Installing the Weather Guard 2-Drawer Cabinet on Van Shelving

A 2-drawer cabinet is a great fit when you want lockable storage on your van shelving but still need room for bigger items beside it. In our build, the Weather Guard 2-drawer cabinet sits right next to a 3-drawer unit on the same shelf, giving us a full row of secure storage. The install is quick once you know where the printed manual goes wrong, so here's the full process.

Installing the Weather Guard 2-Drawer Cabinet

We're installing the Weather Guard Secure Storage Module, 2-Drawer (Model 902-3-01) on the bottom shelf of a 16" deep Weather Guard shelving unit. It measures 21" wide, 17" high, and 16" deep, the same footprint as the 3-drawer cabinet, with a welded steel box and drawers, a heavy-duty locking mechanism, and drawers that latch closed even when the cabinet is unlocked.

If you've already watched our 3-drawer cabinet install, this one goes in exactly the same way.

Before you start: two manual corrections

Keep Weather Guard's printed installation guide handy for warnings, notices, and warranty information. On our 16" deep shelf, though, two of its instructions didn't work.

Use a 9-hole gap between shelves, not 8. The shelf assembly guide says to leave 8 hole locations between shelves for a drawer unit. Count from the hole where the bottom shelf mounts: at 8, the next shelf is too low for the cabinet. It takes 9.

Keep the bottom shelf flanges up. The manual says you can flip the shelf upside down and mount the cabinet flush. We tried it, and the cabinet is too tall to fit. Mount the shelf in the standard orientation with the lips pointing up.

What you'll need

From the cabinet kit:

• Rubber pads that slide onto the tops of the shelf dividers
• Long bolts, spacers, and plastic retaining clips for the bottom mounting points
• Two short bolts and two serrated lock nuts for the top

From your shelving unit:

• Two shelf dividers, which come with the shelf

Step-by-step installation

Step 1: Set spacing and shelf orientation

With the bottom shelf flanges up, mount the next shelf 9 holes above it. Turn the shelf so its square hole points inboard, toward the face of the drawer unit. That way all the mounting holes line up.

Step 2: Set up the support dividers

Slide a rubber pad onto the top of each of the two shelf dividers, then drop them into the divider slots, spread fairly evenly. The cabinet rests on them for support.

Step 3: Stage the bottom bolts

Push a long bolt up through the hole directly beside the square hole, slide on a plastic retaining clip to hold it in place, and add a spacer. At the back of a 16" deep shelf, you'll see four holes in a row. Use the rearmost one, with the same bolt, clip, and spacer setup.

Step 4: Pull the top drawer

Reach under the drawer to unlatch it and slide it open. Push the tabs on the drawer slides in opposite directions and pull the drawer out. This gives you access to the four holes in the top of the cabinet.

Step 5: Slide the cabinet in

The six holes on the bottom of the cabinet are pre-threaded, so no loose nuts are needed. Slide the cabinet into place on the dividers and line up those threaded holes with the long bolts.

Step 6: Bolt the top to the shelf above

Run the two short bolts through the existing holes in the shelf above and into the top of the cabinet, and secure them with the serrated lock nuts. On a 16" deep shelf, only the two front locations line up. Tighten everything down.

Step 7: Finish up

Put the top drawer back in, then finish the shelving unit by installing the end panel.

Tips

Do it outside the van. Installing drawer units on the shelf before it goes in the van, and before the second end panel goes on, gives you room to work.

Pair it up. Two cabinets side by side, like our 2-drawer and 3-drawer combo, give you a full row of lockable storage. Weather Guard also designed the modules to stack.

Shop the Weather Guard 2-Drawer Secure Storage Module

Want more drawers? See the Weather Guard 3-Drawer Secure Storage Module, or get both together with the 2-piece, 5-drawer Secure Storage Module Kit. Browse all van shelving.

FAQ

Is the 2-drawer install different from the 3-drawer?
No. Both cabinets share the same 21" x 17" x 16" footprint and install the same way.

How much space do I need between shelves?
A 9-hole gap, counting from the hole where the bottom shelf mounts. The manual's 8 holes leaves the shelf too low for the cabinet.

Can I flip the bottom shelf upside down?
No. The cabinet is too tall to fit that way. Keep the shelf flanges up.

Do I need nuts for the bottom bolts?
No. The six holes on the bottom of the cabinet are pre-threaded.

Does the cabinet lock?
Yes. It has a heavy-duty locking mechanism, and each drawer latches closed even when the cabinet is unlocked.

We want you empowered to make your own upfitting decision. If you'd rather talk it through, our US-based upfit pros are ready to help.