OF the many advantages pickup trucks are known to have, plentiful secure storage space is inherently not one of them by nature of their design.
However, Ford owners and those with pickups from other brands may be shocked to learn that there’s more secure storage to be had than meets the eye.
Ford F-Series owners are shocked to learn how much storage they truly have[/caption]
A dealership’s TikTok video has enlightened many to the hidden cubbies their pickups may havve[/caption]
The base of the rear bench seats can be lifted up, revealing sizable storage bins beneath[/caption]
A TikTok posted by Ford of Valpo Performance (@FordofValpoPerformance) shows exactly where some F-Series truck owners may be able to find secure storage under the rear seats.
The video highlights an individual, whose face isn’t shown, approaching a Ford F-150 Raptor with the key fob in hand.
After removing the physical key from the fob, they stick it into a lock in the side of the rear driver’s side seat that is cleverly disguised as a piece of hardware for the seat’s construction.
This then allows them to lift the base of the seat up by puling on a nearby fabric latch, revealing a very large storage bin situated directly beneath the seat.
After tossing something in the bin, the individual simply brings the base of the seat back down to close up the storage space.
The seat then automatically latches into place to cover the bin, with the option to lock the mechanism up securely as highlighted earlier.
TikTok users are sharing their approval and disbelief over the feature, with some even admitting they didn’t know their Fords could do that.
“Never knew you could lock the seat… 2020 f250 bought new lol,” commented one user.
Another responded with a sign of approval in the form of four thumbs up emojis.
Other Ford trucks boast similarly inventive storage options, such as the F-150 Lightning’s electric power frunk which boasts over 14 cubic feet of secure storage space.
STORAGE WARS
Ford is far from the only truck maker to do this, with most every brand offering some form of inventive secure or discreet storage.
Dodge Ram trucks offer storage compartments called RamBoxes. These fill the hollow body panels lining the bed with waterproof lockable storage space offering up to 8.6 cubic feet of storage depending on bed length.
Rivian takes a similar approach with its all-electric R1T pickup model. With no transmission to worry about, it created a hollow “gear tunnel” space situated inside the vehicle’s body towards the front of the bed.
Lockable doors on either side provide access to the tunnel-like space, which offers nearly 12 cubic feet of storage in an impressively inventive feature that takes advantage of an EV’s inherent nature.
Little-known Car Features
How often do you look at features on your vehicle and not know why they are there? Here are some answers:
Gas Tank Locator:
- Drivers may or may not have noticed the small arrow next to the gas symbol on the dash.
- This indicates which side of the vehicle has the gas tank so you don’t need to stretch the hose over the car or get out of your vehicle to check before parking at a pump.
Road Condition Indicator:
- A snowflake icon might flash up on your dashboard when driving in cold weather.
- This informs drivers that temperatures outside are cold enough for the roads to freeze.
Secret Key:
- Vehicles that come with a key fob that uses buttons to open the doors often have a secret key for emergencies.
- On that one day that the fob battery runs out, drivers can often find a manual key contained inside the fob.
- There is often a button to press or a cap to slide off to reveal it.
Other manufacturers seek to fill nooks and crannies with storage space rather than hollow out sections of the car, such as the Chevrolet Silverado’s small rear seat back cubbies.
The Chevrolet Colorado takes the same philosophy and applies it to the tailgate, in which sits a 45-inch wide compartment that locks up tight when the tailgate is closed.
Honda’s Ridgeline pickup truck takes advantage of its car-like unibody construction, as opposed to the body-on-frame approach most pickups take, to give owners a bonafide trunk space.
The lockable In-Bed Trunk can be easily accessed once the tailgate is opened. It offers 7.3 cubic feet of storage, and also has a drain plug, allowing it to be used as a cooler or storage space for wet items.
Other trucks have similarly conceptual ideas but on smaller scales, such as older Chevrolet pickups which have RamBox-like storage compartments, but on a much smaller scale.
While many are discovering these features for the first time, most makers have offered them for quite some time. A fresh look at your truck with this info in mind may reveal new and exciting storage opportunities.
