Aluminum Tool Box vs Steel Tool Box

If you look at an aluminum tool box and a steel tool box, you might think they’re the same, but they’re definitely not.

If you walk into a Ford dealer and see two brand new black Ford Mustangs side by side, you might think this is exactly the same car. If they both have the same wheels, the same tinted glasses, the same leather seats inside, basically everything identical, nobody could really tell they’re different cars. But does that mean they’re really identical? Once you start reading the specifications, you might realize they’re not. And when you’ll test the V-8 engine, you’ll realize that this monster, with its 5.0-liter engine pumping out a thrilling 435 horsepower, is a much better car than what looked like his twin brother, which in fact, is the V-6 version.

3 Reasons Why an Aluminum Tool Box is a Better Option than a Steel Tool Box

Weight

Steel is about three times the weight of aluminum. This is why we, at Trebor Manufacturing, have decided to build your semi-truck tool boxes using aluminum. Having a lighter tool box will benefit your truck in the longer run, reducing the effort your semi-truck, or your other type of vehicle, will put in carrying your tool box. You’ll also increase payload and you’ll definitely save money on gas using aluminum over steel.

Corrosion

Although steel tool box are often topped by a powder coated finish to protect it from corrosion, one chip or one gouge in the paint will invite corrosion right in. Your steel tool box could be rusted within a year. Your Trebor Manufacturing’s aluminum tool boxes will not rust or deteriorate. While steel needs to be painted or treated against corrosion, aluminum is corrosion resistant without any further treatment making it the number one choice for long-term use.

Cost

We all want the best equipment for our truck, but we certainly don’t want to overpay. The cost of aluminum and steel is consistently fluctuating taking into account many factors. Steel is usually slightly cheaper than aluminum, but don’t get fooled. When taking into accounts durability and the money you save because of weight, steel can’t beat aluminum’s price.

Those are the reasons why we, at Trebor Manufacturing, have decided almost 20 years ago to become a manufacturer of high quality aluminum equipment and accessories for trucks and trailers. View our custom aluminum tool boxes for your personalized needs.

When Steel Tool Boxes are a Good Option

Although Trebor Manufacturing favours the aluminum tool box for all of the reasons listed above, we acknowledge that there are some instances in which steel is may be a good option. In these cases, we are more than happy to oblige our steel-favouring customers so as to optimally meet their needs.

Here are a few reasons why someone might opt for steel instead:

Steel is a Heavyweight Champion

A steel tool box is like the incredible hulk—bulky, yes, but once it is in place, you can count on it to sit solidly and not go anywhere.

A steel tool box is also less brittle than an aluminum tool box, which has many advantages if you are trucking in a northern climate. When the metal gets cold, it is less likely to snap. It absorbs shocks more gracefully and therefore, many argue, can outlast aluminum. Once again, we are circling back to the idea of its brute strength.

While steel does need an anti-corrosive coating, all of our steel toolboxes are treated so as to resist the elements. What’s more, the density of steel is about 2.5 times that of aluminum. So flying rocks and debris have less of a fighting chance against this mighty metal. It is also interesting to consider the wear and tear on the inside of the toolbox: shifting tools and other items have less chance of damaging a steel toolbox.

Aluminum Truck Tool Box Vs Steel Tool Box

When all these factors are considered, what kind of picture emerges? A trucker facing dire weather, carrying heavy equipment, covering rough terrain may just be the perfect candidate for a steel toolbox instead of an aluminum one.

But if saving money, making sure your cargo stays light and avoiding corrosion is important for you, you should stick to an aluminum truck box.

Which toolbox type is made for you? You be the judge!

Best Truck Tool Box

Regardless of whether your tool box is made of aluminum or steel, the best truck tool box by far is the underbody tool box. This is the one customers return to again and again as the most reliable, practical, and high-performing of all the aluminum tool boxes. Most commonly used to store chains and binders, you can also customize it to hold any of your tools with Trebor’s toolbox customization tool. Extra compartments? Shelves? No problem!

What’s more, this underbody aluminum tool box can be further customized with one of 4 door options based on your needs: fold-down, fold up, fold left, and fold right. Double doors on the passenger or driver’s side are easy to do, too! Top it off with your choice of stainless steel handle options and you are ready to hit the road.

Another reason the underbody tool box is so high-performing is that it does its job without taking up extra space needed for cargo. It is also easily accessible and will help streamline all of your routines, and keep all of your equipment easily accessible. So whether you are an aluminum person or a steel person doesn’t matter, because everybody is an underbody tool box person at heart.

Trebor Manufacturing is proud to be serving dealers, retailers, manufacturers and distributors in the trucking business, including truck parts dealers, across North America. Please feel free to call us, contact us or request a quote in regards to any of our semi-truck accessories including aluminum tool boxes, semi headache racks, custom semi-truck accessories and other products such as dump bodies and flatbeds.