Cargo/pet barrier - anybody use one?

[Martinjmpr]

Last time we took a trip with our dog I had to come to a sudden stop and our dutch oven table flipped over onto where the dog was sleeping (we lay her bed on the passenger side back door so she can have a window.)

That got me to thinking about cargo or pet barriers. Anybody use one and would you recommend it? Something like this:

http://www.discountramps.com/mesh-s...-18283950120&gclid=CLn8mMGnus4CFQMPaQodrHUFFA

When I think about all the crap we carry in the back of the 'Burb on a long trip, a barrier like this kind of makes sense. Not only would it protect the dog but it would protect the wife and I from getting hit by any flying stuff, and it would help me keep the area behind the front seats (where we keep the fridge and the food box as well as the dog) clear and less cluttered.

Just wondering what others are using or if I should just get one and be the guinea pig!

 

[(none)]

I'm interested in this as well. I have a trip coming up, planning on having the pup in the back of the jk

 

[doug720]

I made my own and it works well for our furr kids. I made bars for side sliding windows also as they love their air! The window guards also give the barrier extra support from forward moving items.

 

[OuterLimits]

Martin,

I started using a pet barrier when family camping in my trusty FJ60 Cruiser. A load of camping gear to the backside of our heads during a fast stop or accident is just not safe.
Years later, I am now running a Ford Escape, but the pet barrier still goes in back for safety on camp outings. The pet barrier should effectively restrain my gear in a fast stop, but the forces involved in a vehicular accident can be extreme and may jar the barrier loose.
I think it makes sense to use cargo straps to secure the load in back, as well as the pet barrier to catch anything that comes loose. The Escape has 4 tie down points in the rear that make it easy to secure a load. When moving my daughter to/from college, I folded down the rear seats and put the pet barrier behind the front seats to keep the load in place.
The down side of the pet barriers is the compression fitting. It essentially jams itself between floor and roof to stay in place. This is fine to keep doggies from jumping the seat to join you, but may come loose in a wreck or roll over.
I am now looking into putting a cargo net between the load and the rear seats. This would take up less space than the pet barrier, and if anchored properly, would be more secure than a pet barrier. The down side of the cargo net is the lack of anchor points on the ceiling of my Escape, and being a “soft barrier” it might still allow a loose can of pork ‘n beans to crack the melon of a rear seat passenger.
Cargo straps on the load and a bolted in cage barrier are probably the ultimate solution.
Just letting your gear bounce around the back, looking for a soft target in front, doesn't make any sense to me.
Cheers

 

[M35A2]

We have one. A generic adjustable tube thingy that does not mount permanently.

It was useless for our Border Collie as she was smart, flexible and nimble enough to wriggle through. She passed, sadly, and our current best friends respect the boundary and it is working perfectly.

 

[calicamper]

How about just a cargo net made out of webbing to secure the gear?

 

[pcjeeper]

Check these cargo nets out. No personal experience but they look fairly stout.

www.raingler.com

 

[mmaattppoo]

Seems like mesh/web cargo control systems for SUVs without interior roll gages make use of overhead cabin handholds and tie down loops. I would put the same amount of trust in mesh barriers mounted using handholds and tie down loops as I would in rigid metal barriers.

I've been using a Bestop pet barrier in my Jeep for the past two years. This type of barrier mounts to the roll cage and to the seat belt anchor bolts and is quite sturdy. Another benefit of a sturdy rigid metal mesh barriers is that you can mount things to them. I mount a shovel and axe to mine.

I wouldn't expect any barrier to fully contain camping gear in the event of a severe high energy impact or roll over, but they would help in situations described by the OP. Combined with other methods of cargo control it should be possible to arrive at your destination without all your gear in a jumble.

Bestop doesn't make a barrier for suburbans but TravAll makes a similar barrier:

https://www.travall.ca/chevrolet/suburban-2013-/travall-pet-barrier-tdg1433



Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[rayra]

I've been thinking about sewing one for a while. Pretty much same reasons, shield our dogs - and us - from flying cargo. I've been intending to add eye bolts at the 4 corners behind both the 2nd row and 3rd row seats, so a web barrier would work in either plane.

I was experimenting back at the beginning of my awning project

And asking about the ceiling interior structures over a year ago, never got anywhere - http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...000-2006-Suburban-ceiling-interior-metal-pics

I figured I could use the 3rd row seat attachment brackets on the bottom, in either the 3rd row or 2nd row config. OR tie into the 2nd row seatbelt attachment points. Just need to get in the ceiling and make some suitable anchor points. Eyebolts probably, with the eye just protruding thru the fibrous headliner for the top 'corners'.

The rest just a net layout with corner straps with adjustable buckles to tie it off to the anchors. 1" webbing. Maybe even less.
https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/components

2" seatbelt webbing, 6000-lb breaking force - https://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/2-seatbelt-webbing-black
1" flat webbing, 1500-lb breaking force - https://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/1-polyester-webbing-1500-lbs-black


The Sub cargo cross section is roughly 4' x 3', behind the 2nd row. Surely there's an existing net that can be readily adapted, or used as is, if it has adjustable lashings at the corners.


seems to be no end of nets made for Jeeps of various models. Surely they'd work fine in a Sub.

 

[kojackJKU]

I have a springtail coming for my JK, I am going to talk to them about making some accessories for the suburban as well. A barrier that can be moved from behind the second row to behind the 3rd row. Maybe only using the pressue poles, but will slow stuff down.

 

[kojackJKU]

thanks for the link to the trav/all gear. I can get one for our patriot. AWESOME!

 

[fiddypal]

If looking to go the DIY route, just get a section of cattle panel or hog panel from Tractor Supply. Comes in 16ft sections, cuts easily with a dremel. Only difference between the cattle and hog panel is the spacing of the bars.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/feedlot-panel-hog-16-ft-l-x-34-in-h?cm_vc=-10005

Looks like they also have a more generic 'utility panel' with even smaller holes between the bars.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Seems like mesh/web cargo control systems for SUVs without interior roll gages make use of overhead cabin handholds and tie down loops. I would put the same amount of trust in mesh barriers mounted using handholds and tie down loops as I would in rigid metal barriers.

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:iagree: That was my first thought too.
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Obviously most of us don't have a roll cage on the interior to attach to but I would be inclined to use the upper shoulder harness attachment points before I would use the handholds.
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Understand, I'm not looking for something that would withstand a serious crash, just something that would keep the gear from flopping over onto where the dog sleeps. As far as crash protection goes, even if the barrier doesn't stop any debris, it would certainly slow it down. Also it's not like we're packed floor-to-ceiling back there. Actually most of our cargo doesn't protrude much above the bottom of the windows.
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I load the truck with the "hard" stuff on the bottom - two action packers with camping gear and recovery/emergency gear, a milk crate with our water jug, another action packer that I call the "dirty box" for our trailer gear (leveling blocks, power cords, chock blocks, locks, stakes, hammer, etc), and a lantern box. Then the "soft" stuff goes on top of that: Awning for the trailer (it's in a nylon bag), pop up awning, pop up screen house, and then our "carry on" bags with personal gear. When we take the kayaks, the kayak seats, paddles and life vests also go on top of the "hard" stuff in the back of the truck. All of this goes behind the back doors.
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Then, immediately behind the front seats, sitting on top of the folded-down 2nd row seats, are the food box, the fridge and (when we take her) the dog. We do it this way especially for long trips because with the food box and fridge right behind us, the wife can grab a snack or a drink while we're driving. And of course the dog has to have a window so I can open it up and she can stick her head out!
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Any barrier would go behind where the 2nd row of seats would sit if the seats were up. That way we can still reach the fridge and food box and the dog, but all the gear behind there would be segregated.

 

[rayra]

I think maybe if you come out from the 2nd row upper seat belt anchor point with a flat bracket that goes higher up the wall, one could get a high enough attachment point to do some good. Going straight across between the seatbelt bolts puts the top strap at only about headrest level leaving a large gap above. Extending a bracket upward would loft that cross-strap high enough to block everything.
Next time I have the cargo side panels out (soon, in my storage drawer build, I need to modify the rear AC intake vent and taking tha tpanel out requires loosening the 'C' pillar trim and that reveals the 2nd row shoulder belt anchor point. I can can get some pics of what can be done there, within a few days.

 

[WyoCherokee]

I have one in my XJ at all times. It keeps the wet stinky dogs out of the cloth seats, and keeps my camping gear from smashing the dogs.