Hello everyone, I am a senior in high school and as a part of my senior engineering project my group and I have decided for our project to be centered around Jeeps! For the past 5 months we have been working on a way to create a more secure/organized storage system to make up for the limited storage in Jeeps (its incredible how little storage space is available, especially in my TJ). Our unique storage device utilizes the pre existing boltholes that are used to mount the spare tire so that no permanent modifications to the Jeep are required! The other part of my group is working on a portable device to hold our doors once they're removed so that you don't have to lay them on a trailer, the ground, or up against a tree when you go wheeling. Here is the link to our go fund me page with a more detailed description of our project, we would greatly appreciate your support or just to even hear your thoughts! Attached are images of a model we have put together using a toy jeep from amazon and our teachers 3d printer. (We did not include the doors of the "Jox" (Jeep Box) in the print so that you can see the shelves on the inside). More info/GoFundMe: http://gf.me/u/w25m75
Tailgate mounted storage box
- Thread starter BrettH
- Start date
alittleoff
TJ Addict
Ok, so the spare tire is...
Looks like extra stress on an already taxed tailgate.
Looks like extra stress on an already taxed tailgate.
This will actually replace the spare tire. The average off-road spare weighs about 80lbs, the box alone is roughly 50lbs. Stock tailgate can hold up to 200lbs so weight shouldn’t be an issue. Often people remove their spare and mount their license plate in the middle of their tailgate. With the Jox, people will be able to mount it easily on the center of the front plate/door.
Thank you! I’ll post updates as we go along. We are proud with what we’ve done so far and are working hard everyday
This is a good idea on the surface. But you are solving one problem by creating another. I say this having just went through great effort to remove about 150 lbs hanging off the backend of the Jeep. Added weight and bulk outside the wheelbase is not desirable.
To improve the viability of the bookshelf idea, keep the weight as close to the tailgate and as low as possible. But without impacting the departure angle more than is necessary. Look at the ExoGate and how it strengthens the hinges and attachment to the body. Lots of good things to understand with their design compared to other options of keeping stuff on the back.
FWiW, the tailgate storage systems that might appeal to me the most are the ones that attach to the inside.
To improve the viability of the bookshelf idea, keep the weight as close to the tailgate and as low as possible. But without impacting the departure angle more than is necessary. Look at the ExoGate and how it strengthens the hinges and attachment to the body. Lots of good things to understand with their design compared to other options of keeping stuff on the back.
FWiW, the tailgate storage systems that might appeal to me the most are the ones that attach to the inside.
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
I think you may benefit from taking a look at experiences as to what that number is rather than calculating it without experience.
There's a lot of companies that sell junk without testing it in the real world which ends up either failing or causing other parts of the Jeep to fail that shouldn't be. I encourage you to spend part of your school year testing to see if your calculated engineering holds up in the real world and come up with solutions to points of failure.
Also, your metal prices look like they may be significantly higher than they could be. If you post up the sizes you need I can see if my sources are cheaper and PM you links.
That would be great
We definitely will be spending time to test and make sure it goes as we planned.
To add onto what @jjvw said - check my picture for why you don’t want that to stick out so far.
I’d also suggest if someone were to go this direction, you need to have an answer for the spare tire (many of us wouldn’t do a trip without one), the tailgate strength which in my experience is over estimated, and how to easily put it on/off when setting up camp to keep it off the trail (re reason 1).
There may be something nice between the hitch mounted options and this you could get to (such as some added support).
I’d also suggest if someone were to go this direction, you need to have an answer for the spare tire (many of us wouldn’t do a trip without one), the tailgate strength which in my experience is over estimated, and how to easily put it on/off when setting up camp to keep it off the trail (re reason 1).
There may be something nice between the hitch mounted options and this you could get to (such as some added support).
It’s hard to tell on the model, it looks like 1.5x or so. However the tire is narrower and tapered. It could be cool if the bottom was rounded around an axis and the bottom would make a good catch all.
Toss in some dividers and lips so a user doesn’t have everything fall out on them every time it’s open if they’re on anything but flat or a down grade.
Yes we have actually considered this
It looks larger in the model than it will actually be, that was the smallest we could print something without issues. The real thing will only be a couple inches over the top of the tailgate so that it does not interfere with visibility (and so it doesn't look too goofy 
)
alittleoff
TJ Addict
Yeah, not rock or dirt cruising without my spare tire. And your estimate of 200# could be a static load but in the real world, a heavy wheel/tire or fully loaded storage box will bounce and shake enough to fatigue the thin sheetmetal around those 4 mounting points.
Your testing might prove that if given enough time.
Good luck.
Your testing might prove that if given enough time.
Good luck.
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