Storage Frustration!

wildebus said:
I can understand why people are commenting about the ball bit maybe being the problem. I initially thought this as well.
So thinking the taller bit of the ball area was stopping the door hinging, is it serving any purpose anyway?

I would think the only reason this is present is if you need the ball fitted higher? and if not that whole section could be cut away (I am happy enough cutting away metal. It is welding it back I have the problem with! :D )

IMG_20230401_094519_791 by David, on Flickr

And this photo shows that the door does indeed foul on that

IMG_20230401_094243_149 by David, on Flickr

But .... even it that were gone, the door still fouls on the entire bar itself

IMG_20230401_094315_861 by David, on Flickr

It is a close thing. If the bar was maybe 3" or even maybe 2" further out there would be just enough clearance. Or if it were slightly lower, or a combination of the two? If this towbar was made for this particualt model of Motorhome, I bet it would be that bit longer and/or lower.
Now I personally am not in a position to cut and reweld ( and many thanks, Runnach for your offer to have a look), but I wonder if I could actually redo the mounting holes so it is actually fitted further outward to the rear?
This is the plate that goes to the chassis and bolts onto it with three bolts each side
IMG_20230401_101012_748 by David, on Flickr
The plate goes against a cross-member at the end - does that provide any strength when bar is loaded which would be lost if moved back and away from it?
If I made three new holes for the bolts, I would be closer to the end with one of them, but actually closer to the centre with the two others, so strength not compromised I am summerising? Or extend this plate with a piece at the end so it can be fitted further away but still remains butted up at the 'inboard' end?

I would be very interested in the opinion of those who know about metal structures and strength and the impact of changing things to see if just drilling three holes in different places would cause any problems? (just a note about towbar usage ... used 99% of the time as a "deterrent bumper", and when ball used, it is either for a load carrier hanging off it, or a small 'garden' trailer with max weight 600kg but usually way less than than)



This post was initially just to express some annoyance, but maybe there is a fairly neat solution?
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Problems I see David if altering by extending or dropping the horizontal box section is, starting with the latter, leaving MH prone to possible damage if MH did bottom out. The former, adding overall length, bottoming out issue again, plus extra cost (which may not matter to you) on ferry costs, if you use them.

While I appreciate your comment with the current setup being a faff, maybe easier to just live with the faff. A conundrum though with a rear storage locker.
 
runnach said:
Problems I see David if altering by extending or dropping the horizontal box section is, starting with the latter, leaving MH prone to possible damage if MH did bottom out. The former, adding overall length, bottoming out issue again, plus extra cost (which may not matter to you) on ferry costs, if you use them.

While I appreciate your comment with the current setup being a faff, maybe easier to just live with the faff. A conundrum though with a rear storage locker.
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putting the bottoming out issue aside for the time being, would you see having another set of mounting holes in order to mount further back have any strength issues?

(thinking maybe could have the towbar on the 'extended' position generally and if neccessary revert to the 'inbound' position where a lesser overhang might be a factor if say going on a ferry (I would think the ramps could be more of an issue than the cost?). Given the existing length from rear axle centre to rear of vehicle is 2M, I wonder how much difference a extra 50mm say would make? I have certainly seen motorhomes with longer overhangs than my own).
 
Having zoomed in David, might it be possible to make up some GRP reinforcement incorporating a couple of virtical tubes inside the bottom part and some pins to slot into them on the cover/lid, and buy a couple of extra locks and fit them to the top and have it come out as it down now but be more secure, leaving the old locks there so minimal cosmetic work?

Obviously this remote from you it's hard to suggest anything.


1680350638293.png
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Having zoomed in David, might it be possible to make up some GRP reinforcement incorporating a couple of virtical tubes inside the bottom part and some pins to slot into them on the cover/lid, and buy a couple of extra locks and fit them to the top and have it come out as it down now but be more secure, leaving the old locks there so minimal cosmetic work?

Obviously this remote from you it's hard to suggest anything.


View attachment 66581
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I don't quite follow. Not sure why I would want extra locks? All I am really musing is a way to open the locker without having to fully detatch the cover and put it aside.
 
Not easy to explain David, but as the bumper is in the way I can't see how you could, other than maybe lowering it.
 
wildebus said:
putting the bottoming out issue aside for the time being, would you see having another set of mounting holes in order to mount further back have any strength issues? Hope this makes sense ?

(thinking maybe could have the towbar on the 'extended' position generally and if neccessary revert to the 'inbound' position where a lesser overhang might be a factor if say going on a ferry (I would think the ramps could be more of an issue than the cost?). Given the existing length from rear axle centre to rear of vehicle is 2M, I wonder how much difference an extra 50mm say would make? I have certainly seen motorhomes with longer overhangs than my own).
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I would leave the area underneath the MH as is, remove box section from each outrigger, then weld shorter plates to box section, drill each outrigger eg: extended holes and as normal position holes, then using HTS nuts and bolts 🔩 fit box section to outriggers and torque up.
 
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This may help with a better explanation. The top vert L&R lines stick out from underneath chassis with two holes drilled to each side.

Below two vertical lines, horizontal solid line is box section, two vertical lines 2x new brackets welded to box, ideally 2x set of holes on each one to suit stick out required for task in hand eg, box bolted furthest stick out of box to allow rear access door to open as it should.
 
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Damn, two top vertical lines move when I post. I think you will know what am getting at though?
 
runnach said:
I would leave the area underneath the MH as is, remove box section from each outrigger, then weld shorter plates to box section, drill each outrigger eg: extended holes and as normal position holes, then using HTS nuts and bolts 🔩 fit box section to outriggers and torque up.
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definately an action beyond my abilities :)
 
I don’t see. Any problems with re drilling the holes further back, so that you can move the towbar further out,
That is what I would be doing
 
RichardHelen262 said:
I don’t see. Any problems with re drilling the holes further back, so that you can move the towbar further out,
That is what I would be doing
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While I do not disagree, why faff about under a van when the fix can be done from rear of van. Reason I say this, I dinged OS rear crash bar on our MH last July, the fixing of bar is much the same as David setup, removing then replacing, was a faff. There is also accuracy to take into account, easier to achieve from the outside than underneath. My thoughts only from practical experience.
 
He only has to take the 6 bolts out 3 either side and remove the tow bar then he can work on it wherever he likes
 
RichardHelen262 said:
He only has to take the 6 bolts out 3 either side and remove the tow bar then he can work on it wherever he likes
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Measurement required as plate with holes will require further notching. Is it three inches or two inches required to allow rear storage door to open?
 
Checked feasibility of moving back ....
In the current position, the ball clearly is an obstruction

Locker Cover Clearances by David, on Flickr

If the bar was further away from the back, that would no longer be a problem, so I took it off to see how much the bar itself would have to move ...

Locker Cover Clearances by David, on Flickr
So I would say the bar would need to be on the other side of that cover to allow it to hinge without obstruction?

This means putting it back at least 3.5" from what I can tell?

Locker Cover Clearances by David, on Flickr

That is quite a bit more than I pictured it having to move. This means that I doubt it would be a safe thing to do to just redrill holes in the towbar plates to allow it to sit further forward as the rearmost bolt hole centre is only 4" from the end, so I would think too close for comfort

Towbar plate by David, on Flickr

I suppose you could do a combination of moving holes on the plate back 2" and moving holes on the chassis member 2" forward but starting to get messy and the "risk/return" is deminishing all the time!
Think things will probably stay as they are, but it is something I have been thinking of for quite a while so at least I know what is and is not feasible.
Thanks to those with their suggestions and ideas. It was appreciated.
And there IS still that potential idea of a bi-fold door I could consider, but if that mucks up, the cost of a replacement rear door would be rather expensive (if even available) so, as they say, discretion is the better part of valour!
 
I'd be making it as easy as possible to remove the door. Leave the existing locks unlocked and fit pins at the bottom of the opening for the bottom of the door to locate on. Then new cam locks at the top to hold it in place.

I can't really see from the pictures, but it might even be possible to use the existing locks as the pins to locate the bottom. I.e. cut slots in the body for them to lift out of, but that might not be very pretty.

Maybe cut out the inner flange here (Red bits) would allow it to lift out without unlocking the original locks:

David.jpg
 
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St3v3 said:
I'd be making it as easy as possible to remove the door. Leave the existing locks unlocked and fit pins at the bottom of the opening for the bottom of the door to locate on. Then new cam locks at the top to hold it in place.

I can't really see from the pictures, but it might even be possible to use the existing locks as the pins to locate the bottom. I.e. cut slots in the body for them to lift out of, but that might not be very pretty.

Maybe cut out the inner flange here (Red bits) would allow it to lift out without unlocking the original locks:

View attachment 66600
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It is not the difficulty of removing the door that is an issue :) it is the fact the door has to be removed rather than simply lifted up on its hinges I was trying to avoid.
 
could you not alter the hinges to the same as on the side skirts on a aurotrail a bit like coach luggage compatrment ????
 
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