Installing new kobalt toolbox, what to use?
 

So upon opening my new toolbox for my
Birthday today I find kobalt doesn't include any kind of kit for installation and there is no mention of this until you actually get to the inside. They recommend a $30 grip rite system for a "no drill" install. I would like to keep it that way but does anyone have better suggestions, some people have said the grip rite system won't fit rangers so any answers are good thank you!

Is it an in bed system or an over the rail type box? If its over the rail just use j-hooks and hook them under the lip of the bed rail.

And Happy Birthday!

X2 on the J-hooks
MikeR

You can get that grip rite set up for around $23 from Advance Auto, less if you order on line and pick up in store. I just used one on my box to mount it. Those J hooks will bend the edge of the bed a little when you crank the tension up on them. I didn't care for them for that reason. I won't have much weight in this box like I did my last one. I will say years ago, I broke one of those grip rite mounts [found it when I was removing the box]. In it's defense, that box was loaded the brim and well over weight. The bottom was bowed out from so much weight in it, and I wasn't the nicest driver either. If it's a weak spot in something, I usually find it.

J hooks from tractor supply. cost a few dollars.

drill screws through the bed rail. one on each side. they are really not noticeable on the rare occasions my toolbox is out.

ARE YOU CRAZY!!! do not drill into your bed. on the chance that you do sell it, it will be something pointed out. a j-hook works awesome and keeps toolbox in place with the only possible holes being drilled are in the toolbox, not the truck

Well I have line x over the rails. so it is less noticeable and damaging.

if i get to the point i sell my truck it'll have worse problems than a couple holes for the toolbox.

on another note, why was the box not opened when purchasing if concerned about the mounting? I'd want to see the inside just to know what it looked like.

The grip right works but you'll have to drill new holes in the toolbox for it to sit closer to the cab.

I vote J-bolts. They came with my UWS box and have been working fine for years. LOL, the place I bought it from said no one was available to install it when I picked it up but I could bring it back in a few days. All that was needed to do was drill 2 holes in the box itself. Anywho, I opted to do it myself.

I am sure you know what a J-bolt is but if by some chance someone is searching for this topic and doesn't, here is a picture of a J-bolt.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1322607010

thanks everyone for the replies, the j-blots pictured above are the exact ones i have, i have come to notice this toolbox just isn't for me, im going back to lowes and getting my money back!!! Just overall a cheap quality product, for a tool box nonetheless, I remember my dad used to have one i could stand on and that was about 10 years, I know i wont find anything that quality for the price i have paid for the kobalt but even with me going out and buying the "grip rite" system it wont sit flush up against the cab and the only solution we could come up with was to drill holes through both tool box and the grip rite system but whats the point? It should FIT in rangers like it says on the kobalt box without having to put holes in our beds. Im going to try out the HUSKY line from home depot.. Seen them alot around here on different trucks, they look more... stable

mine has been to hell and back, flew out on the interstate and i beat it back into shape, still works fine. for the price it can't be beat. are you saying it wont go flush with the cab because of the door opening? that will be the case with any. i'm totally happy with mine.

It will go completely flush with the back of my bed and it will open up all the way without hitting the back window, its just that i can't install it flush up against the truck with the install kit that goes with this tool box, and if i use the j hooks ill only be able to get one on each side if that because the toolbox just doesn't have good aligning with the two holes that the toolbox should go over.

you could always put more holes in the toolbox where you need them.

I only have two screws in mine holding it to the bed rail and have not had any issues (I did not have anything holding it in at the time when I lost it on the interstate)

I only had 2 hooks holding mine on when I had one. Worked fine.

I looked at that box, but they couldn't tell me if it came in black until a weekday. After reading the reviews on their website, [mostly bad, especially how it didn't stay locked] I went with a UWS brand low profile and the grip rite mounts. Those boxes have no holes to begin with so you just guestimate where you want the mounts and then set the box over them after tightening them down and take a sharp punch or scribe and just mark where the mounts are through the bolt holes from the bottom. Took me all of 20 minutes once I figured out how to mark the box. I just tried to center mine as best as I could on the width of the box.