u/bennybiscuit04

Image 1 — Custom cargo shelf for the truck

Custom cargo shelf for the truck

I built a custom carpeted cargo shelf for the back of my truck (Aggressive Gremlin) to keep my party speakers and gear organized and secure while driving.

Here is the breakdown of the design, materials, and lessons learned during the build:

1. Design & Planning

I mapped the design out in 3D using the Moblo app to figure out dimensions and the 10-piece layout before making any cuts.

2. Materials & Hardware

Wood: 3/4" x 4' x 8' Ultrastock MDF Panel

Covering: TrafficMaster 6' x 8' Smoke Gray Ribbed Indoor/Outdoor Rug

Joint Reinforcement: Universal stainless steel corner brackets

Interior Shelf Lips: Square wood dowels + tiny L-brackets

Speaker Anchors: Heavy-duty Velcro cinch straps + metal anchor points mounted on the underside of the top shelf

Truck Rigging: Eye screws, quick links, and vinyl-coated stainless steel wire cable

Key Tools: Circular saw, staple gun, oscillating multi-tool for sanding

3. Build Process & Lessons Learned

Cutting & Sanding: This was my very first time using a circular saw to cut MDF panels. Since my cuts weren't 100% straight, I used an oscillating multi-tool to sand down and clean up the edges.

Structural Bracing: Added multi-hole stainless steel corner brackets at the internal joints to keep the frame rigid.

Carpet Attachment: Spray adhesive wasn't holding well enough on its own, so I used a staple gun to stretch and secure the rug tightly over the MDF.

Speaker Securement: Mounted anchor points underneath the top shelf (out of sight) and ran heavy-duty Velcro cinch straps through them and around the speakers' telescoping handles.

Shelf Lips: Installed square wood dowels with tiny L-brackets on the lower shelf edges to prevent toolboxes and fluid containers from sliding out.

Tipping It Over & Truck Anchoring: After completing the main assembly, I accidentally tipped the shelf over once and my speakers went crashing to the floor. Realizing how easily the whole unit could flip during sudden braking or turns, I added eye screws to the frame and tethered it directly to the truck's factory tie-down points using quick links and vinyl-coated steel cable (leaving just enough give so line tension wouldn't snap them).

The Result:

The shelf is rock solid, completely silent while driving, and holds all my gear securely in place.

How’d I do? Any feedback or tips for future builds?

u/bennybiscuit04 — 12 days ago

▲ 2 r/suburban

Rate my setup: SUV cargo edition

Needed a solid solution to keep supplies organized while giving a pair of party speakers a dedicated home without taking over the entire cargo area.

As a non-professional carpenter—and a girl who wielded a circular saw for the very first time on this build (survived with all ten fingers intact!)—please go easy on me in the comments!

Built this dual-level shelf out of a 3/4" MDF panel, carpeted it with an unbound 6' x 8' indoor/outdoor area rug, and anchored it down tight to the factory tie-down points. For the rigging, I used 4-point quick links and vinyl-coated stainless steel cable wire that was actually leftover from building guy lines for my 12ft skeleton, Boney Frightmare. If it can keep a giant skeleton standing, it can handle a cargo shelf.

Top shelf keeps the speakers secured flat facing forward into the cab, while the bottom section keeps all the cargo tucked away cleanly. Turned out rock solid, doesn't rattle at all, and is super quick to unhook whenever I need the floor space back.

How'd I do?

u/bennybiscuit04 — 12 days ago

▲ 3 r/suburban

Help Diagnosing a Noise

Hello all I've got a 2002 Chevy Suburban 1500 and I need some advice regarding a sound the vehicle is making while driving.

Any insight would be great!

Update: Thanks everyone for your advice, I crawled underneath and it looks like what remains of the brake dust cover on the front drivers side may be the culprit here. I bent it a little bit and the noise stopped.

u/bennybiscuit04 — 20 days ago

▲ 6 r/RockAuto

Wrong Part - Right Item #/box

Hey everyone, looking for some insight on customer service turnarounds and experiences with parts mix-ups.

I recently ordered a full set of calipers, pads, and rotors for my 2002 Chevy Suburban 1500. When I opened the box for the front right (passenger) caliper, it was pretty obvious it was a previous return—it came double-bagged in two giant Ziplocs.

This project has been a bit of a nightmare, so by the time I got the part on, it was pitch dark outside. I didn't notice the issue until the next morning when I went to bleed the brakes and saw the bleeder screw was at the bottom. Turns out I was boxed a driver-side caliper in a passenger-side box. The actual driver-side caliper I installed on the other side was correct, so now I effectively have two driver-side calipers.

I reached out to customer service to let them know the box/part number was correct, but the physical part inside was wrong.

For anyone who has been through this:

How long does customer service usually take to get back to you?

What has your experience been getting the correct part swapped out?

Appreciate any insight!

reddit.com

u/bennybiscuit04 — 25 days ago

▲ 41 r/KingOfTheHill

"That girl ain't right." - My boss, probably.

We got a fresh batch of new laser-ready wallets at work today. Instead of doing something sensible with the engraver, I decided to create a masterpiece.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. But the spirit of Arlen compelled me.

u/bennybiscuit04 — 2 months ago

▲ 3 r/suburban

2002 Suburban ("Aggressive Gremlin") front passenger window only works when the door is closed? (Plus a haunted horn)

Hey everyone,

I received a free 2002 Chevy Suburban 1500 that I’m slowly fixing up. I officially named him Aggressive Gremlin because of his lovely habit of screaming at innocent bystanders. I'm slowly working through his quirks and need some advice on a bizarre window issue.

The Main Issue:

I just replaced the front passenger window regulator and motor today. During testing, I thought the new part was dead because the clips wouldn't budge. After pulling it into the garage, I tried it again and it worked perfectly... but only when the passenger door is completely closed.

Door closed: Aggressive Gremlin rolls the window up and down flawlessly.

Door open: Window completely dies.

The twist: The power locks work perfectly fine with the door open. All other windows in the truck work fine with their doors open.

The Test: Before installing the new parts, I called my husband out to use his multimeter to test the connections, and everything looked okay initially. He is brilliant with computers and IT, but cars are definitely not his thing—which is why I'm the one turning the wrenches and tackling the actual mechanical repairs!

I keep reading about checking for broken wires inside the rubber boot between the door and the frame.

Is there a specific wire color I should look for that controls just the window logic/power?

Is there a way to test or inspect this without completely ripping the door panel off again?

The Horn Issue (Why he got his name):

The horn randomly started blaring at people on its own and wouldn't stop. I had to pull over and yank the fuse to save my sanity. Any common shorts on these trucks I should look for?

(Context: I've already tackled the blower motor resistor and a couple of blend door actuators, so I'm slowly learning my way around this beast!)

Thanks in advance for any insight!