Top Box Mounting ?

[DonG]

I have a pelican box, that I am trying to figure out how to mount to my rear rack. I was wondering if this looked safe / sufficient mounting. I was considering buying two longer pieces of flat stock to run all the way out to the reinforced areas of the box, but I'm not sure if it will do anything other then add extra weight. I also have large fender washers to use on the inside of the box to help spread the load. Or is there an easier / better way to do it?









Thanks
d.

[Andy]

Are the reinforced areas actually reinforced, or are they just indentions in the plastic? If they are truly reinforced I would be tempted to go all the way to those.

[troy]

I echo Andy with perhaps more emphasis. If those strips are thicker, I would definitely want to modify so that you mount in those reinforced areas.

[moriver]

I have a 1500 Pelican on the back of my KLR. Its just mounted with 4 bolts with big fender washers on the inside of the box. Its been on a year now with no issues.

[bird man]

Have you considered having the metal strips welded to the rack. I can think of reasons to weld them on and not to weld both.

[DonG]

Have you considered having the metal strips welded to the rack. I can think of reasons to weld them on and not to weld both.

Yeah, I have a wire welder and wire brush... The thought did cross my mind. Same thing though. I can see reasons to do it, and not to.

I have a 1500 Pelican on the back of my KLR. Its just mounted with 4 bolts with big fender washers on the inside of the box. Its been on a year now with no issues.

Thanks.

Andy / Troy, I checked inside, and it is not reinforced, it is indented on the inside. I think I will get some longer pieces of flat stock regardless, and maybe even add a gussets on the underside to keep it from sagging.

Thanks Ya'll.

[bird man]

One time I mounted a tool box as a rear luggage box and used a piece of plywood for an adapter plate to the luggage rack. One half or three quarter inch ply wood is plenty strong and would add lots of support the box you are mounting. Even found some rubber groument/spacers ,at the hardware store in plumbing , to put between the box and adapter so it was rubber mounted. I would recommend marine plywood for weather duraility and quality.

[DonG]

One time I mounted a tool box as a rear luggage box and used a piece of plywood for an adapter plate to the luggage rack. One half or three quarter inch ply wood is plenty strong and would add lots of support the box you are mounting. Even found some rubber groument/spacers ,at the hardware store in plumbing , to put between the box and adapter so it was rubber mounted. I would recommend marine plywood for weather duraility and quality.

My garage has been very cold lately. I have been meaning to ask you about this... Did this work well? I think it may be the way I wind up mounting the box.

Thank you for the suggestion.

d.

[bird man]

Yes it worked quite well. I finally took it off when I mounted Jesse luggage and top box.

[DonG]

Very Cool. Thank you.

[DonG]

So does this look legit? Ya know, before I go and punch a bunch of holes in a perfectly good pelican case? And one more question, is is better to mount the hinge towards the front or the rear, or does it matter?

[Savage]

If it were mine I wouldn't use wood that thick. That's just adding more weight to the subframe & mounts. I think you just need something to help disperse the load. Then I'd cut the wood so it just barely tucks up under the box. Again, just my opinion. No matter how you do it, it's going to work.
I'd put the hinge in the front.

[Savage]

What about cutting 3/8" plywood and putting it on the inside of the box? It would look cleaner and the wood would see the load before the box does. Just a thought

[troy]

Agree with Savage. Use thinner wood and make it just barley larger than where it is actually supporting the box.

Hinges DEFINITELY go to the the front so that you stand behind the bike when opening and packing the box. More importantly, if you forget to latch it, the wind can't catch it, throw it open.

Also, in your pictures you show the U-bolts fastened to the wood without the box--you show the nuts on top of the wood. You also show a pic with what looks like the box on the wood on the bike and there is a big gap between the wood and the box. I don't think you want to bolt the U-bolts to the wood. Instead, you run them through the wood and the box then bolt them so that the box is as flush with the wood as possible. Maybe that was your plan anyway, and the pics misled me.

Savage also mentions putting the wood inside the box...that would look a LOT better and I think would provide the same value. You are just trying to stiffen up the bottom plastic.

I assume Pelican makes a nice mounting system that can be adapted to your rack with the advantage of quick snap-in mounting and dismounting. I assume this wood and u-bolt approach is a money-saving endeavor. When I had my Vstrom, I had GIVI cases and the mounting system allowed me to just snap the cases on and off as I wanted. Need to make a grocery run--just snap the top case on. Reach your motel for the night--just snap the cases off and carry into the motel.

[Savage]

Or just say screw it and rock the milk crate. That's how I roll.

[DonG]

I assumed the hinges went towards the front, thanks for confirming that. I never thought about the wind catching an unlatched case, that is a very good point Troy.

The thick plywood was just some scrap I had laying around.

As far as the quick mounts go, I looked into them, but I don't really want to put any more money into this bike specific hardware, since I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep it. I did think about using wing nuts inside the case to make it a tool-less release anyways. Not sure on a way to keep the u-bolts in place when I remove the box though. I think that way would be a mess. Or just load a dry-bag inside the case to make removing the contacts easy. I have dry bags for the panniers, so I don't have to worry carrying the ran covers / easy removal of their contents.

The pic with the case on top of the wood with the huge gap in-between them, was just to show what the approximate final set up would look like. The box was sitting on top of the u-bolts with no holes drilled, when everything is finished, it will be flush mounted. And I will trim down the wood some regardless.
I hadn't thought about putting the wood inside the box. I might give that a go, if I don't just rock the mill crate...

I do have a milk crate I could test out.... I think I need to do some more fiddlen around.

[Savage]

The milk crate looks ghetto but it was so functional. With that small gas tank I'd put a gallon gas tank in the crate when I went out exploring and didn't know where I was going to end up.
Or a couple times I was working on a vehicle and had to make an auto parts run. Making a parts run is alot more fun on a bike then having to use the wifes minivan.
Put a gallon jug of antifreeze, bottles of oil, brake rotors. I just used a stretchy cargo net over it.

[safiri]

What are you putting into the Pelican case? As it is a top case, I would assume light stuff (sleeping bag, clothes, etc.). Keep CG lower by putting heavy crap in side bags. If that is the case [pun], I would skip the plywood and just use the case. Pelican cases tend to be pretty stiff. Plywood is adding a lot of weight and some height.

Anything heavy you can position inside the case so as to be directly over the rack. If the case proves insufficiently stiff, then go back and add the plywood. Those metal bars could also be mounted on the inside of the case. After all, you are trying to keep the case from being ripped off of the rack.

Hinges in front for reasons stated.

[DonG]

What are you putting into the Pelican case? As it is a top case, I would assume light stuff (sleeping bag, clothes, etc.). Keep CG lower by putting heavy crap in side bags. If that is the case [pun], I would skip the plywood and just use the case. Pelican cases tend to be pretty stiff. Plywood is adding a lot of weight and some height.

Yes, light stuff up top

Anything heavy you can position inside the case so as to be directly over the rack. If the case proves insufficiently stiff, then go back and add the plywood.

dually noted, thank you.

Those metal bars could also be mounted on the inside of the case. After all, you are trying to keep the case from being ripped off of the rack.

Wow, I never thought of it that way. That makes total sense, and seems so obvious once you said it. Thank you.