Toolbox recommendations

[rustydailey]

I'm looking for suggestions for a toolbox for a service truck. It will have to fit in a pickup with camper and rat pak and a van with the same. I was looking at the Road boxes by Snapon but they are too tall when opened. Then I found the dog boxes that they carry. The KRDB265 is the one I'm considering. Has anyone had any experience with these? I don't have a lot of tools, I currently use a Husky toolbag and a plastic tote for everything else. I work in the oilfield so it has to be sturdy.

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[Sco Deac]

Moving a box like that back and forth between two vehicles will get old quickly. I’d keep it smaller and more portable.

 

[rustydailey]

I'll have a forklift. I work 14 x 7, and swap days and nights. Each shift has to use a different vehicle.

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[crewchief888]

the problem with any box used in a "service truck" is the constant banging and bouncing.
the frame will "rack" and eventually crack in the corners.

only way to keep it from moving is to have it secured...


ive eventually destroyed every box ive ever put in a truck....

ive been a field mechanic at const eq dealers for over 20 of the 30+ years ive been wrenching.

no way i'd ever buy another SO box and subject it to service truck use....

most of our guys use CM or masterforce boxes.

 

[derosa]

Drop the cost of a box like that into a second set of tools and stop moving them? Unless others use the truck and theft is an issue.

 

[rustydailey]

That's the problem, I have to change vehicles. I have it for two weeks then clean it out and someone else takes it while I'm on days off then come back to the other vehicle.

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[WittHay]

That box is a KRA2055 which weighs 90 lbs. I have seen them in service trucks before. The standard 12" deep 6 drawer top chests weigh around 50 lbs.

I would just split up the tools using 3-drawer portable tool boxes. cantilever boxes or an old school type with the side handles like a Snap-on KRA21

Its one thing putting a nice box in the back of a pickup, for a one time job on paved roads. Totally different if your bouncing on rough roads every day. The other option is those slant type Montezuma boxes, good for basic tools and they can take a beating.

 

[crewchief888]

That box is a KRA2055 which weighs 90 lbs. I have seen them in service trucks before. The standard 12" deep 6 drawer top chests weigh around 50 lbs.

I would just split up the tools using 3-drawer portable tool boxes. cantilever boxes or an old school type with the side handles like a Snap-on KRA21

Its one thing putting a nice box in the back of a pickup, for a one time job on paved roads. Totally different if your bouncing on rough roads every day. The other option is those slant type Montezuma boxes, good for basic tools and they can take a beating.

yea, if i had to constantly change vehicles, and unload stuff, i'd keep it as portable as possible, forklift or not....

i moved my tools into my current service truck in dec '14. they wont get moved again until the truck is retired....

 

[jhn9840]

Is the white slant top box a Montezuma? Never saw one that color. Looks real nice.

jhn9840
John

 

[WittHay]

^ Montezuma made white boxes for a few years, I believe they are discontinued now.

 

[Mr_B]

If will work for you then the montezuma portable box is superb option around the 350-500 bucks range. Had a couple of the tread plate aluminium ones in use and impressed. Biggest one they do is steel only which shame, steel ones are 16ga and all seem welds, they last real well as no drawers and simple solid construction .

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

The only service truck box I have ever seen stand up to the bouncing around construction sites and bad roads is one particular service body company (though I forget the brand) builds in drawers that a are super heavy - like slides twice a beefy as SO's best type and the drawers are something like 7GA sheet metal....other than that, the next best thing has been solid mounted boxes and even they don't last.....I'm only going mobile for emergencies, so I just bag up tools in tool bags for the job at hand.

 

[crewchief888]

The only service truck box I have ever seen stand up to the bouncing around construction sites and bad roads is one particular service body company (though I forget the brand) builds in drawers that a are super heavy - like slides twice a beefy as SO's best type and the drawers are something like 7GA sheet metal....other than that, the next best thing has been solid mounted boxes and even they don't last.....I'm only going mobile for emergencies, so I just bag up tools in tool bags for the job at hand.

ive seen "factory" drawer setup in several different service body brands, knaphied (sp?) has a great setup for the KUV bodies.

unfortunately a lot of companies (especially the one i work for) dont want to "pay the price"

i saw one setup that had drawers that extended out 3-4 feet. the inner part of the service body was open in that compartment, you did loose storage in the very front of the body, but it would be worth it.

 

[Al Borland]

For what you describe, Montezuma is probably your best bet. No moving parts, nothing to wear out (except lid). They hold a decent amount. Or get a few rally boxes and replace as they die. Regular shop boxes are not meant for this and the constant shaking is hell on them. you could also get a small gang box and organize your tools in bags/small boxes/plastic cases in that. I had friends who used to go to the little oil/gas sites along the NY/PA border area (unpaved, up-the-mountain, down-the-mountain) and the gang box was common.

 

[kythri]

^ Montezuma made white boxes for a few years, I believe they are discontinued now.

A quick Google search shows at least a couple vendors still offering white Montezuma boxes.

 

[crewchief888]

just to throw this out there, this is whats left of a (late 90's) CM top box thats seen heavy service truck use since '04...


you may notice the bottom drawer is missing due to the lower part of the box being completely broken and separated from the upper part of the box..

some square tubing and angle iron sorta "fixed" it