Rear storage idea

If the lid could somehow go around the roll bars in the back corners this would be almost exactly what I've been looking for the past two years. Now you've given me an idea, thank you! :)

It kind of does.
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And it locks.
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That is the closest I've seen to the idea I've been kicking around over the years. I always picture the hatch/lid running the entire front to back and about as wide as the tailgate, going completely around the roll bars. Looking at your photos I think it would be doable. Definitely will look into it more between now and Spring and see what I can come up with. Thank you for sharing the photos, they give me hope and inspiration :)
 
eBay has some the Storage Vault from Smittybilt for about $200 that have some scratches/ dents. I picked one up for $150 on an offer that had a dent but once I covered it you can’t tell. I put felt lining inside it and hydro turf on the top.

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That is the closest I've seen to the idea I've been kicking around over the years. I always picture the hatch/lid running the entire front to back and about as wide as the tailgate, going completely around the roll bars. Looking at your photos I think it would be doable. Definitely will look into it more between now and Spring and see what I can come up with. Thank you for sharing the photos, they give me hope and inspiration :)
Glad I could help.
 
Making the best use of storage options behind jeep seats has been a conundrum since the days of flat fender CJ's. Shelves, hinged lids, drawers, slides, etc. have all been used, some commercially made but most home built.

The arrangement I currently use is pictured below. I have a hard top, which provides some level of security, but the same general idea would work with a soft tip.

With a soft top the Items under the shelf would be "relatively secure" when the tailgate is locked and "mostly secure" if the shelf were solid vs. square tubing. I've used drawers in the past but currently subscribe to simpler is better and use South African ammo boxes and zippered bags from Blue Ridge Overland Gear in lieu of fixed drawers.

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See: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/diy-interior-cargo-rack-for-lj.10707/
 
eBay has some the Storage Vault from Smittybilt for about $200 that have some scratches/ dents. I picked one up for $150 on an offer that had a dent but once I covered it you can’t tell. I put felt lining inside it and hydro turf on the top.

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You lucked out. I just went and checked and only found them as low as 362. Still to high for me. I did find one used one with a low bid at 75 dollars as of right now, but no shipping. I live on the west coast, they live in the east. Which I am finding a lot of. LOL Seems no one with Jeeps lives around me. LOL
 
You lucked out. I just went and checked and only found them as low as 362. Still to high for me. I did find one used one with a low bid at 75 dollars as of right now, but no shipping. I live on the west coast, they live in the east. Which I am finding a lot of. LOL Seems no one with Jeeps lives around me. LOL

It is very heavy and of course very large, so shipping will be very expensive. If you want one of these you may be better off buying new from a distributor that offers free shipping.
 
It is very heavy and of course very large, so shipping will be very expensive. If you want one of these you may be better off buying new from a distributor that offers free shipping.

Yah, I'll just make one. :D Just was hoping to find something cheap so I wouldn't have to make one. LOL Just need to go to the lumber yard and get the stuff to do it, and then wait for warmer weather so I can go to the garage and do it. Don't think I want to vacuum up saw dust in the house and that is the only place I want to be right now. LOL Guess I could go make my cuts in the garage and then bring it all in to put it together. :D I have an air compressor that I can run the hose in the house and air stapler. LOL
 
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eBay has some the Storage Vault from Smittybilt for about $200 that have some scratches/ dents. I picked one up for $150 on an offer that had a dent but once I covered it you can’t tell. I put felt lining inside it and hydro turf on the top.

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I would sure jump on that one for $150. Just checked eBay and not finding any scratch/dent deals.
 
I just got the top and being new to the whole zipper window thing I have been kind of afraid to unzip it and undo the bar. LOL So I have been loading things through the bottom. LOL I guess I need to get over the fear of messing something up. :D
Just so you know. Every time you open and close the rear window, you will be screwing it up. That may be what it is for, but that doesn't prevent how messed up it gets. Watch the corners when you toss it up on top. It can't be helped but they really don't like it.
 
My, what a kind and gracious thing to say. Not.

Where are the photos of your good looking, non-hacked trail box or storage drawer?

I'm sorry if I ruffled your feathers! By analogy - you can hold two items together with duct tape and bungee cords - and that solution is fine if it's "temporary" - or you can spend a few more $'s and a little more time and fasten the same two items with "proper" fasteners. Cinder blocks and 2X8's were fine bookcases when we were in college, so were milk crates...

My last three Wranglers all had the super nice Tuffy locking storage box that I installed - expensive? You bet; and it looked as close to "factory" IMHO as it could be. I feel the same way about the Smittybilt unit - good looking, functional, practical...

And Mssr. Roberts' obviously "homebuilt" unit prolly looks AS good as any homebuilt storage solution that *I* have seen in 63 years (and 39 vehicles owned). I mean, c'mon - when you take a commercial flight, to you carry your luggage in shopping bags, or do you "go the extra mile" and carry it in more "proper" conveyances?
 
I mean, c'mon - when you take a commercial flight, to you carry your luggage in shopping bags, or do you "go the extra mile" and carry it in more "proper" conveyances?


I guess it depends upon your comfort level, to each his/her own...
 
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I like the feeling of home built although my skills are not the best, the satisfaction of a DIY job is hard to beat....and hey if its my Jeep and Im happy with it then that's a win if you ask me.
Sometimes its just a factor of moola or how many Benjamin's you can shell out for the job in hand.
 
Benjamins! I KNOW that's not what they call them down there, even they are "dollars."
haha Yes but since many on here are from the US I felt I needed to use a local nickname.....not everyone knows what 'moola' is......down her we'd say..That would cost you some big 'pinga's' or big bickies.
 
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That is basically what I want. I will probably go buy some wood soon and try my hand at drawer sliders.

Thinking about doing this myself. Maybe using FRP or HDPE (fiberglass reinforced plywood or plastic).

I have a 75 lb border collie/St Bernard that goes with me every where. So building up the middle of the floorspace isn't going to work very well. I'm thinking about building up the sides a bit. Definitely less storage space, but hopefully enough for tools, jump box, etc.
 
I have a pair of these "Pelican-like" boxes that I use in a few Jeeps and my off road trailer. They are shown here in my 2 dr. XJ. They are a perfect fit (width & depth) in my LJ. I will be building a shelf to go over them. They have built in wheels on the "far" end so they roll out very easily.

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I have a pair of these "Pelican-like" boxes that I use in a few Jeeps and my off road trailer. They are shown here in my 2 dr. XJ. They are a perfect fit (width & depth) in my LJ. I will be building a shelf to go over them. They have built in wheels on the "far" end so they roll out very easily.

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these are great, you know the brand? Pelican knock offs?