Overlandtowater’s solid axle suburban

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
So a carpenter i am not, its been a good learning experience. I have my cabinet built and will work on the drawers tonight. I trimmed the bottom board to fit the rear threshold, the top sits almost level with the third row when folded down.20200518_220453.jpg20200518_232735.jpg20200518_232705.jpg20200518_232758.jpgki20200518_220453.jpg20200518_232735.jpg20200518_232705.jpg20200518_232758.jpg
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Looking good so far. Good max use of space and flush with the folded third row is a good idea.

If you haven't already glued the top I might suggest cutting it around 4" wide at forward and rearward edges and turning the bulk of it into a hatch, piano hinge forward, so you can still gain access to the drawer contents in a situation where you can't open the liftgate. Or even reverse that, hinge towards the rear of the vehicle, so you can get into the drawers from inside the vehicle.
 

ejwebb

Member
I like your set up. Keep in mind if you put a cooler or fridge on top of the drawers the lid will hit the roof when you try to open it. The drivers side panel has lots of room if you remove it and build you a cubby hole.
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
I like your set up. Keep in mind if you put a cooler or fridge on top of the drawers the lid will hit the roof when you try to open it. The drivers side panel has lots of room if you remove it and build you a cubby hole.
Thanks I didn't even check and see if my cooler would fit.....crap. well I have a plan for it....included another set of slides and a hinge with a removable pin for when I don't need the cooler but I didn't even check to make sure it would fit on top.
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
Looking good so far. Good max use of space and flush with the folded third row is a good idea.

If you haven't already glued the top I might suggest cutting it around 4" wide at forward and rearward edges and turning the bulk of it into a hatch, piano hinge forward, so you can still gain access to the drawer contents in a situation where you can't open the liftgate. Or even reverse that, hinge towards the rear of the vehicle, so you can get into the drawers from inside the vehicle.
you mean I'm supposed to glue it..Joking…… no I have not glue it yet I bought two 48" piano hinges to cut up and use where needed. Thanks again Rayra! I started working on here book shelves and now they are on the back burner and Im working on my truck....
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
Ran out of plywood and had to go back and get some more. The ly wood i use was 3 ply 1/2" they were out of it and the only other on tha measured 1/2" was 7 ply so i cannibalized the drawer for tools and recovery to make sides for the general drawer and rebuilt the heavier content drawer from the 7 ply ply wood. Also worked on mt tilting slide out cooler drawer that will sit on top of the cabinet.

So what would you cover the whole set up with? Paint, poly, bedliner, carpet? Whats your thoughts on whats good and why?
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
So I'm thinking i will attatch some spare plywood to the back ot the rear most seatto make a short deck and maybe later build another cabinet to fill out the space when the rear seat is removed. It sits pretty flush between the seat back and cabinet top and my boy fits fine if he wants to sleep in the cab rather than the hammock.20200521_170410.jpg20200521_170440.jpg
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
My cooler slide/tilt out the larger piece goes on top of the cabinet and fastens with a piano hinge that will let the base tilt up in the rear when the smaller piece slides out with a cooler on it. I figure will bu slides that are half that of the cooler that way at full extension it at the tipping point and will let the base hing up.20200521_172005.jpg20200521_171820.jpg20200521_171936.jpg
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
what's your deck height, 10.5-11"?

too, check your clearance with your Liftgate interior and with your drawer front thickness. IIRC there's maybe 2" from inner edge of that threshhold plastic to the inner face of the Liftgate panel.
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
Rayra its in area I'm not 100% sure on it. Yes there is plenty of room in front of the drawers, I'm trying to decide on the latches and think I've come up with slam latches for marine application I will have to drill a 2" hole in the plywood drawer fronts because the only cheap slam latches I see are for 1/2" thickness and my drawer fronts are 3/4" and the drawer itself is 1/2". though about yeti cooler latches but then you nave to put a nub on top to catch the latch and I don't like that idea.

What are some other type of latches that would work in this situation? no need to be locking. if they want it they will get in.
 

Overlandtowater

Well-known member
Decided I better work on her book case tonight. 20200522_194647.jpg20200522_195116.jpg20200522_194654.jpgMy first woodworking project, if its twin comes out as good as this one I will be stoked.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Rayra its in area I'm not 100% sure on it. Yes there is plenty of room in front of the drawers, I'm trying to decide on the latches and think I've come up with slam latches for marine application I will have to drill a 2" hole in the plywood drawer fronts because the only cheap slam latches I see are for 1/2" thickness and my drawer fronts are 3/4" and the drawer itself is 1/2". though about yeti cooler latches but then you nave to put a nub on top to catch the latch and I don't like that idea.

What are some other type of latches that would work in this situation? no need to be locking. if they want it they will get in.
I went with paddle latches, but most from the farm stores are meant to go in sheet metal. So I had to make some relief cuts in my drawer ends / faces. They come in non-locking too. I chose locking to superficially comply with CA laws on handgun / "assault weapon" transport. Sometimes I only take 1-2 of such to the range and don't feel like dragging along all the locking cases and the rest of the gear. And yes, such locking latches only keep honest people honest. But it legally satisfies CA regs for transporting those arms in an open SUV like our Subs.* So when I'm just taking one or two after making some accessory change or needing to sight in a new firearm, I can just sling a few things in the drawer and go. Any bigger such outing and all the 'luggage' is going anyway.


* CA law at this time does not require long guns (excl. those defined as "assault rifles") or shotguns to be locked up in transport, but they must be unloaded with no ammo attached or inserted to the firearm. And any firearms a CA LEO sees incidental to a traffic stop are going to have their serial numbers run. That's just how they play it here. So in the drawer our of sight works for me.
 

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