Help needed please re: Fiamma ultrabox and bike rack

Hel999

Hel999

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Does anybody have any ideas how best we can fix the Ultrabox 500 we have bought to the existing bike rack on our MH. The bike rack is a Fiamma carrybike pro c compact. As it isnt one of the very tall bike racks we are struggling to find the best way to secure it.
 

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The box came with clamps but they arent long enough to go round the bike rails.
 
Please excuse me if this sounds obvious, but have you Removed/spun around those clips that hold the rack in the upright position.?

How long are the clamps?

Andrew
 
androidGB said:
Please excuse me if this sounds obvious, but have you Removed/spun around those clips that hold the rack in the upright position.?

How long are the clamps?

Andrew
Click to expand...

IMG_0927.JPG
IMG_0929.JPG
IMG_0928.JPG


clamps are only 3 1/4 inches
 
Found this in another thread

"That's just the issue DBK, the Ultra Box can be attached to the Carry Bike Pro C, but only the bottom U bolts can be fitted, while the fitting instructions (which are basically diagrams) show that the top U bolts must always be fitted. The retailer 'agentfiamma' have asked for clarification from the importers, and have told me that there is a Q & A article which is on the websitehttp://www.fiamma.com/EN/service/faqs/ and add 'It is just unfortunate the the Fiamma instructions don't match this advice'. The website says:-
"All three Ultra-Box for Carry-Bike (320, 360, 500) can be mounted on all Fiamma Carry-Bike apart for the ones with the non-aligned rails, or not centred in the Carry-Bike (VW T5 D, VW T4 D, DJ 200, 200 D, Renault Trafic D).
This implies that Fiamma do not recognise that the Ultra Box cannot be fitted on their Carry Bike Pro C in accordance with their own instructions.
The retailer agentfiamma further inform me that this matter is to be raised at the German Conference in late August.
In the meantime agentfiamma are making arrangements to recover the Ultra Box from me. "

Could this perhaps point to the problem

Andrew

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If you loosen the red clamps on the top bit of the bike rack and tilt the top back to meet the box will the clamps the not reach?
 
androidGB said:
Found this in another thread

"That's just the issue DBK, the Ultra Box can be attached to the Carry Bike Pro C, but only the bottom U bolts can be fitted, while the fitting instructions (which are basically diagrams) show that the top U bolts must always be fitted. The retailer 'agentfiamma' have asked for clarification from the importers, and have told me that there is a Q & A article which is on the websitehttp://www.fiamma.com/EN/service/faqs/ and add 'It is just unfortunate the the Fiamma instructions don't match this advice'. The website says:-
"All three Ultra-Box for Carry-Bike (320, 360, 500) can be mounted on all Fiamma Carry-Bike apart for the ones with the non-aligned rails, or not centred in the Carry-Bike (VW T5 D, VW T4 D, DJ 200, 200 D, Renault Trafic D).
This implies that Fiamma do not recognise that the Ultra Box cannot be fitted on their Carry Bike Pro C in accordance with their own instructions.
The retailer agentfiamma further inform me that this matter is to be raised at the German Conference in late August.
In the meantime agentfiamma are making arrangements to recover the Ultra Box from me. "

Could this perhaps point to the problem

Andrew
Click to expand...

That sounds like the problem. Looks like we are having to make do with bungees but im just not sure if it will be secure enough.
 
Hel999 said:
Does anybody have any ideas how best we can fix the Ultrabox 500 we have bought to the existing bike rack on our MH. The bike rack is a Fiamma carrybike pro c compact. As it isnt one of the very tall bike racks we are struggling to find the best way to secure it.
Click to expand...
Remove the bike rails?
 
The Wino said:
If you loosen the red clamps on the top bit of the bike rack and tilt the top back to meet the box will the clamps the not reach?
Click to expand...

if i tilt the top any further forward the box lid doesnt open as it catches. Think i will buy some extended u bolts for the bottom but Im a bit stuck about the top.
 
I have a Fiamma 500 box attached to a Fiamma bike rack. here is a photo of the bike rack the installer said would be suitable:
03 172.JPG


When my gmail allows me to I'll post a pic of how the box is attached to the rack.

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@Mack100 We will probably need to change the bike rack in the end to one like that, but unfortunately we go away on Tuesday and wrongly assumed the box would fit the rack that was already on our MH. Ah well, its all part of the fun i guess.
 
Hel999 said:
@Mack100 We will probably need to change the bike rack in the end to one like that, but unfortunately we go away on Tuesday and wrongly assumed the box would fit the rack that was already on our MH. Ah well, its all part of the fun i guess.
Click to expand...
Sadly I think you're right. The box will have to clamped to rack very firmly indeed to avoid flexing of the rear panel.
 
what are you planning to carry there.....heavy stuff, bulky stuff or both...

the other thing is, do you carry bikes.....as bikes and the box cant be carried together....

if you really just want to carry extra external storage, perhaps a tow bar mounted affair might do the job....or even mounted on chassis extensions....

the thing is, the mounting brackets for your bike rack dont have much distance between them height wise, so a large box full of stuff will be applying quite a force on those brackets.....with mack100's rack, the spacing is far greater so the 'downward twisting force' is more easily dealt with....

if i were planning to carry anything too heavy id be looking at something more substantial attached to the chassis......extensions or towbar......

i had one of these boxes, i did work out how to fix it on, but as we used the bike rack, i sold the back box....
 
When I took my storage box off to fit a bike rack the bottom guides for the bike wheels were removed, it was fixed at that point to the box with nuts and bolts, from memory it was also fixed through the back

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What would help is a couple of Munson rings and a length of screwed rod. They are used to hang pipes in a plant room and you can get rubber lined ones but I couldn't find any images but they do exist I have used them.
Clamp round bike rack. Cut rod to length, fasten base plate to box with big washers inside box or a plate and job done. If this doesn't make sense pm me :)

image.jpeg
 
I've finally got the photo!
This is how we attach the box to the rack, as you see your rack does not extend far enough upwards for both sets of clamps to engage.
IMG_0086.JPG
 
Can you not unbolt the top hoop that the bungies are clipped to.

Turn 180 degrees - re-bolt it back on - would that not crank it towards the box a bit better?
 
I'm like travelling wilbury in considering what you put in it.

The bike rack has a 50kg limit, as far as I can remember, and that relates to the way the whole rack is attached to the Mo ho back panel.

Brian

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You must also consider the maximum load of the rear panel. I had to ask the manufacturer and was told "anything from 50kg to 60kg, erm try 55"!
 
thankyou for all replies. We are wanting to carry 2 very lightweight Lafuma chairs which weigh only 4kgs each and a windbreak. We will see if we find something similar to what @Badknee posted this weekend but if not, may need to leave the box at home for this first trip. Just hoping the chairs will fit in the locker as i dnt really want to keep them in the shower and end up moving them around the van all the time.
 
MikeD said:
Can you not unbolt the top hoop that the bungies are clipped to.

Turn 180 degrees - re-bolt it back on - would that not crank it towards the box a bit better?
Click to expand...
That's what I was going to suggest. You need to completely remove the top bit of the rack, the one with the bent tubes, possibly complete with the red fittings, and put it back on the other way round so now it slopes away from the back of the MH not towards it.

It should now be a lot closer. If it is too far away you could fit longer u bolts if necessary (yacht chandler may have them) and fit a wooden spacer.

I don't think you could get away for very long using just the bottom fixings alone as it will probably move to much and might crack the plastic.

On mine I also secured the box to one of the bike rails (things the bike wheels sit on) using a longer bolt (from Screwfix, stainless steel M6) as on mine the upright bits are offset to the right as it is mounted on one door of the PVC) However I think you might get away with using just the lower fixings on the uprights and two bolts through the floor into the outer bike rail. But try and get the top rail adjusted so you can get a couple of fixings attached to it. You are not going to get a lot of rigidity from it but it will help.

If you have any holes in the box you need filling stick sellotape over them on the inside and fill from the outside with white bathroom sealant. That worked on mine. :)

Afterthought. It should be possible to fit two upright bits of aluminium tube to the existing short uprights to get the height you need. It will need some special fittings but it could be done and would be a better long term solution.

Another afterthought. If the top bit is too tall after turning it round drill new holes in it to make it shorter. You could also drill new holes to get it to sit flat against the box.
 
Last edited:
How about drilling new holes in the top bit, so that when swung forward it meets the box lower down, thereby allowing the top to open?

Andrew
 
longer u bolts

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I had a 500 box on this model bike rack on our first van. I removed the rails, had to drill new holes to fit to the uprights of the rack, must say we didn't carry anything too heavy in it.
 
image.jpg
Rest assured it's an easy fix ,simply drill 2 more holes in the top bar .
These pictures should help first one is ultra box position .I always left the rails on and our box was well loaded. The second picture is bike carry mode ,as you can see the bar is in the same way simply lowered by the 2 additional holes.
Please excuse my dirty rear end .


image.jpg


Hope this helps


Vlad
 
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DBK said:
My suggestion rejected. :crying::crying::crying:

:):):)
Click to expand...
Not at all @DBK we will be trying everything. I was reading the latest suggestions in reverse order so hadn't got to yours yet. I have printed them all off to leave for hubby to study while I'm at work. I am sure we will find a way thanks to all the help we've had. By the way, the you guys are ace comment was aimed at all funsters

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