Margards are installed

[aczr2k]

Added a set of Margards over the weekend, I like how they look, really fit well and covered up some battle wounds on some of the drawers. The front piece came free with the set of drawer guards. I went with the brushed finish.

Top drawer had alot of paint wore off.

Finished

Scratches

Nice and new

Had to remove the logo and punch 3 holes since this one is old school and held on with pins.

All done, still waiting for 2 replacement slides.....

 

[justinmc]

I might have hit the scratched areas with some touchup paint before slapping those on. Just as a long term thing. Don't have any experience with those but they seem to be about the same mil and quality as the clear bra's we have put on the cars at the dealership.

 

[Valsmere]

Looks good. I like that, my wallet is crying now!

 

[Valsmere]

Sorry for the double post. Can you tell me where you got them, and maybe cost? Thanks.
Valsmere

 

[mrshaun]

from snap on.... you need the model number of your box for an accurate price. they are designed for snap on boxes.

 

[krusty the clown]

from snap on.... you need the model number of your box for an accurate price. they are designed for snap on boxes.

those should be standard..........the drawer pull trim is the only thing i don't like about snap on boxes

 

[aczr2k]

These are the "original" guards available direct from Margards.com. 22 gage stainless is available in either brushed or stainless, held on with 3m vhb tape. This set for a KRL1001 was $215. I think the snap on ones are double that. They were great to deal with, ordered on a monday, couple days later they came. One tip when you remove the masking film is to go slow and let the adhesive release, if you rush it the adhesive stays behind. Thanks for the compliments, I was more than happy with the results.

 

[sti491]

Just wanted to say "Thanks" for your post!

My son just gave me a gift of a lifetime... something I probably would not have bought for myself: a SO KRL761BPM. It's awesome but has a bit of wear on it.

I ordered the same stuff you got, plus a bottom and side facia like you got for free for your top box front. That was a temporary promotion that has ended. The bottom edge of one side of my box is dented so the bottom side SS trim should hide that repair nicely.

That promotion is over but they offered a 15% discount on my entire order. I can't wait for the transformation when i get it all installed!

 

[wreckercologist]

those should be standard........

Ain't that the truth!

Nice job, aczr2k. I've been thinking about doing this for a while as my old box looks.....well.........old. I looked at the clear plastic ones in the RWD catalog and they look kinda cheap. I was also worried they might yellow and crack over time as well, plus they don't cover up beat up paint either.

I didn't want to pony up the $$$ for these until I could see them and make sure they didn't look like the toolbox equivalent of the junk in the "dress up" isle at AutoZone.

Thanks for the pics!

 

[Vinko]

These are the "original" guards available direct from Margards.com. [cut] I think the snap on ones are double that.

If wonder if this is one of those cases where SO dealers "have" to buy from an SO distribution warehouse on this product, or if they go direct to Margards and get an even better price than a retail customer. If the later, that's a nice little mark-up for the tool man.

BTW, anyone know who the OEM was on the actual draw pulls (as opposed to guards) on your box or other boxes circa the 1980's I'm still looking for OE drawer pulls for a KR 537/557 combo. No luck, so far.

 

[aczr2k]

From what I was told, Margard is their own company, Snap-on has their own made somewhere else. Cathy said that snap-on had copied them.

And your welcome for allowing me to spend some money for you. After having mine on for the last few weeks I really like them too.

 

[Vinko]

BTW, anyone know who the OEM was on the actual draw pulls (as opposed to guards) on your box or other boxes circa the 1980's I'm still looking for OE drawer pulls for a KR 537/557 combo. No luck, so far.

Though I'd bump this thread to see if anyone has a source for the OEM drawer pulls for the KR 537 or 557. I know at least the 557 had them. I think the 537 too. Maybe I should start a new thread

 

[Chubi_QC]

Another Bump. Someone know if they made some for the KRL722? I gonna buy a use box this weekend and i would really like to have them.

 

[IDOXLR8]

Added a set of Margards over the weekend, I like how they look, really fit well and covered up some battle wounds on some of the drawers. The front piece came free with the set of drawer guards. I went with the brushed finish.

Top drawer had alot of paint wore off.

Finished

Scratches

Nice and new

Had to remove the logo and punch 3 holes since this one is old school and held on with pins.

All done, still waiting for 2 replacement slides.....

What is the width of the top of you drawer handle? I have a KR-650-655-290 combo and your drawers tops look a little wider. Do you know if the KR and KRL series have the same top width? I forward a request to a custom order for my KR-650, KR-655, KR-290 for the drawer guards but if they only offer the wider ones it looks like I'm out of luck. BTW your project looks First Class!! AL.

 

[IDOXLR8]

Though I'd bump this thread to see if anyone has a source for the OEM drawer pulls for the KR 537 or 557. I know at least the 557 had them. I think the 537 too. Maybe I should start a new thread

Drawer pulls, if you are in reference to the bright silver trim on the drawers edge, yes Snap On carries it but you will need to order it for a current model and cut it to fit and have the crimp tool to sucure the trim, AL.

 

[crewchief888]

Though I'd bump this thread to see if anyone has a source for the OEM drawer pulls for the KR 537 or 557. I know at least the 557 had them. I think the 537 too. Maybe I should start a new thread

the '79 KR537a i have doesnt have drawer pulls on it, not sure what year they started using them, mid 80's i'm thinking

'86 kr550/555 has them,
so does my '93 harley kra637/647/657 (these are polished)

 

[Vinko]

@IDOXLR8 & Crew Chief: I don't know what year the 537 is. But I was able to get from SO (via Jonco) the trim pulls for the 557. They (SO) had a part no. in their system for it. These were pre-cut and fit perfectly.

Same with the wide drawers on the 537.

But the small drawers I'm having more difficulty with. SO gave a part no. for the trim pulls for the small drawers (on right side of 537 cabinet), but that part no. is evidently incorrect. I received trim pull that was 12" long and the drawers themselves measure 5-1/2". Apparently the part isn't returnable (I bought one to try) and it was 9.95

But it is a good idea to just buy several feet of it via Jonco and cut it down, I think.

 

[crewchief888]

@IDOXLR8 & Crew Chief: I don't know what year the 537 is. But I was able to get from SO (via Jonco) the trim pulls for the 557. They (SO) had a part no. in their system for it. These were pre-cut and fit perfectly.

Same with the wide drawers on the 537.

But the small drawers I'm having more difficulty with. SO gave a part no. for the trim pulls for the small drawers (on right side of 537 cabinet), but that part no. is evidently incorrect. I received trim pull that was 12" long and the drawers themselves measure 5-1/2". Apparently the part isn't returnable (I bought one to try) and it was 9.95

But it is a good idea to just buy several feet of it via Jonco and cut it down, I think.

custom cutting them for the small drawers is probably the best idea, i cant ever remember seeing a 537 with the small drawers trimmed out.
when SO came out with the kra637 the small drawers changed, and the drop front concealed the drawers istead of having the little door that covered them before.

 

[Vinko]

custom cutting them for the small drawers is probably the best idea, i cant ever remember seeing a 537 with the small drawers trimmed out.
when SO came out with the kra637 the small drawers changed, and the drop front concealed the drawers istead of having the little door that covered them before.

To my mind, although the KR547 doesn't have the drop front over the small drawers, it might as well, since you can't secure the small side drawers without dropping the front anyway. I like the size and layout of the box, but wish it didn't have the drop front.

 

[crewchief888]

To my mind, although the KR547 doesn't have the drop front over the small drawers, it might as well, since you can't secure the small side drawers without dropping the front anyway. I like the size and layout of the box, but wish it didn't have the drop front.

back in the day i really wanted a kr537, by the time i was ready for bigger boxes, my SO man had a couple kr 550/555 (friction slide) boxes in storage, and wanted to get rid of them, so thats what i bought.
i picked up my harley kra 637/647/657 in '93 and just got a kr537a/kra300e set.
after using the 550/555 as working boxes for so long, the drawer layout of the others just dont "work" for me. they're fine for home use, but i dont think i could work out of them.

thats just me

 

[Vinko]

I assume the 557 is like the 555? If so, it's also friction slide. It's an ok box. My driver sold it to me for $200 so I can't complain . It's got friction slides, which we warrantied some of them. (I think some of the later 557's had bearing slides on the bottom drawer or drawers). And on my 557, I'm going to have to tack weld 3 or 4 new false channels so that the top and bottom drawers (there are a total of 7), slide in and out right. But it's great SO has most of the parts you still need for these boxes. Though gathering the info was a pain, because not all the part numbers are cross-referenced.

BTW, I meant 537 not 547 in my post above. Yeah, the 537 is a weird configuration in one respect, esp. because it's got the built-in dividers, which maybe these days isn't as useful. But I do like the smaller drawers on the side for little bits and pieces.

Speaking of the 547 though -- that's the mid box -- and I'd really like to find one. My driver said he never traditionally sold a lot of the middle boxes and sees very few around. He speculated that they were always pretty expensive for what you got, at least compared to top and bottom boxes. They still seem to go for more money when compared to actual storage area than anything else in the used market. I like them but they're rarely a good value, at least in the market I've seen.

 

[crewchief888]

I assume the 557 is like the 555? If so, it's also friction slide. It's an ok box. My driver sold it to me for $200 so I can't complain . It's got friction slides, which we warrantied some of them. (I think some of the later 557's had bearing slides on the bottom drawer or drawers).

Speaking of the 547 though -- that's the mid box -- and I'd really like to find one. My driver said he never traditionally sold a lot of the middle boxes and sees very few around. He speculated that they were always pretty expensive for what you got, at least compared to top and bottom boxes. They still seem to go for more money when compared to actual storage area than anything else in the used market. I like them but they're rarely a good value, at least in the market I've seen.

my 555 has BB slides in the bottom drawer

true the mid boxes are few and far between, a year or so after i bought my harley anv boxes i ordered a kr647 mid box for mine. SO had painted the matching box shells in '93, but when i got the mid box in '94 or so, it had the newer quick release slides.
seem like the mid box was $600+ at that time.
i had several 26" SO mid boxes over the years, they always seems a little pricy for the amount of storage. i wouldnt mind having a 547 mid box to match the older box i have, probably never find one for a good price tho

 

[Vinko]

Jonco has some pretty good customer service. I'd call them to see if you could do a return if you received this pretty recently.
I also know that 10-6680 and 10-3380 are the brushed/polished 5.42" drawer trim. I *think* that is for those old KR series.

Wow. I'll check this out. Thanks very much for this info. I think this is exactly the size I need

PS. I ordered through my SO man who ordered through Jonco. As I understand it, Jonco bills SO Corporate, who bills the tool man, who in turn bills me.

 

[e-tek]

Those look slick - wonder if they make them for HF boxes......

 

[Vinko]

I had to call Snap-On yesterday anyway, so I asked about this drawer trim and I was told the KR537 wide drawer used 10-1280. The narrow drawer used 10-3380. (I was online while on the phone, so I could immediately see that 10-3380 was not available via Snap-On's website. He said it was marked on his end as "discontinued" but called Jonco to see if they had parts. A guy at Jonco said they had thirty-four in stock, but I'd have to order them through Snap-On's special order desk.)

The KR557 used 10-1180.

Thanks again. I've got to look back at my receipts and notes, but I'm was given some different info. Which was obviously wrong. But this is worth trying again based upon your info.

I got the 557 trim without a problem. Fit perfectly.

I wonder if the 537's smaller drawers were different spec depending upon the model (e.g. 537a, 537b) etc.

On another topic,
I wouldn't mind getting the Margards' for the 557, like the ones pictured at the start of this thread.

One other thing. I've got some extra false channels for the larger drawers for the 537, and I need to see if they've got a pair for one of the smaller drawers that's quite tweaked.

It's either the false channel or the actual sheet metal that's tweaked. I don't know which. I looked at it and I couldn't see a problem, but new slides on the drawer and still pretty stuck. Which is a pain since I'm using the box every day.

Anyway, just thinking aloud here....

 

[Vinko]

I also know that 10-6680 and 10-3380 are the brushed/polished 5.42" drawer trim. I *think* that is for those old KR series.

I'm ordering the 10-3380 tomorrow. But just to clarify, both the 10-680 and the 10-3380 are 5.42", the difference being one is brushed and the other polished?

Because AFAIK, all those in the same series 1180 (for KR 557), the 1280 (for KR537 long drawers) are brushed not polished. So I assume 3380 is as well.

But we'll see.

BTW: Jonco still will cut the KR557 liner but it's just cut for the entire basic measurements of the drawer, not the actual measurements when you factor in the little partitions. I believe these partitions changed over the years from KR557A-G.

 

[Vinko]

Well, I put the order in through my driver and whoever he got on the phone claimed they were unavailable.

He asked for Skip N., a guy who was an old timer there, apparently, but he "retired". (The guy had helped me with a lot of hard to find items out of the Crystal Lake fulfillment center).

So I tried to order direct from SO, but all my credit card bills go to my PO box (not a physical address) and Snappy will only ship to the billing address unless that billing address is a PO box, and then they won't ship to a PO box at all.

So, an e-mail into SO Corporate, with the hopes of getting these things again. If not, maybe an e-mail to Jonco direct, who've been helpful before.

The saga continues.

 

[Lightfoot]

Wow, that really looks nice!

 

[Vinko]

Just an update on above. Trying to get the 10-3380 drawer trim pull from SO for 6 months through the dealer (they & Jonco themselves confirmed in stock at Jonco). No luck. Now they're claiming they're out of stock. Argh!

 

[voodoomotors]

i have a kr 537d and my small drawers are trimmed out! i just aquired a kr 547 3 drawer mid box and it has no trim so im looking to buy some!

 

[CGarage]

What happened to Margards? Website is down.
Are they still around?