Stolenheron's 04 D2 thread

[stolenheron]

depending on the type of plywood and coating used on it, like truck bed liner or a commercial grade sealer, it would be pretty good.

the particle board i used only ran into issues when my rear ladder created a large leak, the cargo area/boxes/carpet/rear speaker was just SOAKED in water from a long night of thunder storms. only 1 corner of one of the boxes was damaged by the water.

if i could find someone locally to give me a price quote on the plastics, i would look into it with serious thought. but its not cheap.

I'm gonna run to home depot/auto parts store to look at some options today. I still dont have my truck at the moment so the exact measurements arent available.

 

[muskyman]

depending on the type of plywood and coating used on it, like truck bed liner or a commercial grade sealer, it would be pretty good.

the particle board i used only ran into issues when my rear ladder created a large leak, the cargo area/boxes/carpet/rear speaker was just SOAKED in water from a long night of thunder storms. only 1 corner of one of the boxes was damaged by the water.

if i could find someone locally to give me a price quote on the plastics, i would look into it with serious thought. but its not cheap.

I'm gonna run to home depot/auto parts store to look at some options today. I still dont have my truck at the moment so the exact measurements arent available.

Doing something well once even at a higher cost is sometimes the best way. Your last box is allready on its last legs because of water. Bedliner is heavy and not cheap. by using plastics and maybe aluminum extrusion pices for corner and such I would bet you could build something very light and strong that would last for decades.

I like my pelicans because they are modular and easy to use. The fact they cant be affected by water and can very easily be loaded into another truck is also a big plus. For a environment like yours water is always going to be a issue and disco rear doors will always leak. the older the truck the worse they leak.

Do it right and dont use materials that will be compromised by water....you live in florida

 

[R_Lefebvre]

So the ladder does compromise the door seal? Is that a "genuine" ladder or knock-off? I've always wondered that. The rear door seal is one of the only seals I haven't had a problem with on my Disco (yet).

UHMW would be an interesting application. Just a quick search for properties seems to indicate it is stronger than plywood, but also denser. Closer in density to MDF. My main concern would be creep (sag) with any kind of load on top of a box stored in the hot sun.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

A sheet of 1/2" plywood weighs roughly 50lbs. 3/4" is about 75lbs. I'm guessing your project will use less than a full sheet. So, by using 1/2" instead of 3/4", you might save... 15-25lbs. Hardly worth worrying about.

Conversely, the 3/4" will be stronger, and particularly since you are intending on having tie-downs mounted on top to secure a load, not to mention possibly having a heavy tool bag stored inside the box which needs to be secured during a 30g crash... I'd just go with the 3/4". That's my opinion.

The 15-25lbs extra weight can easily be saved by packing less sushi and imported beer

I wouldn't trust any plywood for tiedowns to secure anything heavier than a sleeping bag. My tiedowns are all anchored to steel.

I think 5/8ths birch plywood would be more than strong enough - assuming the box is built with proper joints.

 

[stolenheron]

just in the plastic materials alone with the dimensions i need pre-cut online was over $400. I just don't know if i can pull that kind of cash out right now. the last build was $240 with everything and half of that was the canvas used to cover it, including hinges, screws, drill bit, counter-sink (we broke 2 lol), etc.

Musky, you are right, it is better to do it once the right way. 1/3 of my year is spent in florida, the other 2/3rds is spend in Auburn, AL. So the humidity isnt "as bad" as you may think, but it is still the south and gets nasty. I'm gonna run to home depot, auto stores, and maybe a marine supply store today. window shop and see what my options for materials and pricing are.

for 2 pelican 1650s, I'm looking at a minimum of $300 via ebay including shipping. that is only if i win an auction at a good price. which would probably be the same price range as my build with ply anyway. the problem is, they are only top opening, i'd definitely have to consolidate what i have in my current setup and i'd need to figure out a way that the dog could ride back there safely. I guess i could stand them both up on one side giving her half of the area to sit in. timmy, i hate to say it but this route is looking better just because of it requires no building lol. HOWEVER, how can i secure the pelican cases to the truck while still allowing them to open and not compromising them with a drill...ratchet straps every time i want to open them wouldnt be fun, i guess i could get some high-end flat bungees. that would see to be simple enough.

the rear door seal leak was cause because the genuine rear ladder pushed the seal up and away from the door. but after constant use, it actually bent where the seal attaches and the sheet metal it was screwed into on the top of the door. Roverracks.com (yes, the infamous guys) happen to be located in town. I gave them a call, their ladder distributes the weight much more evenly top and bottom. They sold me a ladder cheap and even put it on the truck for me. after using some duck-billed vice grips and bended the metal which the seal attaches to and using the new more "flush" fit ladder, we fixed the problem. truck is as fixed as a rover can be.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I wouldn't trust any plywood for tiedowns to secure anything heavier than a sleeping bag. My tiedowns are all anchored to steel.

I think 5/8ths birch plywood would be more than strong enough - assuming the box is built with proper joints.

True. But if somebody is *going* to do this anyway, 3/4 is just that much stronger.

I've actually been planning out a rear cargo system for my truck, would like your input. Basically, I want to start with a 1 3/4" steel tube hoop behind the rear seats, bolted to the floor. This will support a 1/8" wire screen which is a load barrier. The hoop will have back stays anchored to the D-pillar at the top, similar to a RBL036 6SSS cage from Safety Devices. http://www.safetydevices.com/images/products/4x4/2008 catalogue - discovery 1 & 2.pdf

I'd hope to get some additional rollover protection as well, without intruding on the passenger space. At the worst, I'd want the hoop to not risk folding over in a roll-over and making the situation for passengers worse.

From that, 1" square tubing will be used to frame in a shelf support structure at the same height from the floor as is typically used for these drawer systems. Also, solid structure for cargo tie-downs. I could then hang drawer sliders from the frame. The 1" frame would also lend some additional strength back to the main hoop.

Heron, how about a simple steel structure, bolted to the floor, with a shelf on top of the dog. Pelicans or whatever else could simply slide underneath. Just another idea. If you were closer, a simple steel tube box could be welded in an afternoon using maybe $20 in material. Maybe Michaels could help you, it would be a trivial job.

 

[jrose609]

Chris, what about using Zarges boxes? They are stackable, waterproof, and flat enough to stack groceries on. If you needed to use the jump seats, you could put them on the roofrack and use the seats.

I like drawer systems, but they do have their disadvantages. I can see the advantage to using Pelicans or other boxes.

 

[xcmountain80]

Zarges cost more than pelican cases for similar sizing, FYI


A

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Zarges cases are awesome - They're light, very space-efficient, strong, and come in a huge array of sizes to customize a rear load area. However, they're even more expensive than Pelicans.

 

[timmy!!!!!!!]

Chris I just have one 1600 in the back and this is what it looks like to compare the sizing. I am not sure how big your boxes are but I bet they are similar in size to the 1600.

Oh and I paid 80 dollars shipped for the 1600.

Don't the D2s have tie downs in the cargo area?

 

[michaels]

cargo systems are bulky and annoying. i'd much rather have a box. i fit all the same gear in a couple boxes that i did with my cargo system AND i have more room in the cargo area for other stuff. it was a ***** when the floor was elevated another 1.5' due to the cargo box i built.

i'm much happier with my setup now, and it only cost me $30

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I've actually been planning out a rear cargo system for my truck, would like your input. Basically, I want to start with a 1 3/4" steel tube hoop behind the rear seats, bolted to the floor. This will support a 1/8" wire screen which is a load barrier. The hoop will have back stays anchored to the D-pillar at the top, similar to a RBL036 6SSS cage from Safety Devices. http://www.safetydevices.com/images/...01 & 2.pdf

I'd hope to get some additional rollover protection as well, without intruding on the passenger space. At the worst, I'd want the hoop to not risk folding over in a roll-over and making the situation for passengers worse.

From that, 1" square tubing will be used to frame in a shelf support structure at the same height from the floor as is typically used for these drawer systems. Also, solid structure for cargo tie-downs. I could then hang drawer sliders from the frame. The 1" frame would also lend some additional strength back to the main hoop.

Rob, that sounds like it would work. There's no reason the main hoop can't add real roll protection if you make it from 1.75 x .120 DOM tubing, or 2.0 x .120 ERW, and anchor it properly. The struts to the D-pillar should help. You might consider adding a wire grid shelf across the struts where you can stuff light and non-lethal gear such as sleeping bags or Thermarest pads, if the struts are above your line of sight.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

The extra shelf is another good idea, thanks.

Back to the subject at hand, for some reason storage crates or cases appeal to me more than fixed drawer systems. I'm not really sure why yet, just my gut feeling.

The problem is, now to restrain them, and what's your dog going to sit on? Which brings me back to my idea of having a steel structure holding a shelf. Dog's got something to sit on, solid structure for tie-downs, and cases slid underneath will be restrained. The only disadvantage is you have to slide the cases out to get anything out of them.

 

[yubert]

The extra shelf is another good idea, thanks.

Back to the subject at hand, for some reason storage crates or cases appeal to me more than fixed drawer systems. I'm not really sure why yet, just my gut feeling.

The problem is, now to restrain them, and what's your dog going to sit on? Which brings me back to my idea of having a steel structure holding a shelf. Dog's got something to sit on, solid structure for tie-downs, and cases slid underneath will be restrained. The only disadvantage is you have to slide the cases out to get anything out of them.

Trek Outfitters used to offer a steel structure that had a shelf and dog guard for the D1. I don't think they ever got around to making one for the D2 but the pics in the link below can give you some ideas.

http://www.trekoutfitters.com/discovery/ds1divbas.htm

 

[R_Lefebvre]

That was in fact one of my inspirations. I just figured, why not get some roll protection out of it too. But the basic cargo shelf would not be hard to fab up, but I'd bolt it to the floor instead.