Before making a purchase, it’s important to know what types of truck tool boxes exist and what their advantages are.
Keep reading to learn more about the different alternatives you will find on the market today, how to choose the ideal option, and what other truck storage solutions are worth considering.
What is a Truck Tool Box?
A truck tool box is a storage container designed specifically for trucks, providing a secure and organized space to store tools and equipment. Truck tool boxes are usually mounted on the bed of the trucks for easy access.
Types of Tool Boxes for Trucks
These are some of the most common types of tool boxes available in the market.
Cross Boxes, Crossover Tool Boxes, Saddle Tool Boxes
Cross boxes, crossover, or saddle tool boxes are one of the most prevalent types of truck tool boxes. They can typically be installed effortlessly and are positioned behind the truck’s cab or attached to the sides of the bed. This design keeps clear rear visibility while providing convenient storage space for tools and equipment.
Side Boxes / Side Mount Tool Boxes
Positioned along the side rails on both sides of the truck bed, these boxes provide easy access to tools and equipment without the need to enter the truck bed, making them especially convenient for individuals who spend much of their working day outside their trucks.
These truck tool boxes are ideal for storing large tools or large equipment and work especially well when combined with a cross box.
At Adrian Steel, we offer high-quality pickup truck tool boxes, including cross boxes and side boxes made of aluminum and packed with convenient features.
Topside Tool Boxes
Topside tool boxes closely resemble side boxes but differ in their placement. Unlike side boxes, topside tool boxes sit on top of the bed rails, leaving the truck bed unobstructed for additional cargo. In summary, they offer a similar solution for convenient tool storage while maximizing the available space in the truck bed.
Truck Caps with Integrated Tool Boxes
Truck caps protect cargo in the truck bed area and often come with integrated tool boxes. Like the topside tool boxes, truck cap tool boxes allow for additional cargo or storage options in the truck bed. We offer a convenient truck cap with an integrated toolbox to make it as easy as possible to get to your tools.
Wheel Well Tool Boxes
Wheel well tool boxes are designed to mount between the wheel well and the tailgate of a truck. This strategic placement utilizes space that might otherwise remain unused. These tool boxes are particularly well-suited for storing small tools, providing a practical solution for efficient storage without sacrificing valuable cargo space in the truck bed.
Storage Drawers / Bed Organizers
Storage drawers or bed organizers are large drawer units specifically designed to fit the entire bed of a truck. Each unit typically consists of two large slide-out drawers. One advantage of these types of truck bed tool boxes is that they maintain available space on top of the drawers, allowing for the storage of larger items or even additional tool boxes.
The best way to keep your bed organizers handy is to equip them on Adrian Steel’s Extendobed slideout platform. This unique system gives you effortless access even to the deepest storage drawers in your truck bed by letting you slide them out. No more crawling around to find what you need!
Chest Tool Boxes
Chest tool boxes are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Essentially, they are tool boxes designed to fit wherever there is available space, with size being the most important factor to consider.
Trailer / Tongue Tool Boxes
Trailer or tongue tool boxes are specifically shaped to be mounted onto the A-frame or straight tongue of trailers. These types of truck tool boxes are designed to efficiently utilize space that would otherwise be unused, maximizing storage capacity.
5th Wheel Tool Boxes
5th wheel tool boxes are designed to be installed on the truck bed, offering enough space for a 5th wheel hitch and trailer.
These boxes are usually mounted on the rear or front of the truck bed and are usually lower than the truck cab, so they offer great visibility. In other words, if you need to tow a trailer with a 5th wheel connection, this is the right tool box for you.
Underbed / Underbody Tool Boxes
Underbed or underbody tool boxes are perfect for work trucks and trailers. They are usually mounted underneath the truck bed and typically consist of one or two cabinets per unit, the number depending on the box’s length. They are also available in various sizes and finishes.
Foot Locker Tool Boxes
Foot locker tool boxes are excellent for organizing tools and small items. They are designed with convenient carrying handles, so they are portable and easy to transport. These tool boxes are usually mounted on the front of flatbed trailers.
Transfer Tank Tool Box Combo
Transfer tank tool boxes are ideal for users seeking both extra fuel capacity and additional storage. These boxes integrate a transfer tank for diesel or other non-flammable fluids with a chest box. They usually come with locking mechanisms for enhanced security.
Small Tool Boxes
Small tool boxes are compact versions of chest tool boxes, and even smaller than foot locker tool boxes. They are ideal for securing small items and possess similar features to larger tool boxes. Some include a top handle for portability, offering a practical solution for organizing and transporting a limited set of tools.
Portable Parts Cases
When you need a variety of small parts to come with you to the jobsite, a portable parts case can be the best solution out there. In addition to helping you organize your truck interior, these truck toolboxes are designed to be handheld and come with you onto your jobsite. They even come with dividers to let you configure the interior of the case for exactly what you need.
Benefits of Truck Tool Boxes
Logically, the most important benefit that all of these types of tool boxes for trucks offer is improved organization. However, how true is this and what other benefits can they offer?
- Improved organization. The most obvious and important benefit that truck tool boxes can offer is improved organization by providing a compartment for keeping your tools and equipment accessible in one place.
- Improved safety. By keeping all your tools and equipment organized in a tool box, you can reduce the risk of road accidents due to loose equipment.
- Keep your tools protected. High quality tool boxes protect tools and equipment from dirt and water damage, which can preserve and maximize their lifespan, helping you save money on new tools. As a bonus, they enhance the security of your tools to reduce the risk of theft.
- Professional image. A work truck equipped with high-quality tool boxes is not only functional but also looks good and communicates a professional image to potential customers.
How to Choose the Right Truck Tool Box?
Choosing among all these types of tool boxes for trucks is not easy as each model provides unique benefits and features. Here are some factors to consider.
Material
Truck tool boxes often come in a wide variety of materials, and the material choice will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Aluminum tool boxes are robust, offer rust resistance, and have a non-slip surface. Aluminum is probably the most common material due to its higher strength-to-weight ratio.
At Adrian Steel we prefer to fabricate our tool boxes using aluminum, allowing us to provide our customers with solutions featuring superior strength and durability at a reasonable cost.
Another material would be steel, though less common, is more dent-resistant, and tool boxes made with this material are typically powder-coated to prevent rust. However, they are heavier, potentially impacting gas mileage.
Stainless steel, a premium option, is stronger and less prone to rust than steel, offering durability and longevity. The downside is that stainless steel tool boxes are usually more expensive than aluminum tool boxes.
Finally, plastic tool boxes are cheap and lightweight but less durable, potentially requiring more frequent replacements.
Dimensions
Evaluating the dimensions of the tool box before purchasing it ensures that it will fit properly in the space available in the truck bed.
At Adrian Steel we provide extensive documentation for each of our tool boxes, so you can make sure that they will fit in your truck properly.
Weather Resistance
Some tool boxes are resistant to environmental conditions, therefore, water and dirt won’t enter the container and damage your tools, equipment, or consumables. If you plan to have your tool box exposed to the elements, this is a critical factor to consider.
Adrian Steel’s tool boxes come with a reinforced “U”-channel edge that adds structural strength and keeps water and dirt out while keeping your tools in good condition, no matter the weather.
Installation
If you are an electrician or plumber, chances are you spend most of your day working, and if not, relaxing at home with your family, so you almost certainly don’t want to spend much of your day or weekend installing tool boxes on your truck.
Therefore, choosing a tool box that is easy to install is important to save valuable time that you could be using to make more money or relax at home.
Our tool boxes are designed to be mounted using no-drill brackets, so they are extremely easy to install and protect your truck from premature corrosion at the connection points.
Security
Not all types of truck bed tool boxes are lockable, so if your tool boxes are exposed, you really need to consider how secure they are before purchasing.
Adrian Steel’s tool boxes are lockable and they come equipped with a convenient push button design for quicker and easier access.
Other Truck Storage Options
If you are considering buying tool boxes for your truck, then you may be having trouble keeping your tools and equipment organized.
In addition to the types of tool boxes mentioned above, there are also other types of solutions to improve work truck organization.
At Adrian Steel we are dedicated to offering several types of work truck storage solutions, which include:
Ladder Racks – Offer quick and easy access to your ladders and help save valuable space in the truck bed.
Shelving – An alternative to truck tool boxes, our shelving units keep your tools and equipment organized in the back of your truck.
Cargo Accessories – We offer a variety of storage accessories that allow you to create a designated space for each type of tool or consumable in your truck. These accessories work better when combined with our shelving units.
Storage Packages – In addition to all the storage solutions mentioned above, we also offer specialized packages that have been designed to meet the specific storage needs of professionals such as plumbers, electricians, and more.
Choose Adrian Steel Tool Boxes Today
Tool boxes help improve work truck organization by keeping equipment organized and accessible. Additionally, there are many types of truck tool boxes, each with its own advantages.
When purchasing a tool box, having the help of an expert can be extremely valuable to make the right decision.
Adrian Steel is a truck storage solutions provider with decades of experience helping businesses and individuals across the country.
We are proud to offer our customers the highest quality pickup truck tool boxes on the market that are not only durable but also offer convenient features to improve the productivity of professionals in all types of industries.
Contact your local Adrian Steel distributor today so we can help you find your ideal storage solution.
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