links to accessories and then to the storage drawers
We used sheet metal for the framework, ply for the structure and ball bearings from BSC Motion Technology, we used the bearings that are regularly found in skateboards, I forget the part number. They're not too dear. The roller system is a Hettich Roller system, I got it from Mermaid Distributors at Southport on the Gold Coast but Hettich have distributors Australia wide. It is rated at 105kgs at full 900mm extension and cost about $95.
The choices are limited only by your imagination!
If I can help further, just post a follow up.
Cheers

I am building my own setup this wekend from the stuff I removed from my G60 and some other bits. I use MDF and steel angle brackets. This time I will buy a fridge slide as I have not had to use one before. I have to fit 6 jerries of fuel and 2 jerries of water, together with the fridge, cooking gear and 6 plastic tucker boxes.
I do not bother with drawers as such as it just adds weight. I have no idea how I am going to go but will play it by ear as I go along. Also have to fit the winch to a bar that is not a designated winch bar.

Guy,
Fitter friend of mine made his own after being quoted $3500 for what he wanted in his Prado. Had the drawer tubs fabricated at a local sheet metal manufacturer, used hat section spot welded to the side and then made runners from either 006 or 1006 bearings from local bearing supplier, (not sure which number is correct). Cost $10 for all bearings rather than $800 quoted for ready made. Just found engine bolts to fit, put washers either side and then nylock nuts through wooden frame to bolt on. Work almost as well as bought ones and cost $500 all up, (he has three drawers and a fridge slide).
Rolande

Altogh I have a full length drawer system, I recently built a shelf & frame to cover the fridge on its slide, which is mounted on top of the drawers. The idea was to make a flat surface on which to stack more gear (soft personal bags etc ) That way, I use all the internal space but avoid having to yank out the bags, pillows etc just to get into the tucker box or fridge.

I used Capral Aluminium section,annodised black. They only sell it in a in a 6 m length, so I bought another 6 m length with a lip that allows a shelf to sit flush with the top of the frame. So with contact adhesive on the 6 mm mdf shelf, I put non slip matting on (often used on a table to avoid plates & glasses slipping- you see this often at caravan shows etc. Many camping stores have a roll - they sell by the metre).

Looks fine - but I have not yet tested it in the sticks for a week or so's worth of rough tracks & touring. That's to come, in a fortnight.

For some draw runner ideas check out this web site

http://www.haefele.com/english/home/default.htm

Here also is some sites I found when researching the same thing.

http://www.geocities.com/hay_dj/Patrol/StorageSystem/PatrolStorageSystem.html

http://tcm.foo.cc/gallery/Storage

http://www.equip4.co.nz/technical.htm

HTH John D

I got the latches from http://www.conceptlatch.com.au/ they also have drawer runners - I had bearings from a mate so didn't need runners.
Also try http://www.loadrestraint.com.au/default.asp? for stuff to anchor the unit to the floor especially if you are wanting to make it easily removable.

Hello Gary
What about if you email me the html of the webpage equipment graphics below?
ex:img src="http://domain.com/image_path

I am specially after the photos of the equipment described in
www.loadrestraint.com.au
I checked only part of the code which is "Flash- Macromedia web design".
For some reasons the equipment graphics have been ommited for Netscape or IE at the time of this posting.

Guy

Hi Guy,

I built my own for the back of my dual cab using 12mm ply. The result was fantastic. They took about a day and a half and have come up really well.

Everyone reckons I should patent my "tilting fridge slide for short bastards" but any one who wants the idea can have it. It's fantastic. The recovery gear drawer isn't as deep as the r hand drawer and that was so the fridge clears the canopy.

There is a pic in my rig pics.
And more here

Message me with your email and I'll send more if you want.

Drawers have 38 x 25 gal RHS routed into the sides as runners (with a flat strap routed in front and back and welded to each end of the runner bars), and bearings supported off flat steel reinforcing strips routed into the walls/uprights of the box so the weight on the bearing bolts isn't supported by the ply. Using nylon blocks I made anti rattle push downs just like the commercial ones.

It has been 100mm deep in water in Toolangi (another story) and water came a third of the way up the unit and it still runs perfectly.

Carpet came from a swap meet. I used a spread on contact adhesive to put it on but if I was doing it again would use 3m Spray Adhesive 777 like a mate did. If you get the right carpet you minimise a lot of work.

Soft un backed carped for inside the drawers so it runs the right angles inside without being cut, and a more durable carpet on the outside but still pliable enough to fold and adhere around the 12 mm ply.

All up cost was about $340-380, the bearings were all of $1.67 at a bearing place, and a bit of time.

When it's empty the wife and I can lift it out by ourselves. I made the drawers lockable and not easily removable.

The checker plate ally was for cosmetics but I reckon they came up better than I would have bought as they are exactly what I wanted not someone elses compromise.

Regards

Dave

Guy,

I to have just designed a rear system for my 100 sreies I run a 73ltr Auto fridge which lives in the back. I'm going to try aluminium and can cut everything out of a 1200 by 3600 3mm sheet. This gives me an encased fridge (already had a slide) 2 draws 410/275/900 i/m beside the the fridge finishing flush at top The top draw is removable with interchanging side and top for every day use. Will be using 16mm ply on the top to house anchor points. Estamate the cost to be around $500-$600 including a certain amount of fabrication work. All I plan to do is assemble the parts, fit the bearings, top and draw fronts. Have only priced the sheet, bearings etc and estimate the total weight to under 40kg for 3mm (34.99kg per sheet), 35kg for 2.5mm (29.27kg per sheet) and 30kg for 2mm (23.33kg per sheet). Over all dimensions 1009(w) 600(h) 915(d) and should be able to take from car to car with only adjusting the top fingers crossed.

Regards Rob