I just installed my new bestop flexatrunk so I thought I would post some info about install and my initial impressions of the product. By the way, I have an 09 JK x 2 door.

I purchased this product since I needed some kind of reasonably secure storage for a very long cross country/continent road trip I'm doing this summer. As many of you are probably thinking, yes the panels are plastic and someone could get into it if they really wanted to but it would take some effort that would be pretty noticeable as unlawful. What I am really trying to deter is someone reaching in and taking my stuff with little to no effort. having this storage that is out of sight and doesn't tempt someone and lockable (since you lock the tailgate), I decided to give this a try. I also liked the idea that it is adjustable to allow the seats in their normal position, folded up, or removed; each giving you more storage in the trunk respectively.

Installation was easy to very easy with good instructions. it took about 30-45 minutes with basic tools and I am very slow and deliberate with stuff like this so many of you could do it in under 30 minutes. There are 4 self-tapping screws that you drill in but they went in easily with a cordless drill and I didn't even bother with a pilot hole. Installation doesn't need more than 1 person.

So here's some pictures:

First I removed my seats. By the way, it's easy if you haven't done it. A little heavy/cumbersome for one person so best with 2.


Then you put the "box" together on the ground with 2 bolts at each corner and lift it into the back of the jeep.



The box is attached to the car with 4 self-tapping screws and one screw that goes into a "rivet nut" that you install in an existing hole below the rear rollbar.


Then you slide the panels in and you are done.


So here's some initial opinons on it.

The adjustability is very easy with just sliding the top panels in and out and the front panel being able to move back to accomodate the different seat configurations. I measured to confirm that the seat will fit between the panels.


One thing I was concerned with was the panels being able to have weight on top of them (specifically a second spare tire) and I'm mixed on this. They did add a metal bar in each top panel to give it some more resistance to flexing under weight (gives a higher section modulus to resist bending moment for you fellow engineers out there) but it's still not strong enough in my opinion to put a spare on top, especially larger tires like many of us have. Lighter gear would be fine though.


It doesn't inhibit the top folding down but the top does "pile up" on top of the trunk a little. Not a problem, just doesn't fall down into the opening and look as clean as it used to.


Most importantly, I am very happy with the size of the flexatrunk, especially in its largest configuration. Here's a couple pics with some real world objects to give you an idea of how big the flexatrunk is, the one is a shotgun with a 28" barrel that fits diagonally and the other is my very large hiking backpack.



So in summary, this appears to be a well made product that is easy to install and provides a lot of flexible and reasonably secure storage. Drawbacks are the cost, $400 dollars seems pretty steep for some plastic and metal panels. Also I wish the top panels were a little more rigid to allow heavier gear to be stacked/strapped on top.

Hopefully this was hopeful to someone out there and let me know if you have any questions.

 

Very nice.

But here are the pictures of the dead body?!

 

$400? eh.... pass. Looks like it should go deeper towards the front to, that is a lot of wasted space there.
I like this:
http://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-255-1...enclosure.aspx

 

I think they couldn't make it go all the way to the front since the side panels would then inhibit access to the rear seats. You would think they could figure out some kind of telescoping extension or something though that would extend to the back of the front seats and not block the rear seats?

That looks like a great product and I totally agree if it's going in a four door since the 4 door jeeps have so much room that you can have the metal trunk and keep the seats up. Unfortunately, my 2door has so little room behind the back seat that I would have to remove the back seats in order to install the tuffy. The only metal trunks for a 2 door either are tiny (only the area behind the rear seats) or so big (like that one) that you lose the use of the back seats. I know I know, if I really needed the back seats that bad then I should have bought a 4 door but I'm way too much of a newbie to start flinging mud by saying why I think the 2 door is bettter. . .at least for me . Basically, this is the best product, although it could certainly be better, for my situation.

If only bestop would make the plastic top panels a little more rigid or better yet make them out of steel. Maybe they are listening???

 

I'm thinking about picking one of these up. Does it look like there's any chance to have the rear seat still in the vehicle with the panels installed in their forward position? Based on your side-view picture, it looks like it would be close.

 

pup,
do you have a 2 door or 4 door? For a 2 door, here's the three configurations:

1- front panel all the way forward- maximum storage but requires seats completely removed

2-front panel in middle position- seats may be in but must be folded up

3-front panel in rear position- seats can be in and folded down so they are usable but you get very little storage, basically the room between the back of the seats and tailgate. The side panels remain in place so the seat goes between them.

The 4 door jeeps have more room behind the back seat so I you have more options but I'm not sure if you have to fold the seats for which configuration for a 4 door.

I will put the seats in later this week and post some more pictures so you everyone can see.

 

I have a 2 door. From the pictures, it looks like there's a slim chance that the rear seat could be folded with keeping the trunk all the way expanded, since the seat grabs only the front floor loop when its folded, iirc. Either way, I'd be interested to see what it looks like with the seat installed between the side panels. I wonder if they would make it akward for the rear seat passengers. It looks like it would suit my needs very well. Thanks for the write-up!

 

One of my biggest problems with this was the rubbing when removing the slide out top panels. It's a tight fit and it rubbed really badly against the rubber weatherstrip for the tailgate. If you're looking at the jeep from the rear, it's the upper left hand edge.

 

Haha! I have to park under a tree so I would be vacuuming every day since I basically leave the top down all the time unless rain is coming.

 

Good looks on that tuffy one... i have not seen this one before only the other one with the drawer which I am not too fond of seeing as I would need to pull the top off all the time since during the winter i go snowboarding and most of the time put the gear in the back... do you know if the part that sits up against the seats can be removed seperatly than the sides without having to remove the whole thing?