Commercial-Grade Truck Storage Since 1911

RKI has been fabricating steel and aluminum truck equipment in Houston, Texas since 1911, when the company began as Koenig Iron Works. It later became Rawson-Koenig and operates today as RKI — still family-owned, still headquartered in Houston, and still designing, engineering, and fabricating its products in the United States. For a lot of RKI's customer base, domestic manufacturing isn't a marketing line but a purchasing requirement: US-built construction lets RKI equipment meet "Buy American" specifications for municipal and government fleet procurement.

RKI's positioning is the opposite of the value tier. This is equipment built for continuous commercial use — heavy-gauge construction, stainless steel latching hardware, and powder-coat finishes intended to stay on a working truck for the life of the vehicle. Every product RKI manufactures carries a limited lifetime warranty. The brand is a fixture in Gulf Coast and Texas oilfield service, utility, and heavy construction work, and it's a practical standardization choice for fleet managers: consistent white powder coat finish, consistent series sizing, and enough size depth in each series to spec the same configuration across mixed truck platforms year after year.

RKI Truck Tool Boxes

RKI's box lineup covers every major mounting position on a work truck — across the bed rails, along the side rail, in the bed, and underneath the frame — in both steel and aluminum. Standard features run consistently across the line: full-size stainless steel paddle latches (on both ends of most crossover models), stainless steel hinges, weather-resistant seals to keep dirt and moisture out, spring-type lid props on steel models, two keys, and a bolt-in mounting kit that on many models eliminates drilling through the pickup bed. White polyester powder coat is standard on the steel boxes, and many models include a removable tool tray as standard equipment.

RKI organizes its boxes by series letter. The short version:

• C Series — compact single-lid crossover (saddle) box, steel or aluminum, standard and low profile
• ST Series — double-lid slant-top crossover with gull wing opening
• S Series — side mount single lid, in standard, low profile, and low profile wide
• STS Series — side mount with slant top
• M Series — chest-style utility box, floor mount or rail mount
• US / UST Series — top mount boxes, side-opening (US) or top-opening (UST)
• H / V Series — underbody boxes, standard height (H) or tall vertical (V)

RKI Crossover Tool Boxes

The C Series is RKI's compact crossover — a single-lid saddle box that mounts across the bed rails behind the cab, giving you full-width access to the entire interior in one opening. It's the most common configuration on a work truck for a reason: tools stay behind the cab and out of the way, the bed stays usable, and everything is reachable from either side. Low profile versions are available in the same lengths for anyone who wants to preserve rear visibility through the back glass or clear a low-mounted rack.

The ST Series steps up to a double-lid slant-top design with gull wing opening — two lids hinged from a center spine, so you can work from whichever side of the truck you're standing on without walking around to the other. The slanted top sheds water and debris instead of pooling it. Both the C and ST Series are offered in steel and in aluminum, so you can pick based on whether dent resistance or payload savings matters more on your truck.

RKI Underbody Boxes

Underbody boxes are the deepest part of RKI's catalog, and they mount beneath the bed or service body frame — which means side-access tool storage at hand height without giving up a single inch of bed space. This is the standard configuration on utility and service body trucks across the electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and construction trades.

The H Series covers standard-height underbody boxes across a wide grid of lengths and depths, from compact 18-inch boxes up through 48-inch-plus configurations, with select sizes available in aluminum for weight savings. The V Series is the tall vertical configuration — dramatically taller boxes built for standing storage of long tools, hose, welding leads, cable, and conduit, the kind of storage line trucks and utility bodies need and a standard underbody box can't provide. Between the two series, RKI offers one of the most complete underbody size grids available from a single manufacturer, which matters when you're matching a box to an existing body or wheelbase rather than the other way around.

RKI Side Mount Boxes

Side mount boxes run along the top of the bed rail rather than across it, which keeps the full length of the bed open for materials, pallets, or equipment. RKI's S Series comes in three profiles: standard, low profile for reduced height and better rear visibility, and low profile wide, which recovers interior volume by adding width instead of height — the right pick when you need capacity but also need to clear a rack, cover, or rear window. The STS Series adds a slant top for water runoff. All side mount boxes include steel mounting brackets, and RKI's weather-resistant seals are specified for extended outdoor exposure.

RKI Top Mount & Chest Boxes

Top mount and chest boxes sit in the bed rather than straddling the rails, and they're the answer when you need maximum interior volume or your truck configuration won't take a standard crossover.

The US Series and UST Series are RKI's top mount boxes in 48- to 72-inch lengths, in single door and two door configurations. The difference is access: US models open from the side, which is easier to reach into from outside the truck, while UST models open from the top for full-footprint access when you're in the bed. The M Series chest boxes are single-lid utility chests in either a floor mount version that sits directly on the bed floor or a rail mount version that spans between the bed rails and keeps the floor underneath clear.

RKI Headache Racks & Window Grilles

RKI window grilles mount behind the cab to protect the rear glass from shifting loads — a real risk on any truck hauling pipe, lumber, conduit, or unsecured equipment, and cheap insurance compared to a broken back window and a day of downtime. Grilles are available in steel with white powder coat and in aluminum in white or black, in both louvered and non-louvered versions. Louvered grilles cut sun and glare through the back glass; non-louvered versions keep rear visibility more open. Matching caps are available, along with a Litemount option for adding work lighting to the grille.

RKI also offers RG Series rear grilles for load protection at the back of the bed or body, plus round and rectangular strobe light brackets in both standard-mount and grille-specific versions for fleets running amber warning lights.

RKI Service Body Boxes, Floor Drawers & Ladder Racks

For trucks already running a service body, RKI makes storage that works with it rather than around it. The TC Series top mount service body boxes are 14-gauge steel, offered in 96-inch and 108-inch lengths in a low 7-inch profile, and they mount on top of a service body compartment to hold long tools, pipe, and conduit without eating into compartment space. FD Series floor drawers are also 14-gauge steel — lockable slide-out drawers that turn service body floor space into organized, accessible storage for heavy tooling.

RKI ladder racks are available in overhead and side mount configurations, with side mount offered as a single unit or a matched pair depending on whether you're carrying ladders on one side or both.

RKI Accessories

RKI's accessory line covers the parts that make a box work harder: removable and foldout tool trays sized to specific box series, padlock latch hardware for added security, grille caps, strobe light brackets, and the RKI Master Locking System for fleets that want a single key across multiple boxes and trucks.

RKI FAQs

Where are RKI products made?

RKI products are manufactured in the United States. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, where it has been fabricating truck equipment since 1911, and it has kept design, engineering, and fabrication domestic throughout its history. That makes RKI a workable option when your purchasing specs require "Buy American" compliance for municipal or government fleet procurement.

What do RKI's series letters mean?

RKI names its lines by series letter rather than by trade name. C is compact crossover, ST is double-lid slant-top crossover, S is side mount, STS is slant-top side mount, M is chest style, US and UST are top mount (side-opening and top-opening respectively), H is standard underbody, V is tall vertical underbody, TC is top mount service body box, and FD is floor drawer. Part numbers generally combine the series letter with the size — so a 36 x 18 x 18 H Series underbody box is an H361818, and its aluminum equivalent is an H361818A.

Should I choose steel or aluminum?

Steel is RKI's default and the more common choice for its lineup — better dent resistance, lower cost per box, and a white powder coat finish that looks consistent across a fleet. Aluminum is offered on select crossover, side mount, chest, and underbody models and cuts significant weight, which matters if your payload margin is tight or you're already carrying a heavy body, rack, or equipment load. If the truck sees rough handling and incidental contact from equipment, steel is the practical pick. If every pound counts, aluminum is worth the premium.

What's the difference between the H Series and V Series underbody boxes?

Height and orientation. H Series boxes are standard-height underbody boxes for general tool storage. V Series boxes are tall vertical boxes built for storing long items upright — hose, cable, welding leads, conduit, and long-handled tools — which is why they're common on line trucks and utility bodies. If you're storing hand tools and consumables, H Series. If you're storing anything long enough that laying it flat wastes space, V Series.

What warranty does RKI offer?

RKI backs the products it manufactures with a limited lifetime warranty covering manufacturing defects. This applies across the box, rack, and grille lineup — one of the reasons the brand holds up in fleet purchasing comparisons, where total cost of ownership over the vehicle's service life matters more than upfront price. Confirm terms on the individual product listing or contact our team for specifics on the model you're considering.