80 Series Cargo-Barrier Net

[corsair23]

After the Cruise Moab 2007 trip, I decided I needed a better barrier for behind the 2nd row seats in my LX to keep stuff from coming forward. For CM07 I used one of those metal doggy barriers that I had purchased years before. It worked ok, but it tended to rattle, wasn't as secure as I wished it would be even when cranked up into position, and even with a towel across the top of the barrier it left a nasty crease all across the headliner. The crease went away a few weeks after I removed the barrier but I new the other issues would not.

Fast forward to my prep for CM08. In Feb/March I started looking for something different. My searches turned up an old thread on MUD talking about custom made nets. This thread led me to Raigler and then to offroadconcepts.net, and ultimately to a gentleman by the name of Eddie.

After taking some pictures and measurements for Eddie, he determined that he already had a net that was being produced that should fit an 80 series. The only way to know for sure was for me to order one up and give it a go

I ordered the net along with 4 of the extra straps they sell. The night before we left for CM08, I installed the net. It did not fit real tight but it served its purpose well and sure beat the metal doggy barrier.

Upon getting back from CM08 I took some pictures of the net for Eddie and voiced my concerns about it not being as tight as I hoped. Now, keep in mind that technically speaking the nets are designed to be used in conjunction with footman loops to attach the net straps to the body of the vehicle. I had no desire to drill into the body of my rig to install the footman loops, and honestly the 80 series interior doesn't really lend itself to doing so in certain spots. So, I used the extra straps that I had purchased to aid in my net install and I figured that having a net that wasn't real tight was an acceptable compromise for me.

Well, Eddie took a look at the pictures and agreed that the net looked loose, but he felt that it this due to more than just me not using the footman loops. Come to find out, in my haste to get on the road bound for CM08, that I had installed the net upside down . I didn't even consider there would be a top and a bottom to the net . Eddie also sent me a back one of my pictures with some "additions" showing where he felt I should run the straps to in order to tighten up the net.

So, I flipped the net, and put to use some of Eddie's installation suggestions, modified slightly based on what the interior of the rig afforded me from an attachment standpoint. I was VERY pleased with the outcome. The net was much tighter now and fit well IMO, even without using the footman loops.

In the end I ended up with the following final installation method as you will see in the pictures:

(1) Attach the top most net rings to the 2nd row rear grab handle and to the 3rd row grab handle on each side of the rig. I attached the strap that comes pre-attached to the top rings to the 3rd row grab handle and then used one of the additional straps I purchased to loop through the ring and around the 2nd row rear grab handle. You can adjust the position of the top of the net to sit right behind the rear seat by simply adjusting the straps.

(2) Attach the second top net ring to the 3rd row grab handle using the strap that comes pre-attached to the net ring.

Detailed view of the top net attachments



(3) Attach the bottom net ring to the cargo tie down loop using the strap that comes pre-attached to the net ring.

(4) Attach the 2nd net ring up from the bottom to the 2nd row outside seat hinges. To accomplish this I again used a set of the additional straps I purchased to lenghten the straps that come pre-attached to the net rings. This allowed me to loop the lengthened strap around the seat hinge and back to the buckle on the pre-attached strap.

Detailed view of the bottom net attachments



Here are a couple more pictures showing the final installation of the net:








USING THE NET AS A FRONT BARRIER, BEHIND THE FRONT SEATS?

After finalizing the net installation for the rear, I started wondering whether the net could also be used behind the front seats . A fairly large contingent from the Rising Sun Club will be heading to the Rubithon event this year. Space will be at a premium for such a long event and keeping stuff from flying at us and hitting our noggins will be important.

As with the rear, my goal was to install the net without have to utilize any footman loops. So, I played around with the net and found, much to my pleasure, that the same net would work GREAT behind the front seats! A dual purpose net! I was stoked, and the install was super simple.

In the end I ended up with the following final installation method for using the net behind the front seats:

(1) Attach the two top net rings to the front 2nd row grab handle using the pre-attached straps. I installed the top strap high on the handle and the lower strap beneath it on the more horizontal part of the handle.



(2) Attach the bottom net ring strap to the underside of the outside front seat frame rail on each side of the vehicle. To accomplish this I used a set of the additional straps I purchased to lenghten the straps that come pre-attached to the net rings. This allowed me to loop the lengthened strap under the frame rail and back to the buckle on the pre-attached strap. For the net ring above the bottom ring I didn't attach it to anything (just looped it up for a clean install).



The end result is a tight fitting net that doesn't rattle, doesn't squeak, etc. The front seats can still be moved forward or back if need be and as you can see from the next couple of pictures there is very little room for anything to sneak around or above the net.





Now, for pictures of the net installed and the 2nd row seats in various positions...














Some additonal thoughts on the net and installation. First off, the net seems to be of very high quality. It is light years better than the metal doggy barrier I was using. It isn't cheap, but when compared to something like the Milford barrier it seems like a good compromise, especially for someone like me that may only use the net on 2-3 trips per year. Personally, I strap anything real heavy like recovery gear etc. to the cargo floor so I need the net to stop lighter stuff like sleeping bags, clothes, etc. I like the fact that I can install the net in just a few minutes and remove it even quicker.

As for the installation. As mentioned, IMO the 80 series interior doesn't really lend itself to using the footman loops, especially on the lower trim areas where the plastic trim becomes bulkier. I think if a person really wanted to have an ultra tight install attached to the body of the rig, that it would be better to fab up some brackets that could be installed using the grab handle bolts, seat belt mounting bolts, and the seat frame bolts. On one end of the bracket would be a bolt hole to secure the bracket to the body and on the other end of the bracket would be a slot for the strap to pass through for attachment. I don't see the necessity to go this far unless I planned a more permanent installation of the net. I saw no deflection in the grab handles when I installed the net so IMO they are plenty strong for this use.

I want to throw out kudos to Eddie at Raingler for working with me on this over the last 2-3 months. He has been great to work with, responsive to my questions, and very helpful.

You can find the net here and here

[SOCALFJ]

Looks like a great compromise to the Milford (like you said) since it seems like we'll never see another one for sale in our lifetime LOL Thanks for posting, great option.

(yes i know there's a barrier in the for sale section, im talking brand new)

Wonder what a half barrier would cost if you're running drawers?

[thumper]

very cool, thanks for posting this up. seems like a nice compromise with a hard barrier and easily able to release the bottom area to move stuff around.

[charleston]

Originally Posted by SOCALFJ

Wonder what a half barrier would cost if you're running drawers?

Even with drawers in I think you can still use the full net. The tiedown hooks behind the 2nd row is still usable and I think it would work great.

[Beowulf]

Thanks for this post Corsair. I really need something like this. We carry 3 dogs and the new drawers make this a dangerous thing. One of the dogs is 85# and would be a real problem if she was flying around the cabin.

-B-

[cartercd]

Which model did you get? I sent Raingler my dimensions 18 months ago and Eddie recommended the "RBN Jeep SUV" model. Yours seems to provide a little better coverage than mine.

[corsair23]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

Thanks for this post Corsair. I really need something like this.

I'm glad it was helpful - Makes the fact that I got to type this up twice after a computer problem caused me to lose the entire post the first time around somewhat less painful

Originally Posted by SOCALFJ

Wonder what a half barrier would cost if you're running drawers?

I forgot to touch on this in my original post (well, the second version of it anyway). I considered going with a 1/2 net because really with the height of the 2nd row seats you don't need all that much net. But, I'm glad I went with the full net because of the limited attachment options available in an 80 AND the fact that I can use the net behind the front seats as well. IMO that is a huge bonus I was not expecting and it will come in real handy on the Rubithon run.

Now, if you can make some attachment points off the drawers you may not have any issues. But, I believe you still might run into side-to-side tightness issue. Not having seen a 1/2 net in person nor tried to install one, I'm not sure how it would work.

If you are truly interested you might consider emailing Eddie and see if you could be the guinea pig for him (and us) on the 1/2 net install in an 80

Originally Posted by charleston

Even with drawers in I think you can still use the full net. The tiedown hooks behind the 2nd row is still usable and I think it would work great.

Good point. I don't have drawers but if the tiedowns are still accessible with drawers installed all should be good. And the bonus is you'd have the full net for use behind the front seats if you ever tumbled or even removed the 2nd row seats for a trip.

Originally Posted by cartercd

Which model did you get? I sent Raingler my dimensions 18 months ago and Eddie recommended the "RBN Jeep SUV" model. Yours seems to provide a little better coverage than mine.

The net we tried was the "LRBN Land Rover Discovery Barrier Net". So I guess I've have a little British DNA injected into my LX now . Anyone have some Grey Poupon?

I don't know if Eddie has any plans to make any changes to the LRBN net as it morphs into an 80BN net as well.

[corsair23]

Just a quick update...

The net was used on a recent trip to California to run the Rubicon during TLCA's annual Rubithon. The trip was a BLAST and the net did great. See the picture below. The net really is there, you can just barely make it out in the picture. We found all sorts of useful things for the net to do aside from just keeping stuff in the back of the rig - It came in handy to tie stuff to it and to hang stuff off of it.

I can say the net has been Rubicon tested and did its job well :drive:

.

[Polak]

SWEET!!! I was just thinking about this since we've got a little one on the way and two dogs that like to jump back and forth from the cargo area to the back seat, thanks for the revisit! For $185 I'm sold!


Thanks again!!!
Polak

[T Y L E R]

Wow!


The fit and finish on that barrier looks pretty amazing



TY

[Ted44]

They are offering the net in an 80 series size now too!!

I just ordered one.

[clarkrw3]

Where from.... their web sit doesn't come up for me.

[corsair23]

Originally Posted by clarkrw3

Where from.... their web sit doesn't come up for me.

I think their website is down at the moment. Eddie posted up on the Rising Sun forum that they are out of stock at the moment, expecting to have more ready to ship in a week or two.

Don't forget to buy the extra sections of straps (or get some elsewhere) if you plan to install the net like I did

[Eddie@Raingler]

Changing servers right now, should be up by tomorrow, maybe later tonight. May have a small batch of 80 series ready later this week if that helps.

[thumper]

I just got my full net from them last week. There was a couple week delay as he had said they had run out of stock. I am very happy with mine and the workmanship is very nice. If you are looking for a alternative to a metal barrier or just need something for securing cargo, this is a great option. I also got 4 of each of the extra straps.

Jon.

[nicholas]

It looks like crutchfield.com sell these nets, but I think I got the last "LRBN Land Rover Discovery Barrier Net" in stock because it now states that they are discontinued. I bought mine for $86 shipped. They must have been on clearance or something. They still have the roof rack nets.

I still need to get the extra straps to make it work. Does anyone remember how much they paid for the 4 extra straps from Raingler?

Their website is down, so I may have to just buy a few clips and webbing from a sporting goods store.

[mwdubs]

sweet net

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Very cool. Does anybody know what rating those clips are at? A medium dog (40lbs.) at 40 mph does generate some energy in a quick decel. (Read collision or accident avoidance).

I'd like to know before I buy.

[corsair23]

Originally Posted by nicholas

I still need to get the extra straps to make it work. Does anyone remember how much they paid for the 4 extra straps from Raingler?

Their website is down, so I may have to just buy a few clips and webbing from a sporting goods store.

Good score on the net for that price

As for the straps, the website is up now and per the site the extra straps are $3 for the 2' long straps and $4 for the extra long ones (no actual length given). I don't recall which ones I bought but I'm pretty sure they are the 2' long ones.

Originally Posted by 24HOURSOFNEVADA

Very cool. Does anybody know what rating those clips are at? A medium dog (40lbs.) at 40 mph does generate some energy in a quick decel. (Read collision or accident avoidance).

I'd like to know before I buy.

I believe this is the answer to your question:

RTD Tie Down Strap
Same construction and materials as our nets. 800lb military buckles with 1,000lb. 1inch wide 2 foot long 10 year UV resistant webbing.

So the buckles are rated at 800lbs and the webbing at 1000lbs. Of course there are multiple buckles and straps so the force of anything trying to push its way past the net is spreadout.