Adding Locking Storage under the Cargo Management System Cover, locking the top down

[bdewey]

Priors years I built a box with a drawer inside for the back of my CX-5. Works nice, I can lock camera gear, purses, laptop inside for just a bit extra security. While the box will fit in my new Bronco Sport, the floor is not flat so the drawer will not open.

What I would like to do is to find a way using the attachment points on the top of the Cargo Management system and the tie downs, to lock the lid so no one can get in, then just add a front and back piece and use all the area below for storage. Alternatively, I can just build box underneath, but still need to find a way to lock down the top.

Anyone done anything similar or have ideas to share?

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[Jmuns]

Do you have a pic of the current box you are using in the CX-5

 

[Quashish]

^ this

Not really understanding what you're going for here.

 

[bdewey]

^ this

Not really understanding what you're going for here.

Sorry for the late reply. A bit more background as to the "why" to start off. I am a wildlife photographer, and very often have a lot of camera gear with me and even though it is insured I don't want to be a target for opportunistic misbehavers. Unlike a car with a truck, we really have no good way in a SUV to actually have things locked away. And even a trunk, or a locking box, will only slow the truly determined down, but it will stop the smash and grab folks. So I have been building a box in the back of my SUV's for years, that would fit.

This is the box in my CX-5, it is 36" wide, by 24" with a drawer depth of 12". Works great, drawer slides out nicely. So, you might ask, why not just plop this into the back of the Bronco? Well, the first problem is the the floor is not completely flat to the bumper, there is a drop, so the drawer won't slide out. As this is 36" wide, I have more width inside the Bronco, 41", so I would like to make more use of the added space on the sides. Given that my Outer Banks has the Cargo Management package, seemed like a grand idea to use that as the top of my storage box.

So, today I started my fabrication. Made a panel for the front and the back, the Cargo Management top will be padlocked to these through the tie down slots.

Here is a picture of the beginnings of the process:

I had to trim the top corners on the end toward the tailgate to clear the Cargo Management Rails and on the end behind the seats, trimmed the top and bottom corners to fit around the trim. Tomorrow I will add side stabilizers to hold the front and back together and put in eye bolts for the padlocks, more pictures will follow.

I really like the was the front half of the Cargo tray folds, this will give me east access to the things I use most often, if I need full access I slide the tray off. My plan is to make the pieces easy to disconnect so I can store it all flat when not needed.

This has one very large advantage over the Box I have been using, I have access to the Spare Tire.

Oh, wait, I don't HAVE a spare, just the cheesy inflator. Note to self, find a better spart tire solution.l

Hope this helps explain better, was just wondering if anyone had done a mod like this. I did look into some of the locking drawer systems, but frankly, I am too dang cheap for those.

 

[Bill G]

The cargo management shelf??? may hide the stuff, but it will not stop even the terminally stupid thief from getting your stuff; semi-smart ones will even figure if that is up there mey be good “stuff” underneath.
Just a thought . . . it’s kinda’ like the old gag that you should store stuff in the ‘fridge as no burglar would ever look there.

 

[bdewey]

The cargo management shelf??? may hide the stuff, but it will not stop even the terminally stupid thief from getting your stuff; semi-smart ones will even figure if that is up there mey be good “stuff” underneath.
Just a thought . . . it’s kinda’ like the old gag that you should store stuff in the ‘fridge as no burglar would ever look there.

This is why I am working to make it Locking, not just a "lift up".

 

[bdewey]

Major bits in and done, some finish work to do yet, will take some effort for someone to make it through, won't be a quick smash and grab, the truly determined will also have enough tools or just steal the car LOL. Certainly as sturdy as most, and can't be removed with taking it apart, which means busting out the top first.

The first picture shows double sliding hasp padlocks, if the rattle and annoy me on the road, I will some felt pads to shut them up. The average thief doesn't like to take the time to use sledge hammers and such, this is not meant for doing crazy things like overnight storage, just during drive and walk about times.

The second picture shows it open, I use All Thread with couplers to stablizie the front and back, the couplers let me disassemble so I can take the pieces out for storage or if I want to use the entire back without the cargo table.

Things left to do are finish work, probably paint, building the flexible dividers, will make use of some from my current box, and fabricate more as needed. Securing the box to the tie downs for a bit more stability.

This is a lot easier to move around than the boxes I have built for past cars, and I feel just as safe for my purposes.

 

[bdewey]

One issue, dang locks rattle, need to add some padding on the eyes !

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