Im still flip flopping about tool box or hard cover. Right now leaning towards tool box... again. Dont want to cheap out. Shopping is down to Weatherguard or getting a Linex tool box while getting the bed done. The weatherguard reviews are stellar looking back a few years but Im seeing a lot of complainants on newer reviews. Crappy welds not enough welds. Hard time latching. Things you might expect on a 400 dollar or under box but not on a 7 to 8 hundred dollar box. The Linex is made in USA. Has a full lifetime warranty. But Im not seeing much in the way of actual reviews. It also seems like its 8 Cu ft. which seems smallish. I dont know if they have a bigger model.
So Im looking for reliable info on either Weatherguard or Linex. Or other opinions on a good box.
Or even an opinion leaning towards bed cover as well.

 

I have no specific experience with the linex box, but I will say this: Linex rebrands stuff. I’d expect their box is not their box, but rather somebody else’s with their logo stuck on it.

I have their “truck gear tonneau” - bought two of them at once. One came with their logo, and a other with the BakFlip f1 logo.

Happy with the cover by the way, but case in point they rebrand, without so much as a different “linex coating”.

 

Yes I have another thread from last year and I asked if anyone new who was making them for them. At the time I was thinking DeeZee. I like the cover you have. Its maybe 100 dollars more through Linex but then it comes with a lifetime warranty through an actual brick and mortar franchise 10 minutes from my house. Thats also why I would consider buying the box from them. Home Depot or Tractor supply are close and I could get a Weatherguard from either. 7 to 8 hundred. Whatever warranty. But I did read some bad reviews about the condition on delivery and then some bad reviews on Weatherguard. That would be a shame because they seem to be the standard. If they go cheap to compete with some of the crap out there they will lose their market.
Im not going to fill it with tools and beat it every day. It will mostly hold the hitch and straps and towing stuff that used to sit in a milk crate in the back of my reg cab truck with bed cover. Or maybe some luggage to be in the dry when I have people sitting in the back seats.

 

I've had Bakflips before and they were nice, but I got tired of having to fold it all the time, and it blocked the view of my bed from the camera. Also if its cold outside the rubber liner will freeze to the tailgate and its a pain in the rear to get it open. I put a Retrax Pro MX on my new 2020 and went with a toolbox inside the bed that fits under the cover. It's a lot more expensive, but as long as the Retrax holds up decent, I don't think I'll ever switch back. I love this cover and it is 100% waterproof so far. My Bakflip leaked like crazy after a couple of months.

I just use the box to hold some emergency tools/straps, towing gear, etc. Perfect set up for my needs.

 

Get both...

 

What do you need to use it for? What do you use the truck for. I’ve had both set ups on different trucks of with bed lengths 5.5’, 6.5’, 6.75’, and 8’.

 

I've always been a fan of the Pro-Tech Boxes They make a wide variety of both in-bed, crossover, and siderail boxes for pickups. They have countless other accessories for Semi Trucks as well.

 

I bought a job site Knapheide. Cut the legs off and few inches off the bottom. Fabricate a new pan and welded it in for the bottom. Removed steel hinge and welded s/steel piano hinge in. Sandblasted in and outside. Had Linex coated in and outside. Installed 1" black PVC on the bottom outside to lift off the bed. Through bolted to the bed. I think that's what you really need.......

 

There are different lines of Weathertech boxes. That might explain the differences you’re reading about.

 

Highway products make awesome tool boxes I've had one since 2005 the thing is Bulletproof give them a Google they're not cheap but definitely worth it they make all kinds now that would fit under a bed cover

 

Weatherguard all the way. Just stay away from the Defender series, those are the cheaper line. The standard boxes are still made well.

 

I’ve had a few Weatherguards over the years and they’ve all stood up to a lot of abuse. The new one I bought in 2018 is my first aluminum box. I thought it might be weaker than the steel but the lid gets stood on fairly regularly and is still flat as a pancake so I guess it’s good. I was also afraid the black box would get too hot in the sun but the textured finish isn’t ever too hot to touch. Very happy so far.

 

You could go with a 2-in-1 option:

https://www.truckcoversusa.com/american-work-cover/

Or, if you don't need as big of a box:

https://www.truckcoversusa.com/american-work-cover-jr/

The Jr is the one I wanted to put on this truck, but ultimately, the one I afforded was to do a BakFlip MX4 and their BakBox:




It works for my needs holding the tie downs, bungees, extension cord, bottle jack, can of garage door dry lube spray from the in-laws garage door company I use on the fiver's slides, my bumper pull hitch, etc... But I still really like those TC-USA covers, and will switch to one one day if ever come by some disposable cash (so like, never )

 

Friend of mine has a weatherguard box, the big crossover box i think they call it. He borrowed my gooseneck equipment trailer to haul his backhoe. Apparently he never latched the trailer down, and when he drove his backhoe on the trailer, the neck came up. Not knowing what else to do, he drove the backhoe back off the trailer, and the trailer slammed down onto the weatherguard box. In doing so, it crushed the sides of the bed so bad that they had to replace the entire bed, $8-10k if I remember correctly. The toolbox has a dent in the middle where the neck slammed down on it, but still operates, latches, & is waterproof like new. To say they are built tough is an understatement.