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Old 08-24-21, 12:25 PM
  #22  
KC8QVO
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,173

Bikes: Surly Disk Trucker, 2014 w/Brooks Flyer Special saddle, Tubus racks - Duo front/Logo Evo rear, 2019 Dahon Mariner D8, Both bikes share Ortlieb Packer Plus series panniers, Garmin Edge 1000

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I have had some totes similar to the one on 10 Wheels trailer below. We used them as roof top boxes on a trip a few months ago (I sealed the lids with Gorilla Tape to ensure they would stay dry - and they did). In thinking through the trailer and "space" ideas I thought I would experiment a bit.

The 1 box does not give me the space I need in and of itself. However, if I combine that with my regular panniers then I have more than enough space. The next day trip I go on I will use the tote and trailer idea to see how it works. One thing that I am seeing already as being a challenge on the trailer set up I have here is how to stabilize/secure the box on the trailer. What I don't want to do is use a wood deck. I don't like the idea of using wood as it can soak up water and hold on to it. If I can find another panel material that would be rigid enough to support the underside of the tote that won't soak up water that would be great. In my trailer design idea I want to make it out of aluminum and use aluminum sheet metal to form the box/tote - so in that idea there would be no need to reinforce the bottom of a tote because there wouldn't be a plastic tote at all. Given that - and the question of how to secure the tote - straps around the top of the tote lid to the sides will only offer partial support. The reason being that I won't be able to get the straps tight enough (between the lack of rigidity in the trailer frame and the ability of the tote walls to collapse under much load). So then the idea of having some kind of lower bottom/side attachment to secure to the trailer frame comes to mind. It would be easy to say "just wrap a strap around the box and secure to that". However, the box tapers. It is narrower at the bottom than the top. With the vibration of going down the trail anything wrapped around and cinched up to the sides could drop and loosen then fall.

So I will mull over the conundrum of securing the box and try a few things on my next ride to see where things go. Maybe a combination of gorilla tape and 550 cord wrapped around the box down low would work - then use loops of 550 cord on the corners as the securement attachment point would work.

You can also see the springy hitch below that I mentioned in the previous post.





Originally Posted by 10 Wheels
Converted a Kids InStep Trailer
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