Once you’ve settled on a service body for
your trade, the next decision that actually changes how you work every single day is how the compartments
open. Two designs dominate the market: swing-out doors that open like a cabinet, and slide-out (pull-out)
trays that roll the whole tray toward you. Both keep tools locked up and out of the weather, but they solve
the access problem differently, and picking the wrong one for your trade means reaching, bending, or
climbing into a compartment more than you should have to. At
Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we spec both styles on
STI,
CM, and
RKI service bodies for crews across Texas
and Louisiana, and the right call almost always comes down to what’s living in that compartment.
Swing-Out Doors: Fast Access, Full Visibility
A swing-out door opens the full face of the compartment at once, so you can see everything inside without
pulling anything out first. That makes it the better choice for compartments holding bulkier items — chain,
hose reels, traffic cones, or bins you just need to grab and go. Swing-out doors also seal tighter against
gasketed openings, which matters if you’re hauling moisture-sensitive electrical parts or chemicals that
need to stay dry through a Gulf Coast downpour. The tradeoff is depth: anything stored at the back of a deep
compartment still requires leaning in or climbing up on the running board to reach it.
Slide-Out Trays: Everything Comes to You
A slide-out tray rolls the entire tool layout out to you on rails, so nothing sits buried behind another
tool. For techs who dig through the same small parts bins or socket sets a dozen times a shift — electricians,
HVAC techs, plumbers — that saved reach adds up fast over a workday. Slide-out trays also make it easier to
organize small parts in labeled bins without losing anything to the back corner. The downside is weight and
moving parts: loaded slides add unsprung weight low in the compartment and the rails need occasional
lubrication and inspection to keep rolling smoothly, especially in sandy or muddy oilfield conditions.
Which One Fits Your Trade?
- Swing-out — best for bulky gear, chain and rigging, traffic control equipment, and
compartments that need a tight weather seal - Slide-out — best for small parts, hand tools, and techs who need frequent access to
organized bins throughout the day - Mixed setup — most fleets do best running swing-out doors on bulk-storage compartments
and slide-out trays in the compartments that see the most daily digging
Most of our customers don’t pick one style for the whole truck — they mix both across the compartments
based on what’s actually going in each one. A crane
truck hauling rigging gear leans swing-out; an electrician’s STI service body full of small parts leans
slide-out. We’ll walk through your daily routine and spec the compartment layout — swing, slide, or a mix of
both — around how you actually work, not just what’s standard on the floor unit.
Get Your Service Body Compartments Speced Right
Star Truck Equipment builds and installs service bodies for trades across Texas and Louisiana from our
shop in Wharton, TX. Call us at (979) 532-1486 or browse our
service bodies and
truck accessories to get started.
