Building a camping/ storage box for the D2

[3-Gees]

G'day all,
After many hours ( years!!) of measuring ,drawing, remeasuring and making cardboard cut-outs,I've finally started on my boxes for the next trip away!. lots of overtime this year has meant I've finally bought a fridge slide ,so the old box out of the D1 was of little use ,and didn't work anyway:p. The idea is to make the boxes removable and light enough to lift in by myself,I initally made the bottom section one piece,but when I dropped it twice,that gave me the idea to make it all modular;),this mean't I could fit the solar panel in and keep the heavy stuff on the bottom and fit more in!. It's still in the rough stage and needs trims and either carpet or painting???
Any ideas on how to secure the boxes in would be good:angel:, I go to Cairns in 3 weeks so I'd better remove the digit!!:bangin:

Cheers Gregg;)

[SiddersC]

I secured mine to the cargo tie downs, the 2 rearward ones hook onto the loops and the 2 forward ones attach with a turnbuckle and take up any slack.
So far it has worked really well, and I could remove it in around 20 minutes if I wanted to, (has the cargo barrier attached as well), but I just leave it in, anything thast doesnt fit in the back goes on the roof anyway.

Yours look good, like the modular approach. :)

[3-Gees]

Thanks Sidders,I actually meant,how to secure the boxes in the boxes:angel:...it's been a long weeekend!!,yes it's strapped to the eyes in the floor with straps and slots cut in the walls of the sections.:(
Time for a Whisky;)

[SiddersC]

How about using Tee Nuts (capive) and bolt through from one side?
I used these quite a lot when I built mine.
I means you will have to use a spanner to disassemble though, unless you use something like an adjustment knob in place of the bolt

[Datt]

I made a false floor out of ply using my rubber cargo liner as a template. I then removed the anchor point hardware at the rear and bolted the floor straight into there and where my cargo barrier is bolted down behind the rear seat. Then my slide and drawers are bolted to the false floor using cup head bolts pushed through from underneath.

Hopefully you can see it in the photo. Hopefully that might give you some ideas.

50804

[3-Gees]

Not a bad idea ther Datt,all the sections will be bolted together once their in place. Now I have to work out how to secure all the tubs and gear??

[Alex 110]

Not a bad idea ther Datt,all the sections will be bolted together once their in place. Now I have to work out how to secure all the tubs and gear??

Occy straps??:wasntme:

[3-Gees]

They did cross my mind Alex.but a friend lost an eye from a occy',so I steer clear as I only have one (eye) good myself!, but they are handy:angel:

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Buy the good ones with the closed loops;):D

[timdo1]

How about if you just screw them together. Go to Bunnings and buy a short Batton screw. Then screw it down ( clamp it first). Once youve screwed it in the right position once, it should be a sinch to re-align it every time. The batton scres might be too long so just use more 6g at about 30 or 40mm, say 6 per box or fixing. They will take a hell of a beating and they are cheap and easy to replace.

The other choice is to buy those steel gromets with a bolt thread, they look like a round threaded nut with a series of steel wings that embed into the timber. Then the matching bolt can bolt through one box and secure to the next. Might be harder to find but would be strong and less likely to have mis-alignments like the earlier methods.

Personally i would try the Batton screws. I tie everything down with those when i build a house,

Good Luck

[SiddersC]

Double post

[SiddersC]

The other choice is to buy those steel gromets with a bolt thread, they look like a round threaded nut with a series of steel wings that embed into the timber. Then the matching bolt can bolt through one box and secure to the next.





Tee Nuts :)

Once set up correctly far easier to align than screws

[timdo1]

Thanks, couldnt think of a name late last night.

[Franz]

How about if you just screw them together. Go to Bunnings and buy a short Batton screw. Then screw it down ( clamp it first). Once youve screwed it in the right position once, it should be a sinch to re-align it every time. The batton scres might be too long so just use more 6g at about 30 or 40mm, say 6 per box or fixing. They will take a hell of a beating and they are cheap and easy to replace.

The other choice is to buy those steel gromets with a bolt thread, they look like a round threaded nut with a series of steel wings that embed into the timber. Then the matching bolt can bolt through one box and secure to the next. Might be harder to find but would be strong and less likely to have mis-alignments like the earlier methods.

Personally i would try the Batton screws. I tie everything down with those when i build a house,

Good Luck
Gregg,

They look good - well done. Only issue I can see is that you don't have access to your rear bins (would be a problem for me as I keep my recovery gear in them. The last thing you need when you are bogged is to struggle with gettong recovery gear out.

My system uses turnbuckles to fix the storage unit in place. Captive nuts would be a solution for mouting the boxes to each other.

[3-Gees]

Thanks for the input guys,yes the Tee nuts are what came with the fridge slide and I thought I might use them to hold the boxes together,thanks Siders c;) .Franz,access to the rear boxes is a bit tight ,but you can get to them ok!,I also store a bit of gear in them so thats important:angel: ,snatch strap and small tool-box for starters! I have worked out how to strap the bins inside the boxes,will take some pics this w/end ,also some ally trim round the edges would be nice but I might run out of time for this trip ?
Cheers Gregg;)

[3-Gees]

G'day all,
The boxes are nearly done ,minus trim and paint,I'll run out of time for that as we (Disco and I) leave next Thur' on the train:) Made a few vents to let the fridge breathe after some testing ,put one at the top as hot air from evaporator was rising to the top, all good now!. Also put some side gussets on the fridge box to stiffen it up, once all the modules are bolted together,it is quite firm, much to my relief:p Next job is to mount the new Optima yellow top in the battery holder,thats nearly done ...and put a lead on the LED work light:angel:.......why do I leave things to the last minute:angel:

[SiddersC]

Looks great, should do the job nicely :BigThumb:

[3-Gees]

Thanks SidderC ,

I wanted to give it a run before I went away ,but no time,so it'll be a 2000km plus test run:D

[SiddersC]

Thanks SidderC ,

I wanted to give it a run before I went away ,but no time,so it'll be a 2000km plus test run:D

That will be a good test!, I guarantee you will want to change something:p

I am on my 3rd variation in this Disco and could still make changes, you wil get it how you want it eventually :D

Good luck with your trip

[3-Gees]

That will be a good test!, I guarantee you will want to change something:p

I am on my 3rd variation in this Disco and could still make changes, you wil get it how you want it eventually :D

Good luck with your trip

LOL:D Yes thanks Sidders,I'm allready looking at it and seeing how to improve the next one:angel:,seeing how it took so loong to do this one, maybe only one update will be in order?, Ive got a house to finish and a 80sqm train layout to build:D. Not to mention, there's over 250 model freight cars (wagons) to weather,500m of track to lay.....................

Time for a whisky;)
Cheers Gregg.