you never care about the spare til you need it.....hell i've gone wheeling and had guys on 33s have a flat and they have the stock like 215/75-15 and stock jack and tire iron to do it with make room for a full size spare (or at least a real tire) it'll be well worth it

 

I got a good deal on a locking heavy-duty ABS plastic box a few week ago off Craigs List - beautiful box with divided drawer! - but it turns out to be a few inches too deep. Have to push the rear seat forward in order for it to fit. Bummer. I'll be using it in my Durango.
So the wood box is something I plan to do in the spring for the back of the XJ. I'm tired of not having room to put stuff, or of having a clusterucfk back there. Cardboard template is good & I want to make it fit the contours of the trunk, with a drawer & opening on top. Should be interesting to watch this build. I can't do mine until the weather is warmer.

 

The other problem you will run into with MDF is that the corners are fragile. If you are using it for a toolbox/false floor the edges will get all banged up. That stuff is good for smaller indoor projects. Even a subbox that gets carpeted and covered is fine. Something with hinges, doors, or sliders will break apart

 

That is a good looking design. The best part about making a box yourself is you can totaly customize it for whatever you want!!!! A box for harcore wheeling is going to be much different than one for a grocery getter.

I just made one a few weeks back. It is much smaller than your design but it works really well for what I use it for

My XJ is a DD, gets mild wheeling, is the camping machine, takes the canoe to the lake, dogs to the park, kids to school, stomps in the snow . . . etc. so I needed to maximize space. With wheeling and towing I NEED a full size spare, and since my dogs jump up into the back it couldnt be too high. Also my dogs sleep in the back so carpet was necessary. My kids have also been known to rack out back there so removable is also necessary.



I will post a pic of of the inside later today after my kids go to school. I used 3/4 underlayment because I had a piece of 4x4 laying around from another project, hinges were free because my wife wanted nickle on the bathroom door rather than brass, and the carpet was $12 from the depot. The whole thing took about 3 hours. It would have been less but I had my 5 year old helping me.

I made it square because I wanted to stash stuff around it, it is hard to open with stuff on top. Tow straps go on one side, I have 2x4s in the little nook on the back.

Have fun with it. Great Project!

 

Very nice, I like it!

 

can fit a whole bunch of crap in there!!



Make sure you post pics of your finished floor

 

Oh I will and I love the tire iron/ lid stand ya got there lol. Yea and check out this sweet find I had today. It's a compact tool box my dad had buried, I'm pretty sure he has no idea it exists lol, so I was like, "this is mine!!!"

 

im looking forward to seeing what you come up with. cuz im planning on doing the same thing. i got some ideas. just wanna see more to make it better. good luck with the build

 

Just finished drawing mine up, either going to use 1x2s boards or 1" metal tubing, 1/2" mdf. Making it so I can bolt down my sub to it.

 

Thanks hitstick, I got all the pieces cut out today, and tomorrow is fitting and assembly. I'll post pics as I go too.

azj- I like the design ya got, especially where your sub bolts in, that's a good idea.

 

Here is the outline, that me and my friends cut just now, it fits and we r going to grab some burritos then come back and finish up

 

Currently in the back of my friends CRX...

 

Well keep us post on your build process. It will help others with ideas for mods of there own.

 

even if you dont wheel it much a full size spare is still a good idea. once those space savers warm up from driving the tire just wants to fold off the wheel on every little turn or bump. if you put it on the front itll probably bust a bead on one of your first couple turns, and if you put it in the rear be careful cuz theres probably also a little difference in size from your regular tires.. not a good thing on solid axles. id suggest stoppin by the llantera (mexican tire shop for those of you not in san diego lol) and picking up a used cheapie you could probably get one for less than 50 bucks if your worried about prices. but awesome thread, im thinkin of making one now... i love this site....

 

First pic is of the platform finished and fitted. And the second pic is of my friend holding the stand for the one side.