Under belly storage

[bushido41]

Hello Everyone and Happy New Year,

I have read many posts on ideas for under belly storage, for example the outside drawers for ease of access. I have looked at the logistics of installing this type of drawers and thought about the problems that this configuration may have.For example dust and dirt getting into the slides. The issues of locking the slides to prevent the unsafe opening while driving and also the issue of keeping everything inside the drawers clean and dry.

I was looking at alternatives and found this type of storage container in the internet. They are easely found in the Mega box stores with a fairly affordable prices and I believe solve many of the issues I presented above.

The issue is how to install this type of storage container under the belly of the TTT or teardrop. I have come up with 3 possible installation configurations.
1. build a wood frame out of marine grade 1/2 inch plywood to store the containers with opening on both sides of the trailer for easy access of the items inside.
2. Build a frame out of angle metal material be steel or aluminum, the only drawback I see is the cost of the material and the issue of soldering the parts.
3. Another idea was to build a PVC frame out of 3/4 schedule 40 tubiing, this configuration will be lighter, inexpensive, and easely constructed with simple tools. The only question I have is how durable this setup might be.

Another advantage of this frame configuration is that we can make it a bit wider, and also store poles or long items in that box

I will appreciate any input or suggestions pro or against this type of setup.

Thank you,

Ed

[bobhenry]

BillyK and I have been brain storming this very idea. We have kinda settled onto a angle iron rack slung underneath with a massive drawer on rollers that runs side to side. This one drawer essentially makes it a half extention drawer to a central divider. I work next to a garage door and window shop. They are constantly tossing out used garage doors and hardware from the jobs they have replaced with new ones. I thing these rails rollers and roller mounts would make excellent no cost lower rails with the rollers and mounts attached to the drawer. By installing a lift up insert lid equiped with a cam lock and hinge each off of the center divider.A gasket under the lid should keep items protected. Locking could be as simple as a stealth pin, or a steel outer door with hasp and lock.

[Shadow Catcher]

This is a subject that I've been thinking about for some time and at this point don't have a clue whether we're actually going to need it. PVC does not have the kind of strength that I would want to keep something from falling off.
My current thinking however is that it needs to be made out of metal, and since our trailer is an aluminum frame hours would have to be made of aluminum. Since our trailer is going to be used in mild off-road situations it will have to be up inside of the frame rails and not projecting down below the frame, or not much.
There are a number of approaches to keeping something dry and dust free, either seal the whole thing up really well (very hard to do) though some military surplus airtight cases might work, put whatever it is that is going to be in the container inside a dry bag that will keep dust and moisture out, one of the vacuum bag thingies might work, or use it to store things that you don't really care how dusty or dirty or wet they get.
I have in my head a design that would be fairly easy to construct that will keep whatever container up inside the frame rails, but I'm still working on the catch/latch mechanism to keep it there. What I'm envisioning can be a purely bolt together arrangement.

[bushido41]

Hello Shadow and BobHenry,

THank you very much for your comments about this setup. What I am envisioning is a simple storage compartment to keep ropes, hoses and other material nned outside the TTT. As Shadow mentioned, I do not know if PVC will be strong enought to hold this container, remembeiring my container is the Sterilite one which is very light and the contents would not be more than 40 pounds. I remember seen a fellow here that builds bycicles out of PVC and other small trailers.

I am trying to keep this project simple, economical and lightweight.

I like the idea of the garage door opener rails and would be nice if I can incorporate that to the project.

Great keep the ideas coming.

Thank you,

[bobhenry]

Erv has storage drawers on his trailer and I loved the idea as soon as I saw them. Maybe he will chime in and give us his insight on how he did his.

I have this shot of his ......

[Mike-n-Britney]

You could use Aluminum angle stock...

[angib]

Just a thought:

Those sort of storage containers are sold here with clip-on lids - a different use would be to have two or three of them that travel on top of each other on the floor inside the trailer (needs a lift-back mattress). When you get to camp, pull them out through the door and stick them under the trailer.

Checking that the storage containers were narrower than the door before they were bought would be one of those real smart ideas....

[Mike-n-Britney]

Erv has storage drawers on his trailer and I loved the idea as soon as I saw them. Maybe he will chime in and give us his insight on how he did his.

I have this shot of his ......

Who's is this ^ ? It kinda looks like a Silver Shadow... ?

[kirkman]

For awning poles and my TV antenna mast I went with a 4 inch PVC pipe. You can see it here in these two pic's. I to am still trying to figure out what kind of drawer to make.

[bobhenry]

Are you missing these " 3/ "

I found them on the floor !

Looks like 3/4 pvc to me !

I little hint ..... 1/2" electro mechanical tubing (E.M.T.) will slide snuggly into 3/4 PVC to make a more ridged pole if needed. They will also telescope in and out to make them shorter for easy packing and transporting.

[ERV]

Those are my drawers that Bob showed you. I just made a box out of treated 1/2" and put the drawer in it. I did seal the edges of the box and painted them. I have one on each side. Just made the front of the drawer the front of the box. So when it is closed it seals the box and drawer. I just have two bolts on each side keeping them closed, with wing nuts. So far no water or dust in them. I have a few other pics in my album if ya want to see more. Just put them together in the drive one night out of scrap wood. The only thing I would do different is made them deeper. I kept them a little higher than my spare tire, but I could have drop them another 3-4 inches without worrying about them hitting anything. I have been watching them as we go to different places and I always have plenty of room.

[2bits]

I have always wanted to do this but have not as yet. I am using the plastic container now and just setting it down underneath. My idea for the slide would be to use something like RV or bus steps where they flip down and out. the seal would be on the top of the drawer which would seal against the bottom of the trailer so the box would not have a top that you had to open. Even thought about a lever inside the teardrop that slides up and down and operates the drawer.

[Shadow Catcher]

Thomas, your idea is similar to mine in that I do not want the bin/tub/what ever hanging down. My idea is to have four supports bolted to the frame laterals and attached to the hanging would be an angel frame on which the drawer would sit. Eight pieces of steel or aluminum, three of them angle these form the back and two sides of the drawer support with a piece of flat the width of the front underneath. The four hanging supports/swivels equal length rounded ends. could be done with 8 bolts and what ever catch mechanism.

[FIREBALL05]

Bump! Any new and exciting ideas on how to execute this?

[123jay]

Sterilite dose that break up when the sun hit it after awhile?