OrganizingMechanic Tools in Small Truck

Zewnten · Jan 28, 2023

Running around in a F150 doing drivability issues: broken wires, busted hoses, emissions, etc. So I don't need big tools but I'm having a hard time organizing my tools. Tried pack out boxes but the locking feature means they all stick together and I have to unstack it to grab the bottom ones.

I'm planning on buying a fiberglass utlity bed insert. It has a slide out drawer and slide out bed tray. Now that everything is enclosed in the bed insert I'm looking for a better way to store my tools. Kinda leaning towards a Snap On road chest for hand tools and totes for grouped tools like electrical diag and another for repair.

There was a member on here that I can't find now who talked about doing this work out of a SUV, maybe a land cruiser or range rover, in England? But I can't find any descriptions.

Zewnten · Jan 28, 2023

Looks like this

Birken Vogt · Jan 28, 2023

I just like my service body with doors around outside and a bed to haul things, my bed has a sliding cover to keep rain out though. I have to switch to a van sometimes when the truck is down and I do not like the van one bit. But a full box body I would think is too heavy for an F150.

terex herder · Jan 28, 2023

I've got the big Montazuma box in my 2500hd along with a fuel tank. Seems better for what I do than my old road chest.

MarshallPowerGen · Jan 28, 2023

I started out in a RAM 1500 with a work cap and drawer sliders. Wish I'd had the bed slide out. Pulled out the rear seats and put in a platform that I had a top box bolted to.

I never like to recommend Youtube links, but there are a couple of similar style truck walkthroughs. I know one is "Not your average service truck tour" that uses a bed slide out and triangle box and a service truck tour by "Blackfoot Mechanical" that is a pretty cool layout.

barrelroll · Jan 28, 2023

I did field service out of a van. I kept my most commonly used tools in a tool bag and had a 26" bottom roller box with the wheels removed bolted in next to the side door. Is your truck a crew cab? Bolting a bottom box in the back seat area might be an option.

I was working with a field service guy who flies to most of his jobs last hitch. He had a Milwaukee packout box with drawers. I can't remember if the top had to be open or not.

Zewnten · Jan 29, 2023

Marshallpowergen: the blackfoot mechanical video is very close to what I was looking for, thanks. His box is almost exactly what I'm getting just smaller.

Barrelroll: I use a tote for my most used stuff too. It is a crewcab but the way it's lined out the drawers won't open out the door so I have to set the box inside how much the drawers open so lots of wasted space and leaning into the truck a lot, that's how the previous tech did it though.

Mike L · Jan 29, 2023

Are you independent now?

Zewnten · Jan 29, 2023

Mike L said:
Are you independent now?

Only on the weekends...for now haha.

Coaldust · Jan 30, 2023

I spent most of my career trying to answer that question. Milwaukee Packout is what I use and the best solution I have found. Along with a few tool bags.

Mike L · Jan 30, 2023

Zewnten said:
Only on the weekends...for now haha.

yup. Won’t be long now and you’ll be speccing out a new IMT service truck.

JLarson · Jan 31, 2023

I've run 150's with hard covers and random top chests, burned thru a lot of top chests, then I sprung for the first Montezuma box. Ran that under a hard cover for quite a while, did a lot of damage with that setup. Finally settled on a full size weather guard box and a Montezuma, then I had a back rack for lights too.

Coaldust · Jan 31, 2023

Good point. A weather guard or Protech box and a backrack is a great addition. A lift gate is worth considering, as well and makes a nice workbench.

nowing75 · Feb 1, 2023

Mike L said:
yup. Won’t be long now and you’ll be speccing out a new IMT service truck.

only problem is cant get one for a year.

Old Doug · Feb 1, 2023

Can you park beside your job every time ? I had to have tools at my last job about half the time the other half the job was in the main shop with their tools . I used tool bags it wasnt the best thing and i kept looking. I think the best thing was a guy that had tool trays. I was going to build or buy 3 . One with the stuff you need about every job then the others for the rest of the tools. I didnt mind the work but having to carry my tools around then making sure i had the wright tool was no fun.

Coaldust · Feb 1, 2023

I’ve convinced myself, that in the realm of pickups, a flatbed with side mounted tool boxes is the way to go. They almost provide as much storage as a service body and less problems.

Then, there is the Spinter/Transit van discussion, but who wants to actually be seen driving one of those? Amirite?

Highway Products for the win.

Mike L · Feb 1, 2023

If he ordered it now he’d have a year to get motivated so he could pay for it!

Old Doug · Feb 1, 2023

If i won the lottery i would find a big old 60s service truck and rebuild it just to the point were it looked about 20 years old and spend a bunch of time finding used tools to fill it with. I mite never use it but i would have it just in case. I saw a early 60s c600 service truck in a scrap yard . It had a crane that looked like it should have been 10 ton rating with miles of bad hyd hoses allso had a 40.000 pound winch mounted under its bed.

Mike L · Feb 1, 2023

If I won the lottery service trucks would just be a distant memory. Alaska in the summer and someplace warm with great fishing in the winter. Of course I’d have to start playing the lottery to win…

Zewnten · Feb 1, 2023

@Old Doug
I use a steel tray for job specific and a 4 tray cantilever box for general stuff.

OrganizingMechanic Tools in Small Truck

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