Custom Build Drawer System

HOW TO Interior Mods
1

Looking to build out a custom drawer system for my 22 Tundra 5.5’ bed with the V2 Max. I camp with my wife and 1.5yo daughter. We have a JetBoil Genesis and a powered portable 5gallon water tank (just a usb-c rechargeable head), so I don’t want a pull kitchen type thing. Mostly, I’d like to use the drawers for storage of kitchen/cooking, some things like lanterns, lights, outdoor stuff. I keep my bedding in the bulkhead, so no need to keep that. I was thinking of putting the fridge just on top (along with my Bluetti charger).

Here are a few questions I have:

  1. I want to keep my truck available to haul lumber/plywood (I do woodworking as a hobby), so I want everything level so I can still slide plywood sheets on and open the rear window/tailgate when I drive (with everything strapped down). Thinking 9" height for drawers (8’" drawer side height).

  2. Debating 2 drawers between the wheel wells, then custom cubbies on the edges to maximize space. Curious of others would suggest doing 1 drawer and having the other space open? I’d still do the edges so I could have storage & meet requirement 1 above.

  3. What are people’s thoughts of just putting the fridge on top of everything vs building in a slide?

  4. Would using 1/2" plywood for the floor be much better in terms of weight savings than doing 3/4"? I plan on 3/4" for the sides & top, 5/8" for the drawer boxes

  5. Does it make sense to do 60" drawer slides then in the very back of the bed leave some room to have accessible bins from the top (would be nice for running some electrical up to the MOLLE panel that has my Bluetti Charger and Garmin PowerSwitch.

  6. What do you all recommend using to attach the top to the frame? I was thinking of just pre-drilling holes and screwing into the plywood rails since I don’t anticipate taking it apart ever

  7. For the floor, given I can’t make it out of a single piece of plywood, should I join 2 pieces the long way or short way? Any issues people experience getting it put in the bed with the GFC on? Was thinking of using my Festool Domino to join the pieces.

I would love to see people’s builds if they’ve done similar things.

2

I’m running this camper system from Goose Gear: 16–23 Tacoma Ultra-Lite Explore Series for GFC 6' Bed | Goose Gear It’s rad. Fully understand designing it yourself…but…

3

Looks sweet, but $3300 for a passenger side package is steep. Also they don’t have it for the Tundra

4

I built mine out of 80/20 and scrap OSB I had. Rails from Amazon.Fridge is on top and not easy… but accessible from the rear or the side. height is critical to measure for side access as well as tour fridge style door opening . Slide would be a welcome upgrade IMO. I have it strapped to the bed tied downs which eliminates front to back and lateral movement but not vertical,. I can take it out pretty easy and use the full bed. It’s fine for off road trails I go on for hunting but I would want it secured to the bed floor if it was more for wheeling or like Baja. Had the battery behind the fridge but moved it to the Molle panel. Now behind the fridge is a hatch on a hinge. I can now access the drawer contents while inside with the tailgate closed. Have used this a few times to make coffee in the am when it’s snowing out and I am not ready to really go outside . Build thread is here and you can see how I evolved it. 2025 F150 build - #20 by toomanydogs

Only thing I would change is I would have made it narrower just to the fridge width to maximize bed space. OSB is crap would not recommend , but it was free.