Subtopic	Posts		Updated
	Size of bolt for tie rear down points?	4		03/12 10:24am

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 10:00 am: Edit

We all know we are supposed to secure anything carried inside the vehicle so the items don't become projectiles in the case of an accident.

Sometimes that is easier said than done, though. How do you all secure your cargo? Or do you? Have anyone come up with any clever solutions?

Axel

By Milan on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 10:05 am: Edit

I use ratchet cargo ties-downs. I have not yet put in the tie-down loops that supposedly go into pre-drilled holes in the tub. For now, I'm using the seatbelts of the side-facing seats as tie-down points. I strap my tool boxes down with this system. This keeps the boxes from flipping and sliding sideways. The rear seat keeps them from flying forward.

Rubber tie-downs are good for light items like clothes but not your tools.

By mrbieler on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 10:06 am: Edit

The tempting thought would be to bolt tie down loops to the floor of the cargo area. I've also seen 2~3' long tracks with positionable rings. You could bolt down two or three tracks across the cargo area. As you can remove the rings, it won't impact your ability to put large bulky items in there on a daily basis.

I was thinking about that this week, but will have to wait for the weekend when I can look at it.

By wisker on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 10:54 am: Edit

Right now I've got all of the carpet/rubber mat out of the back of my truck due to the factory installed waterfall option. I didn't see any predrilled anchor points although I'll look again tonight when I search for the crack in the dam creating my mobile swimming pool.

wisker

By Ron on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 11:18 am: Edit

Big box with a good tight lid. Put everything inside, then secure it. Also probably going to get a dog gaurd because somehow there is alway stuff still out.

Ron

By Ray Gunn on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 11:22 am: Edit

FWIW: There are many cargo retaining brackets out there in the LTL trucking market. Look at catalog or www sites for Kenedyne and Ancra, two big boys in this market. I am sure that someone could come up with the right stuff from these guys to but a really nice cargo retaining system in a Disco.

By Chris Browne on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 12:29 pm: Edit

FWIW, the Commercial version of the Disco had as an option a hardwood floor with tie downs sunk into the wood. Little space lost and the parts are easily obtained. Western Marine has ss 7/16 bolts in fine thread.
Currently use plastic trunk strapped to the seat belt anchorages. PIA since straps have to be loosened to get in. Might build a wooden box with hinged top positioned so you can open top without butting up against seat back.

By mrbieler on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 12:39 pm: Edit

Did a little web searching. Hi-Lift sells their
Slide-N-Lock track systems in 22" lengths. Might not be a bad solution.

http://www.hi-lift.com/slide.htm

By Chris Walker on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 01:30 pm: Edit

Here is my solution. Here is another view
Its a custom box I had built for the rear of my Disco. I use the four tie down points that are built into the floor to secure the box. I can send more pictures by request. And the box is for sale if your interested. The reason I'm selling is because I bought a D90 and the box won't fit in it.


Chris Walker
cwalker@earnware.com

By JWad on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 05:03 pm: Edit

my god, a gas container inside a closed box, inside a closed vehicle? Yeah, please send me that unit so I can go and kill myself on the trail.

you people scare the living shit out of me. please let me know to stay the hell away from you on the trail so I can protect my vehicle and family.

By pk on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 05:31 pm: Edit

LOL!

Oh man. That is funny.

pk

By Ron on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 05:34 pm: Edit

I would feel safe as long as I was not a smoker. I have been driving with a 5 gallon thing of gas in the passenger seat of my 1959 for 5 months. Gas is probably useless by now but I will still put it in. The engine was designed to run off 75 octane it can take it.

Ron

By Chris Walker on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 06:42 pm: Edit

hmmmm, JWAD, maybe you should review some camel trophy spec Discos, they all carried fuel inside the vehicle in NATO cans.

Also when the NATO can was developed it was used to transport fuel to front lines of battle inside the vehicle. In fact the NATO cans can even be stored full of fuel on thier sides, and stacked one on top of the other.

Chris

By Bill Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 07:00 pm: Edit

He's right about the NATO cans - also, please define the "you people" from your message. Are you talking about all of us on the DWeb, or just people who, in your opinion, store fuel in an unsafe manner?

Thanks,
Blue

By Harley on Saturday, March 10, 2001 - 03:27 am: Edit

Well not gonna touch the gas storage issue....but, in the rear of my D2 I have used 1/2" braided steel cable run between all 4 of the tie down points forming a square shape. This provides endless options for ratchet tie downs, bungies, cargo nets, etc.. It is also very easy and inexpensive to do.
-My $.02

By JWad on Saturday, March 10, 2001 - 01:24 pm: Edit

kaboom, kaboom. please go pray to your camel trophy gods. i'll go along with my training in fire safety and the information I received during my years as a health and safety officer.

some of you people really crack me up by the way you pray to these camel trophy folks. most of them were a bunch of rich guys who bought themselves into the camel trophy event. kyle would have made a more logical choice over some of the ct guys I have met.

and bass man, if you want to be lumped into the group, so be it.

By dadster on Saturday, March 10, 2001 - 09:00 pm: Edit

I have extensive fire fighting training too, and have safely worked around large volumes of petrol also for almost twenty years. I unfortunately agree with wadd to a degree. Yes it is safer to carry petrol outside of the vehicle. BUT, this does not mean it cant safely be carried inside. While not recommended, if the temperature is kept stable, and the interior vented it is do-able. Use utmost care, and common sense.
jwadd, you cant have any constructive exchange here with judgements, and generalizations like you post above. You have issues? Fine, dont burden this site, try some self help sites.

By JWad takes advice from dadster on Saturday, March 10, 2001 - 10:31 pm: Edit

gee whiz thanks dadster. i'll spend time listening to dr. laura all next week. be sure to listen in and i will describe all my problems related to discos and fuel storage.

hey, whatever these guys do is fine with me. i just want to make sure i'm not on the same trail.

By Bill Gill (Bluegill) on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 11:27 am: Edit

Personally, I wouldn't store gas INSIDE my vehicle either, but if you're going to do it, you do it with a NATO can. That was my point; obviously lost on Jwad. For a number of years, I was Health & Safety Officer for my company, which consults clients with hazardous materials issues-particularly the major oil companies. However, I don't just blurt out untested hypotheses tinged with sarcasm. If I did that, I'd sound like a jackass. I think before I speak, and I therefore stand a good chance of being correct, and I earn a little respect (and money) in the process.
-Bass Man

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 12:44 pm: Edit

I try to make it a priority to eliminate as many "What ifs" as I can. Now , yes , the cans are air tight and "Shouldnt" be a problem inside the disco. But , as we all know , shit happens. If shit decided to happen to my cans I would rather they be on the roof rack.....Come to think of it , thats where they are....

Kyle

By Bill Gill (Bluegill) on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 02:20 pm: Edit

Right on!