Shelves and Cage for Disco 3

[Tote]

I needed to set up my D3 a bit better for our family camping weekends and after looking at the prices of drawer kits decided to make my own up. The design had to be such that it was easy to remove and return the vehicle to a seven seater for domestic duties and to provide a bit of order for our camping gear and fridge which all fitted in the D2 but it was a case of unloading everything if what you wanted was stashed at the bottom.
Cost: $50 of MDF, $60 of 25mm angle, a camry cargo barrier, about $100 in assorted hardware and about 3 man days to build.
I decided that the best place to anchor the rack was using the factory tie downs in the back, I was going to use fancy stainless turnbuckles but after looking at the price I went for the gal ones instead.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/D3%20Cage/IMG_2175.jpg

A piece of MDF forms the top panel of the crate, I don't expect to have anythiing heavier than bedding on this.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/D3%20Cage/IMG_2176.jpg

For a cage I found a Camry cargo barrier at the Canberra Recyclers and attacked it with the angle grinder. I locates via two posts which the frame drops over and the stays prevent backwards and forward movement. A couple of rubber straps stop it rattling on the posts.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/D3%20Cage/IMG_2178.jpg

The fridge slide is made using some old server rails I acquired from work. At this stage the yellow straps are an easy method of holding the fridge but I may make something fancier later.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/D3%20Cage/IMG_2174.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/D3%20Cage/IMG_2173.jpg

All loaded up with the fridge extended

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The view with the fridge in

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The view from inside the passenger compartment

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Regards,
Tote

[Tombie]

Good job!

[heine]

On my todo list:TakeABow:

[inside]

Looks good but just one suggestion. Maybe check to see if the barrier will interfere with the side airbags. You obviously would want these to work in the event of an accident.

[macbac]

nice job hope you dont mind if i use some of youre ideas as i need to make a storage system for the RR

Cheers :twobeers:

[Tote]

nice job hope you dont mind if i use some of youre ideas as i need to make a storage system for the RR

Cheers :twobeers:
No problem , that's why I put it up here.
Regards,
Tote

[p38arover]

Well done.

Now tell us about the ute. :D

[johnc18]

Good on you Tote !
Good pictures and explanation , gives us ( the blokes who like to build and modify things ) food for thought , and saves us re-inventing the wheel .
I particularly like the idea of using a 2nd hand barrier screen from another car to in-fill at the top . I hadn't thought of that .
I'll be copying your ideas when I get my D3 .
One query - Unless I'm mistaken , doesn't the D3 spare wheel wind down from the top ( inside the cargo area ) ? If so what do you do about that ?
Thanks John

PS This set up you've described is ideal for camping weekends / touring etc .
As a matter of interest , I've also been thinking lately of the idea of making up a barrier , but for day to day , and more flexible use .
ie can be moved from behind the front seats ( when you want to use the full carrying capacity ) to behind the second row ( when you've got to transport friends ) , and you have to bring the second row of seats into use because you just know they'll whinge and whine if you try to sit them up on the roof racks !!
I've been thinking of making it from mesh of cord instead of steel mesh . (Note - when I say cord , I don't mean your usual nylon etc , I'm talking of Kevlar or Spectra or similar ). And also using load-rated carabinas to snap it into place on pre-located rings .
The idea being
1) it doesn't weigh a ton and
2) being flexible , when not needed , you can just roll it up and toss it in a corner .
Have you ( or anybody else out there ) got any thoughts on this ?
Or seen anything like my idea ?
Thanks again John

[Tote]

Well done.

Now tell us about the ute. :D
It's an XT with a 351 and supra box but the Supra box died fairly spectacularly a couple of weeks ago so I've got until rego time in Nov to get a T5 built up and fitted.:mad:
Bloody Toyotas, you'd reckon they'd make their car gearboxes strong enough for a v8
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/"]

[Tote]

Good on you Tote !
snip
One query - Unless I'm mistaken , doesn't the D3 spare wheel wind down from the top ( inside the cargo area ) ? If so what do you do about that ?
Thanks John

/snip

Actually, you have to pull the whole bloody lot out to get the spare as you need the rear seats up to access the winder in a seven seater. I'm prepared to live with it and If it becomes too much of a nuisance I'll think about a Kaymar (or similar) spare tyre carrier.
As for the cargo net style barrier the hardest part would be how to mount it at roof level, you'd still need a hoop to hold it in place and if you're going to do that you might as well just build a steel one.
Regards,
Tote

[johnc18]

Thanks Tote
Real nice XT . Takes me back .
Re the crappy Jap gearbox - I know exactly what you mean .
I've got a Jap knife/fork/spoon camping set that I bought from Paddy Pallins about 40 years ago , and do you know what ? The plastic packet they came in, is splitting . Bloody Japcrap!
Re the cargo net barrier -
Back to the drawing board eh ?
That's OK . I don't need the towing capacity of the D3 until I get the bigger boat , and that won't be until I retire next year . So no hurry . I'll give it more thought .
I didn't realise getting the spare up and down was so difficult . I was going to buy a petrol engine , convert it to LPG , and fit the LPG tank in the area of the third seat row . I might have to join you and fit a Kaymar wheel carrier .
Although maybe I'll look at redesigning how the wheel is located/accessed .
When my mate and his wife comes back to Sydney from their " grey nomading ", I can see us spending a lot of time under his Disco !!
Cheers John