The UWS 48" Cargo Carrier Chest Box is the chest UWS built to pair with its own UWS-CARRIER hitch cargo basket, which is what makes it different from an ordinary 48" chest. Drop it onto the carrier and an open basket becomes a lockable, weather-sealed box hanging off the back of the vehicle, with 11.1ft³ inside and twin lock handles so you can open it from either side while it is out there. It measures 48" long, 20.75" wide and 21.25" tall. The tub is welded one-piece aluminum diamond plate, the lid is UWS's patented RigidCore foam-filled design so it does not bow or bind, and a MicroSeal gasket runs the lid seam against rain and dust. Two key-operated stainless steel paddle handles are joined by an interior rod running in a protective enclosure. It works perfectly well as a free-standing bed chest too. The carrier is sold separately, and at 39.6 lb empty the box alone is a two-person lift.
What's Included:
One UWS 48" Cargo Carrier Chest Box, Bright Aluminum
Two keys (UWS install sheet Parts List: 1 chest box, 2 keys, 1 mounting hardware kit)
MicroSeal gasket, factory-fitted around the lid seam
Mounting hardware kit, but see the note below: UWS states that not all models include one
UWS installation manual
UWS limited lifetime warranty
UWS prints this caveat on its own Parts List page: "Not all models include mounting hardware kit. You may need to purchase your own hardware to install this chest box." UWS does not say which models, so treat the kit as not guaranteed.
Features
11.1ft³ of Locked, Sealed Storage The TBC-48-DD measures 48" long by 20.75" wide by 21.25" tall overall, with a 47" by 20" tub inside, and UWS rates it at 11.1ft³. Because it is a chest rather than a crossover box, all of that volume is usable depth instead of being split around the bed rails.
Built to Drop Onto the UWS Cargo Carrier This is the chest UWS designed for its own UWS-CARRIER hitch basket. The 20.75" width and the twin lock handles are sized so it sits square on the carrier and can be opened from either side while it is hanging off the back of the vehicle. It works perfectly well as a free-standing chest too, but the carrier pairing is the reason this SKU exists.
Patented RigidCore Foam-Filled Lid The lid is not a hollow shell. UWS fills it with a hardening, expanding foam pressed between two aluminum plates, and the foam sets into a solid structure that carries load across the whole panel. In practice that means the lid does not bow when someone stands on it, and it does not warp out of shape over a few summers and start binding on the gasket. RigidCore is patented and it is the single biggest difference between this box and a cheap aluminum one.
MicroSeal Gasket Around the Full Lid Seam A MicroSeal gasket runs the entire seam where the lid meets the tub, which is what keeps rain, road spray, dust, grit and insects out of the box. It is the difference between finding your tools dry and finding them under a film of red dust after a week on a job site.
Two Locking Handles on an Interior Rod The TBC-48-DD carries two key-operated stainless steel paddle handles, connected by a rod inside the box so both latches release together. You can open it from the driver side or the passenger side without walking round the truck, and the rod runs inside a protective enclosure so it cannot simply be reached and popped.
Welded One-Piece Aluminum Tub The tub is 0.058" aluminum diamond plate welded into a single piece rather than riveted or folded, so there are no seams to work loose and no fasteners to shear. Aluminum also keeps the box light, at 39.6 lb, and it does not rust when the finish gets scratched.
Fitment & Compatibility
Application
Fit
UWS aluminum cargo carrier (UWS-CARRIER)
✓ Yes, this is the pairing UWS designed the box for. The carrier is sold separately.
Half-ton and larger pickup beds
✓ Yes, as a free-standing chest. The box is 48" long, so it will sit forward of the wheel wells on a full-size bed.
Mid-size pickup beds
● Forward of the wheel wells only, and it is tight. Measure your bulkhead width against 48" first.
Other hitch cargo baskets
● Possible but not guaranteed. UWS only publishes the fit for its own carrier, so check the basket's internal dimensions against the box.
Flatbeds, trailers, shop and garage use
✓ Yes. It is a free-standing chest and needs nothing but a flat surface.
Fit guidance: This chest exists to pair with the UWS-CARRIER hitch basket, and the two are sold separately. The box measures 48" by 20.75" by 21.25" and weighs 39.6 lb empty, so before loading it on a hitch carrier check your vehicle's maximum tongue weight: the box, the carrier and the contents all count against it, and on most vehicles the tongue weight rating runs out well before the carrier's 500 lb rating does. Used in a truck bed instead, it is a standard free-standing chest with twin lock handles.
Specifications
UWS Part Number: TBC-48-DD
Product Type: Aluminum chest tool box
Material: Aluminum diamond plate, welded single-piece tub
Finish: Bright aluminum diamond plate
Overall Length: 48"
Overall Width: 20.75"
Overall Height: 21.25"
Tub Length: 47"
Tub Width: 20"
Storage Capacity: 11.1ft³
Tub Style: Standard
Profile: Standard Profile
Lid Type: Single Lid
Latch Type: Key-operated stainless steel paddle handles (2), linked by an interior lock rod
Carrying Handles: No
Product Weight: 39.6 lb
Shipping Weight: 49 lb
Shipping Method: Freight (LTL) only
Installation Difficulty: Easy
UPC: 672078010221
Warranty: Limited lifetime, with one year on the finish and one year on the parts
Country of Origin: USA
Installation
Type: Free-standing in the truck bed, on a flatbed or in the shop; no vehicle-specific mounting kit required · Time: About 10 minutes · Tools: A tape measure, and a second person for the lift at 39.6 lb · Difficulty: Easy, no drilling required
A chest box does not bolt to the bed rails; it sits on the bed floor, normally pushed forward against the bulkhead where the bed is widest. Measure your bed before ordering: this box is 48" long, and beds are narrower between the wheel wells than at the bulkhead. Once it is in, secure it. An unsecured chest will slide forward under heavy braking, so run straps to the bed's tie-down points or bolt it down. If you are running a bed liner, remember it takes an inch or so off every internal measurement. One thing to know before you plan the install: the Parts List in UWS own chest box manual lists a mounting hardware kit, then footnotes that not all models include one and that you may need to buy your own hardware. UWS does not publish which models do. Budget for supplying your own bolts and treat the kit as a bonus rather than a certainty.
Resources
Everything you need for your UWS 48" Cargo Carrier Chest Box, Bright Aluminum, 11.1ft³, in one place.
Warranty. UWS limited lifetime warranty on the box, with one year on the finish and one year on the parts. The warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship; it does not cover damage from overloading, misuse, accident or improper installation, and it does not cover normal wear on the finish.
Free shipping. This item ships free to the lower 48 states. Because it is an oversized item, it ships by freight and typically arrives in 3 to 7 business days.
Inspect on delivery. Please inspect the packaging before signing. If you see any damage, note it on the delivery receipt and contact us right away, and we will make it right.
About UWS
UWS is short for United Welding Services, and the name is the point: every UWS box starts as flat aluminum sheet and is welded into a single-piece tub rather than riveted or folded together. The company builds at its own plant in Perry, Florida, and it has been supplying the truck accessory trade long enough that the diamond plate box with the blue UWS badge is a familiar sight on job sites. UWS is part of the CURT Group, which in turn belongs to Lippert, so behind a fairly specialized Florida welding shop sits a full national parts and warranty network.
Two pieces of engineering separate a UWS box from a generic aluminum one. The first is the patented RigidCore lid: instead of a hollow shell, the lid is a pair of aluminum plates completely filled with a hardening, expanding foam, which sets into a solid structure and stops the lid bending, warping or binding after a few years of being leaned on. The second is the MicroSeal gasket, which lines the entire seam where the lid meets the tub and keeps water, dust, grit and insects out of the box rather than merely slowing them down. Both are backed by a limited lifetime warranty on the box, with one year on the finish and one year on the parts.
Prestige Truck is an authorized UWS dealer. Every box we ship is new, in the original UWS carton, built in the USA, and covered by the full UWS factory warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on specs, fit and support
Will the TBC-48-DD fit my truck bed?
Measure before you order. The box is 48" long and it sits across the bed, so what matters is your bed's usable width. Full-size beds are roughly 49" to 51" between the wheel wells and about 62" to 66" at the bulkhead; mid-size beds are roughly 44" and 56". At 48" this one fits between the wheel wells on a full-size bed and forward of them on a mid-size. A bed liner takes another inch or so off.
How much does it actually hold?
UWS rates it at 11.1ft³, and the tub measures 47" by 20". That figure comes from UWS's own dimension drawing for this part number, and we have checked it against the spec table on the same page.
Does it lock, and how many handles does it have?
Yes. It has two key-operated stainless steel paddle handles, linked by a rod inside the box so both latches work together. You can open it from either side of the truck, and the rod runs in a protective enclosure to resist prying. Keys are supplied.
What is RigidCore, and does it matter?
RigidCore is UWS's patented lid construction: two aluminum plates with a hardening, expanding foam filling the space between them. It matters because an unsupported aluminum lid this size will bow when it is leaned on and eventually warp enough to bind on the gasket. A RigidCore lid stays flat, which is also what keeps the MicroSeal gasket sealing years later.
Is it weatherproof?
It is well sealed rather than submersible. A MicroSeal gasket runs the entire seam where the lid meets the tub and keeps out rain, road spray, dust and insects, which is what a bed box actually faces. It is not rated as a waterproof case, so treat pressure washing straight at the seam and standing water inside the bed as things to avoid.
Does it come with mounting hardware, and how does it ship?
Maybe, and we would rather tell you that than guess. The Parts List in UWS's own chest box manual reads: one chest box, two keys, one mounting hardware kit, and then footnotes that not all models include the kit and that you may need to purchase your own hardware. UWS does not publish which models are which, so plan on supplying your own bolts. It ships by freight (LTL) at a shipping weight of 49 lb, so expect a delivery appointment and a truck rather than a courier. The box itself weighs 39.6 lb, which is a two-person lift into the bed.
Mark K.
Look is great. 100 lbs
Look is great. 100 lbs lighter than my 2nd pick. Lid lock and opening are smooth. Only minor knock I give is the the tie down hooks are hard to install - thinking I should have done them before installing.
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Better then expected.
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The toolbox is nice. I
The toolbox is nice. I think Ill get a lot of years of service out of it. I like how the lid opens and the tie downs are a nice touch. It seems to be well built. And tough. Im pleased with my purchase and would buy another one.
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