Adding stowage bags without racks to your BOV

[CamoDeafie]

Bought this little car recently, it's been a decent vehicle, been using it as a daily driver... however stowage space leaves a little to be desired...... particularly if I plan to go camping with 4 people.... Most likely just the two of us (me and wife-to-be); but its a good exercise... I don't quite have a roof basket, nor a hitch cargo carrier.... Do have the 1.250" hitch but I get the feeling its a short Class 1 rack hitch for use with stuff like bike racks as opposed to actual trailers... Anyways, I've seen a similar idea where people would mount bags to the spare tire itself....and seeing as I have a civilian large bag that's just basically perfect... its the same size as the ALICE Large rucksack, and originally had a WW2 Mtn Ruck frame on it.... packed with sleeping bags and blankets for now; here is how it's set up on the spare tire rack; along with a thrift store backpack frame that I can mount my small DCU bag on that carries propane and tarps; or strap on a water bottle or fuel tank or small collapsible cooler, as long as it clears the line of view for the taillight...
To mount the big backpack, just hitch lower straps to the top of the spare tire carrier frame, then add two straps from the corners to the lower bar of the frame. Could do the same with an USGI ALICE Medium without a frame, and a Large with the utilization of an 11" bar in the frame pocket for the strap to hold onto, instead of a full ALICE frame... the ALICE rucksacks have D rings in the right place for cargo straps to hook onto/loop into. For the interior, tote boxes for camp gear and suitcases for clothes, making it a simple set up that doesn't look like a military type vehicle.
Idea is from the Trasharoo series of MOLLE bags that mounts to Jeep spare tires.

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[19 Adam]

Thanks for sharing a very creative way of expanding your vehicles cargo capacity.

This looks like a good, quick mount, easy access way for you to substantially increase your BOV's hauling ability.

Heavy duty waterproof tarp, not the cheap blue plastic, would help keep water and road filth off of your cargo.

Thanks again for sharing and giving us all ideas about our own vehicles.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Thanks for sharing a very creative way of expanding your vehicles cargo capacity.

This looks like a good, quick mount, easy access way for you to substantially increase your BOV's hauling ability.

Heavy duty waterproof tarp, not the cheap blue plastic, would help keep water and road filth off of your cargo.

Thanks again for sharing and giving us all ideas about our own vehicles.

I don;t remember if the bag ever had a waterproofing treatment, but I usually pack with trash compactor bag inside the bag itself for the most part, and have ziploc bags in the small pockets for the stuff in them (usually just compact tarps and stakes though)

 

[Certaindeaf]

Granny Clampett would be all "feh".

 

[PaulB47]

Amazon.com: Apex Aluminum Hitch Cargo Carrier 48x20" Tray for 1.25" Class I or II Receiver: Discount Ramps: Automotive

300 lbs...

I may have to get one for my Passat with a 1 3/4" hitch.

 

[Camelfilter]

Looks pretty good, well done!

Your green one looks to be just a little bit smaller than the "Trasharoo". Nice!

You might consider making a form to go inside your bag to hold its shape, either from cardboard or that plasti-board (like what political signs are made of). I'll probably be making a form for my trasharoo, but just haven't had a need to use it yet-so haven't made one.

 

[CamoDeafie]

It is same size as Large Alice but probably is smaller than the Trasharoo and MOLLE Large Rucks. I had considered making a form but right now its pretty good for soft light items unlike say, a hitch hauler with a couple totes on it. There is another military bag that could work, the Mounted crewman compartmentalized equipment bag... its basically a big duffle bag with three compartments and is meant to be hung onto exterior racks/bars on military vehicles or inside the APCs.. has ALICE style shoulder strap attachments on 4 points which would be excellent places for heavy straps to attach to tire frame or other framework