18' Series toolbox conundrum...

[Ssil2000]

hi guys,

i have found a need for a tool box at the front, the idea is to fit the genny and the baby q (with cart) which is proving rather tricky, one of the big restrictions is the height of the box at 500mm max it makes things a little tight.. I thought i had finally solved my issue with a box sitting inside the drawbar (where the gas bottles are) and moving the gas bottles to the outside (one each side) drawing attached (the red lines are my makup of the draw bar and the gas bottle - not to scale)

now the issue is after i mocked up an outline on the ground to see how things fit... well they dont. the genny fits fine but the baby q wont fit, unless i jam it in on an angle... if i put a couple tie down points inside the box and strap its all so it doesnt bounce will it be alright or am i just wasting my time?

the other idea was to do a 1700 wide box 500 high and 580 deep but the issue becomes the gas bottles... cant win.

any ideas are welcomed

 

[DaveR]

My solution was found in the pages of this helpful forum. Have a look about, you'll find this mentioned many times.
I used this as it is the only one of this type the webber fits in through the hatch when open.
https://www.kincrome.com.au/gullwing-alum-truck-box-1600mm
And here is how it looks on an extended drawbar, forget about the bike rack over the top, I moved the 2 x cly's forward, the existing gas pipe work was long enough.
I fit the webber 2200 in one side, a Honda 2.0 near the centre sideways, and have lots of room for other gear.

 

[Ssil2000]

thanks @DaveR but that wont fit my genny unfortunately. its the 2.4 yamaha its about 480mm high, has to be flat top. also the weber cart is 600+wide to fit that is a buggar.

 

[Drover]

Keep digging around on here @Ssil2000 I'm sure someone has done a good thread on what your after, just can't recall who, just need to balance out weight front to rear as you do it..............boxes of all sizes, well made and good prices from www.matesratestools.com.au way better construction than a lot of ones around.....

 

[Bluey]

I wouldnt worrie about the cart i have my barbi on the ground at back of the van where the bayonet is i sit and cook not stand i find it great when finnished cooking it goes half under the van when i have annex on barbi is just outside at back of annex sitting and cooking is much better to me with drink in hand

 

[bigcol]

one of the big restrictions is the height of the box at 500mm max it makes things a little tight..

it fits, and quite well at 500mm high




just make sure you leave enough room to open the lid without hitting the Van



I also have my Gas Bottle inside the box.........

 

[DaveR]

Agreed on giving the webber cart a miss, I use a small camp table which is stored in beneath the rear bed.

 

[Ssil2000]

hey @Bigcol65 the top cant have a taper or the genny wont fit, then i have 2 gas bottles. i might mock up a box with ply to the dimensions above and see how the babyq fits on an angle and if its bad enough to damage it

 

[Drover]

Someone, somewhere did a up a set of rails which slide into tubes under van and the barbie sits on that, very smicko idea......

 

[Base23]

This is the box I made, holds gas bottles and generator. Weber baby Q will not fit in box as it is full with generator and gas bottles.
Made a new base for Webber Baby Q and it now fits in front boot door. when using weber it sits on slide frame from chassis rail.

 

[bigcol]

hey @Bigcol65 the top cant have a taper or the genny wont fit, then i have 2 gas bottles. i might mock up a box with ply to the dimensions above and see how the babyq fits on an angle and if its bad enough to damage it

I didnt get the widest box - hence why it is not to the outside edge of the Van

I got the taper - so I can still get my hand in there to turn Gas on or off when required (if the bed is down)

for the Weber to sit on I have one of these.......... (everything must have 2 uses or its not in the Van)
makes it easy to use as a ladder as well as a seat and a home for the weber to cook
https://www.bunnings.com.au/gorilla-adjustable-height-work-platform_p0861589

 

[Red1]

This is ours, the Webber 200fits in one side, the generator slides out the other side exactly the same. There is a box in the middle that I use for light stuff, like the levelling rams and the annexe floor mat. The gas cylinders go on the front. Hope this helps

 

[Tucker]

This is ours, the Webber 200fits in one side, the generator slides out the other side exactly the same. There is a box in the middle that I use for light stuff, like the levelling rams and the annexe floor mat. The gas cylinders go on the front. Hope this helps

Hi Red1 how much did that box cost looks great
Thanks

 

[Drover]

I looked at this problem a few years back, it was all too hard but solved it with this alloy box, works a treat..........I really will have to get around and do that barbie stand mod @Base23 I reckon it's brilliant.

 

[Ssil2000]

So I’ve been doing some measuring and then some more measuring... if I eliminate the cart and get a box ~1950mm long 500 high and 500+ deep i can have the gas bottles inside(slightly off center) the genny on one side and the baby’s on the other... this may be the only realistic option. Now with gas bottles in there how many vents do i need to install?

Don’t mind my drawing

The tall Easter eggs are gas bottles and the wide Easter egg is the baby q

 

[bigcol]

Now with gas bottles in there how many vents do i need to install?

I dont remember the Gas reg's off hand, but I put in 3 little vents from Bunnings
two on the back corner of the box where the Gas bottle sits
one on the other side

cut the holes
silastic Ali flyscreen
pop rivet vent over that.........

 

[Drover]

From memory, vents are required to be at the bottom, since gas will accumulate at the lowest point with a high vent it won't escape and you will have a bomb and bottles must be kept seperate from other items in the boot/box ie: nothing to be packed around them. So a small wall would do the job.

 

[Jemmo]

Hi @Ssil2000 ,

I decided that I didn't want to muck around with gas bottle regulations too much by putting them inside a box, so designed ours with the bottles on the outside and the box opening forward so we can access when the front bed is set up. I just mounted the regulator on the rear of the box (you can see it just poking up over the box on the pic below. Cost was $850 from MW Toolboxes in Mentone. The opening is large enough so that a Honda Genny will fit in, and deep enough that the boogie boards fit also.

Cheers, Jemmo

 

[MarkAW]

Hi @Ssil2000 ,

I decided that I didn't want to muck around with gas bottle regulations too much by putting them inside a box, so designed ours with the bottles on the outside and the box opening forward so we can access when the front bed is set up. I just mounted the regulator on the rear of the box (you can see it just poking up over the box on the pic below. Cost was $850 from MW Toolboxes in Mentone. The opening is large enough so that a Honda Genny will fit in, and deep enough that the boogie boards fit also.

Cheers, Jemmo
View attachment 58274
View attachment 58275
View attachment 58276

Very nice box Jemmo!

Do you know how much the box weighs and what it added to your tow ball weight?

Do you have the extended drawbar? and any issues when jack knifing the van into tight spaces?

Cheers

 

[Jemmo]

Very nice box Jemmo!

Do you know how much the box weighs and what it added to your tow ball weight?

Do you have the extended drawbar? and any issues when jack knifing the van into tight spaces?

Cheers

Hi @MarkAW ,
I'd estimate the box itself was @15-20kgs.
We then added mostly outside stuff that i didn't want to put either in the van or the front boot to make it dirty/wet:
- weber babyq
- front step
- floor mat for the awning area
- awning side/ends
- boogie boards
- water & sullage hoses
- extension leads
- small toolbox
- 2 x camping tables
I also got some 10mm rubber matting as a floor inside it, and simply cut holes where the bolts are so that it sits flat

From memory, it only added about 30-40kgs to the ball weight fully loaded (took us from about 170kgs to a bit over 200kgs.
I think the ball weight was really helped by keeping the gas bottles as far back as possible, close to the van.

2. Yes, we have the extended draw bar. The box still sits too far back to cause any issues when turning, particularly as the gas bottles are set back and lined up with the back wall of the box. It would have to be a serious jack- knife to hit it - but you could do it if you wanted to!
Cheers, Jemmo.