Shop this guide

A crossover toolbox and a headache rack both mount at the front of the bed, right behind the cab, so the real question is whether they can share that spot. With a BackRack headache rack they can. BackRack’s FAQ says its Toolbox Bracket system lets a toolbox sit on two channels up against the rack frame, leaving a minimal gap, and the box fastens to those brackets instead of being drilled to the truck. Without the brackets, BackRack says a gap of 8 to 14 inches is left between the toolbox and the rack.

So the choice is less “rack toolbox or bed toolbox” and more which of a few setups suits your truck and cover. This guide compares them using BackRack’s product page and FAQ, Dee Zee’s product data and Extang’s tonneau notes, all checked on October 9, 2026. No truck was fitted for it.

The setups at a glance

Setup Gap between box and rack Drilling, per the maker Tonneau cover notes
Crossover box, no rack Not applicable Dee Zee DZ8170B: not required Extang Trifecta Toolbox 2.0: 18-20 in. deep boxes
BackRack, box on toolbox brackets Minimal, per BackRack None on most late-model trucks Inside-lip cover and riser fit require approval for the complete box/rack combination
BackRack, low-profile toolbox kit Not published Two holes per side through the bed rail Inside-lip cover and riser fit require approval for the complete box/rack combination
BackRack, box without brackets 8 to 14 in., per BackRack Per the box maker’s instructions Inside-lip cover and riser fit require approval for the complete box/rack combination

What a crossover toolbox gives you

Dee Zee’s Red Label Crossover Tool Box, part DZ8170B, is one example. Dee Zee’s product data lists:

  • 69.75 in. long, 20 in. deep and 13.2 in. tall, with 8.4 cu. ft. of storage
  • .056 Brite-Tread aluminum with a gloss black powder coat
  • Mounting at the front bulkhead and bed rails, with hardware included and no drilling required
  • A closed-cell foam gasket, dampened gas shocks, lockable stainless steel paddle handles and a removable plastic tray
  • A limited lifetime warranty

The DZ8170LTB is Dee Zee’s low-profile version in texture black. Dee Zee lists the same 69.75 x 20 x 13.2 in. outside size for it, with 8 cu. ft. of storage.

Dee Zee sells these boxes against a fitment list. The DZ8170B’s list names pickups by year range and bed length, including the Ford F-150 and Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Ram, Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan. Find your exact truck and bed in it before ordering.

On its own, a crossover box is the simpler setup: one part on the rails and no rack hardware. What it doesn’t add is a guard for the rear window, which is the job BackRack describes for its headache racks. Dee Zee’s product data doesn’t list a weight limit for the box.

View Dee Zee DZ8170B on Amazon ยท View Dee Zee DZ8170LTB on Amazon

What a headache rack adds

BackRack describes its Original headache rack as 12-gauge steel with a semi-gloss black powder coat, built to protect the rear window and cab from shifting cargo or careless loading. For a toolbox owner, these points from its product page and FAQ matter most:

  • Hardware is separate. Each rack needs an additional hardware kit with the brackets, hardware and instructions for your truck.
  • Drilling depends on the truck. BackRack’s standard and toolbox bracket kits mount the rack without drilling on most late-model trucks. Trucks without stake pockets generally need holes drilled through the bed rail.
  • Warranty. BackRack gives one year on workmanship and says the powder coat finish isn’t covered.

Neither the product page nor the FAQ publishes a load rating for the rack, so ask BackRack before you hang weight from it.

Search Amazon for BackRack Original headache rack

Running a crossover toolbox with a headache rack

BackRack’s toolbox brackets are what let the box and rack share the front of the bed. Its FAQ covers how they work:

  • Order them with the rack, or add them later. If you tell BackRack the truck has a toolbox when ordering, the brackets come in the carton; its example is part 10519 TB in place of 10519. Brackets bought later (91010, 91011, 91012, 91013 or 91010-C) replace the railmount brackets and rail plates that came with the rack. They ship without fasteners, so you reuse the ones in the rack’s original hardware bag.
  • No rail plates. The toolbox brackets sit directly on the bed rails.
  • Channel length. Standard brackets are 21 inches, the length of the channel the toolbox sits on. BackRack offers 31-inch brackets for extra-large toolboxes on all trucks except compacts.
  • No holes for the box. The toolbox fastens to the brackets rather than being drilled or fastened to the bed.
  • Low-profile kits drill. BackRack’s low-profile hardware kits let the toolbox sit flush with the truck bed, but they need two holes drilled per side through the bed rail.

BackRack calls a toolbox install slightly more involved than a standard one. It recommends an installing dealer for trucks that need drilling or carry several accessories, such as a tonneau cover.

BackRack’s mounting hardware is specific to each truck, and its toolbox brackets come in 21- and 31-inch lengths, so match the kit to your truck and box.

Search Amazon for BackRack toolbox hardware kit

Tonneau covers and bed liners

A cover is where the setups differ most.

  • Crossover box, no rack. Some covers are built to close against a toolbox. Extang says its Trifecta Toolbox 2.0 fits behind most 18- to 20-inch-deep crossover toolboxes, with an L-channel and seal that bridge the gap. Its part notes say it will not work with low-profile or plastic toolboxes. On paper, a 20-inch standard box like the DZ8170B falls within that range, while the low-profile DZ8170LTB is the kind of box Extang rules out. Our Extang Trifecta 2.0 review explains how the standard and Toolbox versions differ. Search Amazon for Extang Trifecta Toolbox 2.0
  • With a BackRack. BackRack says only covers that fasten to the inside lip of the bed are compatible, because the rack needs the top rail of the bed. Covers that sit mainly on the top rail, older button-style covers and aluminum-frame types are not. Compatible covers need BackRack’s risers, which it calls TCAs: they lift the rack 1 inch to clear the cover, and the extra height calls for extended stake pocket bolts. BackRack’s universal riser for older trucks, part 92001, lifts it 2 inches instead.
  • Rack, box and cover together. BackRack’s FAQ covers toolbox brackets and risers separately and doesn’t say whether one truck can use both. Ask BackRack or an installing dealer before planning all three on the same rails.
  • Bed liners. BackRack says under-rail liners are the easiest to install a rack with. With an over-rail liner you may need to drill through the liner’s top rail for the stake pocket bolts, and BackRack suggests putting rail plates under the liner.

Our truck bed rack picks cover which racks need extra kits for a tonneau cover, and our tonneau cover picks compare cover types.

How to choose

  • Storage only: a crossover box on its own keeps the setup to one part. Dee Zee lists no drilling required for the DZ8170B.
  • Storage and a window guard: order the rack with toolbox brackets from the start (BackRack’s TB parts), so you aren’t swapping brackets later.
  • Rack already fitted: brackets can be added later, replacing the rack’s railmount brackets and rail plates.
  • A cover is planned: pick the cover type first. Extang limits which boxes its toolbox cover fits behind, and BackRack limits which covers work under its rack.
  • No stake pockets, or a low-profile kit: expect to drill through the bed rail.

If long loads such as ladders and lumber are the real job, a bed rack may suit you better than a headache rack; see our truck bed rack picks .

FAQ

Can you put a crossover toolbox with a headache rack?

Yes, with a BackRack. Its toolbox brackets let a toolbox sit up against the rack frame with a minimal gap. Without them, BackRack says a gap of 8 to 14 inches is left between the box and the rack. Other rack makers set their own rules, so check the instructions for your rack.

Do toolbox brackets mean drilling the truck?

Usually not. BackRack says the box fastens to the brackets rather than the bed, and its standard and toolbox bracket kits need no holes on most late-model trucks. Its low-profile kits need two holes per side through the bed rail, and trucks without stake pockets generally need drilling.

Can I add a tonneau cover too?

Check both makers first. BackRack works only with covers that fasten to the inside lip of the bed, using risers that lift the rack 1 inch, and its FAQ doesn’t say whether risers and toolbox brackets can be combined. With no rack, Extang’s Trifecta Toolbox 2.0 fits behind most 18- to 20-inch-deep crossover boxes, but not low-profile or plastic ones.

Sources