Installed a cool piece on my Libby...

[tomsjeep]

Well, with much trepidation, I drilled holes (gasp!) in my Libby.
Installed a Solargizer Battery Maintainer (had the intention of doing this for a long, long time, finally got ahold of one for the TJ and one for the KJ) with only minor issues.
:heart:
And then I installed this nifty rear cargo shelf from All J products, especially made for Libbys (and a close out item). After spending a few hours contemplating hole drilling while sitting in the backend of my Libby, I got my happy cordless drill out, bored my holes, and got this thing installed.
Lookin' kinda like this:

OK, their install is a little tidier than mine, but it still looks the same. This thing is way sturdy... solid as a rock, and very heavy, so I don't expect it to rattle (so far so good).
I also got my kayak rack on, and have my new kayak (an Old Town Millenium 160) mounted up, ready for the Memorial Day weekend. Can hardly wait to get out, get my tent up, and leave the city behind.

[dh_4_ever]

that there be oftly purdy. looks nice. could carry alot more cargo safely with it as well.

[tomsjeep]

I'm logged in wi-fi from near the campground. I can attest to it being a solid piece of stuff. Held a pile of cast iron, tents, tent stakes, etc. just fine on my trip to Acadia.
I'd be doin' better if the blackflies weren't killing me one piece at a time.
I would recommend this product, but they have discontinued it... or on the other hand, snap 'em up while they still have some. At any rate, it works as designed (making allowances for mr. "i can't do anything mechanical" and having to fiddle with it).

[Jill75]

Nice design and workmanship there Tom. Just wondering if it could be made with smaller holes?

[Toralf]

Looks pretty good Tom!

I am looking for something similar for the JK, plus I need some kind of drawer for the rear but not the pricey Tuffy one. Not that I don't like it but it's too heavy to have it shipped for a small charge plus the part itself... so I am either have to build my self but lack the right slides or find one for less money...

[tomsjeep]

Nice design and workmanship there Tom. Just wondering if it could be made with smaller holes?
You're welcome to make one anyway you want.
I bought this one close out from All-J Products (don't think our host directly competes, at least, hope I'm not torquing anybody off). But before buying this one, I was looking to fab something of my own (those that know me are already cracking a big smile over the looming disaster that would bring). All sorts of shelf things would work.



I am looking for something similar for the JK, plus I need some kind of drawer for the rear but not the pricey Tuffy one. Not that I don't like it but it's too heavy to have it shipped for a small charge plus the part itself... so I am either have to build my self but lack the right slides or find one for less money...
If you're looking to cadge something together there are several rear-end baskets and safari racks that would make a good starting place. Don't know if you fancy diamond plate any, but there are a number of sizes of aluminum diamond plate boxes out there too. Lotsa possibilities, just got to get something to work.
Shelf held up really well with cast iron pots banging around in the back on some frost-heaved Maine backroads.

[Toralf]

I looked at some boxes and racks here but I need something that completely lock due to the stuff and gadgets I have to carry for work (governmental requirement). Haven't found the right thing yet but still on the hunt.
I wouldn't mind diamond plate but it's not my first choise. I'd rather go for black stainless steel or aluminum or, even better because it's way lighter that fancy stuff they use novadays for offroad mobile homes to built furniture. It's kind of laminated syntetic stuff, multilayered, extrem robust and about a quarter the weight of steel.

[tomsjeep]

or, even better because it's way lighter that fancy stuff they use novadays for offroad mobile homes to built furniture. It's kind of laminated syntetic stuff, multilayered, extrem robust and about a quarter the weight of steel.
You could always go kevlar... but it's a mite spendy.
:icon_eek:
Sounds like you need to combine a couple of items - a rack/tray and a box to get what you need. If the box is under the tray, it could/would be partly armored by the tray, and might not need to be as bombproof.
I don't suppose there's a toolbox on your Tatra you can just swap over?

[dh_4_ever]

i think the stuff you might be talking about is phenol laminates? the have been using it for bearing aplications for years (for bearing cages and friction bearings) tough stuff. but hard to find let alone for cheap.

[Toralf]

You could always go kevlar... but it's a mite spendy.
:icon_eek:
Sounds like you need to combine a couple of items - a rack/tray and a box to get what you need. If the box is under the tray, it could/would be partly armored by the tray, and might not need to be as bombproof.
I don't suppose there's a toolbox on your Tatra you can just swap over?

Funny thing is that I thought about a truck toolbox but haven't found one that fits in the JK.
Kevlar would be cool but out of my league... :shocked:

[tomsjeep]

i think the stuff you might be talking about is phenol laminates? the have been using it for bearing aplications for years (for bearing cages and friction bearings) tough stuff. but hard to find let alone for cheap.
That whole laminate process can go cover a range of things... back when I had a job, we were involved in outfitting tents with large flat panels of a kevlar laminate (response to mortar fire/shrapnel deaths in the mess tent in Iraq). A big sheet larger than 4x8 was very light and "penetration resistant" - at the time I was thinking that would make a great Jeep body.
A lockbox made out of that stuff would certainly be difficult to thwart.
All I can think though is that you don't wanna get the gov't started worrying about why Jeeps don't have a locking trunk... or they'll make a new regulation, and we'll all end up towing a small motor home behind us to meet the regs.

[Toralf]

That stuff sounds good Tom, I'd take some of that ;o)
It's not that they worry about non locking trunks in Jeeps. They only lock at them and if you have a locking tailgate it's ok. Problem I have is that I have to carry tons of stuff for my job that is government related (and they dictate what I have to carry) and that they insist that I lock it away at any time, so I can either have the Jeep on the streets with the hardtop on all the time or have some lockable box when driving or rather while parking with the top removed or the softtop down. And it has to be out of sight at any time, so tinted window or again a lockable box is required...

[Jill75]

I was thinking, can you do something like a box or case out of it just to hold things better and more secure?