How is your tray fitted?

[Ranga]

I'm replacing the tub with an alloy tray on the 130 HCPU, and was wondering how others have mounted theirs.

I picked up the tray second hand, and whilst it came with racks and brackets to mount it, it leaves no room for spare tyres between the fuel tank and the tray.

My latest idea is getting some 250x100x3mm angle, and running that all the way along the chassis, from the the rear crossmember over the springs and attaching it to the original bracket that held the tub at the front.

Anybody see any issues with this, particularly weight, and the fact it will rest on top of the spring mount? Hopefully it won't take too much weight, but I figure it would be pretty strong.

Would love to see photos of how others have their tray mounted, particularly if you keep a spare under the tray.

[vnx205]

Mine has two bits of channel running across the chassis, one at the front and one at the back.

Photos of the front of mine and Jock the Rocks are here.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/73099-tray-mounts-defender.html#post914179

I have seen them mounted high enough to fit a spare underneath, but if I lifted mine, it would make packing up the camper a bit difficult. I would need to stand on something to reach the canvas that needs to be tucked in.

Setting it lower would also be out of the question for me because even with standard tyres, the deep ribs under the alloy tray rubbed on the tyres when the axles were crossed up. I cut some of the ribs away to get more clearance.

[Bundalene]

Another suggestion, half up, half down..

We sunk the tyre most of the way into the tray on our 130 project – but then these are not standard tyres. . Standard tyres may have fitted flushly.


There is a pic of the tyre cover lower on this page.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/88257-bundalenes-daughters-130-repair-job-38.html





During fabrication.


http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/5154/september29021.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/september29021.jpg/)




Complete without the cover

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/230/nov15001.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/812/nov15001.jpg/)


Erich

[bambusa]

mine have two runs of C channel (100mm high) front to back on the tray.
It then has brackets bolted into it at the three chassis mount points along the length (mine is a 110).
The mount points have either rubber or some sort of bush between them and the chassis and with bolts holding it tight...
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/218/photo1hl.jpg

[roverrescue]

Ranga,
Have you a photo of the underside of the new tray. Is it ally or steel tray?

3mm steel angle will fail dismally in a loaded 130.

Depending on what the tray already has underneath it. Structural c-sections will be your friend.

If Aluminium I would use 127x63 by 6.5 thick C-section.

One piece runs left to right across the front of the front chassis mounts. Then two lengths run the full length of the tray sitting ontop. These are at a good width to fit your tyre. Being C-section its easy to through bolt and also attach the tray plates.

For the rear support to the rear chassis cross member you simply use more of the 127 c running along the top of the cross member, with a cutout for the tyre centrally.

This will give 250 clearance between tray bottom and rear cross member for tyre system.

S

[roverrescue]

Bambusa,
thanks for the photos. Am I right in assuming those rear most mounts are spring mounts to allow for chassis flex.

S

[bambusa]

They are actually solid. I have replaced all but the rear ones with rubber to do as you suggested.

[bambusa]

The spring you see is because the nut in the channel is a unistrut one which has a spring to force it against the open edge.