The present invention is a system for direct docking of a storage device/carrier to a back plane of a support frame. The system includes a storage device/carrier including guidance tracks. Guidance rails are connected to the support frame, engage the guidance tracks respectively and guide and support the storage device/carrier into a mating engagement with a connector on a backplane of the support frame. Each guidance rail includes at least one spring element which raises the storage device/carrier away from the support frame as it is inserted thereinto. Further, the storage device/carrier includes opposed, outwardly extending spring elements which bear against the support frame. In operation, the opposed spring elements on the storage device/carrier are compressed as the storage device/carrier is inserted onto the guidance rails and bias the storage device/carrier against the support frame. As the storage device carrier engages with a connector, a reduced cross section region of the guidance tracks engage the sides of the guidance rails, thereby reducing slack between the guidance tracks and the guidance rails.