Securing Cargo in the Rear Area

[Carp]

Going on my first wheeling trip in the 60 this weekend I'm starting to prepare the 60 for the trip, but the list is long and time is short. So, I'm trying to figure out how to secure my stuff so it won't kill me in a roll-over, but there aren't any tie downs in the 60, and I don't have time to install many. Any idea on how I can secure a cooler, canvas bag full of tools, canvas bag full of recovery gear, tupperware box of liquids (gear oil, motor oil, coolant, etc. (I think some of this might fit in the sidewells, need to check))?

I've searched and haven't come up with much, and the expedition corner doesn't help much as they have platforms...

 

[kevinmrowland]

Good on you for asking! I see too many trucks out there with everything floating around, bad enough on the road, but just plain crazy on a wheeling trip.

There are a few good options for you though, the 1/4s are a great place to stuff full of the fluids, just be sure that the panels are still secure, open and close them a few times and the plastic nubs start to rip out of the cardboard.
There are also some simple hardware solutions for the tie downs. One that I like is to mount a series of eye hooks along the body right below the rear windows. If you pull the vinyl trim you can get behind there with some big fender washers and double nut the eye bolt. This works well for strapping things to the walls and for rigging across the body to hold down tubs.
Another is to get a handful of bolt on D rings. McmasterCarr is a good source for these: http://www.mcmaster.com/
Look at item # 3076T35, they work well.
These can be bolted down in a variety of ways and with a variety of hardware. You can through bolt, or for lighter duty stuff, there are a few places you can even use self tapping screws.
Anything you order from Mcmaster will be there the next day so you still have time to get any hardware you want.
Also, don't forget about a simple cargo barrier if it fits with your plans.
You can work around not having a set of drawers or a platform and still carry everything securely, good luck.

 

[oldwineo]

If you don't have time to set up some tie down points before your trip, use some ratchet straps from the back seat latch points through the tailgate latch points and back to the seat.

Don't crank down real tight though.

Make an X and then tie across to make a sort of net.

Also best to fill the space tightly and contain loose stuff in crates or boxes.

Just make sure you can get to the Beer

 

[Randy88FJ62]

If you have the back seat down you have two ratcheting points you never knew about. The rear seat has two pins sticking out that hold the seat in place when upright. If they are down then you have two pins sticking out that can be used to ratchet down heavy stuff. No matter what you do find some way to keep at least the heavy stuff down.

 

[Carp]

There are a few good options for you though, the 1/4s are a great place to stuff full of the fluids, just be sure that the panels are still secure, open and close them a few times and the plastic nubs start to rip out of the cardboard.
There are also some simple hardware solutions for the tie downs. One that I like is to mount a series of eye hooks along the body right below the rear windows. If you pull the vinyl trim you can get behind there with some big fender washers and double nut the eye bolt. This works well for strapping things to the walls and for rigging across the body to hold down tubs.
Another is to get a handful of bolt on D rings. McmasterCarr is a good source for these: McMaster-Carr
Look at item # 3076T35, they work well.
These can be bolted down in a variety of ways and with a variety of hardware. You can through bolt, or for lighter duty stuff, there are a few places you can even use self tapping screws.
Anything you order from Mcmaster will be there the next day so you still have time to get any hardware you want.
You can work around not having a set of drawers or a platform and still carry everything securely, good luck.

Awesome suggestions. I think that I can find time in the next few days to do this, heck, I could even do this after arriving at camp, if necessary.

If you don't have time to set up some tie down points before your trip, use some ratchet straps from the back seat latch points through the tailgate latch points and back to the seat.

Don't crank down real tight though.

Make an X and then tie across to make a sort of net.

Also best to fill the space tightly and contain loose stuff in crates or boxes.

Just make sure you can get to the Beer

If you have the back seat down you have two ratcheting points you never knew about. The rear seat has two pins sticking out that hold the seat in place when upright. If they are down then you have two pins sticking out that can be used to ratchet down heavy stuff. No matter what you do find some way to keep at least the heavy stuff down.

Good ideas! I was thinking of how to use those, and I have a ratchet strap that doesn't have a hook on one end (meant to strap around something) that would work well for something like this. If I put the rear seat down, I could also run a strap between the two points and run that through the handles on the canvas bags... I'll keep everyone posted on what I find to do

Thanks!

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Good luck. I'm glad that you're thinking about safety before the trip. Most people don't think this far ahead and some never strap down their gear.

 

[Carp]

There are also some simple hardware solutions for the tie downs. One that I like is to mount a series of eye hooks along the body right below the rear windows. If you pull the vinyl trim you can get behind there with some big fender washers and double nut the eye bolt. This works well for strapping things to the walls and for rigging across the body to hold down tubs.

Kevin, do you know how wide this area is (and by wide, I mean distance from top to bottom(I was gonna stop and look on my way home, and don't have the 60 with me))? I saw this on Northern's website and was thinking it might work (with correct hardware). And it's fairly cheap and is rated at 6000lb capacity, 2000 lb WLL, and the rings are rated at 4000lb breaking strenght. Should hold a cooler and tools. Plus, with the eyes able to be removed, that should reduce rattle too...

And these clip in

 

[euclid]

On big trips I remove the rear seat bottom. Clears out a big space behind the front seats. My tool boxes fit well there with tools and spare parts. Keeps them low for center of gravity reasons.

I bolted a bunch of d-rings from the hardware store all over the back of the truck for tie down points.

Good job thinking safety so early on in your experience. It will make things a lot eaiser in the long run.

 

[ntsqd]

An idea that I've had for sometime, and never tried, is to secure a full width & length piece of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood to the floor in each corner. Might even be able to do this in a 60 with a pair of fore to aft ratchet straps anchored to the previously mentioned points.

Then attach all of my various tie-down anchors to the plywood. That makes the whole thing easily removed for other uses of the vehicle. Potentially it would also keep the 90wt out of the carpet, though such a calamity might require a new piece of ply......

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Kevin, do you know how wide this area is (and by wide, I mean distance from top to bottom(I was gonna stop and look on my way home, and don't have the 60 with me))? I saw this on Northern's website and was thinking it might work (with correct hardware). And it's fairly cheap and is rated at 6000lb capacity, 2000 lb WLL, and the rings are rated at 4000lb breaking strenght. Should hold a cooler and tools. Plus, with the eyes able to be removed, that should reduce rattle too...

And these clip in

I've considered these for inside and on the roof rack but they're expensive...

 

[kevinmrowland]

Kevin, do you know how wide this area is (and by wide, I mean distance from top to bottom(I was gonna stop and look on my way home, and don't have the 60 with me))? I saw this on Northern's website and was thinking it might work (with correct hardware). And it's fairly cheap and is rated at 6000lb capacity, 2000 lb WLL, and the rings are rated at 4000lb breaking strenght. Should hold a cooler and tools. Plus, with the eyes able to be removed, that should reduce rattle too...

And these clip in

Not that wide. But.....you could go below the exposed body there and bolt through your vinyl side panels, the back, two braces and the c pillar would be plenty to hold that stuff since it is so rigid. But I don't like that idea since you would not be able to get in your side panels, there is a ton of room in there.

Just get home, clean out the back of your 60 and sit in the cargo area for awhile, with all the good pointers above I am sure you will be able to formulate a plan.
And now that we are all invested in the project, be sure to post pics as well.

 

[hank14]

These are the ones I have seen mentioned here before. They are aluminum, and designed for securing wheel chairs in vans. I have also seen them on Airport shuttles.

I don't know what they would cost, but I don't think they could be beat for function and strength.

Sure-Lok Products

 

[IndianDoc]

Quick and dirty tie down

Once had a similar problem needed to strap stuff down for
camping trip into the Tennessee Hills (other side of the ridge) and as usual had not gotten the rings and tie down points in place. Found that by using the two points that someone(Kevin I think) refered to on the back of the seat. And taking a flat tie down strap apart sliding it through the gap at the tailgate was able to hook the other eye on the bumper hook. That and another two ratchet tie downs from side to side hooked in the quarter panel braces with the covers temp removed solved my problem. Had two running front to back and two side to side. Did look funny with the two bright yellow straps comming out the bottom of the tailgate, but it worked. Not a long term solution but will work in a pinch. Just my .02 if you don't get the parts for OTM run. Give your 2 lo mod a try too. Wish I was running and could get off work. Have a great time.

 

[Carp]

I made it home from the first wheeling trip and didn't have anything hurled at my head. How, you may ask, did I do this? With all the help from this thread, of course!

For all of my fluids, I crammed what I could into the passenger side quarter panel and put the trim piece back on. Sorry, no pics, but a little imagination goes a long way.

For the cooler, I took the access panel for the jack out, hooked a ratchet strap to one of upright supports, ran the strap around the cooler, and hooked the other end to the other upright. Like so...

For the tool bag, recovery bag, and come-a-along, I put the back seat down and ran a ratchet strap between seat clamps, through the handles for the respective bags. I don't have a pic of it in trail form, but the idea is the same for the drive home, I actually put the sleeping bag underneath the strap to help hold it down. Like so...

This also let me put the FSM, thin tackle box of misc connectors/bolts/etc, and jumper cables under the seat back.

Hopefully, I'll have a platform built or at least better tie downs in place before the next wheeling trip, but at least I was able to keep safe for this one. Thanks again to all who contributed!

 

[3pits]

do the 60's not have the tie down hooks the 62's have?

 

[CruisinFJ60]

do the 60's not have the tie down hooks the 62's have?

nope.

 

[3pits]

ok so I am slow, does the 60 body have the place/bolt holes to install the mounts the 62s come with?, cuz I have a few extra...

 

[Godwin]

No, you'd have to drill holes and bolt through the floor to mount the tie downs.

 

[marting]

One could replace the flimsy card/fiber-board side-panels with a solid plywood or mdf-board.. Good for speakers and easy to screw hooks and stuff to.. Just use threaded rivets, or what ever they are called instead of the plastic plugs, to fasten it proparly.

 

[Freewheel]

My 86 HJ60 has the tie down hooks and I think they are stock. Maybe you should peek under the carpet...?