Rear Storage Mod.

[94-D2]

I needed durable exterior storage for things such as the power cord, propane bottles, gas can, ladders, hoses, fire pit etc. not enough room in the front bullhead storage and don’t really like that stuff in the basement. So, I set out to fabricate a custom rear storage compartment that had the look as if it came this way (except that it is so much stronger than the EOM would have made it. I had a design in mind and a fabricator friend built it to spec for me. It is all steel construction welded and weather proof. 92x24x21 with offset lid and integrated roof ladder (modified from its original 90 degree mounting) with all steel horizontal mounting flanges. The finish is 2 tone power coat with semi reseeded LED tail/brake lights.

[94-D2]

Roger10378 wrote:
It looks nice. My concern would be the amount of weight you have added way at the back. You need to get to a scale and make sure you still have at least 18 percent of your total on the pin. Otherwise it may be very unstable driving.

I haven’t weighed it. Just pulled it over 1000 miles. Was as solid as before. I figure the washer in the overhead closet up front pretty much compensates for the weight change.

JRscooby wrote:
Do you have a vent oi the bottom incase that propane tank heats to overpressure? Opening a box full of fuel/air mix would be more risk than collision.

I did not think about any ventilation. I’ll have to re-think the propane tank storage. Maybe some long line adapters from front tanks and skip the spare.

[Cummins12V98]

Looking GOOD!!!

[JRscooby]

ford truck guy wrote:
Great looking box...... Nice work, My only issue would be carrying propane back there... in the event of a rear end collision, that would be ugly. But that may just be me...

The propane tank is pretty tough. Impact is more likely to shove it, and rest of box, into the trailer than "turn ugly"
OP, looks good to me. But I do have a question; Do you have a vent oi the bottom incase that propane tank heats to overpressure? Opening a box full of fuel/air mix would be more risk than collision

[Roger10378]

It looks nice. My concern would be the amount of weight you have added way at the back. You need to get to a scale and make sure you still have at least 18 percent of your total on the pin. Otherwise it may be very unstable driving.

[94-D2]

Thank you. The storage is really valuable. I did a similar project on my 2011 Avalon shortly after I got it. Best mod yet.....

[BobsYourUncle]

That looks really awesome!

And I can appreciate how much work it was to build because I have one on the back of our TT.

It is soooooo nice to have a place to stow things like the shore power cable, the ground mats for under the awning, the hitch and eq bars when not in use, extra hoses, wood blocks, camp chairs and more.

[94-D2]

Thanks for the comments. It was a difficult task. The coroplast had to come out to work on the frame portion and did that after a catastrophic tank leak which prompted a replacement and discovery of an absolute installation mess of all the wiring, plumbing and hydraulic lines (which is a whole other story). So, this was a 3 phase project that has been going on since late October. Actually led to insulating with R19 and installation of on board air and automatic reel. Fall and winter were very busy with it. Pretty good weather allowed for it. Even squeezed in a week trip last month too.

[Diamond_c]

I love it!!! Great job!

[94-D2]

The ladder is totally supported by the box. It has a cross member inside of the box terminating the flanges. Lots more support than the 90 degree bend and flanges holding it by 8 screws on the fiberglass panel by the OEM. housing a spare 20 lb propane bottle probably doesn’t carry any more or less risk that the 2 30 lb bottles up front in the fiberglass storage compartments. The boxed steel construction of the rear box is really strong and most likely has a bit more integrity than the fiberglass ones up front. Perhaps not as exposed to hazard as a side impact but definitely stronger.

[Lwiddis]

Agreed...great mod but I too wouldn’t carry propane there.

[ford_truck_guy]

Great looking box...... Nice work, My only issue would be carrying propane back there... in the event of a rear end collision, that would be ugly. But that may just be me...

[RoyF]

Beautiful job. Does the ladder simply pass through your storage top and is not supported by it?