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Securing tools is a top priority among those who use their trucks to make a living, and that’s where truck bed toolboxes come in handy. Thanks to the ever-expanding market share of the pickup truck, toolbox manufacturers now provide a wide range of solutions to fit every storage need and bed size. Plastic Boxes For Drills
Toolbox offerings have expanded into new designs and materials, and can vary in shape and aesthetic from slim and sleek to chunky and utilitarian. Just like the proliferation of different sizes of trucks (compact, midsize and full-size), there are also now many different sizes. Like the truck market though, the big guys are the biggst sellers, and the classic 71-inch cross-bed toolbox remains the top seller among full-size pickup owners.
The five toolboxes selected here stand out for their innovative features. We surveyed real-world reviews and owner experiences to discover which truck toolboxes impressed buyers with ease of installation, build quality, item security, and cost effectiveness.
Match your car to your style with varied car accessories like seat covers, floor mats and more. Get competitive pricing from top brands here.
Best Truck Toolbox for Wet Storage
Best Truck Toolbox for Wet Storage
Camlocker S71RLMB Crossover Box
Insulated, weather-sealed and upholstered with a removable mold-resistant carpeted floor, Camlocker’s Crossover Box offers added security thanks to a heavy-duty locking mechanism. Top-mounted rails offer storage for wet items outside of the toolbox altogether, cleverly maximizing space when needed and enhancing rearward visibility when unladen. Matte or gloss black aluminum finishes are available; standard and deep sizes are available as well.
Weather Guard 114501 Cross Aluminum Tool Box
For those who need a large truck bed toolbox but only need access to a portion of the tools inside at any given time, the added versatility of a dual-lid toolbox is the way to go. Weather guard’s 15.3 cubic-foot toolbox is the standard 71.5-inch width, and fits full-size trucks. With dual gullwing-style lids that operate independently of one another, the box provides easy access from either side. The Weather Guard box includes a rotary latch for one touch opening, and lids prop themselves up automatically via dual gas struts. The box comes with a tamper-resistant retractable lock that Weather Guard calls EXTREME PROTECTION, to protect against break-ins.
Best Truck Wheel Well Toolbox
Best Truck Wheel Well Toolbox
Undercover SwingCase Truck Bed Storage Box
Smart storage is all about maximizing every nook and cranny. Waste no space with the Undercover SwingCase, custom-molded to fit the unused space between a truck’s rear wheel well and tailgate. Buyers cite ease of installation as the top selling point for this lockable and removable box; buyers do wish it had a drain plug and sturdier materials to hold up to heavy-duty use. Discreet and well-hidden, the SwingCase has a factory look that easily hides underneath a tonneau cover for extra security. Each box is sold as a single unit; driver side models include a “D” at the end of the model number, while passenger side models are indicated with a “P.”
UWS Under Tonneau Chest Box
For pickup drivers who use a tonneau cover to make their truck sleek and sporty and to make the entire bed secure, traditional truck bed toolboxes are not an option. UWS solves this problem with the 48-inch Under Tonneau Chest Box. Finished in matte black aluminum, the box has a low profile with an overall height of 16.5 inches so it fits easily under a hard tonneau cover. Cargo is secured under the company’s patented Rigid Core foam-filled lid, with dual Secure Lock rotary handles. The lid is on gas struts, and self-opens to a 90-degree angle for the most convenient access to the inside of the box.
Xtremepower 71-inch Slimline Aluminum Crossbed Tool Box
One of the most affordable crossbed 71-inch toolboxes on the market is from Xtremepower, their Slimline model. Finished in aluminum, the box is designed for universal fit in most mid- and full-size pickup trucks. The box has a low profile so it doesn’t obstruct rear visibility from the truck cab. The lid opens with two sturdy paddle latches, and lifts itself out of the way via gas shocks. Best of all, the price of the box undercuts the competition considerably.
Pickup trucks are versatile workhorses and great for hauling big bulky loads and supplies. But a big open bed isn’t a great place to store the small and medium-sized tools you might need for the jobsite. That’s where truck bed toolboxes and other storage solutions come in. Truck bed toolboxes are only a subset of these solutions, and we also have a separate story about additional types of storage systems you can buy, but for the purposes of this list we’ve stuck to traditional in-bed boxes.
There are many different types of truck bed toolboxes but there are common themes among them. It’s vital that they don’t rob too much space from the actual bed, they need to be durable enough to be out in the elements and secure enough to keep tools and other stored items safe. They have to be relatively easy to install but shouldn’t be easy to remove, they work best when you can easily organize the space within them and there are also stylistic and weight considerations for every user.
We evaluate all truck bed toolboxes based on these weighted metrics:
Truck tool box security comes down to two factors: the lock mechanism and the visibility of the box itself. Any lock can be broken with enough time and determination, though simple push-button locks are more susceptible to drilling than paddle latches or sophisticated cam locks. While a bright steel box might look like a shiny target to thieves, today’s crop of black toolboxes offer a more discreet look, and many can be mounted below the windshield or beneath a tonneau cover for added stealth boxes that fit beneath tonneau covers also offer a second layer of physical protection, as hard tonneau covers can themselves be locked.
Low-profile toolboxes have lids that only barely rise above the rear windshield line of sight, preserving rearward visibility. The drawback to this design is that it is necessary to reach deeper into the toolbox to access tools. Low-profile toolboxes are sleeker and complement the truck’s factory look, especially when finished in black and paired with a tinted rear windshield.
Almost every truck toolbox comes with a weather-resistant rubber gasket between the lid and the box to protect its contents from the elements. It’s important to consider the quality of construction, since a loose rubber gasket will allow water to drip into the box, and steel boxes may corrode over time. Regularly inspect the rubber gasket for cracks or tears. Many manufacturers will cover the gasket for the length of the warranty as long as damage hasn’t resulted from abuse.
To measure for a crossover toolbox, measure the distance from the outside of the left rail to the outside of the right rail to find the needed overall toolbox length. Then, measure from the top of the bed wall to the bottom of the bed to find the maximum toolbox length. Finally, measure the distance between the bed wall to the front of the wheel well to find the maximum toolbox depth that can be accommodated.
Newer trucks come with pre-drilled holes capped off by plugs that allow for easy installation of a truck toolbox without drilling. If your truck is not equipped with a factory bedliner, pad any surfaces between the toolbox and the truck bed with appropriate foam rubber padding. Each toolbox manufacturer should provide installation instructions or even videos for individual truck models, but in general, the bottom of the toolbox should align with the bed’s pre-drilled holes. Use J-hooks or heavy-duty stainless steel nuts and bolts to secure the box to the bed. At least four secure mounting points should be found; otherwise, it is necessary to drill additional mounting points. All hardware should be tightened securely, but not over-tightened to prevent damage.
Adam Barrera is a classically trained consumer journalist with a lifelong focus on cars. In 20 years of print, online and television journalism, engaging audiences through continued conversation on social media is his hallmark. Bylines at AutoTrader and professional roles at Mazda, Cadillac, Ford and Chrysler give Adam's audience an insider's edge.
Plastic Tool Carry Case Corey Lewis a journalist based in Cincinnati, with a lifelong interest in cars and all things automotive. His formative car experience was arranging Matchbox cars on the carpet in the 1980s, but more recently he's branched out into automotive journalism. He enjoys the historical aspects of cars and little details lost to time. You can find his historical content at "The Truth About Cars," and follow him on Twitter at @CoreyLewis86.