 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Load space drawer?! Is DIY the way to go or not? |
 
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| Crafty1980 Member Since: 21 Jul 2014 Location: Norfolk Posts: 74  
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I'd like to put in a rear load space drawer in my 90 so that i can then make a flat surface between the side benches.
A quick google search offers me lots of example of such a thing. Some DIY, various commercial options too, but at what seems to be an extortionate price! Q: Are the designed/ready built ones the way to go or should I look at a DIY job? It can't be that hard to get a couple of heavy duty drawer runners, some aluminium angle and light weight/strong board to construct it all can it? I like to think that I'm pretty nifty with such things! I guess materials could well set me back a couple of hundred quid perhaps, but i feel a little anti paying upwards of 500-600 for a prebuilt one! Ben |
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27th Aug 2014 9:50pm |
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| couplands Member Since: 31 Aug 2011 Location: Peak District & Cornwall Posts: 1826 
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I went DIY as I couldn't find what I wanted at a cost I wanted to pay.
Having said that, I think my drawers cost more than I thought..! Build thread here... http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic22453.html Cheers Simon |
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27th Aug 2014 9:53pm |
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| TACK Member Since: 26 Apr 2009 Location: Essex Posts: 1045 
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I did both. Depending on your skill set and guessing if you were a fabricator you probably would not have asked the question, I would buy a commercial one.
Depends what you can afford, timber is cheap. But look on the forums, gumtree and ebay and you will probably find one after a month at half the price. 'My opinion anyway'. When your done with it, they always sell and I doubt you will lose money. I have brought several and sold them on at no loss. I have only brought the mobile storage solutions ones, so this is what my opinion is based on. They are fairly bullet proof and I believe the draws are 100kg rated.  |
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28th Aug 2014 6:29am |
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| Jimb1978 Member Since: 05 Sep 2012 Location: Huddersfield Posts: 808  
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I built one, but I enjoy making things. If it is just to save a few quid then it probably isn't worth it. Don't underestimate the cost of heavy duty drawer runners, especially if you want them rated to 100kg +.
As for fixing it to the vehicle, you could consider pegging it from the outside. You could pop rivet a plate with a captive nut to the inner arch and screw in a bolt through a pre drilled hole in the side of the drawer unit. I didn't do this. I bolted through the unit which needed two people to install it. Also, it was very time consuming to unbolt the drawer from the runners in order to gain access to the inside of the carcass. 2002 110 td5 |
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28th Aug 2014 7:25am |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5843 
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I have a couple of server rails that I will be using for the job, and will be doing two drawers. 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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28th Aug 2014 9:23am |
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| Crafty1980 Member Since: 21 Jul 2014 Location: Norfolk Posts: 74
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Thanks for all the replies so far...
I'm certainly no fabricator, but I have enough skills (and tools) in order to make a wooden box version... The only thing that concerns me about wood is (as many people have said before) the weight of them... Bearing in mind that I only want a single height drawer system that's the same height as the wheel arches, therefore creating a flat load space all across the top, is there even an issue for weight? Are the commercially made ones simple made out of wood too, or are they made from high strength/lightweight sheet material (aluminium, honeycomb board, etc)...? |
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28th Aug 2014 2:21pm |
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| LiftedDisco Member Since: 17 Aug 2014 Location: Towcester Posts: 353
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Search on e-Bay for 'Army Blanket Box'
These are the perfect size to fit between the rear wheel arches, have a fold up lid and simply need bolting to some heavy duty, fully extending, runners. The fully extending bit is important, otherwise your storage will move slightly but still be out of reach - server rails are perfect or B&Q do some fairly heavy duty rails at around £25 for the pair. Hope this helps... |
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28th Aug 2014 2:47pm |
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| LiftedDisco Member Since: 17 Aug 2014 Location: Towcester Posts: 353
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Right...
Just done a search and they don't seem to be coming up... Not sure where you are, but suggest you wander down to the Newbury Sort Out on 5th October (there is a similar event in Skipton in September if you are northern based...) where I suspect there will be loads of boxes on offer... EDIT... Found one! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-rover-defen...33944ca161 |
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28th Aug 2014 3:00pm |
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| URBAN TRUCK Member Since: 24 Jan 2014 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 150 
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We can do a bespoke install including the Drawer and a factory style carpet or rubber matting from £899.
Like the attached pic Regards  Click image to enlarge |
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28th Aug 2014 3:25pm |
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| Defender-Stu Member Since: 14 Jun 2012 Location: South West England Posts: 1320
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Just a little quick put together i did:
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge But now seeing the build thread above im going back to the build stage i think lol  |
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28th Aug 2014 3:25pm |
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| VeeTee Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Somewhere Posts: 1512 
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I made a flat load space above the wheel arches, and a drawer for 4 Euroboxes under it. I made the load space and side walls from 12 mm multiplex. It is very sturdy - and also very heavy.
Click image to enlarge Next time - version 2 - I would create a a lightweight version building a aluminium frame and 8 mm multiplex for the load bed, like decrtibed here: Martin from Landreiziger.nl was so kind to publish this build description on his site (He also builds this commercially on request - I 'm not linked, I only hear good reviews of his work  ) Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold) 1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold) 1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold) 1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold) 2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold) 2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold) MySite |
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28th Aug 2014 4:05pm |
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