Although The Drive is happy to hear Ford has applied for a patent involving a “powered sliding platform” in the bed on its upcoming Ford F-150 Hybrid, this storage practice is far from new.

On the other hand, heavy-duty, full-extension 36-inch Hettich drawer slides ($90 per pair), which can support loads up to 500 pounds, are a great choice for building a slider cargo tray.

Additional storage/toolboxes have been incorporated into the design, one of which is a sliding under-bed tray hidden behind the number plate. The others are bolt-on units that secure below the bed ...