CRAFTSMAN TRUCK TOOL BOX UNITS & HOW THEY’RE STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
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At DECKED, we have a deep respect for history and the pioneers that made great strides in this industry. Craftsman is a trusted brand. Your parents and grandparents probably had Craftsman tools, so there's a good chance you grew up with these trusty tools in your house. They debuted in 1927, and their products were always good quality products. Back in the day, Craftsman truck tool boxes were all made in the U.S.
For decades, Craftsman was the tool brand for Sears, synonymous with American-made quality. A Sears Craftsman truck tool box rightfully earned a reputation for being a quality product. After Sears and Kmart merged in 2005, the Craftsman brand became available at Kmart stores and other retailers.
In 2017, Stanley Black & Decker bought Craftsman. Along with a wide variety of hand and power tools, Craftsman also sells some lawn and garden equipment, tool storage units, work clothing, electronics, and a solid array of truck tool boxes.
Craftsman is obviously a competitor of DECKED. So how come we don't have a problem with them? The truth is, we like competition. And we like stiff competition. Why? Well, it's kind of like playing tennis with a great partner – you really have to level up and bring your A-game. If our only competition were bargain brands that make inferior products, we wouldn't have a very hard time coming up with better products than the other guys. We have spent a lot of time looking at all the brands that came before us to understand what worked and what needed improvement.
But as stated earlier, we respect the history behind this established American brand. In terms of a Craftsman tool box for truck, there are basically 7 different toolboxes you're looking at. This is a breakdown of the features of each, including some of the Craftsman truck tool box reviews we found online that customers posted.
THE CRAFTSMAN TRUCK TOOL BOX BLACK OR SHINY ALUMINUM 71.3 CROSSOVER
The Craftsman Crossover Truck Tool Box comes in either shiny or matte-black aluminum construction. It is a full-size box 71.3" long and 19.5" wide, giving an ample 10.2 cu. feet storage space. Its 17.2" height is designed to provide you with more truckbed room under the box as it sits higher up and is not as tall as other Craftsman truck tool boxes. The low-profile design is also good because it allows for increased visibility when you check your rear-view mirror on the road.
The weather-block rubber seal keeps your tools safe from the elements. However one Craftsman truck tool box review on YouTube showed gaps in the rubber seal and a slight glitch with the lid latching properly. If you don't ensure the lid is pressed down, it's possible some water could seep in.
The Crossover Truck Tool Box features a driver's side push button, which automatically opens the lid. It will fit most full-size pickups. There is ample 10.2 cu. ft. storage space, and it comes with a drill-free drill-free mounting kit and a removable sliding tool tray that keeps your tools organized. A Craftsman truck tool box install is usually not too complicated with the proper tools. Craftsman truck tool box parts are all included and ready to be assembled. However, be sure to check with your store because some customer reviews pointed out a disclaimer noting that certain models come with trays and others do not.
The Craftsman truck tool box Lowe's offers comes with a 5-year warranty. Lowe's listing price is $369.00, the same listing price at Home Depot. Instructions on how to install the Craftsman truck tool box are included with all of these models.
CRAFTSMAN 61.5-in CROSSOVER TRUCK TOOL BOX
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The features here are the same as the Craftsman 71.3 crossover truck tool box, but the specs are different. This one is 13" high and 20" wide with approximately 6.2 cu. feet storage space.
A few customer reviews noted that the J-bolts that come with the toolbox might be a bit short, so they purchased 4" J-bolts separately at the hardware store. One customer also noted that the box comes with 2 J-bolts, but to secure it properly, you need 4 bolts.
Another customer review was unfavorable citing that the locks froze shut after the first rain in Chicago, and they were completely unusable. It sounds like if something like that happened within the 5-year warranty period, it should be covered. Still, this customer was not pleased with the quality of the construction of this toolbox.
An additional product review claims that when you lock the toolbox on one side, the other is practically open and can be lifted by hand. As a result, he was not confident his tools would be secure.
Lowe's listing price is $329.00, the same listing price at Home Depot.
CRAFTSMAN 71.36-IN X 19.57-IN X 16.58-IN ALUMINUM CROSSOVER TRUCK TOOL BOX
The only difference between this one and the previous two is, again, the dimensions are different. This toolbox is 71.36" long, 16.58" high, and 19.57" wide, with approximately 9 cu. feet storage space.
The product reviews mainly showed positive comments, with customers finding the toolbox sturdy and relatively secure. However, one of the less-positive reviews again claimed that although the display had two drawers, his came with no drawers. It was not until he opened the box and read the instructions that said, "drawers not included with this model." It definitely seems a bit deceptive to show a model with drawers and ship the toolbox with no drawers.
Another unhappy customer claimed that the toolbox shipped to him had four dents and dings upon arrival.
Lowe's listing price for this toolbox is $349.00.
CRAFTSMAN FULL SLIM BOX
This is a solid value Craftsman mid size truck tool box. It's a variation on the crossover toolboxes listed above. It is slimmer, with dimensions of 71.3" long, 15.5" high, 14" wide, with approximately 4.9 cu. feet storage space. This inexpensive truck toolbox was highly rated with 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Lowe's listing price for this toolbox is $209.00.
CRAFTSMAN 60-in x 12-in x 16-in BRITE ALUMINUM TOP MOUNT TRUCK TOOL BOX
This is a different style toolbox that can be mounted on the side of your truck. It allows for storage space on top of the bed rails while saving valuable storage space inside the truck bed. As far as installation goes, top mount boxes are secured to the bed rail of any truck with included legs. With a height of 16", a width of 12", and length of 60", this toolbox has approximately 5.8 cu. feet of storage space.
This toolbox does not get great reviews; the total stars are 3.9 out of 5. Many cite that the metal is thin and all the factory stickers stating dimensions of the toolbox are near impossible to remove.
Lowe's listing price for this toolbox is $339.00.
CRAFTSMAN 69-in x 12-in x 13-in BRITE ALUMINUM CROSSOVER TRUCK TOOL BOX
At 12" wide by 13" high, this slimmer toolbox offers approximately 4.9 cu. feet storage capacity while allowing for much more space underneath for flatbed use.
Customer reviews are mixed. While the price, currently only $49.67 at Lowe's, is considerably lower than all the other crossover truck toolboxes , many customers feel that the quality of the materials is not up to par. A few complain that the metal is thin and easily dented. A few claim that the locks do not work, and one reviewer wrote that the lift piston is poorly positioned and therefore does not function properly.
CRAFTSMAN 40.86-in x 19.57-in x 19.2-in BLACK ALUMINUM CHEST TRUCK TOOL BOX
Unlike the previous models, this is a straight up Craftsman tool box for truck bed that requires no major installation as it is not a crossover mounted toolbox. Simple installation nails the toolbox down to the truck bed. This chest measures 40.86" long, 19.5" high, 19.57" wide, with approximately 7.1 cu. feet storage space. It comes with two keys, a mounting fit, and Lowe's includes a 5-year warranty.
Customers' experience with this product was generally positive. A few received the tool box slightly dented. Some suggested that if you don't want to damage this box, you might consider some material to line the inside. If you have anything in the bed of your truck that could roll around, it will damage this box.
Another customer's main concern was that the truck tool box opens frequently when driving over a bump in the road. He avoids keeping expensive tools back there out of fear someone can just pop it open easily and take whatever is in there.
Lowe's listing price for this toolbox is $309.00.
THE COMMON DENOMINATOR OF ALL THESE REVIEWS
We repeatedly noticed in these reviews the customer's surprise at the inconsistency of the quality of the Craftsman brand. Unfortunately, this once legendary brand which stood for excellent domestic-made products has lost some of its loyal customers due to questionable quality.
There is some confusion about where Craftsman tools are made. Because of their deep-rooted American history, many people assume that Craftsman products are all made in the United States. In fact, many of the tools are stamped with huge letters Forged in the USA. While their screwdrivers and adjustable wrenches, and pliers are still made in the United States, their portable power tools are manufactured in Hong Kong.
After Stanley Black & Decker purchased Craftsman 4 years ago, drastic production changes were made. Craftsman truck tool boxes are no longer manufactured in the United States; they are now manufactured in Mexico and China.
100% MADE IN THE USA
DECKED truck tool boxes and DECKED truck bed Drawer System, as well as all of our accessories are manufactured in Defiance, Ohio. We pride ourselves on not only manufacturing quality products, but creating a positive work environment. We spent a lot of time in research and development, engineering, and production to create an optimal product for our customer. With everything that's gone on in this country after hundreds of companies sought cheaper labor overseas, we saw how this not only hurt workers and the economy, it also hurt the product.
Our customers rely on our products' consistent quality, which we personally oversee. Using recycled materials, we have striven to create products that satisfy the needs of our customers while leaving a smaller footprint on the environment.
THINK IF YOU'VE SEEN ONE TOOL BOX YOU'VE SEEN THEM ALL? GUESS AGAIN!
As we stated earlier, we have a great regard for the classic American brands that paved the way for modern truck accessories that are not only functional but also durable. We took a look at what was working and what products had room for improvement.
That's why DECKED products look completely different. We are innovators. We looked at customer dissatisfaction with some of the products they were buying. The quality was inconsistent, and some of the functionality of the mechanisms needed serious updating.
When we conceived our line of products, we started from scratch. Instead of asking how we could replicate what other brands were doing, we thought – what if we could create a virtually indestructible, fully customizable product with superior materials at a competitive price? And that is exactly what we did.
WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DECKED'S UNIQUE PRODUCTS
"The box fits great and I am impressed with everything it is. I've had aluminum boxes and it gets old really quick with the dents. There is ample room and the accessories that come with it are great. I've washed my truck at least ten times and never a drop of water in it!"
“Item arrived in great shape due to good packaging and handling. Easy to install and looks great!”
“After working with many others for work this was going to be my personal choice on my truck. I made this best decision getting the Decked Toolbox. My wife had to see it to believe it and she loves it. The ability to get in the toolbox without climbing into the back of the truck or make a daring attempts to get into the toolbox from the side of the truck. She can use the ladder to get in the toolbox, using the 3 points of contact and not have to wait for help.
And having it water tight, keeping our gear nice and dry inside for our time out camping.
I love this toolbox! It looks good, is easy to install, and has great capacity. I can fit everything I need for my travel trailer in the box as well as extra tools, emergency kit. Etc. And the toolbox is great, plus the snack tray perfectly holds my staps to keep them easy to access for hauling all the things.”
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You get the picture. We listened to our customer's needs and tailor-made a phenomenal product that no other company comes close to.
At DECKED, we've never had the luxury of coasting on the reputation of a 100-year old household name. Instead, we forged a new path—our made-in-the-U.S.A. Tool Boxes and truck bed Drawer Systems are impossible to dent but easy to love.
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