Drawbar Boxes etc ...

Must be a pretty light van to have a ballweight of under 100kg

It appears to be an offroad capable unit but perhaps the A frame may not be up to having an extra 100kg or so above the point that usually bends when overloaded

Will probably be over 100 with two jerrys 43kg, spare 35, gas bottle 15 and portapotti 20? plus the weight of the box.

Steve,

Just make sure where it attaches to the drawbar is strong enough to take the maximum weight you are going to add to it.

I just got a trailer made with a box on the front (1200mm x 1200mm x 700mm) and they used 6 small tek screws to hold it to the drawbar, nothing else, I actually thought it was gong to fall off on the trip home. I have since fixed this myself and now the box sits on a subframe and that is bolted to 6 angle brackets welded to the chassis rails with 6, 3/8 high tensile bolts with nyloc nuts and spring washers. Yes I know I should have taken it straight back but I needed the trailer for a trip up north, and as the old saying goes "if you want something done right do it yourself"

crd

Hi Steve

I'm not sure you are 'adding 100kg', you already have the spare and gas bottle mounted on the A frame anyway, so just the weight of the box itself (prob not too much as it's aluminium, 2 jerrys (say 45 kg when full), and porta potti (reckon mine weighs about 5kg empty).

If the box is set back as close to the pod as possible, to minimise the mechanical advantage of the weight, it will be better still.

You still need to make sure, as others have said, that the A frame is strong enough, and the box securely fixed. Like I said, half the weight that is going in the box is already on the frame, all you are really doing is rearranging the distribution of that weight, and adding some.


Cheers, Dave

Steve,
you may wish to extend the angle sub frame for some length, to spread the load along the A frame.

Fixing to the A frame itself could be done using U bolts or similar, this will allow you to remove the box easily and not interfere with the A frame.

Have a good one

Hi Seve,

You did not say what type of van you had but I thought I would show you mine. Might give you some additional ideas. I store different things but I have also descovered it is a great way of also having a stone guard as well.

Mine can also be used for a water tank for short distances. Takes the annex struts and drain hoses as well.

Probably more important, are the dust seals which work great and this type of lock is good for security.
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Make sure the battery is completely isolated and sealed from the fuel and gas which must be vented properly if enclosed.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

Guys,

In general be aware that weight on the drawbar affects towing - the max speed before you get a death wobble greatly decrases with weight on the drawbar - it is a simple physics fact

The industry is being led by customer demand and one sees massive staoage on the drawbars. There is a reason for the drawbar and it is to get the weight back

DIY beware

The last thing you want when you speed up to overtake a truck ...

CJ

Lex,

The further back the centre of gravity is from the tow vehicle, the higher the speed that it can be towed. That is the general law applied.

Even if you attach slays insted of wheels, this basic law applies equally.

Manyufacturers have to balance functionality, so drawbars can't are too long. But then we the users load the front up, so we bring the horizontal centre of the load forward, and decrase safe towing speeds

CJ