New SMB Owner: 1993 E250 RB30

[BrianBlair]

Originally Posted by SMB_Beancounter

How’s that bike rack holding up? Looks like a great idea! Good work.

It’s been fantastic! We put something like 5k miles on the van this summer with no issues whatsoever. Really happy with it.

[SMB_Beancounter]

Good to hear! We have a Yakima swing out, may try to build something similar to what you’ve done.

[BrianBlair]

Originally Posted by SMB_Beancounter

Good to hear! We have a Yakima swing out, may try to build something similar to what you’ve done.

Let me know if you’ve got any questions…..and definitely post some photos if you wind up making your own!

BB

[BrianBlair]

I've been wanting a box on the back of the van since....well.....the day we bought it(10 years ago). I put off ordering the swingarm from Aluminess for far too long.....and now they refuse to make them. With a standalone swingarm out of the question I just went for it and mounted the box directly to the door. So far, so good. No flex at all, if you grab the box and twist the whole van moves with it. I think it's going to work out just fine but I'll be keeping an eye on the hinges and what not.

I drilled 4 holes in the door to line up with the corners of the box and that spaced the box off the door with two pieces of c-channel. The bolts go through the box, through the c-channel and through the door with huge fender washers inside.

Because the box is so close to the door I sewed up a webbing door pull that bolts to the door release lever and extends out the side of the box. A quick pull on the webbing opens the door.

License plate will be relocated to the door of the box in the next few days....still need to wire that up.

For some reason the photos look like the box is crooked.....I can assure you we somehow got it completely straight/level.

[JWA]

If your box is mounted directly to the door shell you might need to re-think that arrangement---the door sheet metal is just too thin to withstand even the weight of the empty box for over the road travels--too much flexing.

With the large area already removed to accommodate the license frame you have a "weak" structure. I would suggest fabricating some sort of inner structure capturing the eventual weight in both the vertical and horizontal planes. Said structure would basically "clamp" the box through the door skin, the skin itself not supporting the box weight in any plane.

Additionally if left in place even with an inner structure hinge issues might arise.

Sorry to be a buzz kill but I hope you're able to devise something substantial suited to the task.

[Coloradical]

I mounted a box on a modified Surco tire carrier. Baja tested

[Mikerson]

If you are concerned, you might want to check with Wanderer. He also bolted a box straight to the door 2.5 years ago. Maybe some lessons learned there. Best of luck either way.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...tml#post269392