A drawer system does two jobs. It turns the back of a 4WD into storage where you can actually find things, and it gives you a flat, strong base to build the rest of the touring setup on: fridge on top, recovery gear underneath, everything locked away. What you pay for that is weight and money, and both are worth understanding before you order.
As a rule of thumb, steel systems weigh somewhere around 60kg to 90kg empty, and lighter ply and composite systems around 40kg to 60kg. Whichever you pick comes off your payload before a single item goes in it.
Wagon systems
In a wagon the drawers sit behind the second row, and the decisions are about how you use that space.
A single drawer leaves room above for a fridge or soft bags. It is the light, cheaper, sensible option for a weekend tourer.
Twin drawers split the kitchen from the recovery gear, or dry food from tools, and they are where most full-time touring wagons end up.
Drawers with a fridge slide is the classic layout: drawers underneath, fridge sliding out over the top, kettle and gas within reach of the tailgate. Our guide to choosing a fridge slide for your 4WD covers that half of the build.
Wings and infills use the dead space between the drawer unit and the wheel arches, which is where the pegs, the shovel and the recovery straps live instead of rattling around loose.
A wagon setup also needs something a ute does not: a cargo barrier. A heavy drawer unit loose behind the seats becomes a projectile in a crash, so the barrier goes in first.
Ute systems
Utes split three ways, and the right answer depends on what is already on the back.
Tub drawers drop into the factory tub, usually as one unit, and work well under a hard lid or a canopy. Ask about dust sealing, because a tub is not a sealed box.
Canopy drawers are the full touring fitout: drawers along the floor, shelving above, a fridge on a slide, often water and power built in. Most serious setups end up here, and our ute canopy buyer's guide covers choosing the canopy itself.
Tray-mounted and side-opening systems suit tradies and tourers running a flat tray, with gear reachable from the side rather than crawling in from the back.
Steel, ply or composite
Steel is the strongest and the heaviest, and it shrugs off abuse for years. Ply and timber composites are lighter and cheaper, look warmer, and are perfectly adequate for a setup that is not being belted every day. Aluminium composites are the light and strong option, and they sit at the top of the price range. If you are asking what the lightest drawer system is, it will be one of the composite or aluminium designs, and the weight saving is real money back in your payload.
Four details separate a system worth keeping from one you will replace: drawer runners rated for real weight and sealed against dust, a top strong enough to stand on, locks that hold on corrugations, and tie-down points inside the drawers so the contents are not rearranging themselves at every cattle grid.
The payload conversation
This is where we slow customers down. A twin drawer system at 80kg, a fridge at 25kg, 40 litres of water at 40kg, recovery gear at 25kg and a canopy at 80kg comes to 250kg before passengers, fuel or a tow ball load. On many dual cabs that is a large slice of the factory payload gone.
None of that means going without drawers. Know your numbers, choose the lighter system where you can, and sort out suspension at the same time as the fitout rather than a year later, when the vehicle is sitting low and riding badly.
Our storage range covers vehicle-specific drawer systems for popular wagons and utes. Storage and roof rack systems from our workshop typically run from $500 to $2,500 installed, and a full canopy fitout costs more. We will weigh the options against your build rather than selling you the biggest unit on the floor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of ute drawers?
It depends on material, size and whether it is a tub, canopy or tray system. As a guide, storage systems fitted at our workshop typically run from $500 to $2,500 installed, and full canopy fitouts with shelving and a fridge slide cost considerably more.
Are ute drawers a good investment?
For anyone who tours or works out of the vehicle, usually yes. You get security, organisation and a stable base for a fridge. Just choose the weight carefully, because heavy drawers eat payload you may need later.
What is the lightest 4X4 drawer system?
Composite and aluminium designs are the lightest, commonly around 40kg to 60kg for a full unit. Steel is heavier but tougher.
How much do 4WD drawers weigh?
Steel systems commonly run 60kg to 90kg empty, and ply or composite systems 40kg to 60kg. Every kilo comes off your payload.
Planning a fitout? Call the Brookvale workshop on 1300 856 888 or send us your vehicle and gear list, and we will lay out the options and the weights side by side.
