DeWalt 70\" Single Lid Crossover Low Profile Black

Why I chose this low-profile crossover for my truck

I spend a lot of time in and around my truck, splitting my week between service calls and hauling personal gear on weekends. I wanted a crossover box that wouldn’t eat into rear visibility, would open reliably from the ground, and could keep the daily carry of hand tools, test equipment, and tie-downs sorted without turning into a rummage bin. The DeWalt low-profile crossover box checked those boxes on paper, so I mounted one across a full-size bed and lived with it through rainstorms, dusty back roads, and a few long highway runs.

Setup and installation

Fitment was straightforward. The low-profile height clears the rear view nicely, and the 70-inch span sits cleanly on most full-size beds. As with any crossover, getting it right meant taking a few extra minutes on alignment. I centered it, checked cab clearance with the lid fully open, and padded the bed rails where needed to account for uneven rail caps. That last step is easy to skip, but it pays off: a level base keeps the lid from binding against the seal and helps the latches meet their strikers squarely.

Mounting hardware choice matters. If you’re in wet or salty climates, use stainless or properly coated fasteners and isolate dissimilar metals where the aluminum box meets the steel bed; it slows galvanic corrosion and keeps those bolts from seizing later. After installation, I set latch tension so the lid pulled the seal evenly all the way around. It takes a few test closes, but you know you’ve nailed it when it shuts with a single, confident push and you can’t see daylight anywhere along the gasket.

Build and design

The foam-filled lid is the highlight. Aluminum lids can oil-can if you push at the wrong spot; this one feels genuinely stout. I noticed zero drumming or rack flex when closing from the corner, and the skin doesn’t ripple under hand pressure. Dual lift struts open the lid to about 90 degrees and hold it there; they’re strong enough that the lid doesn’t half-close on windy days but not so aggressive that you’re fighting to shut it.

DeWalt uses an enclosed connecting rod for the latch system. That’s a good call. Exposed rods get bent by cargo or accumulate grit until the mechanism gets crunchy. This design keeps everything tucked away, and it shows in day-to-day use—both sides pull evenly and the paddles feel car-door familiar. The stainless paddle handles and lock hardware are appropriately robust and sit at a comfortable reach height from the ground.

Inside, the 3‑compartment sliding tray floats over the main cavity and has just enough friction that it stays where you leave it. I set mine up with terminals, wire nuts, and a few marking tools. The tray is wide enough that you can stage the next job’s small parts and still get to a drill or nailer underneath without rearranging your life.

Everyday performance

The best compliment I can give a crossover box is that I stop thinking about it. After the initial latch adjustment, that’s where this one landed. I can walk up from either side, pop the handle with two fingers, and the struts take over. Closing is a single-handed push from the edge. It’s a quiet box on the road—no rattle from the lid and no clank from the rod.

The low-profile height is excellent for sightlines. Backing up with a bed packed to the rails is still manageable. That shorter lid height does slightly reduce the vertical clearance for tall cases inside the box, so measure your tallest tool cases before you assume they’ll fit upright; most standard blow-molded drill and impact kits fit fine, but deep organizers may need to sit on their side.

Weather resistance

Weatherstripping around the lid does its job. I ran through several heavy downpours and a few sloppy car washes without finding more than a trace of moisture at the corners, and that was due to me slamming the lid on a stray strap. Dust is the harder test. On long gravel stretches, a small amount of fine dust will work its way in at the tailgate side of the box if the latch tension is too loose. A quarter-turn adjustment on the strikers tightened the seal and solved it for me.

One practical note: any weather seal is only as good as the contact it makes. If you load material on top of the lid—ladders, lumber, or a cooler—and strap over-enthusiastically, you can flex the lid out of alignment and compromise the seal. This isn’t a steel job chest; treat the lid as a lid, not a load-bearing deck.

Security and ergonomics

Security is always a sliding scale with truck boxes. The stainless paddle lock and positive latch give a solid first line of defense and deter casual tampering. With the connecting rod enclosed and the lid reinforced, there are fewer easy attack points. I don’t consider any aluminum crossover box to be high security, but for parked-at-a-jobsite peace of mind, this one feels above average.

Ergonomically, the paddle style is a win. It’s easy to open from the ground and has enough throw that you don’t need to yank. In cold weather, the mechanism didn’t gum up; a shot of dry lube on the moving bits at the start of winter keeps the handles snappy.

Durability and maintenance

After months of use, the black finish held up well to bumps with tool cases. Black will show scratches faster than a bare aluminum box, so if cosmetics matter, plan on quick touch-ups for anything that cuts through the coating. I kept an eye on hardware and recommend you do the same. Even with good materials, exposed bolts and latch screws can corrode faster in coastal areas or where roads are salted. A dab of anti-seize on threads at install and a rinse during washdowns go a long way.

The gas struts are consumables on any toolbox. These opened with authority out of the box and were unchanged after my test window. If you notice them weakening over time, replacements are inexpensive and easy to swap with a flat blade and a second set of hands to steady the lid. Also watch for over-tightening the mounting clamps; crank them too hard and you can telegraph stress into the sidewalls over rough roads. Snug and re-check after a week of driving is the rule.

If you encounter a lid that won’t stay shut or pops open on bumps, that’s almost always an adjustment issue. Make sure the strikers are square, the rod is centered, and the handles return fully. With this design, once set, mine stayed set.

What I’d change

• Include stainless hardware for all external fasteners by default, or clearly label the hardware grades in the kit. Many buyers install and forget—and that’s where corrosion creeps in.
• Add light padding under the sliding tray’s rails to reduce the occasionally squeak on washboard roads.
• Provide a clear, illustrated page on latch and striker adjustment. The mechanism is solid, but a lot of performance comes from that first 10 minutes of dialing it in.

Who it suits best

This box fits the needs of homeowners, tradespeople, and light commercial users who value a low profile, easy access from either side, and a lid that feels confident under hand. It’s not the right choice if you routinely stack heavy building materials on top or expect jobsite chest levels of abuse. Pair it with sensible maintenance—bolt checks, occasional lube, and sane expectations for an aluminum lid—and it becomes a quiet, reliable part of your truck.

The bottom line

I recommend the DeWalt low-profile crossover box. It’s thoughtfully built where it matters: a rigid, foam-filled lid, enclosed latch linkage, stainless paddle handles, strong lift struts, and a useful sliding tray. Weather sealing is effective once properly adjusted, daily ergonomics are excellent, and on-road behavior is rattle-free. The trade-offs are typical of the aluminum crossover category—don’t treat the lid as a load platform, keep an eye on hardware in harsh climates, and plan on occasional adjustments or strut replacements over the years. If you’re after secure, low-profile storage that protects your tools and speeds your day without blocking your view, this box earns its space on the rails.