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My homemade Truck Vault...


ERIC

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you've accomplished one of the most important things in making it appear like you have nothing back there with the back door closed(looks like a 4runner interior) so I think Vault is a great word for it :)

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I saw this without the top tray and it was really nice. With the tray? Wow. That looks great.

I think vault is appropriate. If it is hard to get into and eats up time that could cause the bad guys to get caught it is doing it's job.

Nice work.

-ld

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When I refer to "Truck Vault" I'm refering to the company that makes stuff like this. I wouldn't say it is truely a vault because it can be broken into with the right tool and some time, but I wouldn't say the one that "Truck Vault" makes is truely a vault also since they make it out of the same material and same lock.

It is secured with 2 tie down rings that come standard in 4Runners which is located on the floor of the rear compartment behind the rear seats which holds down the back of the box - perfect location.

post-2477-1240503851_thumb.jpg

The lock has a pretty beefy bolt which goes into a 1/2" deep mortise into the plywood which sits back around 2" behind the front edge and has a metal plate to surround the mortise which is secured with 5/8" screws. You can't force it open without tools and it would take some time if you had the tools.

Here is the first one I made for my friend without all the bells and whistles but it works great.

post-2477-1240439493_thumb.jpg

Edited by ERIC
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Very nice!! I'd love to see a materials list. Hell I'd like to send you dimensions for one to build me.

The amount of plywood would depend on the dimensions of your project. I had a bunch of scrap/cut offs from other projects so I really don't know how many sheets I used. I used baltic birch plywood. They key parts are the heavy duty drawer slides (2 pairs for my project and they are not cheap) and Simplex 900 lock. There are cheaper lock options like a Tee handle or combination cam lock like the one my friend used. All the other stuff is personal preference (carpet, paint/finish and drawer pulls). There is also the hardware to tie it down and that will depend how you will tie it down. That's it. If you don't put on an elaborate finish, it is a really easy project. I spent almost half the time on my project just on the flag. I don't have a finishing room so I couldn't make saw dust while painting and finishing.

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Ok, I take it back. Vault it is.

I never knew the "Truck Vault" truck vault's were made of wood. For some reason I assumed they would be made of steel. Anyway, really nice job and the slide out tray on the top is an awesome feature.

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Dude! That thing is sweet! You have inspired me. I would love to make something like that for my pickup and put a hardcover on top. I could keep a lot of gear in there safely if I break out the welder and get some sheet metal!!! Looks like I have a new project coming up. :rolleyes:

Let's see..... go to Carl's Sheet metal shop..... give him all my money.... order plenty of Duracoat..... buy a hard cover for bed..... bolts to bolt it to bed..... list is getting longer by the minute.

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Hey Eric, I have the same 4Runner and I want to do something the same. If you don't mind sending me the dimensions and the materials used that'll be great. I really like that sliding top. I don't the tools to make this so will most likely have everything pre-cut and I'll just put it together. Great idea, thanks for sharing.

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