PACKOUT truck setup: bed, cab and van layouts that work

Short answer: keep valuables and weather-sensitive tools in the cab or a locked interior, put the rolling stack in the bed or on the cargo floor, mount plates or rails to solid structure, and strap anything that is not latched down. Then lock it to the vehicle, not just to itself, and record what is in it.

A truck setup has three jobs: carry the kit, protect it from weather, and make it harder to steal. Most setups get the first one right and forget the other two. Here is how to plan all three before you drill a single hole.

This guide uses Milwaukee® PACKOUT™ pieces as the example, because that is what most people search for. The same planning works for any modular system.

Decide what rides

Before you buy plates, decide what actually lives in the vehicle.

• Rides every day: what you use on most jobs. It gets permanent space.
• Rides when needed: job-specific kits. Keep them stacked and ready at the shop, and load them the morning you need them.
• Never rides: spare stock, rarely used tools, anything you would cry over if the truck got hit overnight.

Less gear in the truck means a lighter load, a faster load-out, and less to lose.

Bed vs cab vs van

Pick a zone for every piece before you buy anything to hold it.

Mounting plates and rails

Mounting plates let a modular box latch to a fixed surface, so it cannot slide. Rails let you hang shelves and change the layout later.

Two examples from Milwaukee’s current line:

• PACKOUT Mounting Plate (48-22-8485). Milwaukee lists it for wall and floor mounting to most surfaces, with 16 in hole spacing for studs, metal-reinforced mounting holes and tie-down points. It lists a 100 lb capacity floor-mounted and 50 lb wall-mounted. The product page does not mention vehicles.
• PACKOUT Shelf for E-Track and E-Track Kit (48-22-8480). Milwaukee lists it for mounting to surfaces including vans, trucks and trailers. The kit includes two shelves and two 20 in E-Track sections, rated 50 lb per shelf.

Before you drill:

1. Read the installation guide for the plate or rail.
2. Check what is behind the panel. Truck beds and van walls hide fuel lines, brake lines, wiring and fuel tanks. Look underneath before you drill through anything.
3. Check your vehicle maker’s guidance on drilling the bed or body, and what it does to warranty and rust protection.
4. Fasten to structure, not to thin trim. A plate is only as strong as what it is bolted to.
5. Seal every hole you make in the bed.

If you are not sure, a commercial upfitter does this every day. That is cheaper than a hole in a fuel line.

Keep it from moving

A latched box on a fixed plate stays put. Everything else needs help.

• Strap the stack. Run a ratchet strap or cam strap around the rolling stack to anchor points in the bed. Do not trust the box latches alone to hold a tall stack in a hard stop.
• Block the base. A rolling box can roll. Chock it, strap it, or set it against the front of the bed.
• Keep the stack short. A tall stack has more leverage in a turn. Two or three pieces on a base rides better than five.
• Heavy goes low and forward. Weight near the cab is more stable than weight hanging off the tailgate.
• Nothing loose in the cab. A meter case under braking is a brick.

Check your load-securement rules if you drive for work. Commercial vehicles can have specific requirements. Ask your employer or fleet manager.

Weather

Many PACKOUT boxes list an IP65 weather seal. Milwaukee’s page for the Rolling Tool Box (48-22-8426) is one example.IP65 is a dust and water resistance rating. It helps in rain. It is not a promise for a box standing in a flooded bed.

• Keep the bed drain holes clear.
• If water pools, set boxes on a mat or rack so they sit above it.
• Keep batteries, chargers and electronics out of summer heat in a closed bed. Check the tool maker’s storage temperature guidance.
• Dry tools before they go back in a sealed box. A seal keeps water in as well as out.

Theft deterrence

An open bed full of red boxes is an advertisement. You cannot make a truck theft-proof. You can make it slower, louder and less tempting than the next one.

• Hide it. A locked bed cover or cap is the single biggest step. Out of sight beats any lock.
• Lock it to the truck. Box latches lock boxes to each other, not to the vehicle. Run a cable or chain through locking points to a fixed anchor so the whole stack cannot be lifted out in one go. Milwaukee lists a metal-reinforced locking point on the Rolling Tool Box.
• Padlock the drawers. Milwaukee lists a padlockable locking bar on the PACKOUT 3-Drawer Tool Box.
• Take valuables in at night. Meters, lasers and batteries go in the house or shop.
• Park smart. Lit areas, a camera if you have one, tailgate against a wall.
• Mark your tools and record serial numbers. It will not stop a theft, but it helps police tie recovered tools back to you.

If it does happen, our guide on what to do when tools are stolen from your truck walks through the first hour.

Record the setup

Once the truck is set up, take five minutes:

1. Photograph the bed or cargo area from each side.
2. Photograph each box and drawer open.
3. Record the brand, model and serial number of every tool and battery.
4. Store the record somewhere off the truck.

The tool theft inventory guide lists every field worth recording.

Plan the stack

Not sure what pieces belong on the rolling base? Look at the example stacks. They are sample layouts we built to show the idea, not users’ trucks. The sample service van stack is a good start for a van. For sizes and weights of each piece, check the PACKOUT storage catalog, and lay out each drawer with our PACKOUT drawer organization guide.

Questions