External storage box - mounting on Fiamma bike rack

[jimxingu]

Hi folks. First post looking for a bit of advice. We've recently upgraded our van to a new Compass Avantgarde CV20 panel van conversion, which has fitted a Fiamma Carry Bike 200DJ bike rack. We're keen on the idea of using the rack to support an external storage box (e.g. Fiamma Ultra Box 320L); however, I have read that this box does not support mounting on offset bike racks, such as ours.

 

Quick couple QQs:

 

- Is the above restriction purely weight limited (due to the fact that the bike rack is hanging from a single rear door)? If this is the case, with a 30kg capacity and 12kg box weight, I would have expected to be able to utilise an 18kg payload within the box (i.e. use it for storing bulky, but lighter weight, items). If not, is there another restriction at play here?

 

- If the above is a non-starter, can anyone suggest another approach to the mounting of a rear storage container? We rarely, if ever, use the back doors, and are amenable to the idea of taking off the bike rack.

 

Thanks in advance of your assistance. Cheers.

[crocs]

So long as you don’t exceed the weight limit for the single door, I can’t see any issue. 50 kgs of bike is the same as 50 kgs of box and contents.

[Robinhood]

This might be a useful reference:

 

https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t9815-ultra-box-320-360

[jimxingu]

This is splendid. Thanks.

[Derek Uzzell]

This Fiamma advert for the Ultra-Box 320

 

https://www.agentfiamma.co.uk/fiamma-ultra-box-320-rear-storage-box.html

 

contains the following guidance

 

Compatibility

 

Can be fitted to all rear mounted Fiamma Carry Bikes except those with offset rails. In other words it can be fitted to rear mounted Carry Bikes on Motorhome, Caravan and Campervan or Van Conversion with single rear door. DO NOT FIT to van conversion or campervan with double rear doors. Make sure to stay within the load limit for your bike rack.

 

And this other Fiamma advert for the Ultra-Box 320 says "NB: not suitable for bike racks with off-set rails”

 

https://www.fiammastore.com/Fiamma-Storage-Boxes-for-caravan-and-motorhome/Fiamma-Ultra-Box-320

 

So it’s plain that Fiamma ‘forbids’ this storage box to be carried on a Fiamma Carry Bike 200DJ bike rack attached to one door of a Fiat Ducato with double rear doors.

 

Although the Fiamma Carry Bike 200DJ bike rack has a carrying capacity of 35kg, this advert

 

https://www.grasshopperleisure.co.uk/fiamma-carry-bike-200dj-ducato-after-2006-cycle-rack-carrier---renewed-2020-1427-p.asp

 

suggests that fitting an Ultra-Box 320 to it wouldn’t be straightforward (as the rack is not intended to carry that box) and that, if one were unwise enough to load 23kg of ’stuff’ with most of that weight towards the left end of the box, there’s plenty of potential to put a lot of leverage on the rack and door hinges.

 

If one were careful to load the box with the weight mostly to its right-hand end it (probably) should be OK leverage-wise, but there’s no doubt that combining an Ultra-Box 320L with a Carry Bike 200DJ fitted to a double rear-door Ducato is a No-No as far as Fiamma is concerned.

[jimxingu]

Thanks, Derek. This echoes my initial sentiments, based on the research I'd done to date.

 

Bearing this in mind, are you aware of an external rear storage solution that would work for a panel van conversion?

[Keithl]

jimxingu - 2020-11-05 6:55 PM

Bearing this in mind, are you aware of an external rear storage solution that would work for a panel van conversion?

The only option I can think of is to go towbar mounted. I know it would cost extra and weigh far more but how desperate are you for storage?

 

Keith.

[jimxingu]

Keith - that's a question that I need to ponder upon.

 

Thanks to all for guidance provided. Much appreciated.

[Derek Uzzell]

jimxingu - 2020-11-05 6:55 PM

 

Thanks, Derek. This echoes my initial sentiments, based on the research I'd done to date.

 

Bearing this in mind, are you aware of an external rear storage solution that would work for a panel van conversion?

 

If you opted for a towbar-mounted storage box (example here)

 

https://www.thule.com/en-gb/cargo-carrier/towbar-cargo-carriers

 

it would (as Keith has said) be a costly approach and you would then be unable to open your motorhome’s rear doors with the box in situ.

 

The ASOF link Robinhood provided earlier includes a photo of a smaller-capacity storage box that would result in the load acting vertically downwards on your CV20’s right-hand rear door (image attached below). I’m not sure if this size of ‘plastic’ box is still marketed off-the-shelf, though it is certainly possible to obtain aluminium storage boxes in custom sizes.

 

If you load the Ultra Box 320L as you’ve mentiioned - with lightweight items only - and always ensure there is nothing heavy in the leftmost part of the box, you should be OK. If you want to carry bulky items externally (and as there’s a bike rack already in place) an Ultra-Box 320L is probably your best realistic option even though Fiamma warns against doing this.