Alu-Box Help

dsm02c

Adventurer
Just got my Alu-Box from equipt and want to mount it to my frontrunner rack. I'm planning on keeping all my recovery gear in it.

So a couple questions before I make a go of it.

How do you lock these things? Equipts website says they're lockable, but I can't find somewhere to buy locks.

Any tips on actually securing this thing to the rack? I have some ideas but there have to be a bunch of people who have already done this and I would rather shorten the learning curve and put as few holes as possible into the bottom of my $260 case...

I was just planing on using the frontrunner Jerry can holder base I have as a template which I know lines up perfectly with the rack as I've installed (2) of them.

Any other tips on it?
 

mep1811

Gentleman Adventurer
Alum box help

The latches have a small hole where you can use a small padlock.

As for securing the box to the roof , I use a ratchet strap handle to handle under the rack bars.

You will have to find a ratchet that allows you to get the hook right on the ratchet to one handle. No need to over think the solution. Other than checking the tension I've not had any issues since I put the box on the roof about ten years ago.

I like these Harbor Freight straps because you can unbolt the hook and re-fix it right to the ratchet handle.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-l...10-ft-ratcheting-tie-down-set-of-4-61303.html
 

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dsm02c

Adventurer
The latches have a small hole where you can use a small padlock.

As for securing the box to the roof , I use a ratchet strap handle to handle under the rack bars.

You will have to find a ratchet that allows you to get the hook right on the ratchet to one handle. No need to over think the solution. Other than checking the tension I've not had any issues since I put the box on the roof about ten years ago.

I like these Harbor Freight straps because you can unbolt the hook and re-fix it right to the ratchet handle.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-l...10-ft-ratcheting-tie-down-set-of-4-61303.html

Thanks for the heads up. I guess I should have looked at the case a little more, I was so fixed on popping the black plastic on the latch that I never thought to look at the side of the latch.

I was thinking of securing it directly to the roof rack via drilling through the bottom?

I like the idea of using a locking ratchet strap too, that is certainly the least time consuming solution and easiest to take off (no way truck is gonna fit in my 7' garage with the box on the roof...
 

mep1811

Gentleman Adventurer
I would not drill through the bottom of the box the aluminum is very thin and and I could see without a large backing plate the box breaking Just use a cable lock from the handle to the rack to secure the box.
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
We've mounted them direct to the rack. We use a nylon standoff with silicone sealed fender washer in the inside along with a nylon nut, zero issues. Super secure and easy to access. Downside is they are hard-mounted, upside they are hard mounted.
 

dsm02c

Adventurer
Thanks for the help everybody! Man, life would be a lot easier if I had someone to learn from locally!
 

racehorse

Adventurer
You might send a note to Paul at equipt - I asked him once and I recall he drilled through the bottom on his and secured it to the rack via bolt. He may have pics. I thought of doing the same with my Zarges case but instead just use a ratchet strap so it's easier to remove at camp. I would like to keep it hard mounted but won't fit in the garage at home.
 

dsm02c

Adventurer
You might send a note to Paul at equipt - I asked him once and I recall he drilled through the bottom on his and secured it to the rack via bolt. He may have pics. I thought of doing the same with my Zarges case but instead just use a ratchet strap so it's easier to remove at camp. I would like to keep it hard mounted but won't fit in the garage at home.

I took the cruiser outfitters suggestion and used nylon standoffs to make sure the bottom of the case did not deform when tightening it down, and used wing nuts to secure the box on top of lock washers. I've got a frontrunner rack so install and removal is super easy, and it needed to be as I'm not getting in my 7' garage with it on! I'm not super worried about water intrusion from the holes in the bottom either, I did cover each hole with used bicycle inner tube pieces, I'm only putting recovery gear in the box and my shackles and snatch blocks are in a waterproof draw string bag. Will post photos once it's back on the truck.
 

ticboom

New member
+1 on Kurt's method. The fender washer and nylon nut snug the bottom to the nylon standoff and it is bomber. Hard to drill the holes in the boxes (emotionally) But I love the security and I was finding excuses not to undo the bungees. Bad.
 

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