Few things are more annoying than being broke down in the field and knowing you have the perfect tool to make the repair … back in your shop. That’s why so many farmers outfit their farm truck as a mobile shop.
An easy way to do so is with a well-stocked toolbox. If you’re in the market to upgrade or modify yours, here are some things to consider.
Portable toolboxes range from rusty three-draw Craftsman toolboxes that were inherited with the farm to high-tech systems of stackable, wheeled plastic totes. Portable toolboxes are convenient to carry to the worksite to save steps, and easy to switch back and forth between pickup and shop. Economical and effective, they range in cost from $50 to $150.
Road boxes are designed to be exposed to the weather and vibration inherent to traveling in a vehicle. The frames of conventional “shop boxes” often crack because of jolts and vibration when hauled in a truck, and the drawer slides fail due to moisture, dust and constant jostling. Most road boxes have a fold-down, lockable metal cover with weatherproof seals to keep out moisture. Frames are heavy-duty, often in the form of a protective cage around the perimeter of the box. Drawer slides and bearings are beefed up to endure rough duty. Prices range from $1,000 to $2,000.
Bolt-in toolboxes provide more storage space than portable boxes, don’t slide around in the bed of the truck, and are less apt to walk away when the truck is parked in a Walmart parking lot.
Basic bolt-in toolboxes lay across the bed behind the cab with lockable flip-up doors that provide access to sliding trays and drawers. $200 to $500.
Alternate bolt-in boxes attach to the inner sidewalls of pickup beds. Some install flush with the top of the pickup bed, with flip-up lids to provide access to their contents. Others sit on top of the side of the bed with outward-opening doors that provide easy access to tools. $500 to $1,500.
Other bolt-in designs create a false floor to the bed of a pickup truck, with drawers that slide out to the rear when the tailgate is dropped, providing tool storage while maintaining the carrying capacity of the bed. Prices range from $1,200 to $2,000.
Toolboxes patterned after the original “Montezuma” triangular toolbox provide storage for a tremendous number of hand tools in a very small footprint, and sell for $500 to $1000, depending on size. Handles on the side make it “portable” for two hefty men, but many Montezuma-style boxes are permanently bolted to beds of pickup or flatbed trucks.
More and more farmers are developing vehicles dedicated to servicing and repairing equipment. Options for farm service vehicles are as varied as the needs and preferences of their owners.
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