How to move a rotated SCNNode in SceneKit?

So my understanding is that you want to move the Box Node along its own X axis (not it's parents X axis). And because the Box Node is rotated, its X axis is not aligned with its parent's one, so you have the problem to convert the translation between the two coordinate systems.

The node hierarchy is

parentNode
    |
    |----boxNode // rotated around Y (vertical) axis

Using Transformation Matrices

To move boxNode along its own X axis

// First let's get the current boxNode transformation matrix
SCNMatrix4 boxTransform = boxNode.transform;

// Let's make a new matrix for translation +2 along X axis
SCNMatrix4 xTranslation = SCNMatrix4MakeTranslation(2, 0, 0);

// Combine the two matrices, THE ORDER MATTERS !
// if you swap the parameters you will move it in parent's coord system
SCNMatrix4 newTransform = SCNMatrix4Mult(xTranslation, boxTransform);

// Allply the newly generated transform
boxNode.transform = newTransform;

Please Note: The order matters when multiplying matrices

Another option:

Using SCNNode coordinate conversion functions, looks more straight forward to me

// Get the boxNode current position in parent's coord system
SCNVector3 positionInParent = boxNode.position;

// Convert that coordinate to boxNode's own coord system
SCNVector3 positionInSelf = [boxNode convertPosition:positionInParent fromNode:parentNode];

// Translate along own X axis by +2 points
positionInSelf = SCNVector3Make(positionInSelf.x + 2,
                                positionInSelf.y,
                                positionInSelf.z);

// Convert that back to parent's coord system
positionInParent = [parentNode convertPosition: positionInSelf fromNode:boxNode];

// Apply the new position
boxNode.position = positionInParent;