I lastly pulled the cause on a tuffy underseat lock box f150 mainly because, let's be honest, leaving expensive equipment sitting on the floorboards is simply wondering for trouble. When you've owned an F150 for more than per week, a person know that the space under the rear seats is a bit associated with a double-edged sword. On one hand, the flat weight floor is legendary—it's a primary reason Ford dominates the truck marketplace. However, it's generally a huge, open stage for anything a person want to depart in your taxi.
Whether or not it's a collection of expensive Wisconsin tools, a pill, or even simply some emergency gear, if it's sitting down under that chair, anyone peeking via your window can see it. I obtained fed up with that "should I bring this particular inside or risk it? " sense every time I left in the hardware shop or a trailhead. That's in which the Tuffy box is available in, and after living with this for a while, I've got a few thoughts on exactly why it's probably the best upgrade I've done to our interior up to now.
The Problem along with Open Storage
We've all been there. You toss your tow straps, a jump beginner, and maybe the few loose hammers under the back seat. Then you take a sharp turn and have to throw within the brakes since someone cut a person off, and abruptly your cab noises like a tool kit falling down a flight of stairs. Everything slides forward, hits the back associated with the front chairs, and ends upward in an unpleasant pile.
Beyond the clutter, there's the safety part of things. Many modern F150s have plenty of cup, which is great for visibility but terrible for personal privacy. If you're like me and a person use your truck with regard to work and have fun with, you've likely obtained a few thousand dollars' worth of stuff inside at any kind of given time. A plastic bin may hide your equipment, but it won't stop someone with the pry bar (or a heavy rock). I wanted something that actually felt like a secure, not just the Tupperware container regarding my truck.
Build Quality That Actually Feels Substantial
When the tuffy underseat lock box f150 came at my door, the first issue I discovered was the fat. This isn't a few flimsy sheet steel stamped out within a hurry. It's made from 16 gauge steel, and a person can feel it the moment a person attempt to lift the box out of the packaging. It's got an uneven powder-coat finish that matches the black interior of the particular Ford pretty nicely, and it seems like it could consider a serious conquering.
The fastening mechanism is really the star associated with the show here. It uses Tuffy's "Pry-Guard" system, which usually basically means the particular lock and the particular lid are developed to resist someone trying to jam a screwdriver in there and place it open. The 10-tumbler double-bitted essential is a lot safer than the particular generic keys you see on several cheaper storage boxes. It's the type of lock that will makes a pleasing "clunk" when you turn it, which is exactly what I would like when I'm locking up my possessions.
Installation: A Saturday Morning Task
I'm not really a professional mechanic by any stretch, but I can turn a wrench when I need to. One particular of the items that worried me about adding the permanent lock box was the idea of drilling openings into my truck's floor. Luckily, the tuffy underseat lock box f150 is designed to become a no-drill install. By using the current seat mounting bolts, which is a huge relief.
The process was pretty simple. You basically just release the bolts that will hold the back seat brackets towards the floor, slide the particular mounting brackets for your Tuffy box beneath, and then tighten everything back down. It took me probably 45 minutes, and many of that time was spent searching for the best socket size because I'd misplaced it (as usual).
Once it's attached in, that issue isn't going anywhere. It's solid. I tried creating a good shake once I was performed, and the whole vehicle moved before the particular box did. That's the kind associated with reassurance I had been looking for. In case a thief wants this box, they're going to have to rob the entire truck or bring a cold weather lance, and from that point, I've got bigger issues anyway.
Regular Use and Just how It Fits
One question I actually had purchasing was regardless of whether it will interfere along with the actual technique seats. The F150 rear seats are made to flip up plus down easily, and I didn't want to lose that efficiency. The Tuffy box fits perfectly in the footprint under the seat. When the particular seats are lower, you can barely even see the particular box is generally there. It doesn't stay out into the particular footwell, so our passengers still have got plenty of legroom.
When you flip the chairs up, the box is right there, simple to access. The lid has a gas strut (on most models) or a sturdy joint that keeps this open while you're digging around within. This is a small detail, nevertheless it's huge when you're trying to find a specific tool in the dark and don't want the cover slamming down on your fingers.
Inside, there's a ton of room. I've got mine packed with a full tool set, a first aid kit, a small compressor, and several tie-down straps, plus I still possess room to toss my laptop handbag in there basically need to run into an eating place. It's basically turned that wasted room into a high-security trunk.
Can it Rattle?
This was my biggest worry. I hate rattles. If I'm driving down a pea gravel road and there's a "clink-clink-clink" coming from the back, it runs me absolutely crazy. Steel boxes are notorious for being noisy if they aren't designed best.
In order to my surprise, the tuffy underseat lock box f150 is remarkably silent. The way it mounts to the particular seat brackets retains it from shifting, and the lid fits tightly enough that it doesn't bounce around. We did give a very little bit of adhesive foam liner in order to the bottom of the box—not since the box itself was noisy, but due to the fact I didn't need my tools clanging against the metal floor of the box. With this little addition, it's completely silent. You'd in no way know it had been back there.
Comparing It in order to the Competition
There are some other options out generally there, for sure. You can get the plastic receptacles from Ford or companies like WeatherTech or Husky. All those are great for organization, yet let's be real—they offer zero security. A determined thief can trim through plastic in about five seconds with the pocket knife.
Then right now there are other metallic boxes, but numerous of them need drilling or they will don't use the full width of the seat. What I like in regards to the Tuffy setup is that they've clearly completed their homework for the F150's geometry. Seems like an included portion of the truck rather than an halt. It's definitely even more expensive than a plastic bin, but when you consider the cost of the particular tools or electronics you're protecting, it's a pretty easy pill to consume.
Is This Worth the Money?
Look, I actually know spending several hundred bucks on a metal box might seem like a great deal for some people. But you need to look at it as insurance. If someone breaks your home window and grabs the $500 tablet or even a $300 drill down, you're already away more than the price of the box—plus you've got a damaged window to repair.
The particular tuffy underseat lock box f150 gives something that's difficult to put a price on: peace of mind. I actually no longer feel the need to do the "hide the particular valuables" dance every time I park your car. I know the gear is locked down, out of sight, and guaranteed to the body of the truck.
Last Thoughts
In the event that you're someone that really uses your F150 as a truck, you need a place to put your stuff. When you want that stuff to actually be there when you return to your own vehicle, you require a lock box. The Tuffy underseat option is rugged, well-engineered, and extremely simple to install.
It's one of those uncommon products that actually lives up in order to the hype. It's tough (hence the name, I guess), it's functional, and this doesn't ruin the interior aesthetics or even comfort from the truck. If you're tired of the mess and the continuous worry about security, honestly, just get one. Your own tools (and your sanity) will appreciate you. It's effortlessly one of the most practical enhancements any F150 proprietor can make, and I'm kicking myself personally for waiting as long as I did so to get this installed.