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Luggage rack cover
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dkoltz
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:02 pm    Post subject: Luggage rack cover Reply with quote

With winter approaching, I'd like to install a cover over the luggage rack to avoid snow build-up. Has anyone come across any aftermarket covers? I'm looking for a seasonal/temporary fix, as I frequently use the rack during the spring/summer/fall. Thanks!
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BillWYellowstone
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Watching this with interest, I have a heavy winter coming up. No garage, and won't be near the westy for a month at a time. Montana, I am actually thinking just leave it. Can only hold so much snow, right?
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BillWYellowstone wrote:
Watching this with interest, I have a heavy winter coming up. No garage, and won't be near the westy for a month at a time. Montana, I am actually thinking just leave it. Can only hold so much snow, right?


The luggage rack bears on the roof so it can deal with a vary large amount of snow, but the rest of the pop-top should have the snow cleared when it gets deep/heavy, I have read that the roof can develop a bit of a sag in the middle if large snow loads are left alone, but I have never seen/experienced that first hand.

Parking the van in the open where wind and sun can minimize snow loads if possible is the way to go.
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outwesty
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It can hold a bit
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vanis13
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

guess you can put a flat piece of something over the hole and strap it down. scrap 3/4" plywood should work.

Also making a "dome" that sheds snow might work. Bet coroplast (plastic cardboard) might bend nicely and with November election sign season coming up you can find some on your local corner.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I made a simple cover cut from scrap 1/2" plywood on a couple of pool noodles I had hanging around. Good noise reduction (less turbulence at highway speeds) and about a .8 MPG increase as well.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jake de Villiers wrote:
I...simple cover cut from scrap 1/2" plywood on a couple of pool noodles...

Nice! Not pretty; but effective! (Much like myself...)

I'll be doing this!
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dhaavers wrote:
Jake de Villiers wrote:
I...simple cover cut from scrap 1/2" plywood on a couple of pool noodles...

Nice! Not pretty; but effective! (Much like myself...)

I'll be doing this!


But completely FREE except for the 40 minutes I spent cutting out the plywood! Wink I've been thinking about springing for some nice white polystyrene sheet to make a 'nice' one out of but...
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thummmper
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

this almost feels like a jacuzzi cover-style solution.
maybe I can get with gregor and mock something up. I am close to hanging my sewing tables anyway.
polystyrene body 2" thick within a durable vinyl enclosure with possible flaps--
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you mean styrofoam? It needs to be more than 2" thick - the luggage well is tapered too, from front to back. I went with the ply because its easier to find a place to put it if I need to use that space while out driving, whereas a 2' x 4' x ~3 1/2" foam billet would be a pain...

YMMV
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hard to beleive that filling that space will buy .9 mpg.

I may have to try it out as my mpgs have slipped to 18 on the HWY, due in large part to being 3" taller than stock and rolling on large tires.

Hmmm...
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

j_dirge wrote:
Hard to beleive that filling that space will buy .9 mpg.

I may have to try it out as my mpgs have slipped to 18 on the HWY, due in large part to being 3" taller than stock and rolling on large tires.

Hmmm...


I should have said .9 miles per Imperial Gallon. With US Gallons, that's more like .72. Still, the best part was the noise reduction at 70 MPH.
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campism
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 2:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try running your bungees front-to-back and see if you get the rest of that one-full-MPG improvement.
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dkoltz
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jake - the plywood is awesome... leave it to good old Canadian ingenuity - Red Green would be proud! Speaking of, I didn't notice any duct tape Very Happy

This may what I'm looking for... I'm not concerned about weight; rather, parking in the garage overnight and the associated snow melt. Just looking for an easier way to keep it out than having to empty it frequently.
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dkoltz wrote:
Jake - the plywood is awesome... leave it to good old Canadian ingenuity - Red Green would be proud! Speaking of, I didn't notice any duct tape Very Happy

This may what I'm looking for... I'm not concerned about weight; rather, parking in the garage overnight and the associated snow melt. Just looking for an easier way to keep it out than having to empty it frequently.


It should do that for you - I was just looking for less wind noise on the highway. Plywood - all things to all people! Wink
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My version, thanks to Jake's inspiration:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I stretched & stapled on a layer of rubber roll roofing I had laying around (for weather resistance & to keep down splinters)
otherwise all according to Jake's original plan (ie: plywood, swim noodles & bungees).

Drove today in very windy conditions & I agree the wind noise is diminished. Might be even quieter with a truly air-TIGHT design,
but I'm happy considering the time & materials I put into this.

I will definitely keep this in place long-term. Should keep the snow off & will stow easily at a moment's notice.

Thanks, Jake!
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice work!

That is a real nice compromise between keeping the luggage bin, getting better aerodynamics, and not taking too long to build.

Here is are a couple pics of mine, FWIW, I obviously lost the luggage bin, but got a larger aero gain/wind noise loss, but the fiberglass work was a real time killer :-/

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I posted the same thing twice...
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Last edited by jackbombay on Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:26 pm; edited 1 time in total
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LTBeck41
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That filberglass replaceemnt for the luggage well really adds a lot to the overall looks for the Westy! market it !!!
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you use a piece of membrane roofing, you might match the white fiberglass....
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