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Apples to Apples comparison with Thule truck box

When given the opportunity to do a very close A/B comparison between two similar products, I like to jump at the opportunity. I decided to compare the dewalt dcs70 and the uws tbs-69 against each other due to their similarity and ordered one of each. I figured a good a/b comparison would be what people would like to know. I was wrong thinking this was an a/b comparison though.

Revision & Note: Thule phone call was not completely accurate - the lid profile on the dewalt is about an inch higher than the version Thule sells. We noticed this after both were in service trucks because some drivers complained about the dewalt blocking their window view. The photo doesn’t show this detail well but there is a small difference. Some drivers didn’t notice so it’s pretty minor.

Since the dewalt dcs70 lacked the 1/2″ VSR drill mentioned in the product description, unfortunately my Apples to Oranges comparison turned out to be an Apples to Apples comparison after a little research. Continue to History below.

(The History)

Dewalt does not “make” truck toolboxes, but instead contracts this out to a company named Thule (silent h - pronounced tool). UWS and Thule are the same company due to an acquisition in 9-2007 when Thule bought UWS, so both boxes are made by the same company. Judging by the welding skill, burns, splatter, and marks, I’d go so far as to say they were made by the same person.

The dewalt product did not include the 1/2″ VSR Drill, which I’ll admit seemed a strange combination (buy a truck toolbox, get a drill), so it put the comparison on very level footing.

Making some phone calls to Thule (UWS) I found out that they proudly manufacture the box for Dewalt. They were very helpful to explain that the dcs70 and tbs-69 are the exact same product, which once they arrived on my shipping dock, I discovered was true (except for the nameplate in front)

These two boxes are both made from .063 Aluminium diamondplate, welded. I’ll admit Al is not the easiest material to weld, but there was no effort made to clean up the splatter and burn marks on the welding which even I do when welding and I’m by no means “neat” or obcessive about it.

Thule does make a “BETTER” grade box out of .080 Al that weighs 30 lbs more and has a 4 corner locking system plus a “tough coat” tub and lid liner. It’s not sold through Amazon though. This box is UWS’s entry level box basically.

(The boxes)

Unpacking the boxes didn’t take much - the packing left quite a bit to be desired and did not provide adequate protection to the product - no styrofoam corners, just 2 half sized boxes that nest inside each other with the toolbox inside, and 5-6 straps of clear shipping tape on 3 sides holding it all together. Keep in mind it’s almost the size of a coffin. I noted some shipping damage, but then again my 2 boxes spent the last week in a fedex ground truck going cross country to my lab in California. I guess it’s not as painful when the FEDEX driver dings up your new toy for the first time.

Both boxes are bright and shiny other than their unpolished welds outside which was disappointing. The inside welds are worse. The two boxes did have slightly different keys which was a pleasant surprise, however the lock system offers less than a few seconds deterrent to a determined theif. Keeping in mind how many $ worth of tools could be inside one of these, I’d prefer a high security lock / key. I STRONGLY recommend you purchase a high security lock/shackle that you can weld to the box and lid to keep people out.

(The A/B comparison)

Well, They are the same box, both drop shipped from UWD, with the same accessories inside (a sliding black plastic parts tray). The Dewalt version carries a lifetime warantee and their logo, while Thule/UWS offers a 1 year warantee. Realistically if a weld failed 5 years from now, are you going to remove the box from your truck and ship it by truck freight back to dewalt or get your GTAW welder and fix the leak yourself?

The prices of the same box are within a dollar of each other right now, and they weigh within a lb of each other. It’s the same box with different nameplates. I liked the simplicity of the Dewalt installation instructions better, but the UWS seemed to be more of a mechanical engineering drawing showing how to bolt the box in your truck and looked more professional than the dewalt “you’ll need these items, drill, bolts, …”

Other than that, these are the same unit. You could consider the heavy duty (.080″) version from Thule but that’s the only real other option.

I’ll take some photos of the welds so you can see how they look. Both brands are the same. I am deducting 1 point for inadequate packaging and shipping damage and 1 point for weld quality and locking system. Other than those issues they are nice shiny identical boxes that would look good on any new truck.

Update (5/19/2012): This item is currently on sale here for the lowest price I’ve seen.

The featured review for this product, DeWalt DCS70-DW235G 70″ Contractor Single Lid Crossover Truck Tool Box With VSR 0.5″ Drill for Full Size Pickups Automotive, was written by HMMWV.

The average rating for this item is 4 out of 5 stars, according to 3 reviews.