New MANTEC Product for Discovery/LR 3/4 - Overhead Storage

Ray_G

Explorer
Seconding the thanks Harbinger! The pictures confirm that it will work and that's everything I need to know.

Ray - I would suspect that it'll play really well in the back of the 3. Can you say more about what the additional runners would do for your installation. I have no doubt you've got a vision; I just don't see it yet? Wouldn't this hang off the 2nd row and 3rd row handles just fine (sans runners)?

Cheers,

Ian

Ian-
I think it would hang off the handles great, as depicted in Harbinger's photos. For me-even though we're all short-I'd prefer to keep the headroom and thus really want to find a way to keep it in the rear cargo area vice the straddling the 2nd and 3rd row. Here's a few shots to illustrate what I'm thinking-and I'm not wedded to the idea yet but getting closer to pulling the trigger on BROG attic to try it out.

Dimensions for the attic are 36"x24" from what I'm tracking online, and based off Harbinger's shots-it clearly fills the side to side space well so my thought was how do I best utilize the 3rd row moonroof cavity and take advantage of the same ability to mount things up there that the mantec attic does (i.e. the handholds attach to roof with screws)? Here's the rearmost area that I'm talking about:
FullSizeRender_1.jpg
An unsteady, it's raining in the NOVA area, iphone shot showing approx 22" w/o bending too much of the 'runner' that I have in mind:
FullSizeRender_2.jpg
Back in the garage with a piece of flat alum stock showing my idea for a runner, I would likely go with thicker and wider stock than this so I could, conceivably, cut out the hatch light area so those were still useful. Likewise I am considering making the runner the full 24" length and just to some bends on them to follow the contour of the roof but am undecided if that would work as well as keeping it up close to the moonroof to mitigate how far down it hangs and just let it be a little less than the full 24" fore/aft measurements of the BROG attic. Clearly the metal and the bolt plates would get painted to match the headliner color and such. All stuff that could get sorted after getting the attic on hand though....
FullSizeRender.jpg
As if I needed more stuff to buy for my truck!
 
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harbinger808

Adventurer
Ray, I like where you are going with your idea also. I was trying to figure out how to get the attic centered under the 3rd moonroof also and may have to play on your idea myself.
If you don't like your setup... I'll buy it off you :) I actually got mine here from a LC guy and prayed that it would work!
 

Ray_G

Explorer
Ray, I like where you are going with your idea also. I was trying to figure out how to get the attic centered under the 3rd moonroof also and may have to play on your idea myself.
If you don't like your setup... I'll buy it off you :) I actually got mine here from a LC guy and prayed that it would work!

Order placed with BROG this am, hopefully I'll have it in hand within the week (they tend to ship fast, and now I'm back in VA so fingers are crossed I'll have it by the time Thanksgiving rolls around). I'll document what I come up with and post back here and my thread too.
r-
Ray
 

Ian_Barry

Observer
Now I get it. As per usual I will be following along with the build and look forward to seeing how it comes together.

Cheers,

Ian
 
How long before you need a new headliner sliding stuff in and out of those?

About the same time it takes to replace the glass on our seven seater NAS wagons because we throw heavy stuff up there that breaks glass.......:wings:

In all seriousness, I like it, but would love it more if there was one reachable from the front seats or overhead like Defenders have. I know, I know our ceiling height up front is the issue. But I can dream. Looks like a quality piece of gear, though.
 

Ray_G

Explorer
The softer option; BROG LC attic modified for the LR3 cargo area

Beta testing will be underway for thanksgiving :)

IMG_2105.jpg

The cliff notes thus far:
-Sourced BROG attic, the usual very fast customer service & shipping had the well crafted VA made item in hand in short order.
-School got in the way of fabricating the planned runners but eventually I figured out that I'd need to have a piece that went under the grab handle and another piece that was the runner itself. Hypothetically you could do it with wider, single pieces, of metal but the fabrication there would be focused on getting the curves of the headliner area correct. I decided that the two piece construction was the simpler task. Grab handle base:
2016-11-15 15.35.52.jpg2016-11-16 16.57.44.jpg
The runner itself; overall length of the aluminum is 22", as you can see with bends on either end to accomodate roofline with bolt plates affixed to give the attic a place to tie into. The cut out accomodates the rear cargo area lights.
2016-11-16 18.00.31.jpg
The two come together, I decided to rivet them to keep clearances tight, no comments needed on how horrible the holes for the grab handle inserts are...I was working quickly and it was cold.
IMG_2097.jpg
Mocked up further, test fitting the handle several times throughout ensured a quicker install later. You will need to source bigger screws to give you purchase for the grab handles, I had some spares from other Rovers that I sacrificed.
IMG_2096.jpg
Up in the truck, illustrating (perhaps) better why I went to two pieces and had to bend and such.
IMG_2099.jpg
Another shot of it in place. As the initial comment notes, this is a beta to have it in place as we pack the truck up (you can see that is already underway from the first shot) and head up to WV for Thanksgiving. I wanted to try it out and buy myself a little room. At present, all that is up there is a jacket, a poncho liner (in an eagle creek cube), a lightweight camera tripod (that will come down before we drive) and a towel. When we get to WV and I get the chance to do some maint on the truck during the holiday it will likely get pulled down and the metal will get painted to match the headliner.
IMG_2106.jpg
Initial impression is positive; the runners provide enough stretch to make it fit the area well and in conjunction with the BROG 550 cord it keeps the objects tucked into that unused cavity well without blocking the rearview much, if at all. I may do some minor tweaks but I can say without a doubt it will have some utility in an area that is otherwise not really used.
r-
Ray
 

harbinger808

Adventurer
So once your done with all your testing, please make me a set of those runners so I can hang my second attic up :)
I'll pay you for those!

Beta testing will be underway for thanksgiving :)

View attachment 376024

The cliff notes thus far:
-Sourced BROG attic, the usual very fast customer service & shipping had the well crafted VA made item in hand in short order.
-School got in the way of fabricating the planned runners but eventually I figured out that I'd need to have a piece that went under the grab handle and another piece that was the runner itself. Hypothetically you could do it with wider, single pieces, of metal but the fabrication there would be focused on getting the curves of the headliner area correct. I decided that the two piece construction was the simpler task. Grab handle base:
View attachment 376027View attachment 376028
The runner itself; overall length of the aluminum is 22", as you can see with bends on either end to accomodate roofline with bolt plates affixed to give the attic a place to tie into. The cut out accomodates the rear cargo area lights.
View attachment 376032
The two come together, I decided to rivet them to keep clearances tight, no comments needed on how horrible the holes for the grab handle inserts are...I was working quickly and it was cold.
View attachment 376034
Mocked up further, test fitting the handle several times throughout ensured a quicker install later. You will need to source bigger screws to give you purchase for the grab handles, I had some spares from other Rovers that I sacrificed.
View attachment 376033
Up in the truck, illustrating (perhaps) better why I went to two pieces and had to bend and such.
View attachment 376035
Another shot of it in place. As the initial comment notes, this is a beta to have it in place as we pack the truck up (you can see that is already underway from the first shot) and head up to WV for Thanksgiving. I wanted to try it out and buy myself a little room. At present, all that is up there is a jacket, a poncho liner (in an eagle creek cube), a lightweight camera tripod (that will come down before we drive) and a towel. When we get to WV and I get the chance to do some maint on the truck during the holiday it will likely get pulled down and the metal will get painted to match the headliner.
View attachment 376036
Initial impression is positive; the runners provide enough stretch to make it fit the area well and in conjunction with the BROG 550 cord it keeps the objects tucked into that unused cavity well without blocking the rearview much, if at all. I may do some minor tweaks but I can say without a doubt it will have some utility in an area that is otherwise not really used.
r-
Ray
 

Ray_G

Explorer
So once your done with all your testing, please make me a set of those runners so I can hang my second attic up :)
I'll pay you for those!
I'm sure we can work something out, when I was texting with my buddy in WV about it I sent him some of these pics and he said "while you're bending, make another set" so I know I'll be doing it at least one more time. I have some ideas for improvements already that will require a trip to a hardware store for more appropriate tools (always a good execuse). Cost of materials isn't all that high. Will update post thanksgiving and we can figure something out.
r-
Ray
 

harbinger808

Adventurer
I'm sure we can work something out, when I was texting with my buddy in WV about it I sent him some of these pics and he said "while you're bending, make another set" so I know I'll be doing it at least one more time. I have some ideas for improvements already that will require a trip to a hardware store for more appropriate tools (always a good execuse). Cost of materials isn't all that high. Will update post thanksgiving and we can figure something out.
r-
Ray

youre my hero :)
 

Ian_Barry

Observer
Poor Mantec

Poor old Mantec. Outwitted by some meddling [Land Rover owner(s)] across the pond.

Can you snag a measuement from the low point on the BROG net to the loadspace floor? I recognize this will cahgne with the loadout in the net, a rough number will work.

I think we will need to work something out Ray - labor exchange, beer for aluminum, plain old cash.

Have a great Thanksgiving with your family (including the Twin Mountain part)!

Cheers,

Ian
 

Ray_G

Explorer
Poor old Mantec. Outwitted by some meddling [Land Rover owner(s)] across the pond.

Can you snag a measuement from the low point on the BROG net to the loadspace floor? I recognize this will cahgne with the loadout in the net, a rough number will work.

I think we will need to work something out Ray - labor exchange, beer for aluminum, plain old cash.

Have a great Thanksgiving with your family (including the Twin Mountain part)!

Cheers,

Ian

Ian-
~33" under light load w/minimal manipulation is height from cargo deck to bottom of netting. I had thought about running a 1" webbing strap along the center to augment the edges but it seems unnecessary for my purposes.

To be honest the Mantec is a great solution for some applications and I'm jealous of the craftsmanship; I just know I don't really need that much and prefer the soft so once the BROG ball started by our peers, I was done.

If you want in on the fab of runners, let me know-we can sort it out like everyone else or use it as an excuse to link up at John's.

Enjoy your turkey day too, I know we are preparing for gluttony and I'm taking the first episode of The Grand Tour up the mtn for us to all watch too.
R-
Ray


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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