It’s hard to organize items inside your truck. You might have bins for random stuff, and it’s a hassle to find what you need. A versatile storage system can be a long-term solution to keep all things neat and accessible.

Decked truck bed includes drawers with generous room for all your stuff. The company has many choices, and it’s up to you to find the best storage system for your truck. That’s not an easy task, but this guide will help. You will find factors on how to choose options that suit your preference. The article also discusses the installation process. If that sounds good, start reading to finally find that perfect storage solution!

What You Should Know About Truck Beds

.Before you proceed to choose a suitable system, you should know the brand’s main features. These will help you to understand the product better and find a suitable mode. Here is what you’ll get with Decked truck storage solutions. 

You Receive Four Items with the Product

Apart from the drawers, the manufacturer provides complementary accessories to start organizing your stuff. The set will include:

• Toolboxes. You’ll receive a big toolbox with a 50-pound payload and a small one that can hold 40lbs. They come in a desert tan color and fit neatly inside the truck bed.
• Drawerganizer. The company uses a specific name, but it’s actually a compartment for your drawer. It’s excellent to store small items, such as duct tape, bug spray, etc.
• Dividers. These will help to organize the storage space inside the drawers. You get two complimentary dividers. They allow you to adjust the compartment sizes to your need.

A Generous and Well-Distributed Weight Capacity

If you are a professional or passionate truck owner, you will store many items in the vehicle. That includes tools, firearms, stuff you might need for trips, etc. You want much space, but also room to hold heavy stuff. Decked truck storage solutions come with a 2,000-pound capacity. Each drawer can hold up to 200lbs, which means the distribution is equal.  You can put plywood, cement, and other heavy items. If you organize things well, the bed will even fit a refrigerator while leaving room for other stuff. Many customers find it hard to decide between the Decked Vs TruckVault storage solutions. If you need spacious compartments and large weight capacity,  these beds are a more suitable option.

It’s a Weatherproof System

You don’t want firearms or other important items to get wet. That could damage and deem them unusable. Decked ensured their drawers were weatherproof. It means you don’t have to be afraid of rains, no matter how heavy they get. 

This is a waterproof truck bed storage system. And even if a few drops or some dust go inside, there’s no risk of soaking your stuff. Unless you get the vehicle into a swamp, they’ll remain dry. This feature ensures that you can leave your truck outside instead of getting it into a covered area.

Other Major Features of Decked Storage Systems

It seems like the manufacturer took care of every detail. It doesn’t matter which truck bed you choose; you’ll get the following:

• Top-quality construction. The company uses high-density polyethylene. It resists extreme temperatures and sunlight. The subframe made from steel is of admirable strength. It’s worth noting that Decked picks recycled American steel and HDPE.
• Easy-to-roll wheels. The manufacturer uses urethane with sealed bearings.
• Ammo can storage. This secures additional storage options by the wheel-wells.
• Bottle opener and ruler. These are neat additions that you might find useful. They are both resistant to corrosion.

How to Choose the Specifics for Your Truck Bed

Customization is vital because the setup should fit your vehicle and needs. You want enough space for everything. It’s also necessary that the Decked truck bed storage system remains firmly in place. You don’t want it to make noise or unhook while driving. That’s why it’s crucial to pick the options that meet your needs, and here is how!

What’s Your Vehicle’s Make and Model?

Trucks have different measurements and characteristics. Even the same make and model can vary depending on the year when they made it. Fortunately, Decked offers extensive support for various vehicles. Here are the preferences to choose:

• Make. All the main brands are there. That includes Chevy, Ford, GMC, RAM, Nissan, etc.
• Model. It depends on the vehicle. However, you will find multiple models supported for every brand.
• Year. The time when they made the vehicle can affect the truck bed dimensions you need. Decked supports most models from the 1990s to today’s versions. That means you shouldn’t have problems accommodating the system to an older vehicle.

What’s the Ideal Size You Need?

Once you pick your truck’s model and edition, the manufacturer can recommend measurements. You’ll still have the choice of picking different bed lengths. The standard option is six feet and four inches long. That should give you plenty of space, but professionals might need extra room. If you feel that way, you can go for the eight-foot version. This gives even more options for storing your essentials and other items.

What Accessories to Include?

The manufacturer includes free items as a starting point from your storage. From there, you can take over by adding extra accessories. The options available include:

• Piecekeepers. These are a must if you want to keep weapons in the drawers. They will keep shotguns and rifles in place, which guarantees secure transport.
• D-Bag. This accessory of a creative name is a backpack for your tools and supplies. It features a military-grade shell to keep the items inside safe. The weather resistance is impressive, which makes this bag suitable for camping.
• Tool roll. Professional handymen will appreciate this weather-resistant storage. It can keep a bunch of tools while being a space saver with its rolling feature.
• Drawer locks. If you want to ensure no one gets close to your precious items, this is a must-have accessory.
• Drain plugs. If you keep the system outside, these will help to get rid of unnecessary water.

How to Install a Decked Truck Bed

You ordered the desired storage system, and it arrived quickly. The next step is installing it, and that will be a demanding process. It’ll take a couple of hours of your time, so ensure you have an afternoon free for the project.

The crucial note is that not all installations are identical. It will depend on your vehicle’s make and model. The setting up process for different truck beds might also vary. The guide below offers details on assembling and placing the truck bed for Dodge RAM 1500/2500/3500.

The general guidelines are identical for all vehicles. However, always consult the instruction manual you received, especially if you have a different truck. Here is the installation process overview!

What Tools Does the Project Require?

First, secure sufficient space to perform the setup. You need to move freely around the truck and have enough room to store all tools and parts. A spacious garage is a fine choice for the installation. Here is what you will use:

• Hex wrench. Most systems require 1/8” and 7/32” models, so make sure to have both.
• Sockets. You’ll need 3/8” and 7/16” for this project.
• ½ drill bit. The setup will include some drilling.
• Wire cutters. They can be convenient during the installation.

Open the boxes and check if all contents are there. The actual items depend on your product selection. The manual will contain a list of things in the packaging. If anything’s missing, don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer. Once you confirm everything’s there, it’s time to proceed!

1. Assembling Decks

You received two decks – one for the driver and the other for the passenger’s side. You’ll begin with assembling the first one by following these steps:

1. Grab the C-channel and position it on the inner ledges of the cab side and tailgate ammo can. Notice where the endplate is as it should go on the former section. Place the nylon washers on bolts and tighten a bit. It should be loose.
2. Position the side deck on top of the assembly and the center vert bosses.
3. Use bolts to connect the ammo cans to the deck.
4. It’s time to tighten everything. Only use power tools if you believe it’s necessary. Be careful because it’s easy to damage the components.

You can install the passenger side’s deck. The only difference is you don’t tighten these to the center vert for now. Once you assemble it, you’ll need some assistance. 

Ask someone for a pair of helping hands to lift both assemblies on the truck bed. After placing the passenger’s deck into the desired position, bolt it half to the center vert.

2. Assembling Drawers

You’ll find two brackets in each drawer – left and right. Find the bottom holes and use ¾” bolts to insert them into place. Proceed to the upper wall gap and use the 2” option for positioning it.

The next step involves placing a tube brace in every drawer. You’ll need a 7/32” hex wrench to attach wheels on the brackets. If you have any drain plugs, add them now.

Here is how to install a handle assembly for the drawers:

1. Check out the drawer’s bottom side. You’ll find cavities for the sprints. Insert them there, and please note that the arm should point inward. Red spring goes on the right side.
2. Find the outside drawer hole. Place the clevis pin from the outside and ensure it goes through the spring.
3. Check the handle ends and look for the Decked logo. It should be facing the outer side. Keep it that way and insert the ends behind the spring arms. Rotate the handle to the pins until the hole is in line with it. Now, push it through the handle hole. Do the same for the other side.
4. Place the hairpin through the clevis to finish.

3. Installing Drawers and the Bottle Opener

You begin by sliding wheels into center vert and C channels. Push it all the way until you close it. The tailgate wheels should go on the axles. Now, place the weather strips on the edge of the drawer from the back. The wiper should face the cab side. Its end should be in line with the drawer’s side and go on the top edge. It should press down on the strip as you move it along. Once you finish placing this part, grab wire cutters. Use them to trim any material outside the edge.

For the bottle opener, place the torsion brace below the center vert and the ammo cans in the back. You only need to loosely install the bolts with nylon washers. The bottle opener goes on the outer side of the torsion brace. Once you align it to the edges, tighten the bolts.

4. Installing J-Hooks

There are two different versions – for DR2 and DR4. This guide covers installing this on the DR2 truck bed storage system. Here is a short overview:

1. Check the ammo can on the tailgate passenger side. Find the central hole and insert J-hook there. Loop it through the mounting bracket or the tie-down. Use the provided nut-washer for screwing.
2. Find the cab side hole on the ammo can on the passenger side. Push the J-hook through the central hole, just like you did with the previous one.
3. Repeat the process for units on the driver’s side. You only need to tighten the bolts loosely for now.
4. It’s now time to tighten the J-hooks. The idea is to center the vert to the bed’s middle. The bolt protectors go on the hook’s ends. 
5. You can place the ruler by aligning its holes with deck inserts.
6. Add locks or core plugs, depending on the system.

Final Thoughts

A Decked truck bed is perfect for organizing all items inside your vehicle. You can place essentials and large items like tools, but also small stuff. That way, you can rest assured everything will be where you left it. There won’t be the annoyance of losing stuff and having problems finding them inside your vehicle.

The only thing to ensure is to find the most suitable storage system for your vehicle. Thanks to the variety of options and accessories, it will be easy to accommodate the solution to your taste. If that seems attractive, don’t hesitate to customize the storage and get your truck bed today!