My shiney new underfloor storage box

[Twoxentrix]

Originally Posted by Glen

I added a LED license plate lite & switch to the inside of the box ...

brilliant idea!

[JT87]

Does Sam make a box that fits the Transit?

[Stewbie]

Is there a ballpark number you'd share with us? I'm looking at more AGM batteries, but considering Lithium and the answer to me is $$ vs. $$$$.

[northleftcoast]

I can quote you a price on a box for a transit. You’d just have to figure out the size that would work with the floor of the van. If you send me some pictures of the underbelly I can help you work through what’s possible.

Sam

[jstratford]

That's nicely done and very handy!

[JT87]

Thanks, Sam.


I'll get under the Transit and shoot some photos with (rough) measurements.


One issue on the Transit is the structural frame member "in the way" of where the box would live.


Some folks have cut this structural member in order to fit a generic Sprinter box into the Transit. I'd rather avoid cutting the frame, and instead install a box that is "notched" around the existing metal.


Notching would reduce the volume of the box slightly, but would also provide a partition within the box. On the downside, I suppose the fabrication of a notched box would be more complicated/expensive.

[wgchristman]

Can you describe why you modified the Ujoint skid plate? Was that the only option? Is there and alternative? Just kicking around on myself but had a few questions

[freeagent]

Originally Posted by Glen

I added a LED license plate lite & switch to the inside of the box

Do you mind sharing where you tapped into power for the light? That's a great idea.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by wgchristman

Can you describe why you modified the Ujoint skid plate? Was that the only option? Is there and alternative? Just kicking around on myself but had a few questions

The skid plate is bent upward at the front and back of the plate. The lip is about 2" tall. The underfloor storage box sets so that I had to cut/grind off the lip at the back of the skid plate.

The second part of the modification was due to me incorrectly measuring the depth of the space for the box. I had Sam make the box 2" shallower than his standard size. I didn't account for the nuts that are welded on the underside of the side rails that the skid plate bolts to. If I would have had Sam make the box 2 1/4" shallower, it would have fit perfectly. All I had to do to fix the problem was add 1/4" steel shims between the frame rails of the van and the side rails that hold the skid plate. This dropped the skid plate the extra 1/4" I needed to make it fit.

I took a couple of pictures, but didn't post them because they came out too dark. If my explanation isn't enough help, I can light the underside of the van up and try taking a couple of pics.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by freeagent

Do you mind sharing where you tapped into power for the light? That's a great idea.

Luckily, the guys at CCV who installed the penthouse top put a fuse block with a couple extra ports at the rear passenger side of the van. I pre-wired and mounted the light & switch prior to installing the box. I left the wires long enough to run up through the floor of the van and to the fuse box via the same wire loom that CCV installed for the fuse block. It went through a rubber grommet already in the floor of the van, I'm assuming for just such a thing.