Tacoma bed (5') storage options

[gravedgr]

Can some of you recommend some storage systems for the Tacoma ('14) short bed?

Someone recommended DECKED and I really like their system for 4 key reasons: 1) price; 2) waterproof; 3) security; and 4) ease of removal (perhaps most important). Unfortunately, they only have it out for the full size trucks right now and have told me they're at least a year out on the Tacoma.

My Tacoma is our overland vehicle and we are struggling to maintain everything in the truck bed even though we run a RTT due to the fact we always travel with our two small kids (6 & 7). I think a secure storage system that doesn't waste a lot of space or force us into some jigsaw / tetris exercise every time we pack would help us get a better handle on our packing.

One key need, however, is the ability to remove it without an entire afternoon and many swear words, as we bought the truck to use as a truck and haul things like tools, materials and truckloads of dirt in the spring planting season.



Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[character zero]

1. Do you have a shell on there? What are you doing for security now?
2. DIY is probably your best bet if you want to get the most of your space. You can make it as inexpensive and easily removed as you like. THere are many build threads on here for inspiration!
3. Like you said..DECKED looks good. There are some other aftermarket players too, including http://www.mobilestrong.net/products/by-type/truck-bed-storage-drawers/ms5-series/ that looks like it fits the Taco. Edit...um, whoa, just noted the pricetag.

 

[gravedgr]

1. Do you have a shell on there? What are you doing for security now?
2. DIY is probably your best bet if you want to get the most of your space. You can make it as inexpensive and easily removed as you like. THere are many build threads on here for inspiration!
3. Like you said..DECKED looks good. There are some other aftermarket players too, including http://www.mobilestrong.net/products/by-type/truck-bed-storage-drawers/ms5-series/ that looks like it fits the Taco. Edit...um, whoa, just noted the pricetag.

Thanks for responding, I'll try to answer your questions.

1) No shell, just a RTT with a custom bed rack. No security now - we are only camping in campgrounds or places where we'll stay the weekend and/or pack anything of value into the truck if we take a drive. Next year, we are planning a 2-week trip to the Grand Canyon and will need to leave the truck for several hours to go exploring during the day.

2) You're probably right that self-made is both a) inexpensive and b) most likely to meet our specific needs. However, I'm someone with more money than time, skill or patience to figure out and build something. We don't have a good work place or extensive tool selection and could likely spend as much or more purchasing what we need to build as it would cost to buy a low-end / low-cost solution.

3) DECKED looks to be the best bang for the buck, although some have pointed out some potential issues in another thread. It seems like the others all start at $2k and up, and then only for the shallowest configuration. DECKED looks to be about 15" or so deep, which would compare to a $3k MobileStrong configuration or a $2400 TruckVault (at only 10-11" deep).

 

[soonenough]

Maybe I missed something, but according to the FAQ on the Decked website, their systems aren't available for the Tacoma yet...or is their website not up to date?

 

[gravedgr]

Maybe I missed something, but according to the FAQ on the Decked website, their systems aren't available for the Tacoma yet...or is their website not up to date?

This is what I said in the OP:

Unfortunately, they only have it out for the full size trucks right now and have told me they're at least a year out on the Tacoma.

 

[kai38]

On my short bed Tacoma I placed two boards across in the indentures made for them and placed a piece of plywood covered with trunk carpet to make a shelf. Underneath I have 2 rubbermaid type low boxes with lids to help keep dust out. I can carry a lot of gear up top that's need every day while camping and use the boxes underneath for tools and smaller items.
Its removable and stores in my garage when not out on a trip

 

[Flagster]

On my short bed Tacoma I placed two boards across in the indentures made for them and placed a piece of plywood covered with trunk carpet to make a shelf. Underneath I have 2 rubbermaid type low boxes with lids to help keep dust out. I can carry a lot of gear up top that's need every day while camping and use the boxes underneath for tools and smaller items.
Its removable and stores in my garage when not out on a trip

this...I did the same...cost all of nothing

 

[gravedgr]

That's a good idea for temp storage, but I will need something I can lock up and leave sitting in a parking lot for an afternoon - and then have a reasonable expectation of it being there when I get back.

 

[live2travel photography]

Im currently on a long trip with my tacoma. I am running into thr the same issue you will have when you go to the grand Canyon. Right now everything is in pelican cases but locking all of them to the rack each day is a pain. Last night was the first in a hotel in a week and lugging all the cases in was not worth it, I would have rather just slept in a camp site. I have already put in quote requests in for a LEER and A.R.E. shell (toolbox style so I can throw small items in the sides when i need to) so I can just leave everything in the truck. To add to the ease I'll add a bed slide so getting to the items in the back will be easy. I've seen guys mount tents to the top if you have one of the stronger tops so that might help.

 

[1 Bored Clerk]

First let me say that I've found people to be very good in National Parks and out in the boonies when it comes to theft (maybe not so much with littering and general manners but that's a separate issue). It's in town that seems to be the problem in my experience. That being said, it's a great idea to have lockable storage. Maybe you could find two truck bed boxes that are meant to go across the bed and bolt them together back to back lengthwise in the bed? I could see two chest style (not the boxes that sit on the bed rails) cross boxes working well depending on dimensions. If you bolted them together through the back wall of each box then just used turnbuckles or something to hold them to the floor, I would think that would deter most thieves because of the sheer bulk (if not the weight) of the two boxes together. Quick to take out of the truck later when the boxes are empty. Pro-Tech makes really nice aluminum boxes and may have something already that would work well. Maybe even one big box. They are spendy but probably not more than some of the other storage systems out there.

In fact, Pro-Tech has an in-bed tool box that is 19.5"T x 20"W x 60"L. Two of those back to back would, possibly, drop right in your bed. That would likely be $1000, though. They list that size as being for a 2007-2014 Chevy with 5.5' bed. You may be able to find a cheaper set of boxes out there that serve the purpose. Might even luck out and find two on Craigslist.

Good luck!

 

[brianjwilson]

I don't understand the fascination with decked. It doesn't look like something you could drop off (in a parking lot?) and pick up later very easily. Essentially you are describing a slide in camper at this point if you plan to use it as a base camp?

In my opinion, your best bet is a quality fiberglass canopy with the RTT mounted on it. Remove it from the truck when you're not using it.

The decked system is heavy and is going to require a couple people to remove anyway. Might as well be using a canopy with lots of dry and secure storage.

 

[midwayliberator]

Get a tonneau metal slide cover to keep peeping eyes out and add some water resistance. Next add a tail gate lock. Then build some custom drawers (fyi the max height is 18".) If your like me and need a little more storage build a rack that mounts to your bed rails and add a tool box and jerry can mount for more storage and and security. Another advantage is you can self tap some tie down points to mount things like coolers and whatever wont fit under the cover. The only down side to my storage is your rear view mirror is useless when fully loaded.

 

[gravedgr]

Im currently on a long trip with my tacoma. I am running into thr the same issue you will have when you go to the grand Canyon. Right now everything is in pelican cases but locking all of them to the rack each day is a pain. Last night was the first in a hotel in a week and lugging all the cases in was not worth it, I would have rather just slept in a camp site. I have already put in quote requests in for a LEER and A.R.E. shell (toolbox style so I can throw small items in the sides when i need to) so I can just leave everything in the truck. To add to the ease I'll add a bed slide so getting to the items in the back will be easy. I've seen guys mount tents to the top if you have one of the stronger tops so that might help.

I feel your pain. We travel with two small kids, so our bed (and often the cab) are typically packed full. If I had to unload everything every night, I probably wouldn't go anywhere.

First let me say that I've found people to be very good in National Parks and out in the boonies when it comes to theft (maybe not so much with littering and general manners but that's a separate issue). It's in town that seems to be the problem in my experience.

I agree with you on this. I don't know yet how much camping will be in campgrounds, natl forests, and just available spaces, but I'm most worried about parking somewhere at a tourist location for the day and coming back to find someone has grabbed something portable (yet essential) from the bed of the truck. I'm already planning to move the ARB fridge to the cab in these situations, but we couldn't afford to lose all our clothes or $6-700 worth of sleeping bags.

 

[gravedgr]

I don't understand the fascination with decked. It doesn't look like something you could drop off (in a parking lot?) and pick up later very easily. Essentially you are describing a slide in camper at this point if you plan to use it as a base camp?

In my opinion, your best bet is a quality fiberglass canopy with the RTT mounted on it. Remove it from the truck when you're not using it.

The decked system is heavy and is going to require a couple people to remove anyway. Might as well be using a canopy with lots of dry and secure storage.

I don't understand your comments, and maybe you're not understanding our need. We have a bed rack with RTT mounted - its custom built so that it fits in our garage. A LEER or other bed cap / shell is simply not an option. Even if I wanted to dismount the tent, then dismount the shell between camping trips (I don't!), my wife is 5'2" and incapable of assisting. I would have to get a buddy to come over every time and I just don't have that many friends.

As for the bed storage, we want some place to lock up our bedding, clothes, food, tools and equipment when we park the truck some place for an extended period outside our camping location. So if we park at one of the Grand Canyon trails and want to ride/hide down to the base, we want our stuff semi-secure in the truck. The comment about removing the bed storage is so that I could haul dirt and other items for our spring gardening. It would only need to come out of the truck a couple of times a year, and only at home. I mentioned DECKED as what I'm comparing against because they claim it can be removed in 30 min.

Get a tonneau metal slide cover to keep peeping eyes out and add some water resistance. Next add a tail gate lock. Then build some custom drawers (fyi the max height is 18".) If your like me and need a little more storage build a rack that mounts to your bed rails and add a tool box and jerry can mount for more storage and and security. Another advantage is you can self tap some tie down points to mount things like coolers and whatever wont fit under the cover. The only down side to my storage is your rear view mirror is useless when fully loaded.

The problem with anything that needs to use the bed rails is that my bed rack holding my tent is already occupying most of the bedrail space (it has an "L" shaped mount that sits on the top/inside of the bed rail and bolts to the rail with a "T" nut"). Believe me, if I could just put a locking tonneau cover / tail gate and solve the problem I would - but, in addition to the bed rail issue, I'm not sure we could get everything to fit beneath it. Right now, I secure everything with a Toyota bed cargo net.

 

[gravedgr]

Here's a picture of our truck with the tent deployed, for reference.