DeWalt Drawer kit for 4-foot industrial storage rack

I wanted a real drawer on my 4-foot rack—something that didn’t eat up floor space like a rollaway and could live under a shelf where I actually work. The drawer kit from DeWalt does exactly that: it hangs off the rack uprights, adds organized storage right where you need it, and feels purpose-built for a garage or shop built around industrial wire racks.

What it is and why it’s useful

This is a steel, under-shelf drawer that mounts directly to compatible 4-foot rack uprights that use a 2.35-inch tab-and-slot system (the same pattern on DeWalt’s heavy-duty racks). It provides a single, full-width drawer riding on ball-bearing slides and is rated for 120 pounds when the load is distributed. The footprint works out to roughly a 44-inch interior width, 18-inch depth, and 6.5-inch interior height—big enough for most hand tools, spray cans, abrasives, and small power tools in their soft cases. In practice, it transforms a bay on the rack into a much more civilized storage zone without surrendering a shelf.

Setup and installation

Plan on a careful install, and if you can, recruit a helper. The drawer ships largely pre-assembled—front, sides, back, and floor are already attached—so you’re dealing with a big, fairly heavy piece. The kit includes brackets that lock into the rack uprights, then the drawer slides onto those brackets.

A few setup notes from my bench:

• Square the rack first. A racked frame makes the brackets fight you. I checked the diagonals and snugged all beam connections before starting.
• Set your height with the 2.35-inch pitch in mind. I put mine just below a mid-level shelf so the drawer clears and remains accessible.
• Loosely set the rear brackets, then hang the drawer on them to take the weight while you align the fronts. This was far easier than trying to land the drawer onto all four at once.
• The handle uses a tabbed fit that was tight on mine. A plastic mallet and patience were all it took, but be ready for a little persuasion.

Solo, the install took me about an hour with a ratchet set, rubber mallet, and a small clamp to hold a bracket while I marked height. With a second set of hands, 30–40 minutes is realistic.

Build quality and design

The drawer itself is steel with a black, powder-coated finish. The coating is consistent and reasonably tough for shop use, though it’s not immune to scuffs if you drag hardware across it. The steel gauge on the drawer is lighter than the rack’s uprights and beams (as expected), but the structure is reinforced well enough to feel solid in use. The slides run smoothly and didn’t bind during installation or after loading.

Because this is a full-width drawer with a 44-inch interior, the span is long. You will see a bit of oilcanning in the drawer bottom if you drop a single dense item (say, a 25-pound vise) dead center. Spread that same weight across a small plywood liner or a drawer mat and the deflection is minimal. I added a 1/8-inch rubber liner to keep metal boxes from skittering and to cut down on rattle.

The kit weighs about 26 pounds out of the box, and the finished assembly feels substantial once it’s hung and fastened. Once loaded, there’s no wobble or racking, and the face remains aligned with the rack uprights.

Everyday use

The drawer action is the highlight. The ball-bearing slides open and close with little effort and maintain alignment when the drawer is packed. Extension is generous enough that I can reach the back corners without gymnastics. The 6.5-inch interior height is a sweet spot: tall enough for spray cans, most cordless drills, and organizers, but shallow enough to keep it from becoming a black hole.

I set mine under a shelf that doubles as a work zone. On its own, the rack shelf is too bouncy for precision work. Topping that shelf with 3/4-inch plywood turns the area above the drawer into a respectable work surface. This keeps the tools I use most directly under the bench area and off the floor.

Noise and vibration are well controlled if you add a liner. Without it, metal-on-metal can be clanky when sliding full of sockets or loose hardware.

Capacity and what to store

With 120 pounds of rated capacity, the drawer is suited to:

• Hand tools, drivers, pliers, layout tools
• Cordless drills/impacts and batteries
• Consumables (abrasives, painter’s tape, blades)
• Spray cans and chemicals in trays
• Fastener assortments in organizers

I intentionally loaded it with roughly 90 pounds of mixed tools to test the slides. The action remained smooth and there was no noticeable sag at full extension. For very dense items like anvil blocks or stacks of steel offcuts, I’d keep them on a shelf. The rating assumes an evenly distributed load; respect that and the system feels plenty robust.

Compatibility and fit

This drawer kit is purpose-built for racks that use a 2.35-inch adjustable tab system and a 4-foot bay. On my DeWalt rack, the brackets dropped into place with a precise, no-slop fit. If you’re thinking of mixing brands, verify the pitch and upright design before buying—the system relies on a matched geometry. The overall product height is about 17 inches, so ensure you have the vertical clearance under your chosen shelf, accounting for the drawer face, slides, and hand clearance.

Quirks and potential drawbacks

• Installation is heavier and fussier than a typical accessory shelf. Not complicated, just finicky to align solo.
• The handle’s tabbed connection is snug; expect a little wrestling.
• The steel thickness is appropriate but not as heavy as the rack uprights. Use a liner if you’re tossing in loose metal.
• Powder coat is good, not indestructible. Unbox carefully and check for shipping dings before you start assembling.
• It’s a single, full-width drawer. If you want dedicated small-part compartments, plan on adding organizers.

None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth knowing ahead of time.

Value and alternatives

A rollaway tool chest at a similar price can offer multiple drawers and sometimes higher combined capacity, but it costs you floor space and fragments your setup. The drawer kit’s value is in integration: it leverages the vertical real estate you already have and keeps frequently used tools within arm’s reach of a benchtop. If you’ve committed to a 4-foot rack system, this is one of the cleanest ways to add real drawer storage without reworking the entire bay.

The warranty is a 1-year limited plan. It’s not long, so treat the rack and drawer as a system: square, level, and carefully installed to limit undue stress on the slides and brackets.

Tips for a better experience

• Add a 1/8-inch rubber or foam drawer liner to protect the finish and quiet rattles.
• For a work zone above the drawer, top the shelf with 3/4-inch plywood or MDF and screw it to the beams (or use beam clips) to reduce bounce.
• Keep loads distributed; heavy blocks and vises go near the sides over the slide rails.
• Periodically wipe the slides and add a light dry lubricant to keep them gliding smoothly.
• Label organizers and stand them on edge; the 6.5-inch interior height supports most cases oriented upright.

Recommendation

I recommend the drawer kit to anyone already running a 4-foot industrial rack with the 2.35-inch tab system and wanting integrated drawer storage. It’s sturdy, the slides are smooth under real loads, and the full-width format swallows a lot of gear without giving up floor space. Installation demands a little patience—and ideally a helper—and the finish can scuff if you’re careless. But once it’s in, it behaves like a built-in. If your workspace revolves around a heavy-duty rack and you value having tools directly under a benchtop, this is a smart, space-efficient upgrade. If you need multiple shallow drawers or maximum small-parts organization for the money, a rollaway cabinet may make more sense. For rack-centric shops, though, this drawer kit fits the system and the way you work.