Ceiling mounts/storage

[eradikate]

Just curious if many people here have experience with SMB or diy install and use of overhead mounts to store relatively lightweight items like paddles, poles, etc., up high in fixed roof vans. I plan for L-track on floor and walls and was wondering about the ceiling. Two examples, one with single mounting points longitudinally and one with track sections cross-wise:[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[SCTN]

Originally Posted by eradikate

Just curious if many people here have experience with SMB or diy install and use of overhead mounts to store relatively lightweight items like paddles, poles, etc., up high in fixed roof vans. I plan for L-track on floor and walls and was wondering about the ceiling. Two examples, one with single mounting points longitudinally and one with track sections cross-wise:[ATTACH]Attachment 24096[/ATTACH]

Did you find a method you have liked? In my current van I have the fixed points and use Thule or NRS can straps to tie “up” surfboards. I don’t like the fixed points. My boards vary in width and it’s hard to really cinch up my narrow boards compared to wider boards. I’m currently waiting for a smb Build high top sprinter and I plan to use the l track or similar so I can adjust the tie down points.

[eradikate]

Not really. My van just got to SMB Texas a couple weeks ago. I decided to do L-track on the ceiling as well. I don’t mind the look of it and I think it will come in handy. Will definitely do two parallel rows longitudinally and maybe some crossways too. I plan to use Quick Fist clamps attached to small mounting plates that can in turn be slid anywhere along the L-track, to store long thin items like poles and paddles.

[SCTN]

I’ve seen your van now on many different Instagram pages, congrats! Turned out well. Do you have any real world experience now with your l track design? My van just started production at smb west

[arctictraveller]

That could be a good idea, but I'd be very sure what ever is stored there can't possibly come loose in a front end collision. I hate to imagine the damage a flying surfboard could do to your head in an accident.

[SCTN]

I think about it all the time. Another member had a signature line that went something like “death by espresso machine to the back of the head in front end collision”

Funny...not funny

[BCam]

I once had a folding table fly forward off a roof rack when I stopped at a stop sign. I usually tie things down extra well but was in a hurry and forgot the fore and aft restraints. It's a good thing no one was in the intersection because it could have killed or seriously injured them (the table flew at least 20'). That experience is enough to deter me from overhead mounts. Even relatively light weight items could be deadly in a collision or panic stop.

[Kibo]

I modified a ladder with folding platform steps to provide a way for my young daughters (currently ages 3 and 4) a way to climb up/down from the pop top:





Storage entails folding it flat and placing it on top of the bed before putting the top down. Our bed platform consists of multiple sections, and we typically travel by stacking the frontmost section on top of the one behind it and folding the mattress back before lowering the top. This sandwiches the ladder against the top and prevents it from moving.

For some reason I was driving the vehicle without the frontmost section stacked one day, and as luck would have it had to make a sudden stop. Since the ladder wasn't pinned between the mattress and pop top, it came flying out and crashed down behind me. Thankfully I was going relatively slow and driving alone without passengers, but it was a great reminder to always make sure things are truly secured before driving!

[arctictraveller]

I once had one of our flatbed truck drivers sent out to get a piece of 4in PVC. They loaded it on the top rack but failed to properly tie it down. A car in front suddenly stopped at a yellow light and the truck driver slammed on the brakes, which resulted in the pipe sliding off the rack and coming to rest in the dash board of the car in front. It missed the car driver's head by about a foot.

[dhally]

We have 2 single point Ltrack mounts we use for a clothes rod. Easy to detach.