How to Install a DECKED Drawer System [2021 FORD RANGER, MF3 UNIT]

Recently, one of our team members got a brand new DECKED MF3 Truck Bed Storage System to go into the bed of his 2021 Ford Ranger. We decided to document the whole thing, which you can watch here, as well as make a blog breaking down the step by step process to make installing your DECKED unit a piece of cake.

NOTE - While most standard DECKED units have similar construction, this overview is specifically for a MF3 unit for a 2021 Ford Ranger. If this blog conflicts with your individual instruction manual from DECKED, follow their instructions.

STEP ONE - UNBOXING

Now that you have your brand new DECKED unit sitting on a pallet and ready to go, you'll first want to make sure you have everything you'll need.

The interior contents of this MF3 unit included the right and left decks, right and left ammo cans, cabside and center verts, right and left studs, right and left C-channels, right and left drawers, the torsion brace, and of course, the bottle opener plate. Included in separate bagged packaging was the necessary nuts, bolts, and wheels required for assembling your DECKED unit.

STEP TWO - MARK CENTER OF BED AND INSTALL SHIMS

Find the center of the bed and measure 5.5 inches from the end of the bed, note spot with a marker. Remove tape film from the back of the narrow shim and place on where you have noted. Next, the thin shims will be placed on the cab side of the bed, 2.5 inches from the back panel, one on the right and left sides of the bed.

STEP THREE - INSTALLING CABSIDE BRACKETS

Remove the factory tie downs located close to the cabside of the bed (above where the shims are placed). Replace them with the cabside brackets, oriented with the bolts closest to the tailgate-side of the truck.

STEP FOUR - ATTACHING CENTER AND CABSIDE VERTS

Disclaimer - The following steps will need to take place on a flat surface such as a garage floor, not in the bed of the truck.

Place hook on center vert over notch in cabside verts, and attach them securely using the plain, stainless steel bolts from the SL1 bag. Do not over tighten.

STEP FIVE - LOOSELY ATTACH STUDS TO CABSIDE VERTS

Attach both studs to each cabside vert, using the same type of bolts from the previous step. Once finished, the entire assembly should make a "T" shape on the ground.

STEP SIX - ALLIGNING LEFT AND RIGHT DECKS WITH THE STUD AND VERT ASSEMBLY

Stand the ammo cans up on the ground towards the tailgate side of the assembly. Place deck panels on top of the assembly and ammo cans, sliding them around until they are seated flush on top of the assembly and the ammo cans fit in the holes located in the decks. Use the same, plain, stainless steel bolts from the previous steps from the SL1 bag to loosely secure the decks to the assembly and ammo cans.

STEP SEVEN - UNBOLT THE DECKS FROM THE ASSEMBLY

This was the annoying part. Immediately after loosely securing the decks to the assembly, you're going to need to take them out again. The instruction manual justifies Step Six as making sure the studs are properly located before a final tightening, and says not to skip it. After you have unbolted the decks from the studs, remove the deck panels, ammo cans, and bolts and set them aside.

STEP EIGHT - ASSEMBLING THE STUD BRACKETS

Secure the stud brackets to the studs using three 3.5 inch length bolts and flanged nuts in the specified holes.

STEP NINE - MOUNTING AND ATTACHING TO YOUR TRUCK BED

Carefully lift both center vert, stud, and cabside vert assembly into the bed of your truck. Position all the way with the cabside vert placed against the cabside panel of the truck bed, with the stud bracket placed on the tailgate side of the cabside bracket. Tighten the stud and bracket with a 3/4 inch bolt and flanged nut.

STEP TEN - INSTALLING C-CHANNELS INTO THE ASSEMBLY

Place left ammo can on bed with the axels closest to you. Place a C-channel on the supporting edge of the stud and ammo can, with the end plate on the cabside stud/vert. Use two bolts from the SL1 bag to install the C-channel into the cabside stud.

Using two B2 bolts and two N1 nuts, install the C-channel to the ammo can, keeping it loose.

Repeat on right side with the right C-channel.

STEP ELEVEN - INSTALLING DECK HALVES

Now that the assembly has been partially installed to the bed, place the left deck panel on top of the assembly once again. Shift left ammo can around until the deck falls flush with the assembly. Use the plain, stainless steel SL1 bolts to attach the deck panel to center vert and cabside stud. 

Use the SL1 stainless steel bolts with THE BLUE RIMLEX sealant underneath the bolt in order to attach the deck to the ammo cans.

After that, you may now go back to the end of step 10 and fully tighten those C-channel bolts to the ammo can.

Repeat on right side with the right deck.

STEP TWELVE - ASSEMBLING THE DRAWERS

Both the small and large drawer for the MF3 Decked Drawer System come with wheel brackets. These are what the wheels are mounted to in order to help the drawer slide in and out of the bed assembly. Place the brackets in the drawers into the designated mounting hole and tighten them with two 3/4 inch bolts through the bottom two holes, tightening loosely with nuts. Place the 2 inch bolts through the back mounting hole, securing with a nut. 

Finally, use two 3/4 bolts to secure the tube brace, and install the wheels with a 7/32 hex wrench.

STEP THIRTEEN - PLACING ON THE WHEELS AND WEATHERSTRIPS

Install wheels onto drawer axles with a 7/32 inch hex wrench. Once installed place weatherstrips on the outside edge of the box with the blade piece pointing toward the cab.

This was, without a doubt, the hardest step of the entire assembly. For whatever reason, this unit has little working room for this step. We dropped the wheel and the bolt several times in the process, which meant we spent a long time searching the garage for something to fish them out from underneath the assembly. 

We found that pulling out the drawers a slight amount gave you a little bit more room, but ultimately it is just trial and error and perseverance. If you get them on easily, please tell us what you did!

STEP FOURTEEN - PLACING ON TORSION BRACE AND BOTTLE OPENER

Now that we're almost done, place the torsion brace underneath the center vert and ammo cans. Place the bottle opener on top of the torsion brace, up against the assembly. Secure loosely with two black 1/2 inch bolts into the upper holes of the bottle opener into the center cert, and two black SL1 bolts through the bottom holes of the bottom opener, the torsion brace, and into the center vert.

Use another two black SL1 bolts to secure the end pieces of the torsion brace into the ammo cans.

Align the ruler place on the end of the deck panels, using a 1/8 inch hex wrench to secure six ruler screws into the decks.

STEP FIFTEEN - INSTALLING THE J-HOOKS

These J-Hooks are meant to secure the front of the assembly to the frame of the truck. Run the J-Hooks through the factory tailgate side tie downs, which should still be installed at the end of your truck, and place the end through the closest hole in the ammo can. Slide the winged-spherical nut-washer, round side facing the bed, onto the J-Hook and tighten using your fingers.

Repeat on the other side.

Go back and further tighten the J-Hooks, and finish off by placing the bolt thread protector on the end of the J-Hooks inside the ammo cans.

Place ammo can lids on.

STEP SIXTEEN - ENJOY YOUR DECKED UNIT!

The MF3 Decked Drawer System installation is finished! Purchased a DECKED unit from EliteTruck.com? Send us pictures of the final product, and we'll glad to share them to our social media! 

Send pictures and videos to jsauls@elitetruck.com.