I recently had a close call with disaster regarding my Fiamma 500 rear box mounted on my Thule cycle rack. I have an Autotrail Delaware with an approved cycle rack. I secured the Fiamma box to this a few years ago and, unnoticed by me, the swaying movement allowed by the poorly designed rack fixings had caused a bolt to be loosened and eventually it came off. This caused the bike rack to come loose and, luckily for me, only fall off when we stopped.
Here’s where I need some advice: A very friendly local mechanic has made and fitted a frame for my box and I now want to fill the box with all my “outdoor” stuff.
Please can members check my calculations and tell me if I have got any thing wrong?
Original fittings: Thule cycle rack stripped down with added Fiamma parts weighed about 6kg. But the original rack weighed 8.2kg. Maximum load advice on rack 53kg. Total allowed load 8.2+53=62.2kg.
New fittings: Metal frame square sections, 20mm x 20m x 1.5m = 1.79gm, 25mm x 25 m x 3m = 4.52kg, add a little for bracing pieces so total frame weight around 7kg. So a small saving here.
Box 17kg
In box: Quest Falcon AirShield 7.75kg, Thule Awning side and front G2 Rain blockers (1 each) 7.6kg, Awning matting 1.48kg, Silver Screen 5kg?, Waste pipe 3kg?, Rotary clothes line 3kg?, various brushes and poles 5kg. Total in box 32.83kg
So, Frame 7kg, Box 17kg, contents about 32.83kg. Total 56.83kg
Some of my estimates are probably wrong, and the contents are in bags, so that’s a little more weight, but my calculations give me 5.37kg to play with.
There are two other considerations; firstly I presume Autotrail/Thule will have allowed a little leeway on the safe weight limits given, and secondly, the new frame brings the box a lot closer to the back of the motorhome so the “leverage” is less.
I have read of the weight attached to the back of a motorhome damaging the rear wall structure so any advice would be gratefully received.
Here’s where I need some advice: A very friendly local mechanic has made and fitted a frame for my box and I now want to fill the box with all my “outdoor” stuff.
Please can members check my calculations and tell me if I have got any thing wrong?
Original fittings: Thule cycle rack stripped down with added Fiamma parts weighed about 6kg. But the original rack weighed 8.2kg. Maximum load advice on rack 53kg. Total allowed load 8.2+53=62.2kg.
New fittings: Metal frame square sections, 20mm x 20m x 1.5m = 1.79gm, 25mm x 25 m x 3m = 4.52kg, add a little for bracing pieces so total frame weight around 7kg. So a small saving here.
Box 17kg
In box: Quest Falcon AirShield 7.75kg, Thule Awning side and front G2 Rain blockers (1 each) 7.6kg, Awning matting 1.48kg, Silver Screen 5kg?, Waste pipe 3kg?, Rotary clothes line 3kg?, various brushes and poles 5kg. Total in box 32.83kg
So, Frame 7kg, Box 17kg, contents about 32.83kg. Total 56.83kg
Some of my estimates are probably wrong, and the contents are in bags, so that’s a little more weight, but my calculations give me 5.37kg to play with.
There are two other considerations; firstly I presume Autotrail/Thule will have allowed a little leeway on the safe weight limits given, and secondly, the new frame brings the box a lot closer to the back of the motorhome so the “leverage” is less.
I have read of the weight attached to the back of a motorhome damaging the rear wall structure so any advice would be gratefully received.
