SiWhite Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Was going to post this in the Tech Archive, but I'm not allowed to post there.... I thought I'd share my recent project with you all - how to build some Storage Lockers for the rear of a Defender Truck Cab. As you will know if you own a Truck Cab, the storage space in one is precisely zero. Even with my TwinCab, I wanted more space to keep my stuff in, as having everything behind the seats was a pain. This was especially noticable at events when you need to get at your gear quickly, and without having to open the door, climb in because the Truck's now so high on Simex, dig about and scatter everything around the cab just because you need an extra shackle. At the recent ShireLRC Punch Challenge, I teamed up with JST. He had made some great Ali storage lockers on top of his wheelboxes in the rear tub, and kept a ton of stuff in them. They were very useful during the event, and his idea inspired me to have a go at making some! Firstly, assess your space..... If you don't own a Flapper Disc for your grinder (as seen in the picture) get one - they're an awesome bit of kit, last ages and are great for a project like this - a normal grinding wheel would tear your nice Ali to pieces! The next thing you need to do is to measure for your material. I placed a bit of steel box across the top of the tub from bodycapping to bodycapping, and then taped a bit of cord from the bottom of the line to the rear of the tub, next to where the tailgate meets the rear tub. This was then my measuring line, and I measured the approximate size of the chequerplate (it's a Landy, what else?) I would need. I got mine made a bit too big, just in case! Remember, the rear tub bulkhead slopes, so you need a bit of extra material. Then, get a CNC sheet metal folding / cutting company to make you some bent bits of plate. Mine were made of 2mm Ali 5 bar treadplate, and cost £50 from a company called Profold in Tadley, Hampshire. 3mm might be better and stronger, but it'd be more work in the cutting department. You will then have two of these.... Chuck them roughly in place, stand back, and think about how cool they'll look when you're finished! You'll see the first problem right away - the rear tub bulkhead isn't square, which I hope you took into account when you were measuring! You'll see a funny gap like this... Note that mine isn't normal, as the rear tub bulkhead was straightened a bit when I moved it for the Twincab. You'll then need to be a bit clever and work out which of the front edge of the Locker needs trimming to make it match the profile of the rear tub bulkhead. A Jigsaw with a fine blade got most of the material off, and the Flapper Wheel on the grinder finished the job. While the grinder's running, sand off any rivets that will prevent the Locker sitting suqarely on the top of the body capping, or which will prevent the locker being pushed square into the wheelbox. The top of the round tube jobbies will also have to go. I had to remove some rivet heads on the part of the tub that the rear tailgate seal grips.... Once everything's nicely in place, you should have something that looks like this.... You might need to remove a bit more material to get the Locker squarely into position - I had to take some off for the rollcage and for the CB aerial, as seen here.... The next step is to snip out a lid. I was going to have the hinge on the fold in the material, but JST cleverly pointed that any rainwater sitting on the top of the locker would pour right onto and through the hinge when the locker was opened. For that reason, my hinge is abour 40mm down from the fold in the material. Getting busy with the jigsaw will leave you with something like this.... Now's a good time to drill some holes and rivet the Lockers in place. Mine have three rivets holding them to the sides of the wheelboxes, and about five holding them to the top of the body cappings. Don't rivet the lids shut! Now it's hinge time. I bought some piano hinge for the job, but found it too flexible - the lids moved from side to side too much, and never fell into their 'hole'. Mark II is using some more traditional B&Q hinges at each end, and is much better. I also ordered some Stainless paddle latches from Recovery Equipment Direct. They come with a lock and two spare keys. Make sure you ask for a matched set, otherwise one of your keys won't open the other Locker! Delivered next day, great service. I thought they were going to be a bit stiff when I first got them, but they've eased off nicely. A quick hole in the top, and a simple catch on the inside of the body capping, and your bling factor has increaced by 100%! Last thing is to whip them off again, and silicone them in place. As JST told me when we were discussing them, you'll never be able to get them completely waterproof, but you can help them out a bit. It also stops mud getting down the sides of the wheelboxes and making them forever dusty in the summer. Make sure you have some nice big drainholes in the bottom as well, so you can hose them out if neccessary. You can also reinforce the lockers with some cleverly positioned ali angle. This makes mine strong enough to stand on. Last step is to fill them with Junk, and wonder how you ever lived without them! All done for under £100. I wonder how much Scorpion would charge....! Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 Si, very smart, i am suitably impressed, so much so that you can team again with me if you like.......... in fatc you had better not as i would need to 'rebling' my lockers with fancy cutting and locks!!!! Tim- i would have thought you would have squared your lockers away by now........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02GF74 Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 I have to admit that is pretty good and I'm not one to be pleased easily. I would look into using some ali angle or steel, B&Q do it so strengthen up the sides , particularly the top for the lid. Also would suggest putting some angle ali inside the box to sipport the lid, AFAICT the lid is only supported by the lock. Below is piccy shoing ali angle that supportthe flap for my pas. underseat tank. it is the shiny bit to the right of the screwdriver. How did you manage to make such straight cuts with a jigsaw - is it a hand held jobbie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 looks to me like the lids are supported by the edge of the tub: Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 straight cuts with a jigsaw uhm, clamp a peice of wood to the metal parallel to where you want to cut so the side of the jigsaw run down the wood as a rest. (you need to measure the bed to edge of blade on the saw first!) then you know how far away to clamp the wood. Tim - i would have thought you had your lockers squared away by now......... termed another way then i would have thought you sorted your lockers by now.......... or I would have thought you had made and fitted them by now............... you can use the same principle with a set length of wood with a pen held on Perpendicular to the end of it to mark on the shapes required around the sides of the tube and where the bulkhead angle is. you do this by pushing the material upto the edge of the rough outline you want to replicate, then use the non pen end of the wood to trace the outline whilst pen on the other end of the wood draws the shape onto the material, you then cut this out. in fatc that makes no sense at all, i am sure a picture would explain it better if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 clearly shows the extra Chequer plate added to support the lid sides aswell looks for the rivets. tut tut o2gf74 your ppowers of observation are slipping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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