Our top pick: the UWS UWS EC10473 69-inch Heavy-Wall Aluminum Crossover.
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The F-150's exterior bed rail width of about 65 inches puts it squarely in full-size crossover territory, which means essentially the whole market is available. That is good news and it also means the choice comes down to the same criteria as any crossover box: lid construction, latch, and what it costs you in bed space.
What makes this an F-150 page rather than a copy of the crossover roundup is the bed length distribution. The 5.5 ft SuperCrew is the most common F-150 configuration, and on a 67.1 inch floor a 19-inch box is a third of your length.
On a 6.5 ft or 8 ft bed, buy the UWS. On a 5.5 ft SuperCrew, buy the narrow-body box or go to a side-mount and keep the floor.
How we ranked these for this truck
Build. Lid construction and wall thickness, as everywhere.
Weather seal. Seal design plus lid rigidity, which is what actually keeps a box dry over years.
Security. Latch mechanism and lock points.
Bed usability. Weighted harder here than on the general roundup, because the F-150 that most people own is a short bed.
Heavy-wall aluminum, a foam-filled RigidCore lid that does not flex when you sit on it, and a low profile that still clears most rear glass. This is the crossover to buy if you intend to keep the truck.
Who should skip it. Skip it on a 5'5" short bed. At 69 inches it will sit on the rails, but you lose a disproportionate share of a short bed and the money is better spent on a side-mount pair.
Build
9.4
Weather seal
8.8
Security
8.6
Bed usability
8.0
Value
7.4
What works
+Foam-filled lid does not oil-can under body weight
+Low profile clears rear glass on most full-size crew cabs
+Heavy-wall extrusion survives being used as a step
+Gas struts are serviceable rather than sealed units
What does not
−Among the most expensive aluminum crossovers on the shelf
−69 in is a full-size length — not a mid-size answer
11.0 cu ft of aluminum in the low-profile saddle format that fleets have standardized on for decades. It is the box every other box gets compared with, and the reason is parts availability and a lid that stays sealed.
Who should skip it. It is the most expensive way to store tools in a pickup bed short of a drawer system. If this is a personal truck that sees a job every other weekend, the money is better spent elsewhere.
Build
9.6
Weather seal
9.4
Security
8.8
Bed usability
8.2
Value
6.8
What works
+11.0 cu ft published — not an estimate
+Weather Guard latch and seal hardware is available decades out
The narrow-body crossover. It eats noticeably less fore-aft bed length than a standard 19-20 in box, which is the whole point on a 5'5" or 5'7" bed where every inch in front of the wheel wells matters.
Who should skip it. If you carry long power tools in cases, the narrow body will fight you. A 19 in box swallows a circular saw case flat; this one does not.
Build
7.6
Weather seal
7.4
Security
7.2
Bed usability
9.2
Value
8.8
What works
+Gives back several inches of bed floor versus a standard-width box
+Light enough for a one-person install
+Cheapest route into a real aluminum crossover
What does not
−Narrow interior will not take large tool cases flat
−Thinner material than the heavy-wall boxes
−Published dimensions vary by listing — measure before you order
A 70 x 19 x 14 in gloss black aluminum single-lid box at a price the premium brands do not touch. You give up some lid rigidity; you keep most of the useful volume.
Who should skip it. Not the one if you plan to stand on the lid daily — the panel is thinner than UWS's foam-filled RigidCore and will flex. Buy the UWS or a saddle box instead.
Build
8.0
Weather seal
7.8
Security
7.6
Bed usability
8.2
Value
9.2
What works
+Full 19 in of depth — a framing square lies flat
+Gloss finish wipes clean; dust does not show the way matte does
+Priced well below the premium aluminum boxes
What does not
−Lid flexes under weight compared with foam-filled designs
−14 in height can crowd rear glass on lowered or small-cab trucks
−Latch hardware is the first thing owners report replacing
A 72 x 13 x 16 in aluminum topsider that bolts along the bed rail and leaves the floor completely clear. For anyone who hauls sheet goods or a pallet, this is the right shape of tool box and a crossover is the wrong one.
Who should skip it. It consumes rail space, so a tonneau cover and a bed rack both get complicated. If a cover is non-negotiable, go crossover and give up the floor instead.
Build
9.0
Weather seal
8.4
Security
8.2
Bed usability
9.6
Value
7.6
What works
+Bed floor stays completely usable
+Long and shallow suits hand tools and cordless kits better than a deep well
+Buyers parts and latches are stocked everywhere
What does not
−Requires drilling the bed rail on most trucks
−Blocks a tonneau cover and most bed racks
−One box covers one side only — pairs get expensive
Full-size beds with 72 in or more of straight rail
Trucks that haul flat loads on the bed floor
✗ Does not fit
Mid-size beds
Trucks running a tonneau cover or bed rack
Fitment confirmation before you order
Exterior rail width. Expect about 65 in. Outside to outside, across the top, nearest the cab.
Check the fitment chart for your year. The 2015-2020 and 2021-onward trucks are mechanically similar here but the charts are the authority.
Rear glass clearance. On a SuperCrew with a lowered stance, a 14 in box is worth checking.
Decide about the cover first. If a tonneau cover is going on, you want the slimline box or a notched cover.
The short-bed calculation
This is the decision that matters on an F-150 and it is worth doing with the actual numbers rather than by feel.
What each box format leaves behind it on an F-150 5.5 ft bed (67.1 in floor).
Box
Depth
Floor left on a 5.5 ft bed
Verdict
Standard crossover
about 19 in
about 48 in
Workable, but you will notice
Narrow-body crossover
narrower
a few inches more
The short-bed answer
Slimline cross bed
shallow
about the same footprint
Buy it for cover clearance, not for floor
Side-mount topsider
none of the floor
all 67.1 in
Costs the rail and the cover instead
Forty-eight inches of floor still takes a sheet of plywood diagonally and a pallet will not fit regardless. If the bed carries material, the side-mount route is genuinely better. If it carries tools, the crossover box is worth the floor.
What we would actually buy
6.5 ft or 8 ft bed: the UWS heavy-wall box. The lid construction is the thing worth paying for and the bed length absorbs the depth without complaint.
5.5 ft SuperCrew carrying tools: the narrow-body crossover. It gives back several inches of a floor where several inches matter, and it is the cheapest route into a real aluminum box.
5.5 ft SuperCrew carrying material: skip the crossover entirely. A 72-inch topsider on the driver's rail keeps the whole floor, and the side-mount roundup covers the trade properly.
Questions people actually ask
Will a 69 inch tool box fit an F-150?
Yes — 69 in is a standard full-size class and the F-150's roughly 65 inch exterior rail width is what those boxes are designed around. The box's ends overhang the rails, which is correct. Confirm with the manufacturer's fitment chart for your year.
What is the best tool box for an F-150 5.5 ft bed?
A narrow-body crossover, because a standard 19-inch-deep box leaves only about 48 in of a 67.1 in floor. If the bed carries material rather than tools, a side-mount topsider is the better answer because it keeps the floor entirely.
Does the aluminum body change which tool box I can fit?
No — fitment is unchanged. It does change the corrosion picture at fasteners, because dissimilar metals in contact with an electrolyte is a galvanic problem. Use the hardware supplied with the box rather than whatever is in the drawer.
Can I fit a tool box without drilling my F-150?
Yes. J-hook and clamp kits grip the bed rail lip and hold the box firmly with no holes, and the whole assembly comes off in under half an hour at resale. Step-by-step.
Will a tool box clear the rear window on a SuperCrew?
Usually, but it is worth checking on a lowered truck. Hold a tape at the box's stated height above the rail line and look at where the glass is. A 14 in box is the one that gets close.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026. Think a figure here is wrong? Tell us at contact@toolboxandtruck.com and we will check it, fix it and date the correction — see our editorial policy.
