sbrimer
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Scott
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2019
- Threads
- 18
- Messages
- 185
- Reaction score
- 273
- Location
- Pensacola, FL
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023, 392 Rubicon XR
- Thread starter
- #1
As many of you know storage space in a JLU, or any Wrangler for that manner, is often times a challenge. There are several companies that have storage systems for the JL, but most seem overly expensive for my needs and not easily removable.
I have come up with a storage solution that fits me well and came at a reasonable cost. This storage solution may not fit everyone's need and may not be for everyone, but it is exactly what I was looking for.
While wandering through my local Home Depot, I came across the Milwaukee Tool Packout Storage System. The Packout System is easily removable, has many, many options, is a quality product and comes at a reasonable price. More details on this below.
I liked this Packout concept and wanted to integrate the system into my Wrangler. However, the rear floor of the JLU was not level enough and would not properly support the storage containers while off road.
The best "base" that I could find, and the most expensive part of this, was a mounting plate from American Adventure Labs. The price was $270 for bare metal and $310.00 for black powder coat. I chose the black powder coat.
https://americanadventurelab.com/product/jeep-jl-mass-storage-platform/
STOCK PHOTO FROM AAL
The AAL storage platform is a quality product and I can't say enough good things about the product. Installation of the platform was very easy and the instructions were fantastic.
I will not go into the details of the mounting of the platform.
Once I mounted the platform, I drove around to see how things sounded. Well, with the rear carpet and OEM "platform" removed, things sounded a lot different and not in a good way. The best way I can explain it......it sounded more like a cargo or panel van. There were NO rattles at all, but things sounded kind of "airy" and hollow.
My solution was to remove the platform and cover everything I could in sound deadening material. I used Killmat, but I'm sure any can be used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082Q2J2T4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Whatever product you choose, use a material roller tool or you will be disappointed.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0895PX52H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After support bar installation:
I even installed Killmat on the bottom side of the platform:
Platform installed with Killmat:
I did run into a challenge when mounting the Packout mounting base. AAL uses a type of widely used mounting locations on their platform and I was hoping that Packout used the same, but they do not match up. At least not in all locations and where I specifically wanted to mount the Packout mounting base.
AAL:
Packout:
When the mounting locations do match up, there is no real good way to securely mount the Packout to the AAL. AAL does in fact make a product to help with this called alignment inserts. It provides a center hole for you to use. I bought 4. They come in a pack of two for $10.00.
When you are ordered, you might also want to get a couple of anchors for the AAL platform. Single Stud Tie Down RIngs. They are $5.00 each and I bought 4 of them. They are from a company called Macs, and will be shipped separately and not from AAL. I checked with Macs and the price is the same.
For the mounting locations that did not line up I used a rivet nut which has internal threads and can be used for "blind" applications and getting into hard to reach areas. The AAL platform came in two pieces and my mounting plate was across a portion of both plates, so it was impossible to use a standard nut and bolt to secure the Packout plate.
As my luck usually goes, I loaned my rivet nut tool to someone who decided to forget that they had borrowed it, so I made a tool out of things I had.
Rivet nut installed into AAL platform. I had to use this method 4 times.
The Packout mounting base is designed with 12 locking channels to properly hold their products. Once locked in, the container is very secure and is very easily removed with one lever on the front of the container. I purchased several different Packout storage containers. The containers are also sealed against water intrusion.
Some of the smaller Packout containers are only half the size of the larger containers and only use 6 locking channels, which is only half of a mounting pate.
So I purchased and additional mounting plate and cut it down so it fits against the rear of the full mounting plate and took advantage of some unused space.
Unused space behind main plate and in front of the metal cover on the Rockford Fosgate sub:
Modified Packout plate:
Both plates nestled and mounted:
You may notice the plate sticks out past the rear of the plate. This was done by design to gain more space for smaller containers BEHIND the main plate. I have a solution for this below.
I wanted to finish the install with something that cleaned things up a bit. I went to my local automobile interior shop and showed them what I was doing. The then gave me a piece of material that is used in, panel and construction "vans" to quieten things down. I took the rubber like material and cut out and around the Packout plates. I also ran the material down and under the rear seat and had to cut out around the seat belt mounts. I also only cut holes into the material where I know i would be placing the mounting rings. This really cleaned things up a lot.
What I really like about this solution is that the containers can be removed when not needed. All of my camping and recovery tools are now easily kept in one place.
When the containers are not in my Jeep, I keep a Milwaukee Packout Crate in the main mounting plate.
Here are several pictures of the different crates that I have and how everything looks installed.
Compact Tool box with small organizer locked onto the top and locked into the small modified mounting plate. The small organizer is fantastic and has a clear lid, which I made into a First Aid Kit.
Added a Packout Crate. This is my daily set up that stays in the Jeep.
Here I have removed the crate and added a Large Tool Box and two more small organizers both with clear lids. I place dry food items and snacks in these when camping or going to the beach or on a day Jeep excursion. Clear lids make them easy to see whats inside. I call them, "Snackleboxes."
Depending on how high you stock the boxes, boxes can be opened while other boxes are attached to the lid. This is a feature I really like.
Here I have added the XL Tool box which holds a LOT of gear. This is all of my containers, excluding the Crate:
I also left enough space to mount a tailgate table:
With a 50QT ARB refrigerator:
Here are all of the Packout containers that I used:
Compact Tool Box:
Crate:
Large Tool Box:
XL Tool Box:
Organizers with clear lids (3):
All together I have about $850.00 in total cost. That price could be lower or higher depending on the number and type of Packout containers that you buy.
I have come up with a storage solution that fits me well and came at a reasonable cost. This storage solution may not fit everyone's need and may not be for everyone, but it is exactly what I was looking for.
While wandering through my local Home Depot, I came across the Milwaukee Tool Packout Storage System. The Packout System is easily removable, has many, many options, is a quality product and comes at a reasonable price. More details on this below.
I liked this Packout concept and wanted to integrate the system into my Wrangler. However, the rear floor of the JLU was not level enough and would not properly support the storage containers while off road.
The best "base" that I could find, and the most expensive part of this, was a mounting plate from American Adventure Labs. The price was $270 for bare metal and $310.00 for black powder coat. I chose the black powder coat.
https://americanadventurelab.com/product/jeep-jl-mass-storage-platform/
STOCK PHOTO FROM AAL
The AAL storage platform is a quality product and I can't say enough good things about the product. Installation of the platform was very easy and the instructions were fantastic.
I will not go into the details of the mounting of the platform.
Once I mounted the platform, I drove around to see how things sounded. Well, with the rear carpet and OEM "platform" removed, things sounded a lot different and not in a good way. The best way I can explain it......it sounded more like a cargo or panel van. There were NO rattles at all, but things sounded kind of "airy" and hollow.
My solution was to remove the platform and cover everything I could in sound deadening material. I used Killmat, but I'm sure any can be used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082Q2J2T4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Whatever product you choose, use a material roller tool or you will be disappointed.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0895PX52H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After support bar installation:
I even installed Killmat on the bottom side of the platform:
Platform installed with Killmat:
I did run into a challenge when mounting the Packout mounting base. AAL uses a type of widely used mounting locations on their platform and I was hoping that Packout used the same, but they do not match up. At least not in all locations and where I specifically wanted to mount the Packout mounting base.
AAL:
Packout:
When the mounting locations do match up, there is no real good way to securely mount the Packout to the AAL. AAL does in fact make a product to help with this called alignment inserts. It provides a center hole for you to use. I bought 4. They come in a pack of two for $10.00.
When you are ordered, you might also want to get a couple of anchors for the AAL platform. Single Stud Tie Down RIngs. They are $5.00 each and I bought 4 of them. They are from a company called Macs, and will be shipped separately and not from AAL. I checked with Macs and the price is the same.
For the mounting locations that did not line up I used a rivet nut which has internal threads and can be used for "blind" applications and getting into hard to reach areas. The AAL platform came in two pieces and my mounting plate was across a portion of both plates, so it was impossible to use a standard nut and bolt to secure the Packout plate.
As my luck usually goes, I loaned my rivet nut tool to someone who decided to forget that they had borrowed it, so I made a tool out of things I had.
Rivet nut installed into AAL platform. I had to use this method 4 times.
The Packout mounting base is designed with 12 locking channels to properly hold their products. Once locked in, the container is very secure and is very easily removed with one lever on the front of the container. I purchased several different Packout storage containers. The containers are also sealed against water intrusion.
Some of the smaller Packout containers are only half the size of the larger containers and only use 6 locking channels, which is only half of a mounting pate.
So I purchased and additional mounting plate and cut it down so it fits against the rear of the full mounting plate and took advantage of some unused space.
Unused space behind main plate and in front of the metal cover on the Rockford Fosgate sub:
Modified Packout plate:
Both plates nestled and mounted:
You may notice the plate sticks out past the rear of the plate. This was done by design to gain more space for smaller containers BEHIND the main plate. I have a solution for this below.
I wanted to finish the install with something that cleaned things up a bit. I went to my local automobile interior shop and showed them what I was doing. The then gave me a piece of material that is used in, panel and construction "vans" to quieten things down. I took the rubber like material and cut out and around the Packout plates. I also ran the material down and under the rear seat and had to cut out around the seat belt mounts. I also only cut holes into the material where I know i would be placing the mounting rings. This really cleaned things up a lot.
What I really like about this solution is that the containers can be removed when not needed. All of my camping and recovery tools are now easily kept in one place.
When the containers are not in my Jeep, I keep a Milwaukee Packout Crate in the main mounting plate.
Here are several pictures of the different crates that I have and how everything looks installed.
Compact Tool box with small organizer locked onto the top and locked into the small modified mounting plate. The small organizer is fantastic and has a clear lid, which I made into a First Aid Kit.
Added a Packout Crate. This is my daily set up that stays in the Jeep.
Here I have removed the crate and added a Large Tool Box and two more small organizers both with clear lids. I place dry food items and snacks in these when camping or going to the beach or on a day Jeep excursion. Clear lids make them easy to see whats inside. I call them, "Snackleboxes."
Depending on how high you stock the boxes, boxes can be opened while other boxes are attached to the lid. This is a feature I really like.
Here I have added the XL Tool box which holds a LOT of gear. This is all of my containers, excluding the Crate:
I also left enough space to mount a tailgate table:
With a 50QT ARB refrigerator:
Here are all of the Packout containers that I used:
Compact Tool Box:
Crate:
Large Tool Box:
XL Tool Box:
Organizers with clear lids (3):
All together I have about $850.00 in total cost. That price could be lower or higher depending on the number and type of Packout containers that you buy.
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