Homemade Rear Cargo Trunk for $48!!!!
JK Newbie
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Wentzville, MO
Trunk with Hard top and soft top
I am trying to figure out a way that I can keep this shelf in the jeep with the hard top or the soft top. Can I put a bracket in between the hard top and the tub of the jeep without causing problems? I am thinking of just using the three existing areas to put angle iron on and then run a brace the length of the tub front to back and three braces side to side. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
JK Super Freak
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 0
From: Long Island NY
I am trying to figure out a way that I can keep this shelf in the jeep with the hard top or the soft top. Can I put a bracket in between the hard top and the tub of the jeep without causing problems? I am thinking of just using the three existing areas to put angle iron on and then run a brace the length of the tub front to back and three braces side to side. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...ot-for-my-Rubi
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...-Cover-for-JKU
JK Newbie
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Wentzville, MO
Thank you for the links. I am more looking to so this with wood,primer, and then cover it with carpet. Neither of those links seem to detail the mounting process. I am going to give it a shot with angle iron.
JK Newbie
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: TN
Thanks for all the inspiration from those who posted up their solutions. I'll get some pictures uploaded in the next few days (raining here now), but I built mine this weekend.
One thing I found out that I didn't see posted in here: in my 2011 with the child seat LATCH system mounted to the back lower portion of the back seat, if those are tightly lashed to the front cargo loop, you can't gain access to the trunk through the back seat. This saved me a great deal of work building a front section of the security box. I found some cheap, lightweight cargo straps, cut them to about 18", clipped one end on the LATCH loop and the other on the front cargo hook, tied off the excess, and the back seats can't be folded.
From there, I just put in two cross-members between the rear seat and the roll bar, tied in two 1x3 supports from those into the indents where the soft top rear bar brackets attach, and covered it all with carpeted wood. It's not 100% thief-proof, but gives me a far better solution than I had before for under $75.
One thing I found out that I didn't see posted in here: in my 2011 with the child seat LATCH system mounted to the back lower portion of the back seat, if those are tightly lashed to the front cargo loop, you can't gain access to the trunk through the back seat. This saved me a great deal of work building a front section of the security box. I found some cheap, lightweight cargo straps, cut them to about 18", clipped one end on the LATCH loop and the other on the front cargo hook, tied off the excess, and the back seats can't be folded.
From there, I just put in two cross-members between the rear seat and the roll bar, tied in two 1x3 supports from those into the indents where the soft top rear bar brackets attach, and covered it all with carpeted wood. It's not 100% thief-proof, but gives me a far better solution than I had before for under $75.
JK Super Freak
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 0
From: Long Island NY
Thanks for all the inspiration from those who posted up their solutions. I'll get some pictures uploaded in the next few days (raining here now), but I built mine this weekend.
One thing I found out that I didn't see posted in here: in my 2011 with the child seat LATCH system mounted to the back lower portion of the back seat, if those are tightly lashed to the front cargo loop, you can't gain access to the trunk through the back seat. This saved me a great deal of work building a front section of the security box. I found some cheap, lightweight cargo straps, cut them to about 18", clipped one end on the LATCH loop and the other on the front cargo hook, tied off the excess, and the back seats can't be folded.
From there, I just put in two cross-members between the rear seat and the roll bar, tied in two 1x3 supports from those into the indents where the soft top rear bar brackets attach, and covered it all with carpeted wood. It's not 100% thief-proof, but gives me a far better solution than I had before for under $75.
One thing I found out that I didn't see posted in here: in my 2011 with the child seat LATCH system mounted to the back lower portion of the back seat, if those are tightly lashed to the front cargo loop, you can't gain access to the trunk through the back seat. This saved me a great deal of work building a front section of the security box. I found some cheap, lightweight cargo straps, cut them to about 18", clipped one end on the LATCH loop and the other on the front cargo hook, tied off the excess, and the back seats can't be folded.
From there, I just put in two cross-members between the rear seat and the roll bar, tied in two 1x3 supports from those into the indents where the soft top rear bar brackets attach, and covered it all with carpeted wood. It's not 100% thief-proof, but gives me a far better solution than I had before for under $75.
Still wrestling with how to do this... It would be helpful to see your pics if you can...
JK Newbie
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: TN
Here are three quick pictures of my final product. It's a little different than others I've seen on here for a few reasons:
- Wanted to be able to use my hard top or soft top with it, so kept the top surface inside the rails
- Needed to keep the storage area as open as possible - 2 hockey bag minimum
- Wanted folding top that I could leave open, so needed to keep that portion able to fit between the rear soft top support bars
- Didn't need to put heavy things on top of the shelf
- Easily removable if I wanted the space
In the end, I chose to use some 1x8 boards I had left over from another project.
For the wider front portion, I tied together two boards using 7 metal connecting plates. They're locked into place with gate latches I screwed into the ends and then extend between the rails and the carpet. I attached small padlocks to the latches to secure them. I was initially concerned they would rattle and bought some felt strips, but they don't seem to move while driving...or maybe my music is just too loud. I supported the weight of the front part with a simple vertical 1x3 under the center.
For the opening lid at the back, I found out the 1x3 fit precisely into the tab where the soft top rear window bar bracket goes. Once cut at an angle, carpeted, and fitted firmly in place, I screwed the 1x3 into the other part of the shelf. This gave me a nice support for the sides of my lid. It doesn't go all the way side-to-side in the back, but it's completely closed off with the subwoofer and trim from the other side. I trimmed down two more 1x8 boards to form the lid. They just fit between the soft top support bars when folding it up. With a piano hinge connecting them, the lid can fold completely forward on the longer section of the top to accomodate larger items. When folded down, I have latches on either side to secure the lid.
The last discovery I mentioned before. I was getting ready to fabricate something for the front side of the trunk, but then figured out that if the lower section of the seat can't move, you can't fold the seat forward. Therefore, I used small cargo straps to attach the LATCH hooks on both portions of the rear seat to the forward most cargo tie down points in the back. Between the security of the shelf and the straps on the LATCH system, it prevents access from the front. There are still the openings to the side of the seat where someone could stick a hand through, but with actual locks on my gate latches, I'm not too worried about that for now. I may integrate some side pieces with brackets tied into the 1x8 at some point.
If I ever need to remove it, it would take removing the 5 screws securing each 1x3 to the front portion of the shelf, folding the lid over, unlocking the gate latches, and pulling it out through the side. It should take under 5 minutes.
I'm sure if someone jumped up and down on the 1x8s, they could easily break them, but I wasn't going Ft Knox for the trunk...just a place to keep things out of sight and relatively secure from an opportunistic thief. I occasionally need to leave my work laptop bag in back, but it's mostly either the kids' sports equipment or some shopping bags. Hopefully this will be enough.
